I’ll basically watch anything “Star Wars”-related.
That said, I never really got into the “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” animated series that debuted in 2008.
I had heard good things about Lucasfilm’s latest animated series — “Star Wars: Rebels.”
At the end of March I decided to give “Rebels” a try. I don’t have cable (the show aired on Disney XD), but all the episodes were unlocked and available to watch via the DisneyNOW app on my AppleTV.
Since most of the episodes had an expiration date of 5/08/2018, I spent a number of late nights squeezing in episodes, trying to make it through the series.
So...what did I think?
I was really surprised how much I enjoyed “Star Wars: Rebels.” For a show that is rated “TV-Y7,” it was pretty sophisticated.
“Rebels” tells the story of an eclectic group of rebels who tool around the galaxy on a freighter called the "Ghost" as they conduct missions against the Galactic Empire.
The plot centers around Ezra Bridger — an orphan teen who scrounges and steals for his survival on the planet Lothal. He is taken by a band of rebels led by Kanan Jarrus (a Jedi with a mysterious past), Hera Syndulla (a Twi’lek pilot), Sabine Wren (a Mandalorian with an artistic side), Zeb Orrelios (a Lasat warrior), and an astromech droid affectionately known as “Chopper.”
The series takes place a few years before “Star Wars: A New Hope,” and viewers get to experience the rise of the Rebel Alliance.
It is fun.
The cast of characters is surprisingly engaging — even with dialogue that is a bit corny at times.
A number of well-known characters make appearances on “Star Wars: Rebels,” including Lando Calrissian, Princess Leia, Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Bail Organa, General Dodonna, Wedge Antilles, Grand Moff Tarkin, Darth Vader and Darth Maul. In addition, there are a number of characters from "Clone Wars" that show up along the way.
One of the most enjoyable additions to the series was Grand Admiral Thrawn. The character was first introduced in Timothy Zahn’s novel “Heir to the Empire” in 1991.
Bantam Spectra’s “Star Wars” novels in 1990s were important for fans of the franchise. They took an entertainment property — that for all intents and purposes seemed dead in popular culture — and gave it new life.
It was great to see Thrawn come alive in the third season of “Rebels” (complete with sinister organ music).
Ezra Bridger is strong with the Force, and is trained to be a Jedi by Kanan Jarrus.
There are a number of adventures involving Ezra’s training — which give the show its emotional and philosophical core.
As I made my way to the series finale of “Star Wars: Rebels” last weekend, I got a bit wistful. I’m disappointed the series won’t continue — the storyline concludes with an epilogue after the Battle of Endor, and finds the status of one of our heroes very much in limbo.
“Star Wars: Rebels” was created by Dave Filoni. Many fans believe he has a tremendous talent for telling stories in the “Star Wars” universe — with some suggesting he should be at the helm of Lucasfilm.
The good news is that there is a new animated series coming this fall. “Star Wars: Resistance” will take place before “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” and focus on a pilot named Kazuda Xiono.
According to the “Star Wars Explained” YouTube channel, the new series will have an artistic style that is inspired from anime:
I'm looking forward to it. In the meantime, I might just check out “The Clone Wars” animated series (which is currently available on Netflix)...
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