From 2017 to 2018 there were 32 episodes of “Forces of Destiny” totaling 90 minutes. Some of them were fluffy and some added really cool things to the canon.
The show brought back the original actors to play their characters in animated form. Nearly every main character was featured at least once. Here is my list of essential “Forces of Destiny” episodes.
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Happy Life Day everyone! Hopefully this week, with two new episodes of "The Mandalorian" has treated Star Wars fans well. We are only one month away from "The Rise of Skywalker" and I have finished my rewatch of "The Clone Wars" and "Star Wars: Rebels."
Each week through the rest of the year there will be new episodes of "Star Wars: Resistance" and "The Mandalorian." So what's left to rewatch? Well, "The Holiday Special," of course. This week, Jon Favreau, director and creator of "The Mandalorian" said that he wants to make a new holiday special and I for one am ecstatic by the idea. A new holiday special could include a 10-minute Life Day episode of "The Clone Wars." It could see Hera and the Ghost Crew celebrating Life Day. We could have The Mandalorian or even the sequel trilogy characters have a short story. DJ R3X could introduce a new band. Even Mark Hammill could open the show with a special message. It could be a ton of fun if done right. So what about the original Holiday Special? Well, it's still just as cringe-worthy as ever. There are still good parts like the Julia Child-esque chef, Bea Arthur, the animated Boba Fett aspect and Carrie Fisher singing. Sure, the Itchy porn and acting is bad, but it's a product of its time. I'm excited to see what possibilities there are in the future. [email protected] @GrahamWoodMedia Spinning out of the #CloneWarsRewatch comes #RebelsRewatch. As we prepare for season two of “Star Wars: Resistance,” “The Mandalorian,” “Rise of Skywalker” and the final season of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” I will continue to rewatch the animated Star Wars projects and bridge the gaps between the past and present of The Skywalker Saga S4E9 Rebel Assault Recap: Hera leads an attack on the Lothal blockade. Connecting the Canon Mart returns in this episode. Kanan tells the Loth Wolf that he knows what he has to do, foreshadowing his death. However, I think this is only the middle of the story. We don’t know what happens to Ezra after this season. I think it’s likely that Kanan had to die so that Ezra could advance in his training. “We are what they grow beyond.” I think that story is yet to be told. Hera gets a lot of action in this episode which makes her capture even more impactful. S4E10 Jedi Night Recap: The team forms a plan to rescue Hera. It comes with deadly consequences. Connecting the Canon Kanan is remembering his past. He cuts his hair. This is him accepting death on his own terms. The music during this montage is some of the best in the entire series. Thrawn is told that he needs to make a case to the Emperor for his tie defender project. He goes to Coruscant for the next few episodes, during which the novel “Thrawn: Treason” takes place. Thrawn tells Hera that her lineage will end with her foreshadowing the fact that she’s already pregnant. As soon as Kanan and Hera kissed, it was clear that one of them would die. The moment Kanan sacrifices himself is the most heartbreaking moment of the series. S4E11 Dume Recap: The team heals after the loss of Kanan. The Empire throws a parade. Connecting the Canon The wolf says “I am Dume.” Ezra and Kanan lead the Empire to the Lothal temple in season one. This has caused an imbalance. S4E12 Wolves and a Door Recap: The Empire is trying to discover the secrets of the Jedi temple. Connecting the Canon Emperor Palpatine is trying to find a conduit between the living and the dead. He name drops “the Mortis Gods” from “The Clone Wars.” We see the Father, Son, and Daughter in a painting. This episode has archived sound from Kanan, The Inquisitor, Thrawn, The Daughter and Ahsoka. S4E13 A World Between Worlds Recap: Secrets are learned as Ezra goes inside the temple again. Connecting the Canon This episode opens with multiple lines from the movies and series. We first hear Yoda from “Attack of the Clones.” Then we hear Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon from the Mortis arc. Then we hear Yoda and Ahsoka from “The Clone Wars.” Then Obi-Wan from “A New Hope.” Then Kanan. Suddenly, Ezra is in The World Between Worlds. This episode is trying to deepen our understanding of the force. The portal is a pathway to all time and space, not just the temple. We hear Jyn Erso and Rey and Kylo too. We hear Leia and Maz Kanata. We hear Anakin Skywalker and other characters. We finally get to see what happened between Anakin and Ahsoka in the Sith temple from season two. Ezra saves Ahsoka by pulling her through space and time. Dume appeared after Kanan died. Reincarnation? Force ghosts? Ahsoka’s story is one we still know so little of. We don’t know EVERYTHING that happened to her between leaving the Jedi order and becoming Fulcrum. We don’t know what happens to her after fighting Vader and up to post “Return of the Jedi.” We don’t know what happens after she goes to find Ezra. Ezra’s temptation with the darkness in season three lead him to this moment where he would make the right choice and not be tempted by the dark side. This story is like a biblical parable. Ezra says that he sometimes wishes he was with his mom and dad. Suddenly the Emperor appears to tempt him like the snake in the Garden of Eden. This is the second time we’ve seen Palpatine use dark magic. The first time was in season six of “The Clone Wars.” The Emperor uses a blue flame or force energy as his attack. We see this same energy when he is killed in Episode Six. Will we see it in “Rise of Skywalker?” Ahsoka returns to Malachor in the same time. We don’t see her again until years later. Why? The Emperor plays the feeble old man card again and asks Ezra to “help him.” The temple collapses and destroys itself. Ezra says he knows what he has to do now. “One last lesson” foreshadowing the finale. S4E14 A Fool’s Hope Recap: The team hatches one last plan to liberate Lothal. Connecting the Canon Rex returns to pick up the other surviving clones that we met in season two. Hondo returns. Sabine’s bounty hunter sister returns. It’s all hands on deck for the finale. S4E15-16 Family Reunion – and Farewell Part 1-2
