I think Kanan felt what was coming - the general sense, but not the details. The fuel depot wasn't part of the plan, but Kanan picked it. By doing so, and with Pryce's help, they effectively scuttled the TIE Defender project (and thus perhaps eventually get Thrawn booted to the Unknown Regions). I suspect that wasn't entirely an accident; he was following the flow of the Force.

And, ironically, maybe doomed Alderaan.

1 hour ago, Darzil said:

And, ironically, maybe doomed Alderaan.

Always in motion is the future

8 hours ago, GroggyGolem said:

I believe the ship would have been engulfed in the explosion considering it was right next to it. They were still too close right at the end and you'll notice his final push sent the ship away from the tank and pushed him in the opposite direction.

Tbh they should have just landed in the city rooftops and snuck out by way of Jedi parkour. The episode felt rushed, they should have spread the story out more and given it the quality it deserved for such an important moment.

The question remains how much Jedi parkour they could have done with a nearly delirious Hera in a city on lock-down. The plan wasn't a bad one: Shoot the stuff that can actually pursue (the gunships) and then meet up at the one place that noone in their right mind would dare to fire at because it would kill one of the most important military projects of the Empire. If Thrawn had been there instead of Pryce, they'd have gotten away.

Also, drugged up Hera is now my new favorite Hera.

Last night's episode might have been the most mystical one yet, and it's gotten pretty magic-y in recent episodes.

So...

Why am I seemingly the only one who doesn’t like the time travel?

24 minutes ago, Yaccarus said:

Why am I seemingly the only one who doesn’t like the time travel?

This is a pandoras box of **** that I hope back fires in their face.

Well the portals are supposedly shutdown. So that should be the end of the time traveling. For which I will be glad off.

My prediction: Ezra become Ahsoka's new apprentice. But not as a Jedi, but as "grey knight" or something. That way Yoda's statement still remains true. Them two would go off on some other adventure, while Sabine returns to Mandalore, and Zeb and Hera go to Yavin 4.

1 hour ago, Yaccarus said:

Why am I seemingly the only one who doesn’t like the time travel?

Trust me, you're not. Aside from the voices I hated everything Force-y in this episode. I mean seriously, time travel so Ezra can learn a lesson that a vision quest could have fulfilled just as easily? That's pretty silly (convenient it gives a justification for the survival of Filoni's pet character though...). The tie-in with the Mortis gods did nothing but remind me of my severe hate of Filoni's views on the Force and it's balance.

Also, the World between Worlds is a massive can of worms I doubt other writers will be able to stay away from, especially since there's apparently a gateway at every Jedi/Sith temple (Lothal, Malachor, and Palpy was still on Coruscant as far as I know). And according to those Topps cards Filoni made a few years back, Ashoka finds the Malachor gateway, so she isn't starving to death on a forgotten rock anytime soon.

Honestly, I feel they should have gone more Raiders with it: make the gateway a passage that gives Ezra flow-walking visions while driving the villains insane.

Kind of reminded me of the Kawaa portals the Rakatta wanted to control from legends. Funny I was always telling people time travel is unStar Wars.

2 minutes ago, Eoen said:

Kind of reminded me of the Kawaa portals the Rakatta wanted to control from legends. Funny I was always telling people time travel is unStar Wars.

It’s one thing to teleport, it’s another to alter the past.

1 hour ago, Yaccarus said:

Why am I seemingly the only one who doesn’t like the time travel?

While Star Wars is full of all kinds of crazy Flash Gordon-y stuff top to bottom, the two things that I thought never really fit in the setting was teleporters and time travel. Everything else - flying castles, bird men, shape shifters, all those weird tropes are game on. But those two were always a step too far.

The Loath Wolfs hoping from one side of the planet to the other - that's more of a macguffin, outside of the main characters control, a unique inexplicable manifestation of the Force - so I don't really have a problem with that. This. . . .well, as a one-off macguffin, I think I'm okay with it. Hopefully they've gotten it out of their system.

By the way - here's all the audio you hear in the Eldritch Location:

Attack of the Clones:
Yoda: Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is.

The Clone Wars:
Anakin: You never would have made it as Obi-Wan's Padawan, but you might make it as mine.

Kenobi: What is this place?
Qui-Gon: A conduit through which the entire Force of the universe flows.

Revenge of the Sith:
Yoda: Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force. Mourn them do not. Miss them do not. Attachment leads to jealously. The shadow of greed, that is... Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.

Rebels:
Kanan: I won't let him lose his way, not like I did.

Ahsoka: Just when you think you understand the Force, you find out how little you actually know.

Kenobi: What you need, you already have. Unfortunately, you seem to be letting it all go.

Rogue One:
Jyn: You give way to an enemy this evil with this much power, and you condemn the galaxy to an eternity of submission. The time to fight is now!

New Hope:

Leia: This is our most desperate hour. Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope.

