If you thought the first half of Star Wars Rebels Season 2 was exciting, apparently the second half is even more so. Some of the plot threads that have been teased at are about to come to fruition. Perhaps the most exciting reveal is Ahsoka’s confrontation with Darth Vader – her former master, Anakin Skywalker. Although Ahsoka is a fan favorite we know she doesn’t defeat Vader. So what happens to Ahsoka? Will she meet her fate at the hands of her former master or will she live to fight another day? It will be interesting to see how the two of them end up in battle against each other.
The trailer also hints at Ezra’s temptation by the Dark Side of the Force. Since the early episodes, Ezra has been someone who reacts to his emotions, which can make someone susceptible to what the Dark Side has to offer. Even though Ezra has a good heart and is guided by it, so was Anakin at the beginning. Anakin’s strong desire to keep his wife and his mother safe and failing to do so is at least in part what drove him to the Dark Side. Will that be the same for Ezra? Perhaps the biggest question about Ezra we see from the preview is the Kylo Ren-type lightsaber he is wielding. Will there will be a tie-in to the Knights of Ren that was mentioned in Star Wars: The Force Awakens?
And Hera’s father, Cham Syndulla makes an appearance post-Clone Wars. If you’ve read Lords of the Sith, you know that Cham headed the resistance movement against the Empire on Ryloth and was forced to flee, but the Free Ryloth Movement planted the seeds of rebellion which his daughter has become a major part of. It will be interesting to see what has happened to Cham in the interim and why he has been out of Hera’s life.
Of course, two of the biggest additions to the Rebels cast are Princess Leia and Yoda who we finally get to see on-screen instead of purely as an amorphous voice. I love how they portrayed Leia. She looks young and beautiful while at the same time capable and fierce. She is equally adept at fighting and diplomacy and will be interesting to see how much of a role she plays in the series to come. For Season 2, the episode airing on January 20th will be her only appearance. Yoda will also be making an appearance later in the series and has a slightly different look to him than the Yoda we’re used to. He offers advice to young Ezra about the use of the Force and predicts danger for the young padawan.
There are a lot of other cut scenes in the preview worth mentioning – the fight scenes, the lightsaber battles, the crew free-falling through space, Vader and the Inquisitors. Rebels continues to impress with some of the most beautiful and sophisticated animation done for any series and it looks to only get better. Two final questions come to mind after watching the preview: who is the Old Master who approaches Ezra and who are the mysterious guys in white with lightsabers? Guess we’ll have to watch to find out.
- Read more about Season 2 of Star Wars Rebels in our series primer
- Find out more about Season 2 from the cast and producers of the show from this interview at Star Wars Celebration
- Want to know about the Season 1 BluRay / DVD?
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