Recap: Everything comes full circle for the Ghost Crew Connecting the Canon Ezra begins to say goodbye to everyone. His connection with Sabine is once again hinted at. Ezra’s final lesson from Kanan is to “always be ready to sacrifice yourself” and he is ready to follow Kanan’s footsteps. Hondo says, “they can fly” when he throws the Ugnaught and I think that’s one of the funniest lines in the series. Ezra tells Thrawn that he takes things that aren’t his. He’s not a collector. I can’t wait to see where their paths go from here. The Emperor projects himself to Ezra as if he is a kind old man. He is a master manipulator. He lays a trap for Ezra and tries to convince him to bring his parents back to life. Attachments and fear are the way to the dark side. After Ezra destroys the remaining part of the temple, some red guards come in and use some type of power against him. These red guards are like the imperial guards, the pretorian guards and the upcoming Sith troopers in “Rise of Skywalker.” Ezraa sends for help. The Purrgils come to the rescue. Bendu’s prophecy of Thrawn’s end comes true. “Many arms encircling you.” Ezra and Thrawn are both taken into hyperspace by the Purrgils. Into the unknown regions. Sabine uses Ezra’s lightsaber. Governor Pryce goes down with the ship. Lothal is free. Ezra said he’s counting on Sabine. He must have had a vision. What happens to Mart though? What comes next? Well, we know that Lothal is thriving. The Empire fell. Zeb and Kallus went to Lira San to be gay lovers. Hera and Rex fought in Endor and Hera gave birth to Jacen Syndulla. Hera realized it was up to her to save Ezra. She reunites with Ahsoka. What comes next? Ezra has been gone for four years at least, seven years maybe or more. Is Thrawn alive? What’s going to happen? BEST OF THE BATCH This week it is impossible to choose. The episode where Kanan dies? The finale? There are so many good ones. However, of course I am going to choose “The World Between Worlds.” Like Mortis before it, this episode does so much to flesh out the force even more but leaves more questions than answers. It’s perfect storytelling, world-building and myth-making. "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" is in theaters December 20. May the Force be with you, always. [email protected] @GrahamWoodMedia Spinning out of the #CloneWarsRewatch comes #RebelsRewatch. As we prepare for season two of “Star Wars: Resistance,” “The Mandalorian,” “Rise of Skywalker” and the final season of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” I will continue to rewatch the animated Star Wars projects and bridge the gaps between the past and present of The Skywalker Saga S4E1-2 Heroes of Mandalore Pt 1-2 Recap: Sabine and the team devise a plan to rescue her father on Mandalore. The Empire uses a weapon that Sabine created. Connecting the Canon This is the first time we see Bo Katan (Duchess Satine’s sister) since “The Clone Wars.” The show is revitalizing Hera and Kanan’s relationship in order to foreshadow the upcoming episodes. Sabine uses color to black out the storm trooper’s vehicle. This is instantly recognizable to Sabine’s father. Ezra hints at a future romance with Sabine. Sabine built a weapon during her time with the Empire and called it “The Duchess.” Bo Katan is the new, rightful leader of Mandalore. S4E3-4 In the Name of the Rebellion Part 1-2 Recap: Ezra and Sabine get caught up in Saw Gerrera’s extreme ways when the Rebellion refuses to take action. The Empire is harvesting Kyber crystals. Connecting the Canon Forest Whitaker returns as Saw Gerrera. Bail Organa, Mon Mothma, General Dodanna and Wedge Antilles return in this episode forming the Rebellion proper as we see in “Rogue One” and “A New Hope.” Kallus is now a part of the Rebellion officially. We see Yavin 4 animated for the first time. Two Tubes is part of Saw’s crew as seen in “Rogue One.” Saw was closer than anyone on more than one occasion as to finding out about the Death Star. Mich Matt, a prisoner, said that the cargo comes from Jedha where the Empire is mining Kyber crystal. In this episode the Death Troopers talk normally rather than in their scrambled communication. This is kind of stupid. One death trooper name drops Krennic. Chopper gets painted again. S4E5 The Occupation Recap: The crew returns to Lothal to help free the planet. Connecting the Canon Josh Brener guest stars in this episode. He later voices a character in “Star Wars: Resistance.” This is the first time we see Puffer Pigs since the first season. Hera gives The Ghost to Rex and Kallus. Sabine makes a joke about painting Chopper (as a threat.) This is obviously a running gag that the showrunners are in on. Lothal has been ravaged in this episode. Clancy Brown returns as Ryder Azadi. Kanan goes against the Jedi order and forms attachments. Yet, he still always gets cut off before getting a kiss. S4E6 Flight of the Defender Recap: The crew scopes out the new tie defender in an effort to shut it down. Connecting the Canon The tie defender project was Thrawn’s project. It was in direct competition with Krennic’s Stardust project, the Death Star. Animals tend to follow Ezra. He sees a Loth wolf. The wolf says “Dume” as in Calob Dume, Kanan. S4E7 Kindred Recap: The ghost crew is on the run from Thrawn’s assassin. The Loth Wolves have a deep connection to the force. Connecting the Canon Warwick Davis plays Rukh, a character from the original Thrawn novels and who appears in “Thrawn: Alliances.” The second book in the new Thrawn trilogy takes place between season three and season four. Kanan says the team was meant to come to Lothal for some reason. If not if only to meet Ezra. Kanan and Hera’s kiss is interrupted again. The Loth Wolf teleported somehow. I guess through the World Between Worlds. S4E8 Crawler Commandeers
Recap: The team has a run-in with the mining guild. Hera seeks approval from the Rebellion to put an end to the tie defender program. Connecting the Canon Seth Green guest stars as Captain Seevor, a Trandoshian. The Empire has a hand in all of the crime syndicates and guilds. That’s why the mining guild always seems to be doing the Empire’s bidding. The trandoshians come in all shapes and sizes. Hera gives an inspiring speech to the rebellion just like Jyn Erso and Leia do. BEST OF THE BATCH This week the best episode was “Heroes of Mandalore” for the return of Bo Katan. Not much more to say other than that. We also get some great character development for Sabine. "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" is in theaters December 20. May the Force be with you, always. [email protected] @GrahamWoodMedia Spinning out of the #CloneWarsRewatch comes #RebelsRewatch. As we prepare for season two of “Star Wars: Resistance,” “The Mandalorian,” “Rise of Skywalker” and the final season of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” I will