Kenobi: The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together.

The Empire Strikes Back:
Yoda: Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter.

Return of the Jedi:
Vader: Obi-Wan once thought as you do. You don't know the power of the dark side.

The Force Awakens:
Poe: The Resistance will not be intimidated by you.

Kylo: Show me, Grandfather... And I will finish what you started.

Maz Kanata: Dear child. I see your eyes. You already know the truth. Whomever you're waiting for on Jakku...they're never coming back... But...there's someone who still could... The belonging you seek is not behind you...it is ahead.

Rey: We'll see each other again. I believe that.

7 minutes ago, Ireul said:

Trust me, you're not. Aside from the voices I hated everything Force-y in this episode. I mean seriously, time travel so Ezra can learn a lesson that a vision quest could have fulfilled just as easily? That's pretty silly (convenient it gives a justification for the survival of Filoni's pet character though...). The tie-in with the Mortis gods did nothing but remind me of my severe hate of Filoni's views on the Force and it's balance.

Also, the World between Worlds is a massive can of worms I doubt other writers will be able to stay away from, especially since there's apparently a gateway at every Jedi/Sith temple (Lothal, Malachor, and Palpy was still on Coruscant as far as I know). And according to those Topps cards Filoni made a few years back, Ashoka finds the Malachor gateway, so she isn't starving to death on a forgotten rock anytime soon.

Honestly, I feel they should have gone more Raiders with it: make the gateway a passage that gives Ezra flow-walking visions while driving the villains insane.

The Mortis arc was a Lucas mandate it doesn’t originate with Filoni. Having watched several interviews with Filoni I’d say his views on the force come straight from Lucas, he’s basically Lucas’ apprentice.

Well dang, I just watched this week's episodes. That was interesting. I will probably have players asking if they can time-travel after they see that. Also, throwing fire. Also, lassos made of force lightning. Also, animal spirit guides. My players tend to want all the things.

I really enjoyed it but dang, Rebels is all about the mysticism and whacky Force hijinks. I think they knew they had to wreck the temple in the story otherwise that would be the most abused and continuity breaking plot device in the history of Star Wars, regardless of canon or legends.

1 minute ago, GroggyGolem said:

that would be the most abused and continuity breaking plot device in the history of Star Wars

Oh no, Canon has already been all about continuity-breaking new powers for awhile now.

1 minute ago, Yaccarus said:

Oh no, Canon has already been all about continuity-breaking new powers for awhile now.

Yeah they want to shake the cobwebs out of the fans head canon, so their free to tell stories.

1 minute ago, Yaccarus said:

Oh no, Canon has already been all about continuity-breaking new powers for awhile now.

Well to be fair, one of the tropes of even the OT was that there was more to know about the Force than there was time for anyone to learn, hence why every new film has introduced a power or two.

ANH had mind trick, choke, illusions, the ability to guide a torpedo to its target, sensing presences and disturbances in the force.

Empire had telekinesis proper, force jumps, force visions, force ghosts, telepathic connections, talk of seeing the potential future.

RotJ had lightning, saber throwing, using the Force to hide.

32 minutes ago, GroggyGolem said:

Well to be fair, one of the tropes of even the OT was that there was more to know about the Force than there was time for anyone to learn, hence why every new film has introduced a power or two.

ANH had mind trick, choke, illusions, the ability to guide a torpedo to its target, sensing presences and disturbances in the force.

Empire had telekinesis proper, force jumps, force visions, force ghosts, telepathic connections, talk of seeing the potential future.

RotJ had lightning, saber throwing, using the Force to hide.

And we know that "the ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force."

5 minutes ago, Eoen said:

The Mortis arc was a Lucas mandate it doesn’t originate with Filoni. Having watched several interviews with Filoni I’d say his views on the force come straight from Lucas.

Yeah, I keep forgetting that. Still, from earlier things Lucas has said, from things characters have said in earlier works, and from parallels between the Force and real-world religions I take a more "Taoist" view of the Force. That the balance is cyclical: the light side reigns and there is peace and prosperity, but evil festers, grows, and eventually overpowers. The dark side reigns and there is tyranny and fear, but hope remains, inspires, and brings justice. The light side reigns and the cycle repeats. Mortis and everything that's come after implies that the balance is more literal: an equal amount of dark and light. It just doesn't mesh for me.

6 minutes ago, Ireul said:

Yeah, I keep forgetting that. Still, from earlier things Lucas has said, from things characters have said in earlier works, and from parallels between the Force and real-world religions I take a more "Taoist" view of the Force. That the balance is cyclical: the light side reigns and there is peace and prosperity, but evil festers, grows, and eventually overpowers. The dark side reigns and there is tyranny and fear, but hope remains, inspires, and brings justice. The light side reigns and the cycle repeats. Mortis and everything that's come after implies that the balance is more literal: an equal amount of dark and light. It just doesn't mesh for me.

