"The Second Duel"
"THE SECOND DUEL"
I just finished watching the Season Three episode of "STAR WAS REBELS" called (3.20) "Twin Suns". The episode began with former Sith apprentice Maul manipulating the Force in order to get Jedi padawan Ezra Bridger to lead him to his old nemesis, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. In the end, Maul succeeded and faced Obi-Wan for the fourth and final time. Or fifth. I honestly do not know. I have pretty much lost count.
Needless to say . . . this final duel between the two adversaries proved to be one of the most DISAPPOINTING I have ever seen on the big or small screen. I found the duel disappointing and quick. In fact, I found it so swift that I can barely describe it. Needless to say, I believe the duel had lasted less than a minute. The duel had received high acclaim with some calling it one of the finest moments in "STAR WARS REBELS". Someone on Reddit had claimed the Obi-Wan v. Maul duel played out so quickly, because it made clear that the Jedi Master had moved from the past (perhaps where Maul was concerned) and the former Sith apprentice had not. Others have claimed that Obi-Wan was clearly the superior swordsman.
What do I say to all that? I have no idea. Oh wait. I do. BULLSHIT! Yes, I am aware that Maul had remained fixated on the past, along with his hatred toward and his obsession with Obi-Wan. But that did not excuse what I saw as a rushed and badly executed duel. Some claimed this particular duel is a realistic reflection of a true duel between swordsmen. Guess what? This duel was set in the STAR WARS universe, NOT reality. "Twin Suns" was a dramatic presentation, not a documentary. And regardless of whether Obi-Wan was the superior swordsman or not, Maul was talented enough to give him a good deal of trouble in past duels. Suddenly, we are supposed to believe that Obi-Wan was capable of defeating him that easily? The episode had went out of its way to build up the two enemies’ last confrontation via the Ezra Bridger character. Yet, the moment they finally met again; the duel ended within a minute or less. I had felt as if someone - namely showrunner Dave Filoni and screenwriter Henry Gilroy - had sucked the life and the drama out of this encounter.
What on earth was that? I did not need a rushed action sequence to push some message about letting go or not letting go of the damn past! The message could have remained intact with a longer and more dramatically satisfying duel. I also realize that many television reviewers and some STAR WARS fans were very impressed with the duel. Well, I was not. For me, it was one of the most disappointing moments in the history of the STAR WARS franchise. And one of the most overrated, as far as I am concerned.