continue to rewatch the animated Star Wars projects and bridge the gaps between the past and present of The Skywalker Saga S3E12-13 Ghosts of Geonosis Part 1 and 2 Recap: The Ghost crew ventures to Geonosis to locate rebel, Saw Gerrera. Connecting the Canon This episode premiered in 2017 after “Rogue One.” Bail Organa and Saw Gerrera tie directly back to that movie AND “The Clone Wars.” Rex says he was hoping he’d never have to come back to “This dust ball.” Geonosis has been mined for material multiple times since “Attack of the Clones” in 2002. Forest Whitaker reprises his role as Saw Gerrera. The Empire moved work on The Death Star since the last time the Ghost Crew was there in season two. Klick-Klack was drawing the Death Star and no one knew. Sabine said, “Stupid sand, it gets everywhere.” Obviously calling back to Anakin’s line in the prequels. S3E14 Warhead Recap: An unknown droid lands on Chopper Base. Connecting the Canon The new droid is based off of a Ralph McQuarrie design for C3P0. We find out that Hobbie and Wedge were part of Phoenix Squadron. This was a pretty basic episode, but it did help Thrawn narrow down his search for the Rebels. S3E15 Trials of the Darksaber Recap: Sabine starts her training with the darksaber. Connecting the Canon Tarre Vizsla’s story and the history of the Dark Saber was told again in this episode. S3E16 Legacy of Mandalore Recap: Sabine returns home to Mandalore. Connecting the Canon More of Mandalore’s history since “The Clone Wars” is discussed. S3E17 Through Imperial Eyes Recap: Ezra attempts to help- Kallus escape. Thrawn is trying to Connecting the Canon Thrawn’s override code is Rukkh (who we see next season.) Thrawn is a character born out of convenience. In the novels he is much more likeable. In this episode Thrawn discovers Kallus is Fulcrum. S3E18 Secret Cargo Recap: Hera and the Ghost Crew protect Mon Mothma from the Empire. Connecting the Canon Imperial Chancellor, Mon Mothma is speaking out against the Emperor. Genevieve O’Reilly Reprises her role as Mon Mothma after “Rogue One” and “Revenge of the Sith.” This episode is important because it marks the true beginning of the Rebellion under Mon Mothma. This is the Rebel Alliance. No longer separate Rebel Cells. S3E19 Double Agent Droid Recap: Wedge and the droids infiltrate the Empire. Connecting the Canon This is the fifth time this season that Chopper got a paint job. This is a musical episode. The drioids did a rendition of “Anything you can do, I can do better.” Josh Gad and Nathan Kress are both in this episode as Controller and Wedge. Poor AP-5. He just wants to be alone. S3E20 Twin Suns Recap: Maul is on the hunt for Kenobi. Ezra tracks Maul to Tattooine. Connecting the Canon James Arnold Taylor returns as Obi-Wan Kenobi. Kenobi knew Ezra’s name already. I’m certain that Yoda, Kenobi and Qui-Gon have a bigger knowledge of all force users and all time and space. Kenobi wasn’t going to fight until Maul alluded to the fact he was protecting someone. Kenobi had to fight to keep Luke safe. Kenobi’s fighting stances match the way Maul killed Qui-Gon Jinn. This is the closest we have seen Obi-Wan to how he will appear in the upcoming “Kenobi” series on Disney Plus. Maul asks if Luke is the chosen one. Kenobi says, “he is.” This is from a certain point of view. Maul says, “he will avenge us.” Anakin does avenge the galaxy and Maul even by destroying The Emperor. However, what does this mean for Palpatine’s return in Episode Nine? Ezra took Maul’s ship with him. S3E21-22 Zero Hour Part 1 &2
Recap: Thrawn discovers the location of the Rebel base. Connecting the Canon Lothal just never goes away. Death troopers make their first appearance in this series. Ezra’s dark side kind of just goes away this season. I mean, maybe he just chose to be good. I assume the Bendu is mostly a metaphor because he doesn’t really do much in the show other than teach lessons. I had almost forgotten that Sabine has been absent for five episodes. How the Bendu turned into a storm is beyond me. Also, if Bendu is in the middle of dark and light, you would think he wouldn’t take part in the action. Maybe the Bendu is the opposite of Luke in “The Last Jedi.” Though, Luke too took action in the end. Bendu says to Thrawn, “I see your defeat like many arms surrounding you in a cold embrace” which directly alludes to the series finale in season four. Kallus is officially with the Rebellion and Phoenix Squadron is officially going to Yavin. That’s where they are through the rest of the series and “Rogue One” and “A New Hope.” The novel “Thrawn: Alliances” takes place directly after this episode with Thrawn and Governor Pryce dealing with their failure. BEST OF THE BATCH This week my favorite episode was “Twin Suns.” Seeing Maul’s ultimate demise and rematch with Obi-Wan Kenobi was priceless. Let alone, seeing Luke in the series was also a great addition. There were other good episodes, but season three was pretty straight forward compared to how great season two was. "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" is in theaters December 20. May the Force be with you, always. [email protected] @GrahamWoodMedia Spinning out of the #CloneWarsRewatch comes #RebelsRewatch. As we prepare for season two of “Star Wars: Resistance,” “The Mandalorian,” “Rise of Skywalker” and the final season of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” I will continue to rewatch the animated Star Wars projects and bridge the gaps between the past and present of The Skywalker Saga S3E1-2 Steps into Shadows Part 1 and 2 Recap: Ezra’s power grows. The empire seeks help from a master Imperial strategist, Grand Admiral Thrawn, to snuff out the rebellion. Connecting the Canon Ezra got a haircut and Sabine gets another new hair color. Ezra also got a new green lightsaber. Hondo is freed from prison with another Ugnaught. Ezra’s dark side is alluded at once again. He’s now using the force in ways Kanan didn’t teach him. The Sith Holocron is calling to him. Zeb says, “pretty wizard, aye?” Lars Mikkelsen Is introduced as Grand Moff Tarkin. Though we’ve heard about Governor Pryce, this is the first time we see her on the show. She has a much bigger past with Tarkin and Thrawn. Tom Baker is The Bendu. He says he is the middle between the dark side and the light. S3E3 The Holocrons of Fate Recap: Maul captures the Ghost crew as leverage to bring the Jedi and Sith Holocrons together. Connecting the Canon Sam Witwer returns as Darth Maul. He tells Sabine that he once ruled her people, which we saw in “The Clone Wars.” After Maul throws Kanan out of an airlock, he uses the force to pull himself back into the ship. This same