Star Wars Rebels Season 3: “Steps Into Shadow” Review!
In December of this year the first non-Saga live-action Star Wars film will be released in the form of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and early buzz predicted it to be the highlight of Celebration Europe, and if not that, then surely the Future Filmmakers panel featuring writers, directors and actors from the Star Wars films of our future like the still untitled Star Wars Episode VIII and the also untitled Han Solo: A Star Wars Story. But none of those things made as big an impact as the panel, trailer and first two episodes of Disney XD’s Star Wars Rebels.
Fortunately, I was able to attend this year’s Celebration and I was doubly fortunate enough to be in attendance of the Rebels panel so now I am going to break down and review for you the first two episodes of season 3. Fair warning, I will write precursor paragraph summarizing my thoughts and feelings of the episode which will remain spoiler-free for those that want to view it with fresh eyes when it airs later this year. I’ll provide a spoiler warning below that and dive right into the nitty and the gritty for those that just want all the juicy details.
So without further ado; the spoiler-free summary. It’s great. The team is back together and it appears some time has passed between the incredible Season 2 finale and this season’s opening double bill. Ezra has a haircut, Sabine is rocking a whole new look, Hera is looking a little more official now that her role in the growing alliance of rebels (working title) is being further cemented, Zeb is wearing… less actually, apparently he grew tired of sleeves, Chopper is the same ol’ loveable Astromech while Kanan is adjusting to his blindness with a fancy new face mask.
Appearances aren’t the only thing that has changed, the events of Twilight of the Apprentice have clearly had an effect on both Kanan and Ezra and no time is wasted in addressing this in the opening episode. While the characters have grown, the setting is still much the same, and not in a bad way. The team are still working toward thwarting the evil and oppressive Empire, and the adventure that ensues feels just like another day in the office for our rag-tag team. With the introduction of a powerful and sinister new (but sort of old) villain, Grand Admiral Thrawn, this season is set up to potentially be the best yet.
Ok, so as promised, spoilers will commence as of now, so if you want the secrets of Steps Into Shadow to remain… secret, then look no further. You have been warned!
Still with us? Great! The nitty-gritty as promised:
We start the episode with Zeb, Sabine and Ezra on a mission to safely rescue someone with valuable information for the Rebels- and also an old friend of young Ezra, the Weequay pirate Hondo Ohnaka. Though as per usual in the Star Wars Universe, things don’t go quite to plan when Hondo mentions that his incarcerated friend would need to join their escape as he too has information the Rebels desperately require. So they improvise! Ezra displays some of his new talents- and I must say, he is very, very talented. He’s clearly learned a lot in the off-season and it doesn’t seem to be anything Kanan has taught him. Unless taking control of a Stormtrooper’s mind, making him shoot two other Stormtroopers and then finally walk off of a ledge was a Jedi lesson that I missed.
It is revealed early on that Ezra has been using the Sith Holocron he acquired last season and a voice known only as ‘Presence’ is offering advice that seems to be sending Ezra down a dark and dangerous path that a small number of Jedi have walked in the past, not many of them returning. The voice of Presence last season was Nika Futterman who also lent her vocal talents to Clone Wars for Asajj Ventress so once again whispers about the Celebration Stage were heard; “was that Ventress?”, “sounds like Asajj”, “oh my god, was that who I think it was”. We all know how much Filoni loves the wonderful cast he assembled for The Clone Wars and will do whatever he can to bring some of them back, whether it’s in the same roles or new ones remains to be seen. It doesn’t take long for Kanan to discover Ezra’s new teacher and he takes the holocron away. It might have been interesting to show more of Ezra learning from the holocron but alas apparently it wasn’t meant to be.
Much of the footage from the Rebels Season 3 Trailer is actually from this first episode and I suppose the elephant in the room is the Grand Admiral himself, Thrawn. He is finally introduced into the Canon and is no longer just the greatest relic of Legends. Desperate times for the Empire call for desperate measures and one of the greatest minds in the galaxy is how they raise the stakes. For those that are familiar with the Grand Admiral from the Timothy Zahn novels known as ‘The Thrawn Trilogy’, he was initially introduced as the successor to the Emperor after the destruction of the second Death Star II over the forest moon of Endor, which for many was the definitive sequel to Return of the Jedi right up until the Disney acquisition in 2012. It was his sole purpose to wipe out the Rebellion and despite at first being outnumbered, he was able to change the face of the war by being smarter than his enemy and not having an ego like his former allies. He knew when to retreat and he knew how to fight everyone thanks to his in-depth study of every race’s history, art and culture. If you have a weakness, you can count on the fact that Thrawn knows about it and is already exploiting it.
