Are you a Star Wars fan? If so, you need to get caught up on “Star Wars Rebels” because this third season has a few moments that are probably the best from throughout the entire franchise, and I’m including those lines from Empire Strikes Back we have all been quoting the last 30+ years.
One of the moments include the long-awaited rematch between Darth Maul and Obi-Wan Kenobi. What? You didn’t know that Darth Maul survived Star Wars Episode One? Not only did he survive (brought back in “Star Wars The Clone Wars”) but his character arc actually makes his character interesting.
Another moment is the reintroduction into Star Wars lore of the character Grand Admiral Thrawn. Originally introduced in the 1991 Star Wars novel Heir To The Empire (and appeared in a number of expanded universe novels, none of which are not canon). His appearance throughout this season provides a fantastic antagonist for the series as well as demonstrating the people running the Star Wars franchise now are willing to take the best of what came before and use it in this new canon.
But really, this whole season showcases why “Star Wars Rebels” is a show that has hit its stride and is a vital chapter in the story.
Other familiar character that show up this season included Grand Moff Tarkin, Mon Mothma, Saw Gerrera, and more. This series is very much tied into the film canon, and where the first two seasons were good and very much worth watching, they ultimately were leading up to this season which is essential viewing, much like Rogue One.
While the animation is fine, I’m not a great fan of the style, but it works. For me it is the storytelling on display here that makes “Star Wars Rebels” worth watching.
Special features are really good and just like the series itself the offerings have gotten better. There are five audio commentaries on episodes where previous seasons had none. Oh, but it does not stop there. The “Rebels Recon” series returns which look at 19 of the season’s 22 episodes and there is a featurette on the Star Wars timeline as it pertains to “Star Wars Rebels” season three, Rogue One, and what may be in store for the fourth (and reportedly final) season.
Four other featurettes are present here, starting off with one that looks at where the Mandalorians fit into Empire (hint – they feature heavily this season). Then there is a look at Thrawn, a look at the conclusion to the Darth Maul and Obi-Wan Kenobi conflict and finally a look at the character of Saw Gerrera.
“Star Wars Rebels” has become something all Star Wars fans need to watch with this third season. The previous two were good and had moments that felt essential, but this whole season now neatly fits in with the film franchise and does not feel ancillary. Get this.