I am – Hercules!!

Episode 21 airs tonight on Cartoon Network; episode 22 tomrrow!

Hi Harry and Herc,

Don't ask me why, what we did to deserve this, but Toonami in the UK has just screened the first two new chapters (21 and 22) in the amazing animated Clone Wars series. Before Hyperspace, before any of all that, just as the fantastic Battlestar Galactica was seen first by us lucky Brits...

So, what was it like?

In a word - Genius. No longer limited to the 2-3 minute chunks of action, the restrictions are gone and now we can actually see the classic storytelling we were familiar with in Samurai Jack. Starting with a rescue by the clone troopers, rescuing the Jedi cornered by General Grievous at the end chapter 20, the action and drama never lets up. We discover the Jedi council's reservations at awarding Anakin the full rank of Jedi Knight. We catch glimpses of more of the romance between Anakin and Padme - if anything showing more passion than the whole of Attack of the Clones. And some suitably touching moments of such a vast import that it brought a tear to my wife's eyes.

It is also full of cool references. Time passes between 21 and 22, and you can see the progression in the technology. The clone troopers are looking more like Stormtroopers. C3PO gets his gold plating. Those cool ships seen in the trailers make an appearance. Wookies are attacked by droids on what looks like their homeworld, and all of the cool lines are there - "I have a bad feeling about this," "Impressive, most impressive" and even Leia's comment about the smell from Episode IV makes a brilliant reappearance.

But when I'm not geeking out in true Star Wars fandom, the cinematic moments and touches we were used to in Samurai Jack are evident. Little creatures hop about. Obi-Wan makes some great "Jack" faces in the rain... can't wait until tomorrow for episodes 23 and 24!!!

LoneGunMan