Paul’s Review: Star Wars Rebels “Steps Into Shadow”

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After last season’s lukewarm critical reception from many fans, Star Wars Rebels returns for a third season. “Steps into shadow” is another two part episode that is crammed into a mini film like “Siege on Lothal” and “Spark of the Rebellion” before it. Is it as good as the show’s other season openers? Have the characters grown at all in the time between now and the previous season? I’m so glad you asked!

 

 

SPOILERS BELOW!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

What worked for me:

 

  • Ezra is a force (no pun intended) to be reckoned with.

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Gone are the days of Ezra tasering his opponents with his lightsaber blaster and/or sling shot. Ezra has now graduated to a more lethal method of fighting by using an ACTUAL BLASTER. I know he might have connected a few times hitting Stormtroopers with his lightsaber last season, but Ezra isn’t messing around this time. He takes his enemies out with ease and is RUTHLESS. Yes…I said…ruthless.

 

Case in point….

ezra

 

Here Ezra takes control of the AT-DP with his Force powers and starts taking care of the troopers below by blasting them all. When he’s done however…he has the driver walk the vehicle off the ledge to his doom. DAMN! THAT”S HATEFUL! Sabine would later ask “When did Kanan teach you that?” and Ezra replied “He didn’t”. How would Ezra become powerful enough to be able to do such a thing? ….

 

ezra-holo
….oh. Never mind.

 

  •  The Bendu

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I have to admit that I am a sucker for Force themed episodes and characters. The Bendu did not disappoint that love by any means. Not much information is given in this episode for this Force wielder, but the character design and mystery surrounding him is enough to hold anyone’s intrigue. (ok…not EVERYONE. I forgot it’s the internet.) Tom Baker does a masterful job with the Bendu by giving the character an omnipresence to him.

What’s that on his left shoulder? Isn’t that the Convor at the end of “Twilight of the Apprentice”???? Interesting.

 

owl

 

  • Thrawn

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Granted, he didn’t do much other than show up and have a few lines in this episode, but his presence was felt none the less. Judging from the reaction of the Imperials in this episode, it seems that Thrawn might be looked at the same way as the Inquisitors are as “not needed”. Governor Price’s confidence was what I thought all Imperials would think of him. Appears that Thrawn was given a “promotion” by the Emperor recently and I wonder if that comes into play at all this season. Another home run by Lucasfilm by casting Lars Mikkelsen. His voice was as calm and collected as Grand Moff Tarkin’s.

 

What didn’t work for me:

 

  • Brom Titus

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This guy is quite possibly the worst villain in Rebels. I am not a fan of his voice or character design. The episode is fantastic, but it hits a wall when he shows up. Hopefully this will be the last time we see him.

 

Quick hitters:

 

  • Zeb says “WIZARD!” like Anakin in The Phantom Menace.
  • Look to Ezra’s right….you’ll see a Ben Quadinaros poster.

quad

  • Aren’t they beautiful? (I love Y-Wings)

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“Steps into shadow” continues the Star Wars: Rebels tradition of awesome season openers. Will it continue this pace for most of the season? I think the outlook looks good. Thrawn will be a villain that gives the creative team a lot more freedom to use unlike dancing around the rules of the Inquisitors and casual appearances of Tarkin and Darth Vader.

 

PS: Can Hondo be in every episode, please?

 

I look forward to hearing everyone else’s thoughts and reactions on this episode!

 

Follow me on twitter @Hermann22
Follow my podcast @blastercanonpod

 

 

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25 thoughts on “Paul’s Review: Star Wars Rebels “Steps Into Shadow”

  • September 25, 2016 at 8:32 pm
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    I love that the Y-wings are the exact same ones that we see in Episode IV!

    • September 26, 2016 at 5:39 am
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      The same Y-Wings that get hunted down to their last number in ship to ship combat by Vader and his TIE aces. Small galaxy doesn’t mean a boring galaxy! Liked the reference to Dodonnas Rebels. Hope they bring in General Garm Bel Iblis to counter the genius of Thrawn… The thought of those two dueling it out with fleets across the sector and maybe even returning in post-RotJ/pre-TFS era is exciting! Particularly after all the whispers of a new animated series.

    • September 26, 2016 at 6:21 pm
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      Just still needing to have some armor stripped away.

  • September 25, 2016 at 10:02 pm
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    “Zeb says “WIZARD!” like Anakin in The Phantom Menace.”

