Today, March 5th, marks the four year anniversary of Star Wars: Rebels coming to a close. For #RebelsRemembered, I want to pay tribute to the show I grew up with, celebrating the reasons why I think it remains the gold standard for TV set in the galaxy far, far away.
1. Character Development
Rebels chronicles the formation of a Rebellion against impossible odds, visiting many different corners of the galaxy and finding the room for plenty of fan service, all while keeping the story of a family forged in desperate times at its heart. First and foremost, I look out for character development in storytelling, and I think Rebels does it the best. No single episode is wasted: if it’s not exploring the past of a character and how that informs their behaviour in the present, or teaching them a valuable lesson that will stay with them going forward, it’s setting up some future payoff or another. Let’s look at some examples.
Droids in Distress features R2 and 3P0 in what seems like a cheap cameo appearance, to try to hold grab the attention of viewers early-on. However, surprise surprise, the episode is actually about the traumatic past of one of the side characters, Zeb, and the droids are just thrown in for good measure. Stealing and selling T-7 Disruptors brings back Zeb’s memories of how they were used in a massacre on his homeworld, and the natural resolution to this is a wonderfully over-the-top fight between him and Agent Kallus. The duel is symbolic of him confronting his anger and regret over the massacre, and losing - for now. R2 and 3P0 being returned to Bail Organa also sets up the season’s ending, where the spectres become part of a larger Rebel cell.
Breaking Ranks could easily have become what most people term a “filler” episode, simply a fun adventure of the week where Ezra breaks into the Imperial dome so the Ghost crew can stop an Imperial shipment. Of course, it is that, but more. This episode is important as it’s the first time the crew trust Ezra with a mission of his own; he might be Spectre-6, but even Kanan still refers to him as “the kid”. But Ezra shows his own initiative and pulls through, as a fully-fledged member of the Rebels, and his success in convincing Jai Kell to put his life on the line to escape the Academy sets up how he becomes the catalyst for hope and change later in the season. Moreover, Jai returns to aid the fight for Lothal’s freedom in season 4, and the Empire’s valuable cargo is a kyber crystal, foreshadowing the creation of the Death Star - which the show does several times.
The Call is perhaps the best example of an episode that appears to be filler but isn’t, and for reasons that a lot of people talk about: this episode is all about the Purrgil, setting up their role in the series finale. A minor episode that becomes instrumental to the overall ending is the kind of rewarding experience you can give a viewer if you plan out a story as well as the creators of Rebels did. Not only that, in this episode we revisit Ezra’s talent for connecting with other beings - from a thematic standpoint, my favourite Force ability - and see how the Rebels can help wild animals reclaim their natural habitats (similar to the Loth Wolves, nature itself falls on the side of the protagonists - a common theme in Dave Filoni’s work). Emphasising both these things anticipates the story of season 4.
Every member of the Ghost crew gets multiple episodes focused on them and their growth: for Ezra, it's episodes like Path of the Jedi and Steps into Shadow which illustrate his insecurities and moral questions about using the Force, while others such as Gathering Forces and Legacy show us how desperately he wishes he could be with his parents, and how their loss makes him determined not to lose any of his newfound family. For Kanan, it's episodes like Rise of the Old Masters and Shroud of Darkness which show him struggle with the responsibility of training Ezra when he feels so under-qualified, and others such as Fire Across the Galaxy and Stealth Strike which show him overcoming the feelings of guilt and anger (like Zeb, as I mentioned) ingrained in him by Order 66. Hera gets episodes such as Homecoming and Hera’s Heroes, where we learn what she had and has to sacrifice for the Rebels' cause. Sabine has some vague development with Blood Sisters and Protector of Concord Dawn, but truly comes into her own with Trials of the Darksaber in season 3, where she has to forgive herself for past mistakes in order to become worthy of the Darksaber and leading her people. Zeb has Legend of the Lasat and The Honourable Ones, where - similarly to Sabine and even Kanan - he has to accept past failure to become a hero, forgiving himself before he can forgive Kallus for partaking in the Siege of Lasan. Even hardy war veteran Chopper shows his soft spot in The Forgotten Droid, making an unlikely friend and growing as a character as a result.
One of the most admirable qualities of how characters are written in Rebels is the attention to how a character’s past influences their motivation in different and new contexts. The Siege of Lothal is a great example; Kanan resists joining the larger Rebel Alliance because of his experience in the Clone War:
“I survived one war. I’m not ready for another one. I saw what it did.”
Meanwhile, Zeb feels much more comfortable fighting alongside Phoenix Squadron. After his comrades were murdered by the Empire, it seems he has sought another group to belong to, a bigger purpose.
