Nothing drives me more crazy than hearing episodes being called “filler.” Even when a person says, “I hate the term filler, but….” Filler is the term people use when they refuse to accept character building without dire straits. I’m sorry, but it’s lazy and ignorant and it needs to be addressed. What better place to find discussions on filler episodes than Reddit? According to Reddit, filler is the term used for an episode that doesn’t add to the overall story. Whatever that means. What it means is, “this episode wasn’t what I wanted; therefore, it’s filler.”
To play devil’s advocate, not all people use filler in a negative context. Those new to a series but don’t have time to watch every episode might only watch certain ones. Unfortunately for them, some of the ones they’re skipping are the most fun to watch. For example, from a younger person’s point of view, witnessing Jar-Jar run amok dressed in Jedi robes is more fun than watching Savage Opresss behead gangsters.
Every episode contributes to the story. If an episode doesn’t, it simply wouldn’t exist. How often do the creators say if it doesn’t help tell the story, there’s no place for it? Every conversation between characters, every exchanged glance or subtlety, is there to build a character which in itself adds to the “overall story,” as they say.
I’m not trying to be preachy, but what brought this on was an episode of The Bad Batch called Infested. Admittedly, it wasn’t one of my favorite episodes, but I realize that not every episode has to have massive explosions, tons of action, or cameos. Sometimes it’s the little things that don’t hit you right away, but when the series concludes, and you’re in tears because someone just died and you’re thinking about all they’ve been through—you can look back on these episodes and say, “damn remember when Omega said, ‘I’d do it for you?'” it all hits that much harder.
To prove my point that filler episodes do not exist, I scoured Reddit for episodes of The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels that are considered skippable, focusing on the animated series because they tend to get the most hate. I chose one episode per season of The Clone Wars and Rebels, and this is how it went.
Starting with The Clone Wars because it came first, and I must bring order to the galaxy!
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Bombad Jedi (S1E8) builds on the relationship between Padme and Jar Jar. Jar Jar gives the kids something to laugh at; he is a clown, after all. And we got a Ralph McQuarrie-influenced Kwazel Maw. Who doesn’t love Star Wars deep cuts like using old concept art? And Onnaconda Farr gives us a link to Padme’s father. So, what sort of political manifestations was Ruwee involved in?
The Zillo Beast (S2E18) how anyone could look at this episode and call it filler is bananas. You got weapons of mass destruction and Godzilla and King Kong influences. Second, the ever-stonefaced Mace Windu works with Anakin Skywalker in some crazy fantastic Jedi action. Their relationship has always been strained. Finally, Palpatine wants to use the ZIllo beasts’ armor-like hide for cloning. I wonder if he got the chance.
The Hunt for Ziro (S3E9). This episode is one of my favorites because it had Godfather Hutts and surfer Jedi Quinlin Voss. The Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom dance routine were right up my alley as it’s my favorite Indiana Jones movie. The bizarre love between Sy Snootles and Ziro is Star Wars at its weirdest. Mama Hutt. Yikes! The best part of The Hunt for Ziro is the kick-butt fight between Cad Bane and Quinlin Voss, and Kenobi. Killer episode!
Mercy Mission (S4E5) is so cinematic! It was interesting to see another alien species worship Threepio like a god, so by Return of the Jedi, he’s been through it before. And the tree-like creatures reminded me of the Ents in Lord of the Rings.
A Sunny Day in the Void (S5E11) has one of my favorite titles of anything Star Wars. I had to choose this because it’s one of Lucas’ favorites, and everyone else hates it. It has Meebur Gascon! The greatest character in Stephen Stanton’s arsenal. The opening scene was tense as the droids and Gascon fly through an asteroid shower of ice then crashland on a world seemingly created by Moebius, one of George’s favorite artists.
What is Star Wars without some bank transfers? An Old Friend (S6E5), aka Rush Clovis and Padme, meet with the InterGalactic Banking clan to discuss funds to support the war. It’s all second layer to Anakin’s reaction towards Rush Clovis. Clovis is just another tool in Sidious’ plot to drive a wedge between Anakin and Padme. Oh Sidious, you’re a sly one!.
In Dangerous Debt (S7E7), the Rafa sisters rubbed some people the wrong way. I’m not sure why. Maybe it was because they don’t like regular citizens having a point of view on the war, or they don’t prefer their hairstyle. Later, when they appear in The Bad Batch, their growth is evident when they finally decide to choose a side. Rafa’s story of why she and Trace have so much contempt towards the Jedi is heartbreaking. It makes one stop to think about the entire Star Wars story and how it’s enveloped in war. The common folk are left in the dust and are probably clueless most of the time.
Star Wars Rebels
In Droids in Distress (S1E3): The Ghost crew steals weapons for Vizago in exchange for money. Threepio is his usual self, getting into trouble doing things that have nothing to do with what’s going on in the episode. Droids in Distress reveals some of Zeb’s background where T-7’s were used by the Empire to murder Lasat’s. This is the beginning of Kallus’s and Zeb’s ongoing rivalry-turned friendship.
Always Two There Are: (S2E5) This is where the Inquisitors make their first appearance on an abandoned medical station. The Inquisitor design is based on unused The Force Awakens concept art. Yes, there are some playful, goofy parts, but it all builds on the relationship between Ezra, Sabine, and Zeb, so there is emotional depth in later episodes at the end of the series. The Inquisitors also show what lengths the Empire will go in hunting down any force-users during this era.
Iron Squadron (S3E8): consists of Jonner, Guti Torrez, and Mart Mattin, Commander Sato’s nephew. Iron Squadron is a small group of teens, lead by Mart, who fly their YT-2400 and take potshots at the Empire. Members of Iron Squadron will later join the rebellion and also appear in later stories. Any episode of Rebels with space battles automatically rules out any chance of it being filler. Space battles in Rebels are exciting and beautiful to watch.
I don’t want to call Heroes of Mandalore (S4E1-2) required homework before watching The Mandalorian, but it certainly adds more depth to the history of the darksaber. Anything darksaber is mandatory if you want to know what’s going on in The Mandalorian. This episode has Bo-Katan, who will show up in The Mandalorian. When this list of filler episodes on Reddit was posted, The Mandalorian didn’t exist yet, so it goes to show it may not seem important to you now, but I promise you every episode means something at some point.
Every story leads to the next, whether it connects with the endgame or not. And yes, I know I didn’t talk about any links to huge, impactful events. That’s the point. It’s the characters that make each episode of a series great. And it’s the building upon relationships between each character that makes Star Wars or any story so great.
- Hardcover Book
- LucasFilm (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 96 Pages - 01/11/2022 (Publication Date) - VIZ Media LLC (Publisher)