So now we are introduced to him a little earlier in the Star Wars timeline, he is now faced with an unformed enemy and he is part of a fully formed Empire so it would seem our protagonists stand no chance. He doesn’t have a great deal to do in this opening episode but rest assured Lars Mikkelsen’s portrayal is perfect. He seems to really grasp the character’s thoughtful and unpredictable nature. He is calculated and you never know what he’ll do next because, quite frankly, he’s smarter than you.
We are also introduced to a new character voiced by Tom Baker. The Sith holocron taken from Ezra seems to stir something in this strange being and wake him from a deep slumber. This individual is force sensitive and further explores the idea that force users don’t need to be a Jedi or a Sith but can sometimes reside somewhere else. The middle. The Bendu, as he refers to himself. This mysterious character is introduced to teach Kanan about sight and how things don’t have to be seen with his eyes (because that ship has sailed) but with the force. It’s a fairly simple concept and seems to go fairly quickly so I hope this isn’t the last we see of The Bendu.
Thanks to the rescue of Hondo under Ezra’s command, he is given a promotion and a mission, to scout out the location of some newly discovered Y-Wings, a resource that is desperately needed by the rebels. Following Ezra on this mission is Zeb and Sabine who are this time joined by Rex, everyone’s favourite retired clone. Once the team learn that the Y-Wings are being destroyed Ezra decides to improvise and acquire the ships there and then even though they are unprepared. With a little luck and a little assistance from the rebel fleet at large the team barely make out alive and Ezra once again shows traits of darkness.
As I’m sure you can tell, a lot happens in this opening episode. At times it does feel a little disjointed and rushed but ultimately it means they simply need to get a lot out of the way early so that we’re in a place to tell a bigger and better story for the rest of the season. Pacing aside, it is a fun episode, filled with everything I love about Rebels. The cast is at its best, fitting back into their roles as if no time has passed and the animation is as exciting as ever. If Steps Into Shadow is anything to go on, the upcoming season is set to be the darkest and most exhilarating to date. Plus, anything with Thrawn being officially brought into canon in such a positive and faithful way is going to come highly recommended from me. I hope you enjoy these episodes as much as I did and I hope you’re looking forward to this season as much as I am because it looks like it’s going to be nothing short of breathtaking.
Sounds like this will be a very fun season. If the trailer was mostly of the first episode, and considering how epic that was, I’m not sure if I’m ready for what’s next, for my own safety!
You know it!
I saw the double episode at SWCE and this definitely felt like a giant leap from season 2 in terms of tone and its connection to the OT. As well as the Y-Wings, there is mention of another ANH character who hopefully we’ll see more of. I just hope they keep up the pace this season – despite what other say I feel there were definitely some filler episodes last season.
From the trailer, there are also a few links to the comics coming up, namely Son of Dathomir – love how everything is so tied together. By the way, I felt the intro of Thrawn in the trailer packed a lot more punch than it actually does in the episode.
But see since clone wars was cancelled it doesnt really even tie together it just serves as a reminder of the big hole left behind.
Rebels has tied itself to the OT, prequels, and Clone Wars effectively. You’re just salty over your favorite cartoon being cancelled.
Not even close… On both points. You must have been bullied a lot. So sensitive.
Again, who’s the one that’s salty here, kiddo?
Tell me again how Inquisitors are Sith?
Tell me when i said they were sith? I think rebels is lame… Get over it.
Our first epic discussion where you contradict yourself repeatedly.
Nope. Wrong again. Find me specifally where I said Inquisitors are Sith. That’s right, you can’t because I never said that. You’re so stupid you couldn’t even understand what I was saying, so I can understand why you would think that.
“Again My point was that the inquisitors and sith are “basically” the same thing”
Posted by you 4 months ago in the article “Dave Filoni Answers Questions About the Epic Star Wars Rebels Season 2 Finale and Beyond”
It did take me 2 minutes of work to find this, but I found it. Would you like me to post more of your inane, ill thought out, incomprehensibly stupid arguments from that discussion where you ran face first into a wall of contradictions built brick by brick with your own hands?
I’d be happy to.
Umm… yeah so “basically” isn’t the same thing as being actual Sith. SO… WRONG. What is so hard to understand about that. Stop trying so hard troll.
So explain what you meant then. By “basically”. Share your courageous and much vaunted insights into Star Wars Lore.
Dude, I’ve already explained it to you like a dozen times. Courageous, what are you even talking about?
How bold you are in constantly contradicting yourself.
