The Padawan Menace (David Scott, 2011): USA

Reviewed by Kathleen Amboy.  Viewed on Cartoon Network.

  Think again, if you surmise The Padawan Menace to be another evil force in the Empire.  Instead, he’s a young orphan, who’s a stowaway on board a Jedi Temple school bus, err ship, engaged on a field trip to the Jedi Academy.

“Ian” moves effortlessly amongst the group of young Padawans, cracking wise at master Yoyo, err Yoda, and effectively imbues Jedi mind tricks on the likes of C-3PO.

There’s a meeting of the Senate Council, that puts R2D2 asleep when the speaker (literally) announces “blah, blah-blah, blah-blah,” and 3PO gets air sickness, using R2 as a trash can.

Cartoon Network aired this ridiculously funny special on Friday, July 22nd, and hmm, I wonder if the timing had anything to do with Comic-Con 2011?

You’d have to be a confirmed Star Wars nerd (as I am), in order to fully appreciate the on-going parody for the full 22 minute segment.  And it seems as though Lucas has regained his sense of humor – much lost in the prequel, with the likes of mr. jackass, Jar Jar Binks – when we witness a brick character of George, actually threaten a super-obnoxious Darth Vader.

Okay, so what if it is a gross display of franchising ?  I say get rid of the dumb Clone Wars and bring on more Lego Star Wars parodies!  Cheers to Lego Group, Lucasfilm, and the clever writing of Michael Price.

BTW – The Padawan Menace will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 16th, and will include a surprise brick character.