Conspiracy (The Clone Wars - S06E02) - Animated Series

Series: Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Title: Conspiracy

Season: Six

Episode: 2

Original Air Date: March 7, 2014 (Netflix)

Runtime: 23 minutes

Credits: Review & Text: Mike Taber; Page layout & Design: Chuck Paskovics

The wise benefit from a second opinion.

Following the events of “The Unknown”, Captain Rex and ARC Trooper Fives escorted clone trooper Tup back to Kamino for medical evaluation. While Rex got to return to the front lines, Shaak Ti ordered Fives to stay on Kamino to make sure he wasn’t exposed to whatever caused Tup’s breakdown. I did appreciate the call back the season three episode “Clone Cadets” when Shaak Ti remembered Fives from when he was still undergoing training under her supervision. We are also quickly introduced to Chief Scientist Nala Se whose cold behavior during the tests on Tup demonstrates that the Kaminoans view the clones as nothing more than property. The tests yielded nothing, but they brought up on interesting discussion. Shaak Ti and Nala Se disagreed on what was causing Tups’s illness and both claimed jurisdiction over the clone troopers. Shaak Ti argued that since the Jedi ordered their creation, they should have the final say. Nala Se countered saying the clones’ genetic makeup was property of Kamino. This was something I hadn’t considered before and added a new layer to the relationship between Kamino and the Republic.

In this episode we are also introduced AZI-3, a medical droid on Kamino. I liked AZI-3. I thought he was a good compliment to Fives. I expected to be annoyed by AZI-3, but he and Fives actually made a great team. Their discussion over names versus numbers helped highlight Fives’ individuality. I also found it interesting that Fives got AZI-3 to help by him manipulating AZ’s programming to save lives above all else. We also got some more answers regarding Order 66. Dooku not only knew about Order 66, but he provided the Kaminoans with the inhibitor chip that triggered Order 66. As it stands right now, we know five people knew about Order 66. Darth Sidious, Count Dooku, Prime Minister Lama Su, Nala Se, and Master Syfo Dyas. Lama Su also gave us some insight into what the Kaminoans think of the Jedi when he called them a “curious cult.”

Nala Se, under orders from Tyranus, attempted to cover up the inhibitor chip by terminating Tup. Before that could happen, Fives and AZI-3 discovered there was something in Tup’s head and it was likely the cause of his breakdown. Fives triggered a lockdown so AZI-3 could perform a biopsy on Tup. They were able to remove the chip, but Tup died shortly after the chip was removed. Tup died in Fives’ arms mumbling about the mission in his dreams and that he was finally free. When Shaak Ti gained possession of the inhibitor chip, Palpatine convinced her to bring it to Coruscant for further testing. Speaking of Palpatine, I can’t help but feel Tim Curry was miscast in the role. Someone was going to have the unfortunate task of replacing the always fantastic Ian Abercrombie, and while Tim Curry is an exceptional actor I just don’t think he fits the part. When he delivers his lines, I don’t hear Palpatine. I just hear Tim Curry, whose voice is very different from both Ian Abercrombie and Ian McDiarmid. While not as fasted paced as “The Unknown”, “Conspiracy” managed to answer some questions surrounding Order 66 while asking new ones. I’m glad the story shifted to Fives, who has consistently been one of the show’s best recurring characters, and he and AZI-3 made a surprisingly good team.

What Worked

• The team of Fives and AZI-3
• Debate over Clone Troopers being property
• Shifted the focus to Fives

What Didn’t Work

• Tim Curry miscast as Palpatine

External Links:

• StarWars.com Episode Guide
• Wookieepedia Episode Summary