“I like fighting with Phoenix Squadron… reminds me of the Honour Guard.”
They might seem minor, but it’s the small details which make these characters feel authentic. I can enjoy any episode of Rebels I put on, because thanks to the care put in by the writers, I feel totally invested in their characters.
2. it built on other content coming out at the time
Rebels was airing during the same years that The Force Awakens, Rogue One, and The Last Jedi came out, and got to echo elements of those movies. At the time, it only increased the wave of hype from new Star Wars projects that I was feeling. Most of these are simply cool references - such as Ezra finding a crossguard lightsaber in the same style as Kylo's, proving that the design dates back to the Old Republic, or the inclusion of U-wings and Imperial tanks - but in the case of Saw Gerrera, Rebels actually built on his character and got to explore the tension between his partisans and the Rebel Alliance in more detail.
Rebels doesn't simply feature Gerrera as a cameo appearance to promote Rogue One - he is included in a natural way which enhances part of Ezra's arc. During seasons one and two, Ezra faces the question of how far he is willing to go in war against the Empire. He tells Yoda he wants to "make the Empire suffer", and in the beginning of season 3, he uses some questionable tactics and shows a hardened determination to win. Later, when Saw appears in the show, Ezra is initially sympathetic to his approach. But when Saw shows cruelty to a defenceless Geonosian, and in another arc, imprisons Ezra and Sabine when he views them as obstructions to his mission, it's clear that even the just cause of fighting the Empire has made Saw lose sight of such important things as loyalty.
"I hope, Senator, after you've lost, and the Empire reigns over the galaxy unopposed, you will find some comfort in the knowledge that you fought according to the rules."
If Kanan is the angel on Ezra's shoulder, Saw Gerrera is the devil; he represents the worst person Ezra could become. This helps Ezra realise the bigger picture, setting him back on the path of the noble Jedi that he has the potential to be.
3. It continued old stories in the best ways
Rebels also served in some capacity as a sequel to The Clone Wars - but much like Saw, existing characters were incorporated in a way that felt seamless, and meaningful for the main protagonists.
Formerly a snippy young padawan, in Rebels Ahsoka is the oldest and most experienced of the three Jedi. She guides Kanan and Ezra during their quest for knowledge, while also being forced to confront her unfairly self-imposed guilt over Anakin's fall to the dark side. Touchingly, she's in denial for most of the season that Anakin could really be a Sith lord, but is finally forced to accept it and nobly sacrifices herself to let Kanan and Ezra escape Vader's wrath. This is also a fantastic way to add substance to Vader's inclusion in the series; it's a continuation of his story, as well as hers.
Of course, Ahsoka is saved from death at the hands of her former master, and survives to guide Ezra in the heartbreaking but necessary decision to let go of his desire to save Kanan. She owes Ezra a lift debt, and their destinies are intertwined. Perhaps soon, we'll see where that goes...
"I won't leave you... not this time."
Rex, Gregor and Wolffe's reluctance to come out of retirement and fight in another war is interesting, and very understandable; however, it feels great to see them in action again as rebel heroes. What's more, seeing as the clones were essentially born into Republic slavery and controlled to the point where they became as emotionless and machinelike as the droid armies they fought against, having these characters risk their lives for a cause they "chose to believe in" (in Gregor's words) is the most fitting way Rebels could have handled this theme from The Clone Wars. Rex also gets to serve alongside a Jedi again, helping Kanan overcome his bitterness towards clones, and in The Last Battle, is finally given some closure to the war he spent so much of his younger life fighting. This closure is achieved by none other than Ezra - Rebels never sidelines the main characters to allow old storylines to continue, but allows the two to co-exist beautifully.
"We're soldiers, Ezra! This is what we were born to do!"
Maul also returns in Rebels, a devilishly evil presence in season 3. His dialogue and Sam Witwer's excellent performance make him intimidating, yet as Obi-wan Kenobi demonstrates at the end of the season, he should really be pitied. In Rebels, Maul is a tragic figure, a psychologically broken old man, who can't help but pursue Obi-wan until it destroys him. While Obi-wan has devoted the rest of his life to the future, and has risen above old grudges, Maul remains stuck in the bitterness of the past. Ultimately, Obi-wan wins their final duel by judging this correctly, anticipating that Maul will attempt the same move on him that he used to kill Qui-gon Jinn. This final duel is my personal favourite scene in the Star Wars franchise for good reasons; I feel like I could unpack it for hours. Maul's last words also manage to make the original trilogy more compelling: acknowledging that both he and Obi-wan were victims of Emperor Palpatine's grand plan, and that they both have to place their trust in Luke to defeat him.
