Star Wars Rebels

Padawan and Jedi. #TheBest

Now seems like the time to comment on Star Wars Rebels, before the new film hits and we're swept away by the next chapter. 

I've been thinking about this odd little bridging series lately, another stopgap in the tradition of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, keeping fans sated till the next filmic trilogy (one that hopefully won't be a tragedy of the-three-who-shall-not-be-named proportions). 

Note: contains spoilers up to Season 2, episode 9.

It can be argued a person's reaction to Star Wars Rebels is indelibly tied to their personal experience of the original movies. I've been told elements of/characters from the novels, comics, and Star Wars: The Clone Wars—which I plan on watching one of these days—are referenced in Star Wars Rebels, but I'm mostly familiar with the first three screen outings so the other tie-ins weren't registering.

As a child I remember watching Star Wars on tv while a local radio station broadcast the soundtrack. We closed the blinds, and it was like being at the movies (no, it was not the 50s). We'd watch the trilogy every school holidays religiously. Star Wars was magical, and also, in a sense, ethical: a tale of heroes and redemption and camaraderie, and, of course, the Force. 

Many scholars have written about the concept of the Force—I can't bring myself not to capitalize— and its indelible impact on the minds of children. When something is deeply embedded in your psyche, new incarnations of said story are bound to resonate, right?

Sabine, who has an even tinier frame than the much criticized Barbie.

Star Wars Rebels has proven an interesting addition more people should explore; the show is really entertaining. Music and sound effects in the style of the original series are major strengths. The moment a ship jumped to hyperspace, my mind was hooked. Then we had Obi-Wan's hologram, Lando, R2-D2, C-3PO, and a host of other familiar faces—or in Yoda's case, energy. 

To begin with, the true clincher is the revelation of Kanan's Jedi status. Once he started swinging that lightsaber I was officially onboard Team Rebel. "All troopers, focus your fire on, on the Jedi," ordered Agent Kallus, almost choking on the J-word. (Love this guy, btw. Creepily real. Some baddies don’t feel like real people – but he does. Plus his beard spooks me.)

Star Wars Rebels brings up the question, once again, of just how many Stormtroopers are killed by friendly fire each year? And also how Vader can go around maiming people who don't do their job, yet doesn't seem fazed by the fact the Empire's army couldn't hit a wookiee from two feet away with a rocket launcher? Also, as Kanan points out when the rebels steal yet another ship from the Empire so they can fly under the radar (literally): “How is it the Empire lets us keep stealing these things?”

 

Teamwork is at the core of the series, and a shared ideological goal.

In terms of characters, they're all quite interesting. Ezra is a solid lead, a street-savvy orphan who reluctantly begins to empathize and connect with the rest of his messed up world(s) after crossing paths with Kanan and co. I wanted to like Sabine more, but she feels like the kind of young female character bordering on a trope these days. Plus she's so skinny. (But to be fair, everyone is uber-thin from the waist down: there's a weird lack of butts!) Kanan and Hera are great as the pseudo parents/ship leaders. 

You can't go wrong with robotics in the SW universe, and the rollicking Chopper (C1-10P) is no exception. Zeb is my least favorite team member, not because I'm alienist, but because I get Jar Jar Binks flashbacks, making me wary of creatures as main characters. Obviously Zeb is present to appeal to children, and that brings up one of the most fascinating issues with Star Wars Rebels.

Interrogation, torture, 'cause, you know... #kidsthesedays

The show is a children's program, but thematically, so dark. At this point in the Star Wars timeline, the universe is under the thumb of the Empire: democracy is history, and persecution is rife. Everyone is afraid, yet trying to work through his or her fears. The show teaches children about misrepresentation through media, i.e. the power of propaganda. Not light material.

I know kids are tough, but after you see a political figure assassinated with a well-placed bomb and a few instances of torture-by-Force, you can't help thinking this series is leaning more toward nostalgic adult viewers. Characters radiate despair, with veterans exhibiting symptoms of PTSD. Not what I think of as usual fair for six-year-olds. But then, maybe a lot of the psychological nuance is going over their heads?

