Star Wars Rebels - Season 2 (Spoilers)

[Qui-Gon Jim]

I don't love the idea that a "chip" made the clones obey Order66.  I liked the idea that this was always part of their "programming" by the cloners.  I was further evidence that Palpatine was playing a LONG game.

[Nicklab]

Palpatine's long game is one of the more fascinating aspects of the entire Prequel Trilogy.  As much as people bash the PT there's a lot going on beneath the surface.  And the Order 66 program?  That's serious planning.

I think the chip concept was a tenuous sort of story device.  The story about it played out well in CLONE WARS, especially when that one Clone just gunned down his Jedi Commander during a firefight. But the overall premise is a little tough to swallow.  Especially since there were some post ROTS novels that explored the issue as well.  In those some Republic Commandos resisted Order 66.  No mention of any chip.  They just recognized that the order was in conflict with their personal loyalty to the Jedi.

But the chip?  It has the effect of absolving a lot of the Clones from any responsibility in gunning down their Jedi.  But after seeing how the CLONE WARS series developed the Clones as characters who were loyal to their Jedi and quite heroic, it makes their willingness to carry out Order 66 that much more baffling.  Perhaps if the relationship between the Jedi and the Clones wasn't quite so close in CLONE WARS it would be a bit easier to accept the willingness of the Clone Troopers to carry out the order to terminate their Jedi Generals?

[Jesse James]

Another day, another episode...  I liked the proto-AT-ATs, and found them interesting.  Also nice to see AT-AT drivers as well.  I liked seeing them matched against an AT-TE too.  It was interesting to see in general.  It was more interesting to see that they can be destroyed by direct repeated hits from a sizable weapon.  That jives with other info...  albeit these not being the same vehicle and all.

The story...  more fluff to me, and I didn't find it overly interesting.  It moves along the Rebels as an organization getting some good intel on bases though.

Nice to see the Admiral get a name...  Don't think they gave that up till now.

I'm more into Rebels, at this point, for inspiration, and vehicles and greeblies like that little one-man anti-air turret from last season.  The show's story doesn't engage me like TCW did I guess, even with TCW having some big flaws itself.  It doesn't help that I watch this alone, don't have little kids...  My youngest watched an episode or two with me, and bailed.  Said it was "too kiddy" to enjoy.  I enjoy the visual stuff so I hang on.  I'm sure they'll have some pretty good eps too here and there like last season's finale.  For me, at this point, it's like a prequal film.  Lots of things to like, lots not to like, and I'll watch it because it's Star Wars and stuff.

[jedipurge]

I'm right there with you Jesse, I'm more into it than my kids. but its more cuz of the OT influence of it and seeing stormies and some of the other OT stuff. I loved seeing those blue A-wings, and can't wait to see that red B-wing. if it wasn't for the TFA coming out I'm sure we'd see H producing some of those vehicle even if they used the same old molds. I don't really see the series really flushing out that gap in between ROTS and ANH, maybe cuz its so focused on such a small grp, but then again I don't see something bigger working out much better either. I'm more into it now to see what happens to Rex and Ahsoka now

[Dave]

Last night's episode wasn't terribly interesting either, and now I'm extra annoyed at the 15 minutes wasted on worm hunting in the first episode.

I would have thought there would be a lot of more interesting stories they could have written about bringing Rex and the crew back in to the fold.  Overall I'm a little disappointed with the start of Season 2 (not counting the summer episode with Darth Vader - that was awesome).

[Nicklab]

I liked seeing the AT-TE take on the AT-AT's in the sandstorm.  The ingenuity and creativity of the Clones really set them apart from the Imperials.  And knowing that the Jedi could help in the battle?  That brought me back to Luke turning off his targeting computer when he made his trench run on the Death Star.

I think this was another plate setting episode.  The Clones gave up the locations of a number of potential bases for the Rebels.  And that's going to be fodder for a number of episodes, I suspect.  Remember the mention of Mandalorian bases?  And the trailer for this season that showed what looked like they may have been remnants of Death Watch?  It seems pretty clear that Sabine is going to factor in significantly there.

There's also Rex's reunion with Ahsoka.  That's going to lead to some significant story points.  But the Clones had to be convinced to come along first.

It was also interesting to see the Fifth Brother enter the mix.  He has the influence to divert a Star Destroyer away from an assignment for an ISB agent, so he's got some major juice.  I'm definitely looking forward to what he and the Seventh Sister are going to do.