"He will avenge us..."
Bo Katan returns in Star Wars: Rebels, now a wiser person and a better leader. Sadly, working with the Republic at the end of the Clone War only swapped one regime of oppressors for another, and Bo is waging war against the Empire on Mandalore. She seems to have left her days as a Death Watch partisan long behind her, now guiding potential Mandalorian leader Sabine in the choice between "honour or cowardice". Once again, a pre-existing character factors into the story of a new one in a relevant and significant way. Her brief, two-episode appearance in the show provides a thrilling new development in her story, as Sabine decides her own destiny lies elsewhere and entrusts Bo Katan with the Darksaber; however, this was not a conclusion, but a plot thread to be continued in The Mandalorian...
"I accept this sword for my sister, for my clan, and for all of Mandalore."
4. It honoured what came before
Rebels respected elements of the old Star Wars expanded universe (the stories that became the 'Legends' continuity in 2012) by incorporating them into episodes, and in many cases, realising them onscreen for the first time. The series proved to be the ultimate fan-service-fest not only by bringing back movie and TCW characters we already knew and loved, but by spotlighting old designs and book/comic characters for a new generation.
For Old Republic fans, Rebels featured an updated original-trilogy-style version of the Hammerhead-class Cruiser from Knights of the Old Republic, as well as making the Sith planet Malachor from its sequel game a crucial part of the iconography for season 2.
We also got to see the Interdictor Cruiser from Timothy Zahn's original Thrawn trilogy, the Tie Defender from the Tie Fighter video game (1994), sentry droids inspired by Dark Troopers from Dark Forces (1995), and the Quasar-Fire class cruiser (the Alliance's main fighter carrier, destroyed at the Battle of Atollon) from Kathy Tyers' novel The Truce at Bakura. The Inquisitors were a concept lifted from West End Games ideas in the '90s, and last but definitely not least, Grand Admiral Thrawn himself is the main villain for seasons 3 and 4.
Thrawn had made minor appearances in old video games before, but Rebels gave him a chilling voice performance from Lars Mikkelsen, a minimalistic Legends-inspired design, and an instantly iconic organ theme. Thrawn was already a beloved book character, but his appearance in the series brought him to more Star Wars fans than ever before. A welcome added bonus was that Timothy Zahn got the chance to write some excellent books about him again.
These nods to Legends material, however big or small, are a recognition that Star Wars is a collaborative universe - and also an acknowledgement of the work put in by other creators. I respect the series for doing this, and always thought that the combination of old and new elements worked really well.
5. ART DIRECTION AND LOCATIONS
Some people feel put off by the animation style of Star Wars: Rebels - and sure, I think characters occasionally seem over-animated or have movements that are too fluid - but it's a smooth, soft-edged art style which can offer so much beauty as well.
The cinematography of Rebels is often stunning - moody, visually inventive shots which work best with the lighting and animation style in the show.
My favourite element of Rebels' art direction is the inspiration it takes from the paintings made by legendary Star Wars artist Ralph McQuarrie. McQuarrie had a very distinctive style which the series draws on, and it helps to nail that original trilogy vibe. Rebels also brought a whole host of unused McQuarrie designs to the screen. The concepts pictured below should all seem familiar...
I also think the series has the best locations in Star Wars. They're exotic and imaginative, creating the sense of a galaxy rich with different cultures and environments. Below are some of my favourites: Lothal, Takobo, Ryloth, and Horizon Base.
6. Music
The soundtrack for Rebels by Kevin, Sean and Dean Kiner - with contributions by other composers such as David Glen Russell - is a crucial part of the show's identity.
In season 1, Kevin Kiner relies heavily on classic original trilogy themes to recapture the spirit of those movies and firmly establish the show in their era. At the same time, he combines that with music which feels more unique to the show, such as 'Hera and Ezra Talk' and 'All For Fruit'. Ezra's theme, the sinister choral theme for the Grand Inquisitor, and the 'Alliance' theme that plays at the climax of the season are some of my favourites from the entire series. Season 2 continues to create a more distinctive musical identity for Rebels with tracks like 'Hera Soars' and 'Journey Into the Star Cluster'. Seasons 3 and 4 arguably do it the best, with a heartbreaking theme for Sabine, a chilling theme for Thrawn, and a magical, mysterious one for the Loth Wolves.
Since the season 3 and 4 soundtracks still aren't officially released on music streaming services, here are some handy download links for these wonderful pieces.
Of course, Rebels' greatest musical achievement is still making John Williams' 'Imperial March' the actual, in-universe Imperial March. That's too cool.
My favourite memories
While I think I have good reasons for making Rebels top of my list of Star Wars series, it's also the one I feel most nostalgic for and therefore personally connected to. I was a latecomer to Clone Wars, binge watching it all in summer 2020 when I got Disney+, and while I had a fantastic time experiencing The Mandalorian season 2 week-by-week, neither of these come close to the thrill I felt watching Rebels as a young child.
Rebels is my Star Wars. I was eleven when it started releasing in 2014, and in the ads for each upcoming episode, it would always be something as simple as Zeb flying a tie fighter sideways or a cool new walker design that would hook me. Each Friday, I'd walk out of art class at the end of school with nothing else on my mind but the episode I was going to watch that day. The true value in Rebels is that time has done nothing to diminish my respect for the show. I can watch the very same episodes as an adult, but now fully appreciate the work put into the characters and atmosphere that I didn't see at the time.
Empire Day and Gathering Forces are the season 1 episodes that impacted me the most, as I can remember them the most vividly. I think this is the point that really, really sold eleven-year-old me on Rebels. Before, I had only watched the Star Wars movies, so getting to see smaller-scale stories and life on a local level for inhabitants of the galaxy was relatively new to me. Empire Day drew me into the world of the show by featuring a small, outlying village and how the Empire affects them, then how citizens of Lothal are intimidated into outwardly celebrating Imperial rule. Gathering Forces features two brilliant moments: one, where Ezra forgives Tseebo for not protecting his parents and immediately finds the inner peace to connect with attacking Fyrnocks; the other where Ezra uses this talent in anger and fear, summoning a huge monster which acts on his bidding. I find both these moments awe-inspiring to this day.
Another favourite memory is watching Twilight of the Apprentice for the first time. I hadn't seen Clone Wars at this point, so the Ahsoka-Vader duel and hearing Matt Lanter's voice wasn't as special as it otherwise would have been. However, I was fascinated by Vader as a character, and with the moments where we get a glimpse of the humanity left intact inside the suit - so in Rebels, when he gets part of his mask cut off and his true voice is heard, I nearly fell off my sofa. Vader is portrayed as an impersonal, almost unstoppable force of nature in his early appearances in the season, yet Twilight ends with a scene that's profoundly important for his character, a hint that behind the mask is a broken man attempting to bury the past. I still think Rebels handled Vader in the best way.
It was a truly special time when the first trailer for season 3 released, and Thrawn was revealed. Similarly to my experience of Ahsoka and Vader's duel, I hadn't read the Thrawn trilogy yet, but I understood that it was a big deal for so many people; their excitement was infectious. I remember watching reaction videos and see people cheer, often getting quite emotional, finding out that a character they loved would get a portrayal onscreen. That was one of my first experiences of the Star Wars fandom coming together in happiness at something like that, and it really made me hyped for season 3.
Throughout the first three seasons of Rebels, I was able to get a sense of the community of fans for the show through reaction videos, fan art I saw on Instagram, and frequently watching Andi Gutierrez host Rebels Recon, which was always fun. However, I was missing people I could actually talk about the show with. At this point, something went wrong: I wasn't able to catch the season 3 finale, Zero Hour, on TV, and told myself I would just wait until the DVD release to watch it. Over time, I lost interest in Star Wars slightly, and by extension, Rebels. Leaving behind the online Star Wars fandom, the only thing to really remind me of the show's existence, I forgot about it.
Around the release of The Rise of Skywalker I became interested in Star Wars again, and simultaneously became friendly with someone at school who, like me, viewed Rebels nostalgically as a show he watched growing up. He encouraged me to get Disney+, to catch up on The Mandalorian, Clone Wars and lastly, Rebels season 4. Towards the end of summer 2020, I was invited to his house to watch the final three episodes together. Finally, I got to finish the series alongside someone who shared the same passion for it as I once had. I had managed to forget how much I loved it, but that experience made me remember, and that's why I'm writing this article today. A World Between Worlds, A Fool's Hope and Family Reunion - and Farewell will always be among my favourite memories of Star Wars: Rebels, as they reminded me how important shared love and experiences of the franchise can be.
Shortly after watching the finale, The Mandalorian season 2 began, and with Chapter 13 we finally got an idea that a story of Ezra, Sabine, Ahsoka and Thrawn might be happening. It will have been 5 years, but if the Ahsoka series releases in early 2023, this may be the last #RebelsRemembered day where we don't know what happens next. No matter what the future holds for these characters, we will always have Star Wars: Rebels, and I know I'm not the only one who holds this wonderful series close to their heart.
Happy Rebels Remembered day, and may the Force be with you!
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