TFN Rebels Review: "Steps Into Shadow"

Star Wars Rebels Season 2 ended with some of the most emotional moments in the entire saga. With Ahsoka facing off against Vader, we were treated to an amazing series of moments to send us into Season 3.

It will be hard to live up to what Season 2 was, but Season 3 started off with a strong episode.

The beginning of the episode was filled with lighthearted moments including everyone's favorite pirate, Hondo. At first glance, it seems as if this episode would have been a fun departure from action and the seriousness, but it quickly turned around.

From there, we get a taste of the empire with Tarkin, and Governor Pryce and it shows the state of their operation. They mention Phoenix Squadron which to me shows that the ability to hide from the Empire in plain sight has diminished significantly for the crew of the Ghost.

The meat of the episode involves Hondo's intel that a station called Reklam Station is housing unused Y-Wings from the Clone Wars. Rex backs it up, and it becomes Ezra's mission to recover the fighters.

The Empire discovers their planned heist, and an awesome action sequence ensues. Ezra appears to be much more confidence, but with that confidence comes mistakes, and he almost puts the rebels in a horrid spot.

The crew eventually escapes with a few Y-Wings and returns to the base.

NOTEBOOK

•Kanan seems much more focused on the force. He has clear regret for what happened on Malachor, and he seems like it will take time for him to come to terms with his blindness.

•The Bendu makes his first appearance (voiced by Tom Baker). He seems like he is key to not just this season, but Star Wars storytelling as a whole moving forward. I can't wait to learn more about him.

•With Ezra using the Sith Holocron, I would like to see what kind of impact that will have on him moving forward. With Ezra throwing that walker off the platform early on, it is clear that the darkside is boiling within him.

•We saw the first canon introduction of Thrawn. He seems patient, malicious, and he is a clear tactician. Lars Mikkelsen delivered a great performance. I can't wait to see how he plays into this season.

GRADE: 9/10

This was a great setup to Season 3. It asked a lot of questions, and set up plenty of great storylines for the coming episodes. This was a good mix of humor, action, and mystery.

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