The Clone Wars: Season 1, Episode 9, Cloak of Darkness introduces us to Jedi Master Luminara Unduli and contains a lot of lightsabre duels. The Moral of the episode is "Ignore your instincts at your peril."
Vice Gunray captured! Senator Padme Amidala has scored a victory against the Separatist Alliance on the remote world of Rodia, securing the arrest of the diabolical Confederate leader, Nute Gunray. The Jedi Council has dispatched Master Luminara Unduli and Anakin Skywalker's Padawan, Ahsoka, to escort the Viceroy to Coruscant under heavy guard. Once there, he will face trial for his many war crimes.
The captured Gunray attempts to bribe the Clones to aid his escape, but they are loyal and not at all interested. The Viceroy is taken to a holding cell in the detention block of the Republic Warship on route to Coruscant. Master Luminari warns the young Ahsoka not to underestimate Gunray and his resourceful allies.
Meanwhile, the Emperor to be is concerned of Nute Gunray's capture and the sensitive information the Jedi may extract from him. Over Holo-transmission he is told by Count Dooku, that he plans to send his apprentice, Asajj Ventress to infiltrate the ship to either free Gunray or silence him.
Aboard the Republic Warship, Nute Gunray is questioned by Master Luminara. Gunray is not immediately forthcoming with his answers and completely losing control, Ahsoka flies in threatening the Neimoidian with her green lightsabre. Shocked, Luminara pulls her away. "Terror is not a weapon that the Jedi use". You can tell Ahsoka is Anakin's Padawan... she is developing the same worrying traits that he himself has.
Suddenly the ship comes under attack from Droid fighters. Droch-Class Boarding Ships land in and cut through the hull. Super Battledroids drop into the ship and immediately engage the Clones in a laser fight. Master Luminara rushes to help and instructs Ahsoka to stay behind and safely guard Gunray.
As the droids drive the Clones back into the ship, Dooku's apprentice drops into the now quiet area unchallenged. A fallen Clone trooper tries to get out a warning message, but is rapidly decapitated with double lightsabres before getting the chance!
As Luminara takes out the troublesome Super Battledroids, Ventress is making her way to the power core of the ship through the ventilation ducts. Reaching the core, she stealthily evades the attention of a look-out droid to plant Detonation charges around the area.
Ventress is fast. She cuts through a floor panel and drops into the detention block where Nute Gunray is being held and where Ahsoka and some Clones are standing guard. Ahsoka duels Ventress in the first lightsabre fight of the episode. Luminara senses the danger and makes her way to aid the Padawan. Gunray makes himself known, and during her fight with Ahsoka, Ventress releases the Viceroy from his prison. She parries one of the Padawan's thrusts, expertly twists, kicks her into the cell, and seals her inside. Nute Gunray is unable to conceal his amusement.
Master Luminara rushes into the Detention block. Using the force she releases Ahsoka from the cell. Now the fight is Ventress verses both Ahsoka and Luminara. Luminara orders the Apprentice's surrender. This seems to have the desired effect. Ventress deactivates both her weapons and raises her hands aloft. Then the Detonators go off that she'd previously placed at the core! Explosions rock the ship and in the moment of confusion, Ventress jumps over Luminara and runs away. The entire ship has been crippled.
The Jedi, Commandoes and Clones have Gunray for now. Ventress is still on the ship and is determined to complete her mission in order to be judged worthy of being Count Dooku's apprentice. Luminara goes after Ventress alone. She gives implicit instructions for Ahsoka to stay guarding the Viceroy.
Ahsoka is not sure about leaving Luminara to tackle Ventress on her own. She has already seen first hand what she can do. We are brought back to the Moral of the show here, "Ignore your instincts at your peril". Ahsoka discusses the dilemma with the surrounding Clones and Commandoes. Each seem to have their different opinion. Gunray honestly says, "All I know is, I never risk my own skin unless I have to". This finally makes Ahsoka's mind up. She leaves to help the Jedi Master. The Clones and Commandoes are adequate forces to guard Gunray.
They exchange a long lightsabre battle around the inactive ship's power-core, but Ventress is gradually getting the better of Jedi Master Luminara. She kicks the Jedi off a platform and she tumbles downwards, hitting the deck below. She is just about to deliver the killing blow when Ahsoka arrives and force pushes her a distance away.
Ventress briefly engages the pair again before force jumping high up to the platform above. She sends a electronic signal to one of the Commandoes guarding the Viceroy. He is a Spy! Ventress' sole purpose was to lure the Jedi away so Nute Gunray could be more easily rescued!
The Spy Commando, Argyus, shoots another of the guards, frees Gunray and immediately uses him has a human shield. Clearly its not overly important if Count Dooku receives him alive or dead... although alive is probably preferable. There is a very brief struggle with a remaining Clone Trooper, but Argyus and Gunray make it to the escape ship and depart unchallenged through the Docking bay. Ventress escapes the Republic Warship in an Escape Pod and joins them aboard.
The Commando never receives his big pay off from Dooku for his treachery against the Republic. Asajj Ventress spears one of her lightsabres right through him. "I always had a good feeling about you," Gunray comments.
The episode ends with Master Yoda summing up the days miserable events, "Troublesome is the treachery of the Republic Guard Argyus. All around us our enemies are."
Posts