exact thing happens in “The Last Jedi” when Leia is in space. We discover that Maul is trying to track down Obi-Wan. Ezra says he see’s the key to destroying the Sith. “Twin Suns.” This likely refers to Luke Skywalker. We know Luke destroyed the Sith and wanted to end the Jedi. I wonder if he still has a role to play in episode nine that will bring an ultimate balance. S3E4 The Antilles Extraction Recap: Sabine goes undercover to recruit defecting pilots. Connecting the Canon There is a new Fulcrum. This one seems like a man. (It is.) This is the youngest we’ve ever seen Wedge Antilles. We now know most of his full story. From joining the Empire to Rise of Skywalker, while he is married to Nora Wexley. Nathan Kress plays Wedge Antilles. Kallus lets Sabine and Ezra go aa a favor to Zeb. But this is the first of many times. S3E5 Hera’s Heroes Recap: Hera returns to Ryloth to recover a family heirloom. Connecting the Canon We see Hera’s father again. The Twi’leks ride on Blurgs which will be seen again in “The Mandalorian.” Hera is trying to recover her mother’s heirloom. Thrawn shows his mental abilities in his first encounter with Hera and Ezra. However, he also shows that he isn’t as hostile towards other alien life and their art/history as the Empire is. Once again, the team paints Chopper and somehow this makes him blend in. S3E6 The Last Battle Recap: Rex, Kanan and Ezra must fight an abandoned squad of Separatist droids leftover from the Clone Wars to rescue Zeb from a tactical droid who is certain this will be the “Final” battle of the Clone War. Connecting the Canon This episode has major ties to “The Clone Wars.” Rex mentions Commander Cody. The last time we saw him he was betraying Obi-Wan in “Revenge of the Sith.” The tactical droid and Rex realized that neither of them won the war. They were just pawns in the creation of the Empire. The episode ended with a new title card that looked like “The Clone Wars” card and we heard the Clone Wars theme instead. S3E7 Imperial Super Commandos Recap: Sabine and Ezra accompany Fen Rau back to Mandalore. Connecting the Canon Fen Rau takes us back to Mandalore. We meet Gar Saxon who is part of clan Visla like Sabine. (This means they descend from Pre Visla’s clan.) We see Imperial Mandalorians. S3E8 Iron Squadron Recap: The crew meet another rebel cell. Connecting the Canon Matt Martin is also one of the names of a story group member. Mart Mattin is not a coincidence. Iron Squad live in a Correllian Freighter S3E10 An Inside Man Recap: Kanan and Ezra infiltrate and Imperial prison on Lothal. Connecting the Canon At this point, season three seems to be rotating between Mandalore, Lothal, and Hondo Missions. Oh look, Chopper is painted again. Thrawn has art of Loth Wolves, Mandalorian guards and more. Kallus was obviously Fulcrum. S3E11 Visions and Voices
Recap: Maul needs Ezra’s help to finally unlock the secrets that he desires. Connecting the Canon The Nightsisters return. Dathomir returns. Magic Returns. Maul Returns. That’s why this episode is great. Ezra and Maul bridge their minds. Kind of like Rey and Kylo in “The Last Jedi.” We see a painting of Duchess Satine and the return of the Dark Saber. Ezra learns that Obi-Wan Kenobi is alive. Maul says, “It ends, where it begins. A planet with twin suns” referring to “The Phantom Menace.” BEST OF THE BATCH This week there were a lot of episodes that were generic heist or procedural episodes. That doesn’t mean they aren’t important, just that they are little more tedious to watch. While “The Last Battle” and the entrance of Thrawn were great, it’s “Visions and Voices” that takes the number one spot this week. Returning to Dathomir and wrapping up the story of the Nightsisters was something I was so happy to see in “Rebels.” "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" is in theaters December 20. May the Force be with you, always. [email protected] @GrahamWoodMedi Spinning out of the #CloneWarsRewatch comes #RebelsRewatch. As we prepare for season two of “Star Wars: Resistance,” “The Mandalorian,” “Rise of Skywalker” and the final season of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” I will continue to rewatch the animated Star Wars projects and bridge the gaps between the past and present of The Skywalker Saga S2E13 The Protector of Concord Dawn Recap: Hera is injured after attempting peace negotiations with a Mandalorian Colony on Concord Dawn. Sabine and Kanan must put aside their differences with the people and not seek revenge. Connecting the Canon Concord Dawn is a Mandalorian Colony. Sabine comes from House of Visla and is part of Death Watch. Sabine says, “I guess I’ve just been raised right,” furthering the theme of family between Hera, Kanan and the crew. This episode furthers the Mandalore plot from “Clone Wars.” S2E14 Legends of the Lasat Recap: The Ghost crew rescues two Lasat from imperial clutches as Zeb reluctantly agrees to help them find their new home world. Connecting the Canon This is the first time we see more Lasat people. Jim Cummings returns as Hando. The music in this episode is gorgeous and so is the Maelstrom. This may be one of the best episodes in the series. Lira San is the home world of the Lasat. S2E15 The Call Recap: Running out of power and fuel, the crew encounters massive creatures, known as purrgils, threatening a mining operation. Connecting the Canon The purrgills are super cool creations. They have an ancient tie to hyperspeed technology. S2E16 Homecoming Recap: Ba Connecting the Canon Cham Syndulla, Hera’s father, was introduced in “The Clone Wars” and returns in this episode. Hera found Chopper during the Clone Wars. Hera has an accent!?! Mace Windu is mentioned, referring to early Clone Wars episodes. Numa and Gobi Glie return in this episode. Numa is now all grown up and betrays Hera. Catherine Taber guest stars. Ryloth has had a long battle, under Separatist control and then Empirical control. S2E17 The Honorable Ones Recap: Zeb is stranded on an icy moon of Geonosis with the last person he would ever want to be stranded with, Agent Kallus. Connecting the Canon The Empire had started building parts of the Death Star over Geonosis. Darth Vader sterilized the planet so the Geonosis queen couldn’t reproduce. This second half of the season the “Rebels theme” hasn’t been playing over the main title like it used to. Zeb is “the child” and Kallus is “the warrior.” Their fates are tied together forever even before they know it in this episode. Here we see our first glimpse at Kallus becoming a good guy. S2E18 Shroud of Darkness Recap: Seeking to learn more about the Inquisitors and how to stop them, Kanan, Ezra and Ahsoka