[SPOILERS]: Star Wars: Rebels - Thoughts?

By GM Hooly, in Star Wars: Edge of the Empire RPG

- Super bummed to lose Seventh Sister. Now whom will I have a weird crush on in this fantasy space-show for children?

Will this do?

The-female-companions-of-Doctor-Who-doct

(subtitle: some of the female companions from Doctor Who, keeping young male fantasies alive since 1963)

Edited by Desslok

Random thoughts: when Vader has his mask slashed and calls her name, it was almost like he was trapped and begging to be let out.

Witwer did an amazing job...again. The creepy tension going from querulous old man to hate-filled Maul was really well done.

Great season finale, and a very satisfying conclusion to Ahsoka's arc although her fate is left a little vague.

The closing montage is very interesting for a couple of reasons... in the final moments we see Ahsoka and Anakin/Vader locked in mortal combat as the giant doors to the Sith temple/weapon close, the Phantom gets away, then a massive explosion.

When the closing montage begins we see Vader limping away... clearly he's worse off than when we left him. Did he sustain more injuries during the duel? Is he limping because he was further injured in the explosion? That question is never answered.

Then we cut to an owl type creature flying away, toward the lone figure of Ahsoka, she seems to stagger and disappear into the darkness of the bowels of the Sith temple. So it raises about a million question, is it some sort of visual metaphor? If so is she dead? dying? Is she alive? Interestingly the imagery of the owl offers no clue since, if it's a metaphor it can mean two entirely different conclusions:

1) In old Germanic culture, and in many American Indian cultures, the owl is seen as a harbinger of death. So maybe Ahsoka is dead, or dying as we witness her walking into darkness (the underworld).

2) In Greek and Roman mythology the owl is most often associated with Athena, the goddess of wisdom and strategy. So if this is a metaphor, maybe we are witnessing her again making the wise decision and walking away from the larger conflict in the galaxy. If she is alive, and were to return to the Rebel fleet her knowledge of Darth Vader's true identity would make her a liability as Vader would relentlessly hunt her down. Walking away and letting Anakin/Vader believe she is dead might be for the best.

Either way I think we've seen the last of her on Rebels, and I'm perfectly okay with that because either way her story is finished (...for now at least)

The one thing I think Filoni did a great job was clearing the field so that Yoda's words in ROTJ to Luke remain canonically accurate, "...the last of the Jedi will you be."

1) Ahsoka, if even alive during ROTJ clearly states she is not a Jedi

2) Kanan is damaged goods, and I suspect will meet his fate next season

3) Ezra is likely doomed to turn to the dark side, or at least flirt with it before redeeming himself through some heroic act of self sacrifice.

What color was this bird-thing? (I know I read somewhere that Filoni has a name for them, but I cannot seem to recollect it.)

If anybody is disappointed with that finale, please turn in your Star Wars Fan Membership card on your way out.

Seriously, that was fricking great.

The joy of opinions, not everyone has to have the same one and no one is wrong.

So does that mean you didn't like it? Curious why.

Whether I enjoyed the episode or not is immaterial to the attitude displayed in the posting. Telling people that they should have liked it or "Get the F*** Out of here" is the problem I was pointing out.

Jeez, lighten up. :P I didn't mean it literally, I was just expressing my own total excitement and satisfaction with it. ;)

My theory is that Ezra is going to be the BBG in Episode VIII.

This theory has been floated a bit, but I believe Filoni has essentially shot it down with comments like, "They're doing their own thing and it's great, we just have to be mindful not to get in their way." I'm paraphrasing (and maybe interpreting) a bit, but I think it's unlikely any of the Rebels characters play key roles in the new movies. Cameos? Maybe...

My theory is that Ezra is going to be the BBG in Episode VIII.

This theory has been floated a bit, but I believe Filoni has essentially shot it down with comments like, "They're doing their own thing and it's great, we just have to be mindful not to get in their way." I'm paraphrasing (and maybe interpreting) a bit, but I think it's unlikely any of the Rebels characters play key roles in the new movies. Cameos? Maybe...

Yeah... I can't find it now, but (not on these forums) I ran across someone trying to argue that Ezra is Snoke... Yeah.

- Super bummed to lose Seventh Sister. Now whom will I have a weird crush on in this fantasy space-show for children?

Will this do?

The-female-companions-of-Doctor-Who-doct

(subtitle: some of the female companions from Doctor Who, keeping young male fantasies alive since 1963)

Karen Gillan will just about make a man forget the fundamental law that red is nature's "danger" color.

But she's no samurai-catwoman-with-a-lightsaber.

- Super bummed to lose Seventh Sister. Now whom will I have a weird crush on in this fantasy space-show for children?

Will this do?

The-female-companions-of-Doctor-Who-doct

(subtitle: some of the female companions from Doctor Who, keeping young male fantasies alive since 1963)

Karen Gillan will just about make a man forget the fundamental law that red is nature's "danger" color.

