TFN Rebels Review: "A Princess on Lothal"

Star Wars Rebels once again introduces a classic character to the series, and once again they nail it.

After seeing Lando and Yoda make a return to the Star Wars galaxy on Rebels, Princess Leia had her time to shine. This episode is a fun one, and it really gives you some backstory on the character of Leia.

We see a storm trooper wielding a lightsaber, a ship from the Old Republic, and overall a nice combination of action and humor. This was another great episode from Dave Filoni and the team.

WHAT WORKED:
After constant battles against the empire, the fledgling rebellion has started to lose their resources and man power. That's when Bail Organa sends his teenage daughter to the rescue, as she is set to deliver more transports to assist the rebels.

The character of Leia was really well done. Not only did they nail her sass and attitude, but they did a great job of establishing just what the role of the imperial senate is at this point in time. We had always heard about the imperial senate being disbanded in A New Hope, but now we get our first look at what an imperial senate representative does in relation with the Empire.

Julie Dolan does a good job in sounding like a young Leia, and her quick wit and resourcefulness shone through brightly. It was also a great set up to her interaction with Darth Vader in A New Hope. It is clear that when we get to that opening interaction, Vader and the empire were done with her tricks and manipulation, and that is why they took no chances in letting her go or giving her any freedom after the death star plans were stolen.

It was also great to see the crew rally around Ezra. After learning the fate of his parents, they offer their condolences, and it also leads to a great moment between him and Leia. She delivers a great speech about being all in for a cause, and it also explains why Leia is the way she is.

The episode then really picks up when the action starts. We see Ryder Azadi jump back into action, and the team forms together to get the transports free from the empire's clamp. Kanan has a great moment as he is dressed like a storm trooper, and uses his lightsaber to take down some AT-ATs.

WHAT DIDN'T WORK:
If I'm being honest, there wasn't much to hate in this episode. They did a great job of integrating Leia. This episode was meant to show how the Rebels remained a force after dealing with the mighty empire over and over again, and they accomplished the goal. We got to see every member of the Ghost crew in action, and it was entertaining from start to finish.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
It appears that the team behind this show has hit their stride. This has been four episodes in a row that knock it out of the park, and you can slowly feel the stakes rising.

I loved the way they handled Leia here, and hopefully we see her again soon. They not only did a great job of setting up the next part of the season, but also they did a great job setting up A New Hope.


This review was done by Fan of TheForce.net Ryan Donoho. You can contact him at donohonba@gmail.com.

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