return to the temple on Lothal. Each has a unique vision. Connecting the Canon This episode opens with Kanan and Ezra fighting the Inquisitors, proving that there are plenty more offscreen stories to tell. Ahsoka says, “the last time I saw him (Anakin) he was racing off to save the Chancellor,” proving that Ahsoka will see Anakin before the events of “Revenge of the Sith.” Matt Lanter returns as Anakin in a hologram. James Earl Jones returns as Vader. Frank Oz returns as Yoda. Jason Isaacs returns as Sentinel. Ahsoka, Kanan and Ezra return to the Lothal temple. Ahsoka says that she is no longer a Jedi and can’t use the force to open the temple. We find out that the temple goes a lot deeper. The temple guard has a collapsible lightsaber like we see “dark Rey” have in “The Rise of Skywalker” trailer. The temple guard hints that Ezra will fall to the dark side. We see yellow, black and white lightsabers and I really wish we would have seen them in live-action by now. Ahsoka says that Yoda was happier when she was younger and that the Clone Wars took a great toll on him as if he knew the Jedi’s time was ending. Ezra returns to a place that looks like the World Between Worlds to commune with Yoda. Yoda is sitting on a log on Dagobah but both Yoda and Ezra’s powers are growing. Ahsoka knows that Anakin has become Vader and she blames herself. Yoda warns Ezra not to bend fear into anger. Yoda admits the Jedi’s arrogance caused their downfall. This is in line with what Luke says in “The Last Jedi.” We learn that The Inquisitor was once a knight of the Jedi Order and now so is Kanan. Ahsoka says, “there’s still a way,” possibly meaning there’s still a way to save Anakin. Yoda tells Ezra to find Malachor. This episode changes all three character’s destinies. Ahsoka sees Yoda one last time. The Grand Inquisitor fights the fifth brother and seventh sister. Palpatine is scouring Jedi temples for relics. S2E19 The Forgotten Droid Recap: Chopper is left behind and must find his way back to the Ghost crew. Connecting the Canon I like how the series keeps adding people to the Ghost crew, like Ahsoka, Rex and now this new imperial droid, AP-5. I can imagine Kanan telling Hera that the ship is becoming a bed and breakfast. S2E20 The Mystery of Chopper Base Recap: The rebel cell’s new base is home to some unwelcome company. Connecting the Canon The little snail guys are super cute. Hera says “we’ve got to get used to not having them around” about Kanan and Ezra. She knows that their time might be limited with the Inquisitors hunting them. Ezra calls himself “the last jedi in the galaxy” even though he doesn’t include Ahsoka, Kana, Yoda, Obi-Wan, or soon to be Luke. Hera is worried that she will never see Kanan and Ezra again. We get a beautiful shot of the two of them against the sunset. The bird follows Ahsoka around foreshadows the future. S2E21-22 Twilight of the Apprentice Recap: Ahsoka, Kanan, and Ezra visit a Sith temple on Malachor for a final showdown. Connecting the Canon Rex tells Ahsoka that “experience outranks everything,” something he said to her when they first met. We see the dead Jedi left on Malachor. We also see a green lightsaber that looks like Kylo Ren’s. The Eighth brother appears in this episode. He was tracking Maul. That’s a story that still needs to be told. Maul says that he’s been on Malachor for years. Ezra is tempted by the dark side. That’s why he touches the temple and is so easily persuaded by Darth Maul. Darth Maul says the Sith tore him from his mother, killed his brother, used him, and took everything from him, which is true. Maul saves Ezra because he needs a second person to open the holocron. This is the first time we see an inquisitor use its lightsaber to fly. Ahsoka immediately recognizes Maul from the “Seige of Mandalore” which we will season in season seven of “The Clone Wars.” This is the first time we see seven people fighting with lightsabers, 11 blades. Kanan and Ahsoka look at each other while Ezra is talking like, “oh my god, this kid is gonna get it.” I wonder if Maul ultimately wanted to kill Vader to get another chance at being Sidious’ apprentice. “Twilight of the Apprentice” works on two levels, Ahsoka and Anakin, and Sidious and Maul. I’m sure Maul can barely handle himself from getting another chance to kill Ahsoka. Ezra is tiptoeing so close to the dark side, which becomes a big part of season three. The same person who voices Asaj Ventress also voices the sith holocron. In my head canon, I like to imagine it is Ventress’ old holocron. Maul says that the Sith temple is a battle station. Maul blinds Kanan. Vader destroys Ezra’s lightsaber. Ahsoka faces Vader. All the roads diverge. Rex realizes that Ahsoka is gone. Maul escapes. Vader makes it out of the temple. We see something enter the temple. Many people thought it was Vader. This started the #AhsokaLives campaign. Her bird (which is important) is shown going back to the temple. Kanan will never see Hera again. Ezra is tempted by the dark side. The season two finale is epic and brilliant. BEST OF THE BATCH
This week the best episode, hands down, is Shroud of Darkness because of all the force lore it introduces, connects back to “The Clone Wars” and foreshadows the shows future. We see the return of Matt Lanter as Anakin, Frank Oz as Yoda, Jason Issacs as the Inquisitor, who was once a Jedi knight, and James Earl Jones as Vader. The runner ups include “Twilight of the Apprentice” which has an unfair advantage of being a two-part finale with the return of Darth Maul and Ahsoka/Vader’s final showdown. Another great episode was “Honorable Ones,” which has me shipping Zeb and Kallus and creating my own fanfiction. . "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" is in theaters December 20. May the Force be with you, always. [email protected] @GrahamWoodMedia Spinning out of the #CloneWarsRewatch comes #RebelsRewatch. As we prepare for season two of “Star Wars: Resistance,” “The Mandalorian,” “Rise of Skywalker” and the final season of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” I will continue to rewatch the animated Star Wars projects and bridge the gaps between the past and present of The Skywalker Saga S2E1-2 The Siege of Lothal Recap: Darth Vader picks up where the Inquisitor left off. Now that the Ghost Crew is connected to other rebel cells, eliminating them is a priority from the Emperor himself. Connecting the Canon In the season premiere, we meet Phoenix Squadron, the new name of the Rebel Cell that the Ghost Crew is part of, and Commander Sato. Sabine now has a new hair color. Darth Vader, played by James Earl Jones returns to the show. The Empire growing on Lothal