I have a crush.

On a cartoon character.

<-------This cartoon character.

I know it's silly and weird and it isn't cool to like anything affiliated with the newer of the STAR WARS trilogy, but I love me some cartoon Anakin Skywalker.

I don't even know how it happened.  I just decided one day that I wanted to watch THE CLONE WARS cartoon series.  I had to harass Dwayne to watch it with me.  (Which makes no sense because he actually rewatches all the STAR WARS movies indiscriminately!)  

And somehow I just totally fell for him.

Anakin, I mean.  I fell for Dwayne years and years ago.

There is definitely some cheesiness in this series.  Isn't there cheesiness with all things STAR WARS?  But it's been really fun to see the blanks filled in between ATTACK OF THE CLONES and REVENGE OF THE SITH (which is when the events of this series take place). 

For the longest time, I had a hard time reconciling that little kid Anakin with Hayden Christensen's Anakin and then with the Darth Vader of the original movies.  I never felt like the newer movies adequately showed the transition.  The cartoons have been great for giving additional insight.  Some of the changes in Anakin's character have been quite subtle and elegant.  I have to say, every once in a while, I'm blown away. 

Not to give anything away, but there was a scene early in season 2 (I think) where Anakin behaved in a way not becoming of a Jedi.  In an evil, Dark Side way.  In the midst of it all, the Imperial March kicked in.  That's the first time (and perhaps the only time so far) that we've heard that music in this series.  I have to say, I got chills.  Chills.

I read somewhere that this series will have 100 episodes.  I've now seen all 44 that have aired so far.  Slightly less than halfway done.  They still haven't adequately shown Anakin's devotion to Padme to make me believe that he'd turn to the Dark Side in the way that was shown on the movie, but there is still time for that. 

I'm SO looking forward to seeing how it all plays out!

Okay, well, I know how it all plays out, of course.  But you know what I mean...