    Quote is from Kitster, when he says, “This is so wizard, Ani.”

  • September 25, 2016 at 10:27 pm
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    Anakin didn’t say “wizard”
    It’s a different convor, not Ahsoka’s.

    • September 26, 2016 at 5:35 am
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      It was Kitster wasn’t it?
      ‘That’s wizard, Annie!’

  • September 26, 2016 at 12:15 am
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    After being disappointed with most of season 2 this was a huge relief. Love watching the new Ezra. That move with the ATDP was probably the coolest force move I’ve seen in a long time. Reminds me of Amazon (clone wars Anakin not prequels) Also big fan that they didn’t overplay Thrawn. Heir to the Empire was the first legends book I ever read so he has always been a huge part of my Star Wars universe. Great start

    • September 27, 2016 at 3:38 am
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      I thought it was a little funny they out that atdp in that tiny landing platform. I just knew somehow it was going over the edge. A gun turret would have been much more believable.

  • September 26, 2016 at 1:04 am
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    Y-Wing = best ship ever.

  • September 26, 2016 at 2:05 pm
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    I like that we get confirmation that Sato’s cell is not the one that participated in the DS attack over Yavin. I think this confirms we will not see any of our ‘Rebels’ heroes in R1.

  • September 26, 2016 at 6:24 pm
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    “PS: Can Hondo be in every episode, please?”
    .
    My kids and I said to each other midway through the episode, Hondo for EVERYTHING. Every series from now until Disney isn’t interested in making SW anymore. Hondo4Life. He’d be the one character we all agree we’d be sad to see killed off.

    • October 5, 2016 at 10:17 pm
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      hondo is way overrated in my humble opinion.

  • September 26, 2016 at 11:45 pm
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    near the end of this episode where Ezra gave up the dark side was weak writing. oh, the dark side isn’t work, i better give it up….

    • September 27, 2016 at 3:35 am
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      I dont think he gave up on it.

      Note to reviewer: wizard has been used since kitster first said it in tpm and before steps into shadows.

      • September 28, 2016 at 9:41 am
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        pablo or some other official source said they stayed on that salt flats world where they were found.

        • September 28, 2016 at 4:02 pm
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          I need to see that quote because 1. The episode they were in showed them go with rex and the rebels and 2. That would be silly since they got in a fight with the empire there and no doubt the empire would come looking for them.

          • September 29, 2016 at 9:44 am
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            It was mentioned in one of the rebel recons after the episode. i dont think it was the one that accompanied that episode.. but soon after in the following weeks when Andi answered a viewer’s question. Since you *need* to see the quote feel free to go search it out .. regardless its never going to be explained in the show. that’s where they are.

          • September 29, 2016 at 8:06 pm
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            Not sure why you are getting so defensive/upset, but mo, that’s not where they are… at least you can’t say for certain. And unless it is said in the episode it doesn’t count.

            The reason I said I would need to see the quote is because too many times people just say oh some official source said and can never back it up.
            Unlike you I have no doubt we will see Gregor and Wolffe again (unless the show is cancelled early) because why bring them back if they weren’t going to use them again. And if they come back, then we will get an explanation where they have been. Simple as that.

          • October 5, 2016 at 2:23 pm
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            where did i say we will never see them again? all i said was where the creator said they are. youre speculating on something that is not a mystery. And actually it DOES count. anything the story group comes up with is considered official.. by THEM

            i am neither upset nor defensive. its not my job to go seek out answers for you. i told you where you can find the information for yourself but if youre too lazy to go look it up it doesnt bother me. i know what happened to them.

          • October 5, 2016 at 10:16 pm
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            Im sorry unless you can show any proof to support your statement i will continje to ask where they are. And even still, its been like 2 yeara show time since the ghost left that planet so who lnows where they are now.

  • September 27, 2016 at 4:48 am
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    Time will tell with Season 3. I think they have always knocked it out of the park for the the season premieres, mid-season finales, season finales and they do a good job with some other random episodes here or there. But then there are the filler episodes that are just “meh.” I think they should shorten the number of episodes they do in a season in order to give really good quality throughout.

    • September 27, 2016 at 6:16 am
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      I agree. Series like Daredevil and Stranger Things have relatively short seasons, and that allows them to not overstay their welcome and drown in filler like Rebels Season 2.

  • September 30, 2016 at 2:40 am
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    i want to see cad bane. so much better than either of the fetts ever were.

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