will eventually be the reason the rebels return in season four. Lando was last seen in the season one episode, “Idiot’s Array.” This is the first time James Earl Jones, Ian McDiarmid and Billy Dee Williams have been in a Star Wars project together since “Return of the Jedi.” Originally, this episode had Sam Witwer playing Emperor Palpatine. Ahsoka and Vader recognize one another, continuing one of many loose threads from “The Clone Wars.” We learn that there is more than one inquisitor. S2E3 The Lost Commanders Recap: Ahsoka sends the Ghost crew in search of an old friend. Connecting the Canon Dee Bradley Baker returns as Rex, Wolffe and Gregor. Gregor was last seen in “The Clone Wars” episode, “A Bright Day in the Void.” Wolfe was last seen in “The Clone Wars” episode, “The Wrong Jedi.” The Battle of Christophsis and The Siege of Mandalore were both name-dropped by Rex. The first was shown in “The Clone Wars” movie and was the introduction of Ahsoka Tano. The Siege of Mandalore is expected to be shown in the upcoming season seven of “The Clone Wars” on Disney+ in February. It is the final showdown between Darth Maul and Ahsoka. The Emperor retired the clone army. It’s incredible that the animators even got the liver spots and chest wrinkles on the clones. S2E4 Relics of the Old Republic Recap: Picking up where the last episode left off, Wolfe has alerted the Empire of the Ghost Crew’s location. Rex agrees to help the rebels off the planet. Connecting the Canon It’s never been 100 percent clear when the Clone Troopers became Storm Troopers. I assume most of them died and they couldn’t make more. As a result, the troopers were retired. I’d be curious to return to Kamino in the time of the Empire though. Gregor and Wolfe remained on Seelos and made the AT-AT walker their new home, kind of like Rey on Jakku. S2E5 Always Two There Are Recap: The crew heads to an abandoned Republic medical station to find leftover supplies. However, while there they encounter two new inquisitors, the Fifth Brother and the Seventh Sister. Connecting the Canon Zeb and Rex play Holochess. Sarah Michelle Gellar joins the cast as the Seventh Sister. Known members of the inquisitorius are lead by Darth Vader and The Grand Inquisitor and include: Second Sister (seen in the upcoming video game, Jedi Fallen Order), Fifth Brother, Sixth Brother (hunted down Ahsoka), Seventh Sister, Eighth Brother (in Star Wars Rebels), Ninth Sister (Jedi: Fallen Order and the Darth Vader Comic) and Tenth Brother. The first, third, fourth and more inquisitors have yet to be revealed. S2E6 Brothers of the Broken Horn Recap: Ezra answer a distress signal from a pirate named Hondo Ohnaka. Connecting the Canon Jim Cummings reprises his “Clone Wars role” Hondo Ohnaka. Visago and Azmorigan are also in this episode. S2E7 Wings of the Master Recap: Hera seeks out an engineer who has built a powerful starfighter prototype. Connecting the Canon Quarrie is a Mon Calamari engineer who is also seen in The Freemaker Adventures. These “mission” episodes in season two tend to be a little straightforward. S2E8 Blood Sisters Recap: Sabine runs into an old partner. Connecting the Canon Ketsu Onyo says she works for The Black Sun, which was established in “The Clone Wars.” An R3X droid is seen in this episode. S2E9 Stealth Strike Recap: The Empire has a new weapon which they use to capture Ezra and Commander Sato. Rex and Kanan must team up for a rescue mission. Connecting the Canon There are a few callbacks to season one episodes. Rex makes it clear that Stormtrooper armor is far inferior to Clone Troopers. S2E10 The Future of the Force Recap: The Inquisitors are hunting the children of the force. Zeb, Kanan and Ezra plan to find out why the Inquisitors want them. Connecting the Canon Ahsoka has been investigating Darth Vader. Kidnapping force-sensitive babies goes back to The Clone Wars. Ahsoka pulls out her white dual lightsabers for the first time. I really hope that season seven of Clone Wars explains why her blades are this color. Ahsoka remains very clear that she is not a Jedi. S2E11 Legacy Recap: Ezra has a vision that leads him to believe his parents are alive on Lothal. Connecting the Canon Clancy Brown plays a second character in the Star Wars Universe after Savage Oppress, Ryder Azadi. The show really doesn’t want to stay away from Lothal, which is fine since this is Ezra’s story. Tseebo told Hera that Ezra’s parents were in an Imperial prison. Ezra proves that he is more powerful when acting out of anger. S2E12 A Princess on Lothal
Recap: Bail Organa sends his daughter, a princess and senator, to Lothal to give aid to the rebels. Connecting the Canon Princess Leia Organa is played by Julie Dolan who also played her in Freemaker Adventures and Disney Infinity. BEST OF THE BATCH This week I watched far more episodes than in previous weeks. While I will still be picking one overall “best” episode, I have many honorable mentions. This week, “The Siege of Lothal,” the two-part season premiere, is the best episode of the batch. Not only do we get Vader, The Emperor, Lando and tease of new inquisitors, this episode also sees the Ghost Crew operating as a real rebel cell. We also get more Ahsoka, which is always a plus. Next, I would be mistaken not to mention the return of Rex as a pivotal moment from this week’s batch. Also, seeing that the Emperor is continuing to hunt down force sensitive children was another great addition to the lore. Last but not least, “A Princess on Lothal,” is my final honorable mention. There isn’t enough young Leia, or original trilogy Leia, in the current canon. I can’t wait for more. . "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" is in theaters December 20. May the Force be with you, always. [email protected] @GrahamWoodMedia Spinning out of the #CloneWarsRewatch comes #RebelsRewatch. As we prepare for season two of “Star Wars: Resistance,” “The Mandalorian,” “Rise of Skywalker” and the final season of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” I will continue to rewatch the animated Star Wars projects and bridge the gaps between the past and present of The Skywalker Saga S1E8 Empire Day Recap: The Ghost Crew has a plan to sabotage an Empire’s Day parade on Lothal. Meanwhile, the Empire is searching for an imperial technician, a Rodian who is friends with Ezra, who holds secrets they don’t want the galaxy to know. Ezra deals with the loss of his parent’s who went missing years earlier. He struggles with Empire Day – His birthday – while on the run from the Inquisitor and Agent Kallus. Connecting the Canon The Empire’s HoloNet feed is something we’ve seen in other places in canon. This