 Reunited with a former flame while on a mission of vital importance to the war effort, Obi-Wan Kenobi must defend his convictions and fight for his beliefs – even though taking up arms drives him further from the woman he once loved. The Mandalorian saga takes a personal turn in Voyage of Temptation, an all-new episode of STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS airing at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT Friday, February 5 on Cartoon Network.
Bothan spies at Lucasfilm have provided FILMEDGE with high-res episode stills and two action-packed video previews linked below. The Mandalorian saga gets personal for Obi-Wan in his Voyage of Temptation, according to Lucasfilm's synopsis:
Traveling to Coruscant aboard the palatial royal vessel of the beautiful Duchess Satine Kryze of Mandalore, Obi-Wan and Anakin discover a plot to assassinate the powerful political figure before she reaches her destination. As the Jedi and their clones fight to protect the Duchess from a deadly cargo of assassin droids, Anakin discovers that his former Master has a history with the Mandalorian emissary — and that the elder Jedi is not without personal attachments of his own.
 As this multi-part Mandelorian saga unfolds, revealing secrets about the legacy of this mysterious race of former-warriors, so too is a hidden key to Obi-Wan's past as a Jedi revealed. Sure, creating some kind of romantic past for Obi-Wan and Satine is a handy storytelling device to amp up the dramatic conflict in episodes, but it also illuminates a basic point of mythology in the STAR WARS saga: the danger of personal attachments for Jedi. We fans who know how the six-chapter story of Anakin's life ends already have seen the corruptive power of jealousy, greed and fear. Likewise we already know how Obi-Wan avoided falling down that path to destruction. But now what can we learn about how Obi-Wan learned this lesson for his own sake but failed to teach it to his padawan Anakin? Will Voyage of Temptation shed any light on Obi-Wan's own struggles with feelings (past or present) for Satine, and how might they influence his (in)ability to counsel Anakin to control his own passions? The creators of THE CLONE WARS asked themselves the same questions:
“I always wondered what would happen if Obi-Wan had been put in the same position as Anakin — specifically meeting and falling in love with a woman,” says series writer Henry Gilroy. “Would he be able to maintain his vow to the Jedi at the cost of true love? We know how Anakin dealt with this, but how would Obi-Wan fare against the same temptation? I think a lot of people have had relationships that never really got a chance to flourish, and there's always that ‘what if…’ sort of feeling. Even people in healthy, happy relationships ponder their old flames and think about what might have been. I think it really broadens Obi-Wan as a character. He's revealed as a man — someone we relate to because he has romantic feelings like the rest of us, even though he's a Jedi.”
Of course, the vows of the Jedi Order are not taken lightly, and it takes a truly remarkable woman to turn the head and test the heart of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Resolute in her own pacifist ideologies, Satine provides a counterpoint to Obi-Wan’s notions of peace-keeping and conflict resolution.
 Of course Duchess Satine's dangerous dilemma tells a timely story as well, examining the choices and conflicts surrounding an anti-war philosophy. Not only do Satine's principles reveal much about her character in terms of STAR WARS universe plot, they also inform her individual character as well — and perhaps cast a light on qualities which attracted Obi-Wan in their past. Fans know all too well how Obi-Wan remains the calm voice of reason when the Bantha poodoo hits the fan throughout the saga, yet he's ready to take daring action when it's required as well. No doubt this dichotomy both entices and frustrates Satine at this point in their lives as The Clone Wars rage on through the galaxy. How much influence either character had on the other's life path we may learn soon. Series writer Henry Gilroy offers a modern day context for Satine's defiant pacifism amid the numerous temptations to engage her people in conflict:
“Satine’s a formidable woman in all regards — extremely intelligent, incorruptible, passionate and beautiful, with a great devotion to peace. She might come off as stuffy, but that is because she knows she's in a den of wolves and must appear powerful and unshakable,” Gilroy says. “Throughout history, some of the most powerful figures — like Gandhi and Dr. King — were pacifists who literally changed the world by refusing to fight. There's so much fighting in The Clone Wars; when someone is brave enough to speak up to try and stop it, that voice becomes like a light in the darkness, strong and memorable. Satine's resolved to always use peaceful means to end conflicts. The Jedi are peacekeepers, but they carry swords; if they have to use violence to end conflict, they will. That's unacceptable to Satine; she believes that if you bring a weapon to negotiations, you don't want peace. So, she's upset that the Jedi have allowed themselves to be drawn into the war, because it is everything that they are supposed to be against.”
Together, the two consistently challenge one another, each steadfast in their respective beliefs. It is this mutual respect which draws them together, even as their convictions keep them apart.
Join FILMEDGE in watching this exciting development in the STAR WARS universe as THE CLONE WARS continues the multi-episode Mandalorian saga in Voyage of Temptation beginning this Friday, February 5th at 9pm ET/PT only on the Cartoon Network. Preview the dangerous threat of assassin probes and Jedi relationships in these new video clips:
FILMEDGE's coverage of THE CLONE WARS continues in Season Two
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