‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ Season 7, Episode 5 ‘Gone With a Trace’ Review: Friendship

Star Wars: The Clone Wars shifts attention away from the battlefield. After concluding the story of a well-loved Clone Trooper, the show reintroduces one of its main characters. In a galaxy far, far away, life outside the Jedi Order can be anything that one wants. That is, of course, if you have the right amount of credits. In the lower depths of the capital planet Coruscant, we watch as the former Jedi starts a path of her own accord.

On Friday’s episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein) begins her life after the Jedi Order. In her misadventures, Ahsoka meets aspiring pilot Trace Martez (Brigitte Kali). Eventually, Ahsoka also meets Trace’s older sister, Rafa Martez (Elizabeth Rodriguez). The fun begins when Rafa has Ahsoka and Trace help her with a shady deal: fixing notoriously faulty load lifter droids.

The Speeder

Lucasfilm/Disney+

As seen in the Clone Wars Previews, Ahsoka remained on Coruscant despite leaving the Jedi Order. It does look like she is getting by daily, with her new civilian clothes and the clunky speeder. If it was not for the speeder, though, she would not get to know Trace. Trace is a good-natured person, the type who likes to help strangers much like Ahsoka. It is quite odd to find someone like her in the lower depths of Coruscant, specifically in Sector 1313. The place is both a reference to an unreleased Star Wars Video Game and an in-universe hive of scum and villainy but on Coruscant. When prompted about her life, Ahsoka keeps her Jedi past behind. She knows better than to immediately reveal this, having visited the lower levels numerous times as a Padawan.

The Sister

Lucasfilm/Disney+

In contrast to Trace, Rafa seems more experienced and more skeptical. She does not appear to approve of Ahsoka but she lets her stay. Also, when speaking to a Twi’Lek customer, one can tell that she deals with the sketchy types of people. Rafa does not try to hide it, though, since it is her line of work. The Martez sisters aspire to leave Coruscant and start their lives soon, but for now, they have to make do with that they get. Ahsoka does not seem to be accustomed to how things worked in 1313, and Rafa dislikes her for this. It could take a while, but these two will likely get along soon.

The Lifters

Lucasfilm/Disney+

Ahsoka and Trace find themselves working at Rafa’s backdoor droid assembly operation. The Twi’Lek client’s droids seemed familiar to Ahsoka until she finally figures out what they are: Type II Load Lifter Droids. These droids are repurposed Demolition Droids banned by the Republic due to its violent tendencies. The third act of the episode revolved around Ahsoka and Trace’s attempts at capturing a Rogue Load Lifter. Eventually (and with the help of the Force), the duo deactivates the droid after it wreaks havoc across the streets of 1313. The Martez sisters earn a decent amount of credits and a new friend that could help them leave Coruscant faster.

‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ Season 7, Episode 5 ‘Gone With a Trace’ Final Verdict

This episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars has the least amount of action compared to the previous ones. It is arguably the most child-friendly, as it has a Disney vibe to it in terms of the plot. This chapter perfectly reintroduces Ahsoka as a regular galactic citizen. Of course, her skills and wit honed by Jedi Training remain, but here, she is not fighting a droid army. Instead, she is helping a kind stranger in one of the least-preferred areas in the galaxy. Of course, it is given that Ahsoka will return to the battlefront but for now, we enjoy an episode running on the premise of friendship and adventure.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars continues Friday, March 27th with ‘Deal or No Deal’ on Disney+.