The Village Bride
Episode 4 of Star Wars: Visions begins with a newly married couple wandering through the forest. The Bride is sat atop a chair on the groom’s back, with them both bound for a sacred place. Ascending up the side of a cliff, they happen upon a large structure the pair call Magina. As they both touch the rock, it brings forth the planet’s memories. In the wake of war, Separatists have completely stripped this beautiful place of its resources, which is remembered by a couple of travelers who eventually show to get involved in the wedding celebrations. Unfortunately the planet is on the brink of collapse. With a battle droid army en-route, Haru is sacrificing herself as a bride to keep peace between the factions. Only, her sister Saku is not exactly thrilled with the idea, believing they should be fighting back. Haru’s groom, Asu, decides to stand by his bride’s side no matter what as war approaches. In the morning, the droids arrive but Saku is captured and looks set to be executed in front of her. However, the bullet is stopped in mid-air by that mysterious masked warrior from before. She decides to fight the Sith. This woman just so happens to be a Jedi and armed with a yellow saber, prepares to go after Lord Izuma, the evil man in charge of all these droids. In one swift move, she stops him from hurting Haru or any of the other villagers. With the threat thwarted, peace is restored on the planet as she prepares to leave.
The Episode Review
The latest chapter of Visions is a good one, depicting a really compelling standalone chapter that manages to portray the struggle between good and evil, backdropped by the tranquil beauty of this planet. The background surrounding the droids and what’s happening with the couple is well orchestrated, and the ending certainly rounds things out in a compelling way too. Unlike the previous episode, it’s not completely ridiculous and exaggerated, instead remaining grounded while adopting the usual conventions seen in anime. The ensuing result is something that works surprisingly well, delivering one of the best episodes of this anthology so far.