@american_ignorant:disqus Although the review itself was not much, your flawless destruction of illogical statements has made it all a rewarding visit. By the way, with this season, it will also tie itself effectively to “Legends” (if executed properly that is). Of course, Star Wars is a divided universe right now, so it will be impossible to please everyone.
Oh great. Another moron trying to sound intelligent by using big words visits the boards. Try to know what the heck you are talking about before commenting next time, Mary. “Flawless destruction of illogical statements?”
Are you really that dense that you deny the gap from season 6 of TCW to the beginning of Rebels? It’s a fact that TCW was cancelled early… so it doesn’t fully tie together.
Does it make you feel better when you offend other people under an anonymous ID on the internet? Even if continued, TCW WOULD NOT have lead into Rebels, it would have lead into EP3. The gap in time would have still been filled by other media (like comic books or novels). Ventress’ story was finished into a novel, Maul’s story was continued in a comic book after which carried in Rebels S2, Ahsoka’s story was teased in S2 but will be fully tied together in a separate novel. Kanan’s story started during TCW in another comic book, continued in a novel. Even Thrawn gets his own tie in book. All IS canon, but I guess you need to see it on screen, reading may be too hard for you. That is why your comment was illogical.
Actually it does make me feel better in your case since you inserted yourself into the conversation and offended me in the first place. So dont go crying when someone responds back to you internet bully.
The ventress novel, the maul comic were both intended for stories in season six of the show. And yes i have read them… Did you? Of so you would know they were not intended to be filled in after the end of TCW.
Also, even with that novel and comic, there is still a huge gap between wnd of TCW and beginning of Rebels. What happened to ahsoka, the mandos, Rex, maul, a ton of other looae plot threads that would have been resolved at the end of TCW leading right into episode 3. And yeah actually i do think a show that started in tv format should conclude in tv format, not require a book to gove us the answers. To me thats a cop out. As far as the ahsoka novel from what i have READ it has to do with her time after TCW would have ended and how she ended up as fulcrum.
Who said anything about that stuff now being canon? Now youre just being illogical. I swear talking to morons like you and american idiot… Its like trying to convince someone the sky is blue (when it clearly is) while you keep insisting its green… Or worse yet… Think im talking about the ocean now the sky.
*Squeals with absolute Joy* He inserted himself into a conversation in an internet discussion thread under an article where he’s welcome to.
Offending you is easy; just point out how wrong you are about everything.
Or in this case, the obvious. Please see my first post. You’re still butt hurt that your favorite cartoon got cancelled. And you’re carrying that chip on your shoulder into Rebels because..I don’t know.
TCW was a great show. But it wasn’t making money, Lucas was losing money on it because he was spending his own cash to keep it afloat. Disney wasn’t going to keep it going for charity sake. They’re not as crazy as George is. So TCW ended. Sucked.
Did you ever stop to think that many of those questions you just asked weren’t going to be answered in TCW? Ahsoka? Rex? Filoni (Your best friend whom you ask questions of here on the forums because he reads them and then answers you in personal emails) has proven time and again that he doesn’t like to gift wrap endings with a bow and hand them to the audience. He likes to leave unanswered questions and ambiguous finales.
Even if TCW was continued and completed, chances are you weren’t going to get episodes post Episode III since the stated plan was always that the show would lead into the last prequel movie and end.
You should learn to use the word illogical appropriately. It’s funny to see you struggle with your own diction and just throw peoples perceived insults back at them.
Youre a moron if you think im going to read your long ass non sensical reply.
I did see one thing though. Lucas was not losing money on clone wars. I find it hilarious you call other people “wrong” when either they simply arent or youre too stupid to understand their point even when they throw out facts and then YOU just make some total bullshit reason up for why clone wars was cancelled and act like an entitled prick even though YOU are wrong. What im basically saying is that you are a worthless human being and both mankind and the internet will be a better place when you die.
I have never seen what I can only assume is a grown man devolve into a mindless cretin slinging the same, simple, insults pre schoolers use over a cartoon.
Sad, really.
Dude where would you come up with your insults if it wasnt for me? I guess you would have to find someone else to steal from.The only thing sad around here is the fact you cant just accept what a loser you are and move on.
Yes, he was.
The whole thing was a pet project for him. He financed the Clone Wars entirely out of pocket to the tune of 1-2 million dollars an episode. That’s 22-44 Million dollars a season.
And your favorite cartoon wasn’t generating 100+ million in profits to make the product viable to a company that has shareholders.
So yeah, you’re wrong. Revel in it, ’cause honestly you’re very good at being it.
Do you have any idea how much money he made off toys, books, and other tie in material? Not to mention the fact cartoon network was fronting money as well. Im sick of having to explain such obvious things to you.
