With Kanan captured and tortured by the inimical Inquisitor, Ezra and the crew of The Ghost embark on a fateful—and dramatic—rescue mission and consequently celebrate almost everything epic and thrilling about the ‘Star Wars’ saga.

Space battles. Lightsaber duels. Running through giant technological terrors. Blasters firing. Big reveals. Hijinks. It’s all there in equal parts in “Fire Across the Galaxy,” making this episode a stand-out addition to ‘Star Wars’ canon. There’s even a touch of melodrama to round everything out!

Kanan takes another step or two towards Jedi-dom courtesy of facing his own actions during Order 66 and realizing that because he was a coward once doesn’t mean he will always be one. Seriously though, is it cowardly of a 15-year-old kid to run away from certain death when his master tells him to? What was Kanan supposed to do in that situation? He’s no prodigy, so if he hadn’t run, he wouldn’t been blasted into the dirt of some Outer Rim world, erased by the sands of time and decisively not around to teach Ezra anything at all. I think Kanan has not a thing to be ashamed of, but that’s just me.

Fulcrum is finally revealed in this episode, and, by now, you’ve probably heard who the mysterious Rebel leader turns out to be. [SPOILER] Ahsoka’s back! After her exile from the Jedi Order at the end of ‘The Clone Wars’, it seems Anakin’s old padawan became, at some point, one of the key players in the Rebellion. Dave Filoni promises that we’ll see more from Ahsoka next season, and I can’t wait. It’s awesome to see how samurai-inspired Ahsoka’s outfit is and how it serves as a bright reflection of Vader’s terrifying helmet and face-mask, itself inspired by Kabuto and Mempo of ancient Japanese warriors. It all makes so much sense; like two disparate sounds coming into harmony. Filoni also has some interesting commentary on the presence of Darth Vader in the ‘Rebels’ storyline, and how he poses more of a threat than the Inquisitor every could.

Despite the “WHO WILL FALL” title card attached to the episode’s trailer, this episode doesn’t feel much more dangerous for our heroes than many other ones this season, particularly the gang’s first encounter with Tarkin. It takes on a more serious, but not somber, tone due to a fraught and exhilarating battle between Kanan and Inquisitor, but I was never at any moment afraid that any of the main characters would be making a premature journey to the netherworld of the Force.

“Fire Across the Galaxy,” is fantastic. It moves the plot into hyperspace, connects characters from other ‘Star Wars’ stories which legitimizes the new ‘Rebels’ crew, and, despite some phoned-in voice work, features some great moments for every member of The Ghost—except Zeb. Sorry, Zeb. Better luck next season.

Whose backstory do you hope to see more of next season? Who do you think Buffy, aka Sarah Michelle Gellar, will play in season two? What was your favorite moment from “Fire Across the Galaxy”?

Check out this week’s extended—and awesome—Rebel Recon: