Broken Frontier

With a decidedly mature storyline, thrilling action and a well-executed anti-war message, “Trespass” is one of the strongest episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars to date.

When a clone security force is apparently attacked by Separatist forces, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi are dispatched to the icy planet of Orto Plutonia to investigate. Accompanied by Chairman Chi Cho and Senator Riyo Chuchi from the nearby moon of Pantora, the Jedi find that the clones stationed on the snowy planet were killed not by battle droids but by a furry race of primitive creatures called the Talz. Star Wars fans may remember one of the odd-looking creatures enjoying a drink at the Mos Eisley Cantina in A New Hope. The Talz have also attacked a battle droid base on the planet, displaying a clear lack of favoritism in the ongoing Clone Wars.

While initially viewed as a threat, Anakin and Obi-Wan soon learn that the Talz mean no harm, and simply wish to be left alone. They negotiate a potential truce with the creatures that hardly sits well with the aggressive Cho, who claims ownership of the planet and accuses the native Talz of being trespassers. Chuchi, who agrees with the Jedi’s move toward a peaceful and nonviolent resolution, attempts to reason with the warmongering chairman but is unsuccessful in changing his mind. When the Jedi and the diplomats meet with the Talz leader accompanied by skittish protocol droid C-3PO to translate, Cho quickly becomes irritable and declares war. The only hope for an end to the bloodshed is for Chuchi to contact the Pantoran Assembly and request the authority to negotiate peace with the Talz, which she does in the episode's final moments.

Fans will immediately notice that this episode takes visual cues from the beginning of The Empire Strikes Back, when Rebel Alliance takes refuge on the ice planet of Hoth. From the Jedi’s equipment to the clone troopers’ gear—reminiscent of the armor worn by snowtroopers during the Empire’s attack on Echo Base—this episode conjures up a welcome level of nostalgia for Empire that doesn’t get in the way of original storytelling.

The climactic—yet unfortunate—battle between the Talz and the Republic troops is simply breathtaking, and is best viewed in high-definition. With the Talz riding atop their cat-like mounts and the clones zipping through the snow on their speeders, these scenes are phenomenally staged and warrant repeat viewing. However, they’re also incredibly violent, with a relatively high body count considering the ultimate senselessness of the battle. When Cho and many others are killed as a result of the chairman's recklessness, the viewer is confronted with a genuine feeling of loss. The thrill of combat has always been central to the Star Wars mythos, but “Trespass” counterbalances that swashbuckling sense of adventure with real-world relevance in its critical take on needless violence.