[Scockery]

I found it convenient that the early AT-AT had a two man crew and that was it. No troopers, no one in the back at all it seems. It makes Rex lines about "sending a better quality of soldier than those stormtroopers" and Kallus's reply empty, because we were expecting to see the aged clones kick some stormtrooper butt...not just some AT-AT's.

I wonder what happened to Commander Cody...maybe the Empire will bring him back to hunt down his clone friends.  But probably not.

The Empire dismissive of clones...but it's only been 15 years. Seems like people who could remember would admire them, since they won the war. I suppose there's some commentary about veterans there, but the show ain't that deep.

Wasn't quite sure how the tactical droid head knew clone trooper numbers or whatever...Sith giving the info to the CIS back in the clone wars? I suppose it's irrelevant, since it was just a means to an end to find Rex without saying his name before we see him.

Didn't mind the fishing scene...explains what the heck those three are doing in an unhospitable desert.

Dave Filoni voiced an AT-AT Driver according to the credits.

[Jesse James]

Yeah the show's not deep enough to delve into military tactics, even on a rudimentary level, but 3 walkers dropped in, no air support save for one TIE Fighter (wtf  ), no flank support for the walkers, no troopers in the walkers to deploy, no speeders (bikes or otherwise)...  nada.  It's just a cartoon, a kid's show, but it's that kind of simplicity that probably makes me less into it.

Again, loved the walkers, that McQ design was pretty slick with the head hatch, the ball shaped front guns and stuff.  I kind of just ignore the silliness of their deployment...  They deployed at Hoth a distance away for a reason.  Here, they just drop out of sight then (very slowly) plod along to wherever they were to be originally.

I just like seeing new(ish) vehicle designs...  Hell, even computers and boxes get my creative juices flowing as to things you can do with that stuff. 

This arc bored me though, I'll be honest.  It was a letdown from the premier.  Just me though, a 38 y/o dude watching it by himself.  I get who it's for, I just don't care and miss the quality TCW episodes we could sometimes get.

[Matt_Fury]

I liked seeing the AT-TE take on the AT-AT's in the sandstorm.  The ingenuity and creativity of the Clones really set them apart from the Imperials.  And knowing that the Jedi could help in the battle?  That brought me back to Luke turning off his targeting computer when he made his trench run on the Death Star.

Except that the 501st were the troops that stormed the Jedi Temple and killed all the Jedi.  I swear between TCW inconsistencies and this, I don't think Filloni has ever watched any of the movies!

[Phrubruh]

So if stormtroopers are now NOT clones then we can't see any of them get killed. In the clone wars, the clones were getting killed all the time. Here stormtroopers are people and will run away like Cobra troops. I guess all of those stormtrooper figures that have removable helmets with clone faces are wrong now. Didn't Lucas go back and make all the stromtroopers sound like Jango Fett?

[Nicklab]

The attack on the Jedi Temple and Rex's position as an officer with the 501st does present a significant plot hole.  And that's one that Filoni and company will probably have to deal with. 

The stage was set for elements of the 501st to have some serious distrust of the Jedi during the CLONE WARS story arc on Umbara.  Many of the Clones were extremely distrustful of Jedi Master Pong Krell.  And I think that Appo, who was present in the Umbara story arc was in command of the 501st during Operation Nightfall, where Anakin and the 501st attacked the Temple.  IIRC, Rex became aware of the control chip during some of the "Lost Missions" that are available on Netflix.  But how he separated from the 501st before Order 66 was issued is another story that's worth exploring.

[Scott]

He also seems oblivious to the fact that Skywalker turned...calling him the greatest Jedi ever or something along those lines

[I Am Sith]

For some of the inconsistencies or plot holes, I would really like to see them have some flashbacks with Rex revisiting the end of the Clones Wars.  Would be a way to fill in the gaps of what we were given in the Lost Missions and what we are seeing now.  Don't know the legal logistics of whether Disney can do that since TCW was a Cartoon Network show, but would still  be better than what we are getting so far.

[Jesse James]

I'm pretty sure Disney didn't forefeit any rights to anything Star Wars to Cartoon Network.  I'd like seeing that too really.

[Jeff]

Don't know the legal logistics of whether Disney can do that since TCW was a Cartoon Network show, but would still  be better than what we are getting so far.

Disney "cancelled" Clone Wars and took it off the air until the LFL deal with Cartoon Network expired.  Once the deal expired, Disney could do whatever they wanted with TCW, which is why the "lost" season 6 magically turned up on Netflix and why they are free to use the characters on Rebels now.