Ep 1. Holocron Heist

The beginning of the second season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars opens up with an exciting action-packed episode; "Holocron Heist". The episode is directed by Justin Ridge and written by Paul Dini. It initially aired on October 2nd, 2009. The episode runs for around 23 minutes, and its storyline is set in the background of the galaxy during the Clone Wars.

The episode begins with the Jedi Council deciding to move all the rare Jedi holocrons to a safer location. The holocrons contain critical knowledge, and only the most experienced of the Jedi must handle them. However, the careless former Padawan and current rogue Jedi Ahsoka Tano manage to infiltrate the Jedi Temple and steal the holocrons. Soon enough, with the help of bounty hunter Cad Bane, Ahsoka becomes the target of a Republic operation to recover the stolen artifacts.

The tone of the episode is set from the beginning as viewers see Ahsoka Tano, a fan favorite character, being daring and reckless as she tries to pull off the heist. The episode connects immediately with fans of the series, who know that Ahsoka seeks to prove herself independent of her Master, Anakin Skywalker. Additionally, for the first time, the viewers are introduced to Cad Bane, a new villain who is an extremely efficient bounty hunter and the mastermind criminal behind the holocron heist.

In this episode, the characters of Ahsoka Tano and Cad Bane are portrayed very well. Ahsoka's defiance and rebellious nature often lead her into trouble, while Bane has the quintessential villainous characteristics such as being ruthless and selfish. The audience can not help but feel drawn to these characters due to their relentless nature.

Holocron Heist serves as an excellent starting point for the second season of The Clone Wars. Through this episode, we see how the stakes have been raised regarding the galaxy's fate, with the Jedi Council going to great lengths to protect the precious Jedi artifacts. A lot of intrigue prevails throughout the episode as the audience is not sure about Bane's ultimate motives, making his character unpredictable.

Additionally, there is a lot of character development in this episode as Ahsoka Tano and her Master, Anakin Skywalker, continue their master-apprentice relationship. It is clear to see that Ahsoka has grown to become more independent and is testing her limits as a Jedi. Anakin, while worried about his former student, still places his trust in her abilities to retrieve the stolen holocrons and bring Cad Bane to justice.

The animation in this episode is fantastic, as is typical of The Clone Wars series. The design of the Jedi Temple is breathtaking and adds to the atmosphere of the episode. The action scenes are well choreographed, and the voice acting by Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano and Corey Burton, who provides the voice of Cad Bane, is enthralling.

In conclusion, "Holocron Heist" proves to be an excellent start to the second season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. With deep character development and exceptional animation, this episode is a fan favorite. The themes of trust and betrayal, combined with the action-packed storyline, make it an exciting watch for any Star Wars fan.