@american_ignorant:disqus
@ByWhedonsLisp
Guys please block each other and let’s move on. This is the 3rd thread where we try to clean after you. Obviously you won’t convinced the other in your points. And please drop the direct insults. Each comment containing an insult has been removed. This causes the discussion to loose sense, so this is in your interest as well.
I had no idea I could block this moof milker! Thank you!
I guarantee he wont block me because he knows i speak the truth. Plus, he literally has no life and lives and breaths by my comments.
Obviously you don’t know how much he made because you haven’t given a figure to reflect it. If the series was profitable Disney would have kept it on. They wouldn’t end a stream of revenue just to make people like you lose their shit for four years running.
Listen Mr. Trump. Post some data with assumptions and they may emerge as facts.
Until then you look uninformed as always.
Lol Disney cancelled it because Cartoon Network had the rights, dummy. Disney wanted a show they could air on their own station… which means more money. They also were looking to move away from the divisive prequel era into the more tried and true OT era. Wow, just wow. You really are ignorant.
See, here’s the deal. I constantly posts support, while you just time and time again make outlandish statements. And then when I say something as an opinion, you say it is wrong. But here’s the thing, here in America (unlike Nazi Germany where you seem to call home), we are entitled to our opinions. I think Rebels is a waste of time… get over it!
You haven’t posted any support for your points. You just make things up.
Actually… “Even if TCW was continued and completed, chances are you weren’t going to get episodes post Episode III since the stated plan was always that the show would lead into the last prequel movie and end.”
When did i say that? Thats right i didnt. Stop making stuff up just because you dont know what youre talking about.
“Dave doesn’t like to gift wrap endings with a bow and hand them to the audience. He likes to leave unanswered questions and ambiguous finales.” and youre basing this on what evidence? His past animated shows (which i doubt youve seen) and would be wrong. Or TCW which was cancelled… And wouldnt count.
He sounds more intelligent than you. Notice how he doesn’t denigrate you with words like “morons” “idiots” and whatever plebeian insults you attempt to hurl ineffectively against your would be oppressors.
Im still not convinced you arent the same person posting under two different ids. It seems like something you would do. And Hey… If your acting like a complete moron then im going to call it as it is. Thats not an insult thats a fact. And i sont think you should be calling anyone out on insults since youre the king of childish insults… At least attempting them anyway.
Oh? Which insult did I direct towards you? I haven’t thrown a single insult out. You’re the only one who stoops to that level.
Wow. Literally almost every single post is an insult from you both literally and figuratively for the utter waste of time it is talking to you… not to mention i hadnt “spoken” to you in months and you relied to a comment i made trying to start crap again. And then when you get in over your head you pull the im the victim card. Pathetic.
Thanks Marr.
No.
No, really. Take credit where it’s due.
Ok. Ill take credit for proving how stupid you are time and time again.
No, no. You’re confused. It’s taking credit for your constant contradictions. And being wrong.
I suppose we could throw in peddling grade school level insults, too.
Sounds like someones feelings got hurt. Dont worry ill send your mom home to comfort you after im done with her.
Wow. Mom jokes now? A new low.
Hey, gotta stoop to your level. BTW – BLOCKED! I win.
Oh noes.
What a loser i bet he posts some lame ass comment in reply to me. I just hope he doesnt go out and kill a couple animals in rage defeat.
Is Thrawn’s Ship named in the show?
I don’t have a preference as to where Rebels ends up story-wise. But I do hope it moves FORWARDS in some direction instead of in circles (like Season 2.)
Right, no forward progress there (eye roll)
I really hope there is a episode where the Rebels team steal some astromech droids to help repair and navigate the newly acquired Y-wings.
I think they give them General Dodonna
Oh, I can’t wait for this!!!!!
When will it be on TV D;
I would guess sometime at the earliest Mid August but most likely sometime around September.
It annoys me how Rebels cannot get the look of the ships right, whether intentional or not. The necks of the Star Destroyer superstructure are too long. The wings of the TIE Fighters are too short.
The TIEs I can forgive as they are a deliberate nod to the Kenner toys. but yeah, the destroyers just look wrong.
It’s not intentional of course. Someone just dropped the ball and rendered two of the most iconic ships from the film wrong. And then just kept going with it.
Just shut up. You dont know anything. They were purposely designed that way. If you are trying to be sarcastic then you fail… Just like with everything else.
In fact son, I know more than you.
More about plugging sean hannity in the rear… I believe it!
Homoerotic insults already? Didn’t take long for you to devolve into middle school insults, son.