But she's no samurai-catwoman-with-a-lightsaber.

Speaking of the lovely Karen, this was taken at a local con last summer.

c75db8fc9a84fc46deb1ae9e08f6575f.jpg

I think is not a "great episode"

it's a WTFOMGAWESOMEIWANNASEEMOREOFTHEM episode :D

my thought:

- Kanan blind. Ofc they will make him "see through the Force" but that's not the same thing.

- Ahsoka's gone. I need to say that's since TCW that she had a BIG death mark on her, and that she had no really more to say to the show. However, i'm still sad

- with Ahsoka's gone, however, Kanan is now "the master" for Ezra. And he had to become something else (they can't make him old wise man or a little green backward-talking guy to make him a "wise master" so they had to mutilate him...)

- Ezra sith. He's the main char of the show, and he need to be "tempted by dark side", but could be interesting (and really Star Wars themed) if he turn being the main villain here or there...

- Maul. I'm going sick... i really don't like the char but i really hoped they whould create another villain, and not recycling old ones -_-

Just seen the episode, and loved it! :-D The fight, tension, and emotion between Ahsoka and Vader was amazing, and the (brief) glimpse of Anakin's face was quite haunting.

That said, whilst I liked the fact that Maul was there, I half-expected him to be struck down by Ezra - or by Vader, but I think that was more because the fan-girl in me was yearning for a Maul vs Vader shindig. Still, Kanan's grabbing of Maul's punch and the resultant tossing of the ex-Sith off the pyramid? Priceless. XD

If I wasn't hooked on Rebels before (and I was), then this episode has cemented my interest for the long-haul.

My theory is that Ezra is going to be the BBG in Episode VIII.

This theory has been floated a bit, but I believe Filoni has essentially shot it down with comments like, "They're doing their own thing and it's great, we just have to be mindful not to get in their way." I'm paraphrasing (and maybe interpreting) a bit, but I think it's unlikely any of the Rebels characters play key roles in the new movies. Cameos? Maybe...

Yeah... I can't find it now, but (not on these forums) I ran across someone trying to argue that Ezra is Snoke... Yeah.

Nah, I don't think he's Snoke I think he's the BBG that Benicio Del Toro will be playing in Ep VIII.

Just my guess...

Ahsoka is alive. I'm not sure how but she is... but she's headed down a dark path. The theme of needing to know your enemy to defeat them was repeated several times in that one episode. When she said it, it sounded to me like se was regretful or maybe even holding something back. I think that, by then end, she had concluded that to know him, she must join him.

Ahsoka said she can't believe Anakin would be Darth Vader. Vader said he destroyed Anakin to become powerful but Ahsoka's vision, from a few episodes back, implied to her that he was still in there... and maybe even ashamed of what he'd become.

Once Vader said he'd destroyed Anakin, Ahsoka declared that she would avenge Anakin's death. Since she believes Anakin's still in there, then she didn't mean "then and there". It was more of an, "If he was dead, then I'd kill you." (or try)

After sue cut his mask and may could have killed him if that was her intention, she said she wouldn't leave him... again. She forced her friends to leave her so she could stay.

The owl, most commonly and currently, symbolizes wisdom. Was it there to tell us wisdom was at play? Or did it fly off to say wisdom was no longer a factor and emotions had taken over? Vader was walking off but was he leaving? He'd ofered Ahsoka a chance to live earlier. Perhaps, with her friends away, she surrendered and he was simply giving her time to accept her fate... in which case the symbolism behind Ahsoka slipping from the light into the shadows was far less mysterious.

And..umm.. I am embarrassed by how excited I feel about Kanan being blind.

Loved it... Imagine some people call this a kid's show!

The "underground" Sith temple was an amazing idea! With just the huge columns sticking up through the surface! Wow! Beautifully designed! Gonna watch them both again when I get home!

My mostly spoiler-free review of Star Wars Rebels:

Starts Out Weak and Finishes Stro

standard John Wi

Yancy

Storm troopers ran from 1 guy in Episode 4. Stormtroopers fell for the Han pretending to be the scanning crew asking for help. Stormtroopers have not shown themselves to be very bright.

I would suggest you watch those two examples again, because you are missing some key facts:

1) When Han chases the Stormtroopers down the hall you fail to mention what initially happened. Han and company round the corner and catch a small group of Stormtroopers by surprise. Han quickly blasts one at pointblank range sending the troops scurrying likely out of surprise and the fact they have no clue how many rebels they are facing.

2) There would be no reason for the Stormtroopers to be suspicious of the scanning crew asking for assistence as the troops had just done a visual inspection of the Falcon and found nothing because Han and company were hiding in the secret compartments, plus the ship's escape pods had been jettisoned.

