On the way to pleading her case with the Senate, Duchess Satine under the protection of Obi-Wan and Anakin, becomes the target of an assassination attempt. This episode explores the romantic relationship that Obi-Wan and the Duchess had on one of his missions on Mandalore while he was still Qui Gonn’s padawan.

I think this is the first time we see some genuine character development for Obi-Wan and I thought the romantic subplot with the duchess was a great device for this. When she describes Obi-Wan as “a collection half truths and hyperbole” you immediately think of Obi-Wan lying to Luke about his father. I find in the Duchess, for the first time you get a character who sees Obi-Wan for what he is; a good man who has to live by a strict code that often has great consequences. When speaking about his remorse over not having a relationship with the Duchess you see his hurt. It was a good love story.

Obi-Wan and Duchess Satine

To assassinate the Duchess, the Mandalorian terrorist group deploys some very cool assassin droids - giant spiders with swords for arms and legs. These creatures were brilliantly designed and fun to watch. Anakin’s role in the storyline was used to great effect as he too finally gets a glimpse at a side of Obi-Wan we haven’t seen before. It’s even more interesting because Anakin knows all too well the cost of being a Jedi and falling in love.

This episode also does well in exploring its theme. The Duchess is fanatically devoted to remaining neutral in the Clone Wars and normally I find stories about pacifism during a war can get very annoying. But when Obi-Wan explains that the Duchess’ obsession with her position is a result of her parents dying in a violent revolution, it changes the story from an exploration of moral contradictions to a character piece. They even take the tired Jedi rhetoric that prohibits them from forming attachments, and instead of looking at it as the dull and contrived moral conflict it’s been for so long, it becomes an interesting character conflict. Obi-Wan, the duchess and even Anakin made choices to pursue relationships or stay devoted to their responsibilities, and we see the consequences that they must face because of their choices. They have their regrets, they’re hurt by the past and they have to move on. It is here that even during Anakin’s limited screen time he gets a few moments that really address his character very well.

I found this episode very well written, well directed, and it was a joy to watch. How they could get so much into 22 minutes and still give us glimpses of the world of Star Wars is just amazing. I think they really nailed this episode and the resolution of the conflict was just fantastic. It may be because I’m partial to Obi-Wan, but Voyage of Temptation in is one of my favorite episodes so far.

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