TV Series Season Review: 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars - The Lost Missions'

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Against a backdrop of ever-shifting loyalties, uneasy alliances and ancient hostilities, the conflict between the Republic and the Separatists ramps up, setting the stage for Darth Sidious' ultimate act of treachery against the Jedi. In these uncertain times, some of the deepest mysteries of the light and dark sides of the Force are revealed as an intrepid clone trooper uncovers a shocking conspiracy, Anakin Skywalker's closest relationship is tested to its limits, and Master Yoda makes a discovery that could forever change the balance of power in the galaxy. Complete your collection and experience all the wonder, intrigue, action and suspense of THE LOST MISSIONS in 13 must-own episodes -- plus a Behind-The-Scenes Documentary -- as this thrilling chapter of the STAR WARS saga comes home on Blu-ray and DVD for the first time!
Although George Lucas's Star Wars: The Clone Wars was a critical and popular success during its five-season run on Time-Warner's Cartoon Network, the Walt Disney Company and Lucasfilm canceled the series in March 2013. Lucas, the series' executive producer, was retiring, and Dave Filoni and his team of animators were reassigned to work on Disney XD's new series, Star Wars: Rebels.
Nevertheless, Filoni and series producer Cary Silver already had 13 episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars' Season 6 in the can, plus another four-episode arc ("Crystal Crisis on Utapau") in what animators call "completed story reel format."
In the spring of 2014, Lucasfilm Animation packaged the 13 completed episodes as Star Wars: The Clone Wars - The Lost Missions. These episodes aired on Germany's Super RTL network on February 2014, then premiered in the U.S. on Netflix in March 2014.
The Lost Missions
Narrator: Battle for Ringo Vinda! Republic forces are locked in heated combat with the droid armada on a massive space station that encircles an entire planet. Anakin Skywalker valiantly leads his men against the onslaught which has lasted several rotations with neither side gaining any ground. Aided by the twin sister Jedi Masters, Tiplee and Tiplar, the Republic now mounts a desperate offensive to break the deadlock...
Unlike the previous five seasons that aired on Cartoon Network, Star Wars: The Clone Wars - The Lost Missions presents its 13 episodes in chronological order. The abbreviated sixth season takes place during Year 3 of the Clone Wars;  its four story arcs set the stage for the events depicted in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.
In her four-episode arc, Katie Lucas (George's daughter) gives us a tragic tale of two clone troopers, Tup and Fives, caught up in a deadly conspiracy designed to cover up Sith Lord Darth Sidious's end game for his takeover of the Galactic Republic.
Writer Christian Taylor also has several story arcs in Season Six. Three episodes (An Old Friend, The Rise of Clovis, and Crisis at the Heart) wrap up the story thread of Rush Clovis, a former Senator and an old friend of Anakin Skywalker's wife, Padme Amidala. He also explores the mystery behind Jedi Master Syfo-Dias's death in The Lost One and Yoda's quest to the heart of the galaxy to discover the deepest secrets of the Force in Voices, Destiny, and Sacrifice.
Episode List
1.       The Unknown, written by Katle Lucas, directed by Bosco Ng
2.       Conspiracy, written by Katle Lucas, directed by Brian Kalin O'Connell
3.       Fugitive, written by Katle Lucas, directed by Danny Keller
4.       Orders, written by Katle Lucas, directed by Kyle Dunlevy
5.       An Old Friend, written by Christian Taylor, directed by Brian Kalin O'Connell
6.       The Rise of Clovis, written by Christian Taylor, directed by Danny Keller
7.       Crisis at the Heart, written by Christian Taylor, directed by Steward Lee
8.       The Disappeared, Part I, written by Jonathan W. Rinzler, directed by Steward Lee
9.       The Disappeared, Part II, written by Jonathan W. Rinzler, directed by Bosco Ng
10.   The Lost One, written by Christian Taylor, directed by Brian Kalin O'Connell
11.   Voices, written by Christian Taylor, directed by Danny Keller
12.   Destiny, written by Christian Taylor, directed by Kyle Dunlevy
13.   Sacrifice, written by Christian Taylor, directed by Steward Lee

My Take
I am a fan of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. I understand that Disney-owned Lucasfilm needed to use its team of artists to work on the new Sequel Trilogy and Star Wars: Rebels, but it would have been nice if supervising director Dave Filoni had been allowed to finish the series with a complete 22-episode run.
In addition to the 13 episodes that aired on Super RTL  and are available on Netflix, there was a four-episode arc ("Crystal Crisis on Utapau") in semi-complete form. The voice tracks were recorded, and the visuals were in previsualization mode when Lucasfilm pulled the plug on the show. The episodes were not completed, but the completed story reels are included as extras on the Lost Missions Blu-ray and DVD home video release. (Other story arcs, including one that explains why Darth Maul was revived, were shifted over to the Clone Wars Legacy book series and other licensed media.)
Because Star Wars: The Clone Wars is set in the same timeline as Cartoon Network's earlier Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003-2005) animated series, it does not need a finale that leads into Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. It does, however, lay the foundation for Yoda's further training in the ways of the Force.
The series' last episode also features actor Mark Hamill's return to the Star Wars universe - but not in his iconic role of Luke Skywalker. In Sacrifice, Hamill provides the voice for the spirit of Darth Bane, the Sith Lord who instituted the Rule of Two and restored the Sith Order 1,000 years before the Prequel Trilogy.  

  
Blu-ray Specifications
Video

  • Codec: MPEG-4 AVC
  • Resolution: 1080p
  • Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
  • Original aspect ratio: 2.35:1

Audio

  • English: Dolby Digital 5.1
  • French: Dolby Digital 5.1
  • Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles

  • English SDH, French, Spanish

Discs

  • 50GB Blu-ray Disc
  • Two-disc set (2 BDs)

Packaging

  • Slipcover in original pressing

Playback

  • Region A, B
Miscellaneous
  • Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
  • Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
  • DVD Release Date: November 11, 2014
  • Run Time: 287 minutes


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