“The Tao that can be spoken is not the Tao.”

There’s a balance and semetry to the ying/yang symbol. Two fish swimming in opposition to each other.

I think the view of the force articulated in the OT is a limited viewpoint by the nature of the time period it’s set in. And that view is more articulate in the prequels as the Jedi order still exists in its winter.

Lucas always seemed to have a more Flash Gordon viewpoint on it, and I’m sure he’s a rabid New Ager/Freemason/ flower child anyways.

I think you are misinterpreting the time travel element. I believe that rather than travel through time, Ezra entered a parallel path that led to the exact moment he was meant to save Ahasoka. Rather than jump back in time, he was led to a moment. I doubt it would possible to jump to any time, only to those that you have a connection with ie also the moment Kanan died.

Don't get hung up on time travel, think instead that they were pathways to alternative destinies.

1 hour ago, Andreievitch said:

I think you are misinterpreting the time travel element. I believe that rather than travel through time, Ezra entered a parallel path that led to the exact moment he was meant to save Ahasoka. Rather than jump back in time, he was led to a moment. I doubt it would possible to jump to any time, only to those that you have a connection with ie also the moment Kanan died.

Don't get hung up on time travel, think instead that they were pathways to alternative destinies.

I think your right about that. The world between worlds seems to be out of time and space. Notice Ashoka didn’t go back with Ezra but back to Malikor at the shortly after the time she left. We see her run into the Sith Temple at the end of season two.

I really liked the Emperor in this one. It looked like he was up to that old Sith Alchemy we saw in the last Clone Wars episode. Very Mother Talzin of him.

2 minutes ago, Eoen said:

“The Tao that can be spoken is not the Tao.”

There’s a balance and semetry to the ying/yang symbol. Two fish swimming in opposition to each other.

I think the view of the force articulated in the OT is a limited viewpoint by the nature of the time period it’s set in. And that view is more articulate in the prequels as the Jedi order still exists in its winter.

Lucas always seemed to have a more Flash Gordon viewpoint on it, and I’m sure he’s a rabid New Ager/Freemason/ flower child anyways.

I don't disagree that the Force was made to be unknowable, but literal balance is an easily packaged concept.

"Take, for instance, a twig and a pillar, or the ugly person and the great beauty, and all the strange and monstrous transformations. These are all levelled together by Tao. Division is the same as creation; creation is the same as destruction. There is no such thing as creation or destruction, for these conditions are again levelled together into One. Only the truly intelligent understand this principle of the levelling of all things into One. They discard the distinctions and take refuge in the common and ordinary things. The common and ordinary things serve certain functions and therefore retain the wholeness of nature. From this wholeness, one comprehends, and from comprehension, one to the Tao. There it stops. To stop without knowing how it stops – this is Tao."

Yin yang ties into this as it is a duality of contrary forces working in unity. Destruction bares the foundation for creation, creation provides the target for destruction. To limit it: two names for change; a crucible forcing adaptation and growth.

In the PT the light side reigns as the Republic (originally) is a beacon of peace and prosperity, but evil festers as greed and corruption, embodied by the corporations of the Separatists. The Clone Wars erupt and slowly transforms it into the Empire. Eventually the dark side reigns as the Empire is a bastion of tyranny and ruthless ambition, but good endures as the Rebellion, which eventually overthrows the Empire (mostly without Luke's help). Then the First Order and Starkiller Base happen. Even without the Force-users, the cyclical nature exists in the actions of the ordinary folk (the Force surrounds and binds all living things after all).

The Mortis balance philosophy means that you get the Kylo/Rey deal: for every darksider there must be a lightsider of equal Force strength or one side has more power to affect things it's way. Problem is in the nature of the two sides: the light side is selfless while the dark side is selfish (and seductive and corrupting). Eventually the two will clash as the darksider will desire more and more power over others to keep what he has, while the lightsider will fight to maintain the freedom of others. Expand it beyond two people - let's say a thousand on each side - and the result is war. Constant war, since to prevent imbalance if one side kills too many of the other the lesser side will have it's members either replenished or grow more powerful until the numbers are equalized, to mention two solutions. Actually, thinking about it, the Mortis balance is probably best applied to the ordinary folks. There are good and evil people on both sides of the conflict - most Imperials aren't monsters and few Rebels are angels (even if they're only striking military targets, they're terrorists).

Huh, I have something else to consider in how I view the Force. Thank you.

Yeah, I didn't get a time travel vibe. Rather it was Ezra's destiny intersecting with Ahsoka's in a way that actually didn't change anything. Ahsoka returned to the point she left, and then walked out through the triangular doorway which we "kind of" saw her doing at the end of Season 3, except now it's confirmed that it was her. She survived the fight with Vader, and now we know how - we just don't know what she's been doing since.