Also don't forget Stormtroopers quickly dispatched the trained crew of the Tantive IV, made fairly quick work of the Rebel Base on Hoth and were shown to rule over the galaxy through fear (according to the movies). The level of incompetence shown by the Troopers in Rebels (including the four shorts) makes it hard to believe anyone would be remotely afraid to stand up to them, or would face any real consequences if they did so simply because they are dunderheads. This creates a storytelling problem.

If you only rely on Kaluus or the Inquisitor to provide the threat of the week, the show will get old pretty fast. In addition if the point of the show is to grow new fans, and some of your main baddies in Episode VII allegedly wear variant Stormtrooper armor, this new audience wont take them very seriously as villains.

You would have a point if the target group of rebels target age demographics would not overlap greatly with the target demographics of mlp. It a show made to watch with your kids, they are very careful about that, violence is shown kid friendly, the plots are kept kid friendly, the threat of the weak is easily understandable presented before the first advertising, etc. Is you show the empire ruling by fear than the show grows out of one of their target demographics. Tell not show in this case is exactly what you want to do, because it becomes silly and not freighting. Piles of dead terrorists rebels will not work for a kids show.

Loved it... Imagine some people call this a kid's show!

It's MLP for star wars, with not as clever writing, far to reliant on the ab use of tropes and somewhat more star wars references. ;-)

On the plus side it's full of self references, desperately trying to relate to the prequels (TCW-only).

Overall I would say all Jar Jar Binks TCW episodes are still better than even the best of rebels so far, BUT I am still going to watch rebels. Well, I did read a lot of Kevin J. Anderson Garbage as well, and while Rebels in my Book is worse than the prequels, it still is better than that part of the EU. :D

Edited by SEApocalypse

I sometimes find that it helps to view the movies and shows as things that were made from within the setting, by people there, about events that happened there, rather than things made directly about the setting.

So, Rebels would be an in-setting kids' show that's fairly historical but gives up some accuracy for the sake of being "kid friendly" -- not a direct statement of exact events and exact canon.

:D

However, calling it "MLP for Star Wars" is probably not hitting the mark... it's notably darker than anything I've caught on MLP while skimming channels, at least.

Edited by MaxKilljoy

Rebels can't please everyone. :-) I'm just happy that prior statement doesn't apply to myself.

Just saw the finale. Very Dramatic. Really liked the design of the sith Temple, some of the best original work on the show so far.

But please... THIS?!?!

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Helicoptering with the spinny blades? Seriously?

:huh: :huh: :huh: :huh:

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But also... any death, dismemberment, maiming, or destruction can be undone if the writer wants to open up a few plot holes in the process

Edited by kinnison

Rebels can't please everyone. :-) I'm just happy that prior statement doesn't apply to myself.

At first, I complained that I couldn't get descriptive audio for it. Then my dad started recording it and doing it for me. Past experience has been that when my family tries to do that for me, it's awful. I think my dad is as enthused to share Star Wars with me as he is to be experiencing it for himself.

We pause it as required and he ends up giving me backstory on stuff. I never watched Clone Wars so a lot of the characters from there wouldn't mean anything to me without him telling me who they are... plus I get to spend time with my dad when he's as excited like a little kid.

I read the complaints here. I guess as a younger fan without the experience to become so jaded, I really can't spot a trope when one comes my way and I guess my dad just doesn't care. I hope I'm like him when I'm older... but don't ever tell him I said that.

I feel pretty stupid for having no idea what MLP means...

Nevermind I googled it...

My thoughts on the heli-sabers...

When they first appeared I was going "Urrrgh" internally like most of you. My 10 year old daughter though (who I would argue is more of the target demographic than 90% of the commenters here) had no thought either way - she just accepted them. Ah, the open-mindedness of youth.

That aside, I do think from a functional point of view they were very silly. However - try thinking about it from a story point of view. They had already established that the only way up the pyramid was the elevators, and that they could only be used by two passengers at a time. But yet they needed a way for the Inquisitors to be a threat, and able to ambush the heroes at a moment's notice. So they needed a way for them to get up there. Force-leaping would be an alternative, but then why wouldn't the heroes do that as well?

Once I wrapped my head around that, they weren't nearly as egregious. Much like hyperspace often taking 2 seconds to get somewhere in the movies, it's just a plot device to get someone from A to B. The journey in this case isn't as important, it's what happens when the antagonists arrive .

Thankfully in my games, I am in command of physics. There is no simultaneity, hyperspace takes actual time, and heli-sabers are as much a figment of mythology as Waru...

Edited by MrDodger

Better way to solve it. Two words.. wait.. 4 words for referance

Cad Bane Rocket boots

They believe they can fly, so they will. Isn't that what star wars is all about?

That inquistor fell to his death because he believed that he couldn't fly without it. HIS LACK OF FAITH WAS DISTURBING.

The big question that we should be asking is not "How much weed did they smoke to come up with them", but "Now that heli-sabers are canon, why isn't EVERYONE doing it?"

*sits back and waits for Vader to fly during Rogue One*