It’s all you seem to understand because you don’t know anything.
Engage me in a manner that doesn’t require me to sink to your low level of intellectual being and I will be happy to embarrass you’re uninformed opinions once again.
The only person you’re embarrassing is yourself grandpa.
Yes. If only that were true for you.
I don’t think you understood the sentence. Try again.
You’re the one with trouble in reading comprehension.
Um… ok.
Glad we can agree.
We dont. Im just tired of your childish “i know you are but what am i insults” and annoying need to have the last word as if that implies you won whatever argument you think this is. Its sad really, you must not have gotten enough love as a child.
I just love the fact you can’t let anything go. 5 days later you still came back to reply. Because you just can’t help yourself.
Makes me smile every time I see you in my reply box.
Do you just copy and paste everything i write? See i have this thing called a life so i was busy for 5 days and didnt have time to check my email every 5 seconds like you hoping someone out there will engage me a conversation. Sad that you get such enjoyment over this converastion which means really nothing to me and everything to you.
Still over here smiling.
What are you going to do with your life now that you’ve been BLOCKED. HAHAHAHAH. TROLL.
If you can’t win an argument, run away.
There is actually a reason behind that the art style they are going for in rebels is more based off the original concept art from a New Hope.
I like how the Y-Wings already look decommissioned from the CWs.
The problem is you thought the season two finale was great. So then after that of course you are going to think this is great. Clearly the show can do no wrong by you, whereas i think this show is a huge waste of time and effort. Aside from the occasionally exciting episode, its pretty bad. They should have called the show jedis instead of rebels.
Are you back to demonstrate your complete lack of knowledge about Star Wars canon again? Fun times.
You’re just sad. Learn to read.
Unfortunately for you, being able to comprehend simple facts in every day life isn’t a skill you can develop over time, like reading.
You’re going to be this dense for life, bud. It’s okay. There’s always Pokemon Go. You seem an apt individual to walk aimlessly around in circles.
You cant read. Lol
Gotta catch’m all, son.
Question – were you born a troll or did you come out of the closet in your old age?
Wasting daylight, kiddo, Mom isn’t going to let you out after dark.
hahaha omg
Steve, please tell me that isn’t your real picture.
Ok, gramps, do you even know what Pokemon Go is? Because you sure don’t know much about Star Wars that’s for sure.
Your IQ is showing through your redundancies.
So pathetic.
We finally agree on something. Yes, you are.
Ya know what, I’ve said the same thing about The Force Awakens. Crap movie. In my honest opinion, Disney never should have touched Star Wars. I was pissed the moment I heard that Star Wars was bought because I knew they would retcon the EU. But for all the problems, I’m starting to forgive them because, while not in the movies, they did justice to Darth Vader and have officially made Thrawn canon. All they need to do is make Mara Jade canon and I will give them a second chance…..BUT FOR FUCK’S SAKE! Why the hell was he named BEN? Han never liked the guy and Leia knew him as Obi-Wan. It made SO much more sense for Luke to name HIS son Ben. [Loud roar of rage].
I just hope they don’t made the Yuuzhan Vong canon. Never like that whole story arc.
I respect your opinion, and get the criticism of TFA, but I enjoyed the new characters (especially Rey), dug the quest to find Luke, enjoyed seeing Han, Chewie and the Falcon back, so I was able to get past the recycled villains and starships enough to enjoy the film. I was a little perplexed by them using the name Ben, and I wouldn’t go so far as to say Han never liked the guy. To me, Ben is the reason they ended up meeting, so it made sense. I also liked that it tied in to the the OT, whereas Luke and Leia’s names were just random.
I actually liked the Yuuzhan Vong a lot. It was something different and a totally fresh, new villain for the SW saga… totally different than the Empire, but just as massive in scale and dangerous. I also liked the way the Jedi were developed in that serious, and the way Jacen Solo blossomed at the end. Also, Anakin Solo…
But I think it’s too massive to be made canon. Now a smaller version of it on Rebels would be kind of cool, with the Empire having to fight them off… sort of becoming the good guys. That would be different.
i think i enjoyed the arguing in the comment section more then anything lol
The Bendu is an incredible concept that I’m looking forward to the mythos exploring and branching out on the Force and its larger existence beyond the aspects the characters understand. Beyond Thrawn, of course. Having such an iconic character return to the franchise, in canon, is an absolute joy. Season 3 is going to be a worthy follow up to an already classic series.
I agree with the need for a strong and interesting Imperial character to move away from the “Sith” and “sith-lite” characters. Too bad the show couldn’t come up with one on it’s own, but hopefully Thrawn will be a decent foil.