Star Wars Rebels strikes back with “The Lost Commanders,” episode two of a very promising second season.
The stakes have never been higher for the Rebels as they join forces with the wider Rebellion, led, in-part, by none other than Ahsoka Tano, apprentice to Anakin during the Clone Wars. Unfortunately, with new allies come new enemies. After a brutal and awesome—not to mention must-see for any Star Wars fan—encounter with Darth Vader himself (voiced by James Earl Jones!) in the season’s first episode, Ezra and company are on the run and in search of a safe haven for the Rebels. And Ahsoka knows a few old friends who can help.
“The Lost Commanders” is a serious step down from the season’s first episode, which hit the hyperdrive from the first moments and just didn’t let up. This one… is less exciting, has less impact on the wider Star Wars universe, and applies the brakes on a season right when I was hoping the pedal would stay on the metal.
That said, Captain Rex makes his triumphant return to Star Wars, which is a huge deal for a lot of Clone Wars fans out there. We get to explore Kanan a little more in this episode, his emotional scars left behind by the betrayal of the Jedi during Order 66. It’s continually interesting for Ezra’s sole Jedi mentor to be so flawed, so conflicted, but so good-hearted. I’m impressed by the writers’ characterization of the cowboy Jedi and look forward to the struggle of adapting to his positions as both warrior for the Rebel cause and spiritual guide to what he sees as the future of the Jedi Order. But, more than anything, Kanan reveals himself to be a clone bigot. None of the clones can do right by Kanan. How many episodes until the warm and fuzzy make up between him and Rex? Only time—and the Force, I suppose?—will tell.
This one gets a middling grade for not offering up meaty plot points or core character development:
5/10 PoG’s
Stay strong in the Force with a quick peek behind the scenes!