The first season is lighter in tone than the second (I'm up to S2, ep. 9), with more banter between Ezra, Chopper, and Zeb to keep children entertained, and adults less enthralled. The second season discards most of the lighthearted fare.

I would probably pinpoint the moment Ezra, relatively innocent to the ins and outs of the force, unleashes his rage and tips over to the dark side, as a series turning point. "The darkness is too strong for you orphan. It is swallowing you up, even now,” jeers the Empire's Grand Inquisitor.

The Sith are presented as disconcertingly powerful. Hate is SO much stronger than the positive sides of the Force, which feels like a representation with slightly worrying implications.

Rex, my fave second season introduction.
Ahsoka Tano, my fave female character.

When Vader and the Emperor (still scary af) come into the picture late in the first season, the ante ups considerably. Vader is used fantastically—in terms of narrative—appearing just long enough to be a potent dark force (excuse the pun) without taking over the series.

Inquisitors are freaky and scary, but I find female inquisitor the Seventh Sister the most memorable (plus she has a great spinning lightsaber, and is voiced by Sarah Michelle Gellar). When she interrogates Ezra, she references his prettiness, and his character is visibly thrown. Since this kind of dialogue has historically been primarily used toward female characters, I thought it was an interesting twist on an old dynamic.

As mentioned, the second season is markedly more intense, and seems to be primarily aimed at a slightly older audience. 

Ezra's unwitting stumble into the dark side is chilling.

My favorite characters are Rex, and Ahsoka Tano. As a clone, Rex is used to address issues of prejudice, and the difficulty of reconciliation after fighting on opposite sides of a war. (Although when the clones were chasing that giant worm in the desert I kept waiting for someone to yell, "No, the spice must flow!")

In terms of cultural attitudes to technology, there is a much more humanized approach than previously seen in the Star Wars universe at play. For decades sci-fi often reflected society's fear of tech, but here, the droids are more often than not treated as equals. 

The same applies to genetic tinkering—when Rex sacrifices himself, he is told by an Empire baddie (they must test for sociopaths when hiring), “I am going to terminate you. Not like a soldier or honored veteran, oh no. You will be discarded and forgotten like an obsolete piece of field equipment, and no one will know or care." Kanan, the Jedi, steps forward and contradicts this sentiment, saving Rex's life and thereby validating the clone's humanity.

Ahsoka Tano is a confident yet mysterious female Jedi who isn't romantically linked to any of the lead crew, and remains an independent and elusive figure. Honorable and looked up to by the other rebel characters, she seems haunted (for reasons later revealed to be linked to Anakin). A complex, interesting, and enigmatic Jedi.

Apparently both these characters appeared in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Perhaps that's why they seem so fully formed?

On a side note, it was awesome to see/hear Gina Torres from Firefly guest appear in an episode as the bounty hunter Ketsu. The show has a touch of that classic space-frontier-outlaw-family vibe, and it felt right having one of Serenity's crew pop in.

The series begins a new chapter when Darth shows up. #ultimatevillain

I'm not really a fan of many forms of modern animation. I generally don't like the way characters move. Plus they can appear kind of plastic-y (more so in the first few episodes) but in this case, the faces are extremely emotive. Kanan's eyes, when he's struggling with a moral dilemma, are so human. Once you notice that, any sense of disassociation fades.

In summary—so many things to like about this series. If asked, I would recommend Star Wars Rebels to anyone who has ever enjoyed Star Wars. 

I love that Ezra uses Jabba the Hutt as an alias. Love the references to Coruscant and Alderaan. Love the squid dude (sorry, the Mon Calamari) for being fabulously eccentric. Love the scene where Hera becomes Phoenix Leader. Love that an Admiral Konstantine exists. Love how the scenes on the Empire's ships are so well rendered. I love how the series gives us everything we adore about the old Star Wars world—including wookiees!

My only wish is for an animated series that didn't have to try to meet the needs of both adult and child audience members. The Empire of this period is a dark, dystopian place, full of people scarred by the horrors they've lived through, including mass murders and genocide. While children have always been the primary audience of the Star Wars universe, this particular setting would be perfect for a different type of program, one that wouldn't limit such rich material to child-friendly fare. I hope Disney proves brave enough to slowly branch out.