Written by: Kevin Berge
All these aliens with colorful faces are being typecast as villains. At least they're awesome. (Image Courtesy of: screencrush.com)
Quick Take: Star Wars Rebels Season 3 is a dramatic improvement on its solid foundations, finally feeling like a fully engaging experience for all ages that challenges its characters to grow. Thanks to the overarching focus on Grand Admiral Thrawn's plan to destroy the Rebellions, this is some of the best Star Wars ever made even if stretches out too long.
Star Wars Reviews: Episode I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | Rogue One | Clone Wars (2003)| The Clone Wars (2008) | Rebels (S1/S2)
***This review will contain heavy spoilers and expects the reader to have seen all of Star Wars Rebels up to the end of season 3. Do not read ahead if you plan to watch the show but have not made it to this season yet.***
I never expected Rebels to ever live up to my initial vision for the series. The first season felt like a fairly polished statement that this was a series for a younger audience with characters growing slowly through wacky adventures in space. I came to terms with that.
As I have said before, there's nothing wrong with targeting a younger audience. More than anything, I want young kids these days to get as excited I was at their age about Star Wars. I would have loved to have anything close to Rebels on TV after I saw Phantom Menace for the first time.
I just wanted there to be more from deeper messages to more complex threats, and, out of nowhere, season three delivered. Suddenly, the silly fledgling Imperials were a forceful dominant threat that did not take losing lightly. The episodes actually had weight that carried over from one to the next.
That was all thanks to the decision to bring one of the most beloved Legends characters ever conceived, Grand Admiral Thrawn. The Heir to the Empire trilogy remain to this day the most defining and well crafted Star Wars novels, and the villain of that trilogy, Thrawn, was always made for the jump to the main series.
He's a master strategist and manipulator who also has a great empathy that informs his decisions. He is not a mindless evil thug like most Imperials, and he also happens to be an alien commanding a mighty force for a government and army that is decidedly racist against all non-human species.
Most of these ideas blend seamlessly into this third season. Thrawn dominates this show from the moment he comes on screen (helped for me personally by reading the set-up of his new story in Thrawn), and it is clear that every victory and defeat is tied to his greater vision. He is always aware of what he can do and the Rebels can do to him.
This culminates in multiple beautifully crafted episodes where Thrawn's vision comes together. The final two episodes are the Empire Strikes Back of the Rebels canon as the Rebels are wiped out. They are almost completely destroyed thanks to Thrawn, and all they have left to give them hope is the fact that they didn't all die.
***This review will contain heavy spoilers and expects the reader to have seen all of Star Wars Rebels up to the end of season 3. Do not read ahead if you plan to watch the show but have not made it to this season yet.***
I never expected Rebels to ever live up to my initial vision for the series. The first season felt like a fairly polished statement that this was a series for a younger audience with characters growing slowly through wacky adventures in space. I came to terms with that.
As I have said before, there's nothing wrong with targeting a younger audience. More than anything, I want young kids these days to get as excited I was at their age about Star Wars. I would have loved to have anything close to Rebels on TV after I saw Phantom Menace for the first time.
I just wanted there to be more from deeper messages to more complex threats, and, out of nowhere, season three delivered. Suddenly, the silly fledgling Imperials were a forceful dominant threat that did not take losing lightly. The episodes actually had weight that carried over from one to the next.
That was all thanks to the decision to bring one of the most beloved Legends characters ever conceived, Grand Admiral Thrawn. The Heir to the Empire trilogy remain to this day the most defining and well crafted Star Wars novels, and the villain of that trilogy, Thrawn, was always made for the jump to the main series.
He's a master strategist and manipulator who also has a great empathy that informs his decisions. He is not a mindless evil thug like most Imperials, and he also happens to be an alien commanding a mighty force for a government and army that is decidedly racist against all non-human species.
Most of these ideas blend seamlessly into this third season. Thrawn dominates this show from the moment he comes on screen (helped for me personally by reading the set-up of his new story in Thrawn), and it is clear that every victory and defeat is tied to his greater vision. He is always aware of what he can do and the Rebels can do to him.
This culminates in multiple beautifully crafted episodes where Thrawn's vision comes together. The final two episodes are the Empire Strikes Back of the Rebels canon as the Rebels are wiped out. They are almost completely destroyed thanks to Thrawn, and all they have left to give them hope is the fact that they didn't all die.
This season would have had more Obi-Wan, but they're trying to save it for the movie we're never getting. (Image Courtesy of: nerdist.com)
This is some dark material that the series is working with, but it handles it with careful focus, never making this too dark for younger viewers. In fact, despite all their failures, the Ghost crew don't really lose anyone too important. Many random Rebels fall, and Commander Sato sacrifices himself.
However, despite this, it never feels like this season is pulling its punches. The characters may not die, but they are scarred. Kanan is permanently blinded thanks to his fight last season with Darth Maul. Sabine Wren has to throw down everything to try and rebuild her Madalorian family's honor.
Ezra may still be a brat who fails more than he succeeds, but at least he's finally beginning to grow up. He remembers his failures and learns from them. Maul pulls him toward the Dark Side, but he always pushes back. He had Kanan and Hera teaching him to be a better person even more than a better Jedi and soldier.
This season also gives Maul a powerful conclusion as he uses Ezra to find Obi-Wan Kenobi. Their duel in what might be the best episode of the series "Twin Suns" is a perfect end to the former Sith's run as he falls easily to Obi-Wan who has grown far more in their time apart.
If there is one flaw with this season, it is its length. All these seasons feel a bit long at 22 episodes, but that is particularly clear with season three with so much tight storytelling. The extraneous episodes are even more obvious when there are less of them. We really don't need Chopper spotlights every season.
Minor issues aside, this is some of the best Star Wars I've ever seen. While I could mostly do without seasons one and two beyond their finales, the third is one I expect I will revisit many times in the future. Thrawn and Maul may be recognizable from other Star Wars media, but these are some of their best moments.
I am glad to see, much like its predecessor, Rebels has taken on a greater purpose and focus with time. I am genuinely excited to see what will come in the final chapter of this series, and this journey has made me hopeful that more great Star Wars is always right around the corner.
However, despite this, it never feels like this season is pulling its punches. The characters may not die, but they are scarred. Kanan is permanently blinded thanks to his fight last season with Darth Maul. Sabine Wren has to throw down everything to try and rebuild her Madalorian family's honor.
Ezra may still be a brat who fails more than he succeeds, but at least he's finally beginning to grow up. He remembers his failures and learns from them. Maul pulls him toward the Dark Side, but he always pushes back. He had Kanan and Hera teaching him to be a better person even more than a better Jedi and soldier.
This season also gives Maul a powerful conclusion as he uses Ezra to find Obi-Wan Kenobi. Their duel in what might be the best episode of the series "Twin Suns" is a perfect end to the former Sith's run as he falls easily to Obi-Wan who has grown far more in their time apart.
If there is one flaw with this season, it is its length. All these seasons feel a bit long at 22 episodes, but that is particularly clear with season three with so much tight storytelling. The extraneous episodes are even more obvious when there are less of them. We really don't need Chopper spotlights every season.
Minor issues aside, this is some of the best Star Wars I've ever seen. While I could mostly do without seasons one and two beyond their finales, the third is one I expect I will revisit many times in the future. Thrawn and Maul may be recognizable from other Star Wars media, but these are some of their best moments.
I am glad to see, much like its predecessor, Rebels has taken on a greater purpose and focus with time. I am genuinely excited to see what will come in the final chapter of this series, and this journey has made me hopeful that more great Star Wars is always right around the corner.