is one of the first times we learn about Empire Day, the day the Empire was formed in “Revenge of the Sith.” That was 15 years ago, and it is Ezra’s birthday, he shares this birthday with Luke and Leia. Ezra says he has been on his own since he was 7. Governor Price will later be shown in the series, but she is prominent in the Thrawn novels and Tarkin novel. This first season can feel sort of claustrophobic with so much of it taking place on Lothal. It wasn’t mentioned in my blog last week, but Simon Kinberg (who is notable for his contributions to Fox’s X-men franchise) helped create and write “Rebels.” Freddie Prinze Jr and Vanessa Marshall are perfect character voice actors. The episode ends with foreshadowing about what happened to Ezra’s parents. S1E9 Gathering Forces Recap: Continuing directly after the end of the last episode, Tseebo the Rodian begins to tell Ezra what happened to his parents. Ezra and Kanan must separate from the Ghost Crew while the Inquisitor is on their tale. They return to Fort Anaxes and face the Fyrnocks. Kanan, Ezra and the Inquisitor face off. Connecting the Canon Tseebo says that the empire is developing a tracker to follow ships through hyperspace. By the time of “The Last Jedi,” The First Order has perfected this technology. We see for the first time what happens to a ship that can’t come out of hyperspace on its own. Ezra is able to connect with the force when he admits his fear and forgives Tseebo. Hera rendezvous with the Fulcrum, Ahsoka, again. This is the first time it is hinted that Ezra might follow the dark side. S1E10 Path of the Jedi Recap: After Ezra taps into the dark side, Kanan decides they must travel to an ancient hidden temple on Lothal. There they both face new trials. Connecting the Canon The Holocron Kanan owns told him there was a Jedi temple on Lothal. Ezra’s trials in the Temple echo the “Clone Wars” episode with the younglings getting their Kyber Crystal. It also echoes Luke’s visions in the cave on Dagobah. Ezra says a Lothal nursery rhyme similar to Eenie, Meenie, Minie, Moe. Ezra thinks Hera, Sabine and Zeb don’t actually care about him. His deepest fears are eternalized in the Temple. He’s afraid of being alone and letting Kanan down. All of his fears help his character grown so much and also to establish this team as a family. Frank Oz returns as Yoda (which is weird after getting use to Yoda from The Clone Wars.) This time Yoda is a disembodied voice. He never leaves Dagobah, but he is aware of the other Jedi in the galaxy. Ezra follows the same floating lights as Yoda did in season six of The Clone Wars. The white markings in the temple in this episode are reminiscent of The World Between Worlds. Ezra builds a lightsaber different than any other we’ve seen. I’m eager to see how these bigger themes of the force play into “The Rise of Skywalker.” S1E11 Idiot’s Array Recap: Zeb loses a bet to Lando Calrissian and the Ghost Crew gets wrapped up in a smuggling gig across an imperial blockade. Connecting the Canon Billy Dee Williams reprises his role as Lando Calrissian. Zeb and Lando play Sabacc. “Idiot’s Array” refers to the winning hand. Lando is between six to ten years older than when he was last seen in “Solo: A Star Wars Story.” This is the first time we see the firebird crest, the Ghost Crews symbol which was created by Sabine. James Hong guest stars as Azmorigan. Azmorigan’s servant droids are based on the design for C3PO by Ralph McQuarrie. Puffer Pigs show up for the first time in this episode. Vizago returns in this episode. Hera notices that the Empire doesn’t want private landowners mining on Lothal. This is a directive from Governor Price. We see for the first time that Ezra’s lightsaber doubles as a blaster. Sabine’s artwork is starting to become a defining characteristic at this point and factors into the series later. S1E12 Vision of Hope Recap: Ezra has a vision of the future. Senator Gall Trayvis seems like a rebel sympathizer, but in reality, he is working for the Empire to lure rebels. Connecting the Canon Zare Leonis returns in this episode. Travvis betrays the Rebels and Ezra learns to discipline his emotions. S1E14 Rebel Resolve Recap: The team tries to find out Kanan’s location, against orders from Fulcrum. Tarkin and the Inquisitor interrogates Kanan. Connecting the Canon We see the Fulcrum in a hood for the first time. It’s clearer that Fulcrum is a woman. I remember wondering if this was Mon Mothma or Princess Leia at the time. This is the first time that Chopper gets fresh paint and infiltrates the Empire. It’s almost a running gag. Hera says that Mustafar is where Jedi go to die. S1E15 Fire Across the Galaxy
Recap: Kanan and Ezra face off for the last time against the Inquisitor. Fulcrum’s identity is revealed. Connecting the Canon The tie fighter that Ezra and Zeb stole earlier in this season was never destroyed. When Ezra was with Sabine in “Path of the Jedi” they were painting the tie fighter. Kanan fighting The Inquisitor reminds me of Qui-Gon fighting Darth Maul. The love theme plays when Kanan and Hera are on screen together. Hera has been working with Bail Organa. Their message inspired Ahsoka to come. Lothal is mid-uprsising. Enter: Vader. BEST OF THE BATCH This week’s award for best singular episode goes to “Fire Across the Galaxy.” Tarkin, Vader, the Inquisitor and Bail Organa is enough to make this a great season finale, but the reveal of Fulcrum as Ahsoka is the one thing that shocked everyone. “Empire’s Day” was another great episode, along with “Idiot’s Array.” As the story is ramping up, all the episodes are getting good, but if I had to choose one, or a top three, it’d be these. "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" is in theaters December 20. May the Force be with you, always. [email protected] @GrahamWoodMedia Spinning out of the #CloneWarsRewatch comes #RebelsRewatch. As we prepare for season two of “Star Wars: Resistance,” “The Mandalorian,” “Rise of Skywalker” and the final season of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” I will continue to rewatch the animated Star Wars projects and bridge the gaps between the past and present of The Skywalker Saga. S1E1 Spark of Rebellion Part One: Recap: Five years before “A New Hope” and 14 years after the Empire took control of the galaxy, Imperial forces have come to Lothal. We meet Ezra Bridger and the Ghost Crew (Hera Syndulla, Sabine Wren, Zeb Orrelios and Kanan Jarrus) as they rebel against the Empire. Connecting the Canon The first episode opens with ships panning from a star field just like the movies do. It was a little jarring not to have the Clone Wars intro because I’ve gotten so used to that. James Earl Jones reprises his role as Darth Vader We are quickly introduced to the villain, The Inquisitor. Children of the Force must be destroyed or serve the Empire. Interesting. The Rebels intro comes after a cold open and I love that. The Empire has come to Lothal and we meet Ezra. We are immediately to understand that Ezra is force sensitive and is being guided to Kanan. At this point the Ghost crew is already working against the Empire. Hera and Kanan meet in Star Wars: A New Dawn. The style is more reminiscent of Ralph McQuarrie Hera has called Kanan “love” since episode one. The explosions of the tie fighters are gorgeous. Even Lothal is more gorgeous than I remember. We meet Agent Kallus, an imperial who is prominent in the series. Tarkintown, named for Grand Moff Tarkin, governor of the Outer Rim. His rise to power is chronicled in the novel “Tarkin.” Vizago. And Tarkintown become important to the story. Immediately, it’s great to see Ezra challenged with what his purpose is. We are introduced to a Jedi Holocron and Kanan’s lightsaber. The credits say that Chopper plays “himself.” This is a running gag. S1E2 Spark of Rebellion Part Two: Recap: Ezra finds a new home with the Ghost Crew after they rescue him from imperial clutches. Kanan Jarrus agrees to train Ezra in the ways of the force. Connecting the Canon Chopper acts as the grumpy droid for this show instead of R2D2. Ezra makes reference to Jabba the Hutt and The Emperor. A message from Obi-Wan Kenobi (reprised by James Arnold Taylor) after the end of The Clone Wars is shown from the Holocron. When Ezra says “I don’t have parents” you can just tell that Hera is a maternal figure. There are Wookie slaves on the Spice Mines of Kessel. We saw this again in “Solo” which is set 10 years earlier. This means this is the second Wookie liberation on Kessel. “Star Wars Rebels” takes place five years before “A New Hope.” Kanan is probably one of the first Jedi that the Empire has seen in over a decade. Kanan’s story is told in a comic “Star Wars: Kanan.” In the Vader comic we see the inquisitors hunting down the last of the Jedi after “Revenge of the Sith.” The animation style is a little hard to get used to after “The Clone Wars” but it’s still great. Jason Isaacs plays the Inquisitor. Opening the Jedi Holocron was a test for Ezra. “Trust in the Force…a new hope will emerge” Obi-Wan says. This is a wonderful bridge and introduction to Ezra. S1E3 Droids in Distress Recap: The Ghost Crew encounter a secret mission by R2 and C3PO and intercept a shipment of disruptors. Ezra unlocks his force abilities for the first time and the crew garner the attention of Bail Organa. Connecting the Canon We see R2D2 and C3-PO and RX-24 in this episode. R2 and 3PO are under the orders of Imperial Minister Tua, RX-24 is voiced by Paul Reubens who voiced the droid for Star Tours and DJ R3X for Galaxy’s Edge. Agent Kallus tells Zeb that he was there when his planet fell and that he gave the order to use the disruptors on his people. This is important four seasons later. Ezra learns how to use the force for the first time. We find out that Bail Organa sent R2 and 3PO on an undercover mission. This is important because we know Ahsoka is working for Bail Organa and this hints at rise of the rebellion. S1E4 Fighter Flight Recap: Ezra and Zeb are struggling to get along, so Hera sends them on a market run. They attract unwanted attention from the Empire. Connecting the Canon We meet Ezra’s friend, Morad Sumar, who we see again later in the series. Ezra and Zeb steal a tie fighter which we see again in the season finale. Ezra mentions that in some cultures when saving a life, you become their servant. We’ve seen this with Gungans and Wookies. Zeb is a Lasat. Sumar is being forced to sell his land to the Empire. The Empire takes Sumar as prisoner after destroying his home. S1E5 Rise of the Old Masters Recap: A Holonet recording shows that Jedi Master Luminara Unduli is being held prisoner. However, it is a trap set by the inquisitor to lure Ezra and Kanan into the Empire’s clutches. Connecting the Canon Kanan begins training Ezra. He recounts Yoda telling him to “do or do not, there is no try.” Kanan says that one always confused him. Kanan says “having a laser sword doesn’t make you a Jedi” which is sort of like Luke’s line in “the Last Jedi.” I didn’t realize the length of lightsaber blades are adjustable. We find out what happened to Jedi Master Luminara Unduli. Her bones are used to lure the last jedi to their ends. This is the first time we see the Holonet news. This is the first time we see the Inquisitor in action. He is able to throw and rotate his blade. This episode was important to show that Ezra and Kanan are destined to be master and apprentice. However, the scene at the end tossing rocks at the lightsaber (meant to look like tossing a baseball) is a little on the nose. Both Ahsoka and Ezra had to learn patience, but they were smart. Kaz in “Star Wars: Resistance” still has a lot to live up to. S1E6 Breaking Ranks Recap: Ezra goes undercover at the Lothal Imperial Academy while looking to steal an imperial decoder that contains the location of a powerful kyber crystal. Connecting the Canon The stormtrooper training is reminiscent of the Clone training from “The Clone Wars.” We see the Inquisitor as he is trying to secure force sensitive children, something that The Emperor was doing back when he was Chancellor Palpatine. S1E7 Out of Darkness
Recap: Sabine wants to be trusted with more information. She goes with Hera on a mission given to them by the Fulcrum. Connecting the Canon We hear the name “Fulcrum” for the first time. Hera is getting intel and taking missions from the person with this name. We learn that Sabine was in the imperial academy. I am really curious to know how much Hera knows about the rebellion at this point. Fort Anaxes and Rhydonium were both things seen in “The Clone Wars.” A lot of the music for this series is revamped versions of original trilogy familiar scores. Their ship is called the Ghost and the pods are Phantom One and Phantom Two. Clever. Hera says that they won’t always be fighting this battle alone. The rebellion is growing. BEST OF THE BATCH This week’s award for best singular episode goes to “Droids in Distress.” Getting a chance to see C3PO and R2D2 again was the cherry on top for me. Coming in second would be the “Spark of Resistance” hour-long premiere. "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" is in theaters December 20. May the Force be with you, always. [email protected] @GrahamWoodMedia |
Erick L. Graham Wood
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