"Screecher's Reach" is an episode of Star Wars: Visions in part beautiful and also part darkness! Season two of Star Wars: Visions has animation studios across the world including Cartoon Saloon from Ireland. The studio produced features like The Irish Folklore Trilogy that began with The Secret of Kells (2009). The second episode of Star Wars: Visions is directed by Paul Young, the co-founder of Cartoon Saloon. The beginning has a starfield, but then we see endless rows of Younglings as a droid rolls in. We pan up to see the Younglings pushing carts in a refinery and then shoveling ore. They are all monitored by droids. It continues upwards as we see workers in suits turning dials sending out steam. One worker leaves after sending out steam from the dial and crosses a massive hall. The scale and simple design is impressive. She removes her helmet, face smeared by work, wearing a locket. This is Daal (Eva Whittaker) and she joined by two others; a larger Baython (Alex Connolly) and a smaller Quinn with goggles (Noah Rafferty). Whittaker voiced Mebh, the wild girl who can transform into a wolf, in Wolfwalkers (2020).
Daal says she is going to Screecher’s Reach, she holds her locket, and Quinn adds that it is haunted. Quinn notes that they can steal speeders. An even smaller girl Keena (Molly McCann) asks what is happening and Baython asks if she wants to see a ghost. McCann played Odette in the UK crime series, The Holiday. Outside, we see the dark of the sky, industrial stacks belching smoke. It reminds me of the design of the Genndy Tartakovsky Clone Wars (2003-2005) series, but more of the illuminated manuscript style of Cartoon Saloon. They speed away, a beautiful sky of moons, Keena rides with Daal. At night, they break for camp, Baython tells story of the ghost of Screecher’s Reach. This worries Keena. Daal is holding her locket saying the ghost can only be seen in the mind! Keena and Quinn go off playing. Daal wonders about leaving the workhouse. The mood is lightened by Quinn who is banging his head against a tree! The conversation just has the drama of orphans like Anakin. They start walking towards the mountain. The quartet are at the edge of a cave, a gap that twists like a candle flame with black, spindly cracks! They are quiet looking into Screecher’s Reach.
Daal holds up her locket and gives a saying about following a path, strength, and courage. Then, she walks into the cave. Some eerie music is heard. The others follow, Baython activates a lamp, and Daal walks on. There is moaning, Baython sees behind Daal something shift, black claws and the ghost screams (Niamh Myles)! This is not for young ones! They fall back onto the cave floor, the cave is about to collapse, and the screaming continues. Baython starts to leave with Quinn. Keena tries to go with Daal, but she sends her to go with the others. The cave collapses and Daal repeats the saying with the locket. A ghostly hand reaches for Daal as she repeats the saying. Then, a red lightsaber ignites held by the ghost! It swings the lightsaber cutting Daal’s shoulder! This is a Shiim lightsaber move that causes a wound, but doesn’t sever anything. The ghost’s form shifts, shrieking, and then a crack of light forms above it. This is a test like Luke at the cave, “The cave… remember your failure at the cave!”, except with the red lightsaber, it is a Sith test! There is a character voiced by Angelica Houston who played The Supreme Leader in the Disney attraction, Captain EO (1986). “Screecher’s Reach” is impressive as the beginning of a Sith apprentice and I hope there will be more episodes of Daal’s journey!
Five Red Lightsabers out of Five!
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