Star Wars Rebels - Season 3 (Spoilers)

[Matt_Fury]

Pretty good episode.  Finally, Dantooine comes into play.

We get to see the TIE defender...I want one for my collection!

That shot of the Star Destroyers getting damaged by the explosion was prety cool.

[Scockery]

Double-Penetration Droid  

Okay, we have the imperial controller lobot-headset wearer, apparently based on Pablo Hildago, who wears glasses...have we see much of that in the Star Wars?

Vanessa Marshall voice-acting triple time...the other inventory droid...good...the imperial tech...not so good (too recognizable, too Hera-like).

Oh, AP-5 and Chopper as stars, so you know it was great. That's not sarcasm. 
AP-5 is even more like Marvin from Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy than usual.

Nice to see Wedge again....going to the "refresher". Star Wars restroom...at last!

Felt like we didn't need Ezra, though. We get so much of him and his force-shmorce played no role here.

The end was too convenient...magically make the imperial ship go kablooie! And daaayum...Hera, you stone cold killed those folks.  Let's not forget that lobot-Rodian who worked for the Empire even though he didn't want to...some of those people could've been like that. Oh, well.

[Jayson]

Watched the latest episode, "Twin Suns" via DisneyXD app

The "Good":
- breathtaking visuals again - very cinematic
- the score brought back familiar PT and OT themes that instantly draw you into the universe
- Stephen Stanton's spot on Obi-Wan, scary good
- Final scene of Obi-Wan overlooking the homestead

The "Bad":
- they spent too much time with Ezra in this episode
- I can't help but think they botched the Maul stuff. It just did't have the emotional payoff I was looking for. He was built up so much in the Clone Wars and his re-introduction into Rebels it ultimately fizzled out in the end, IMO.

[Darby]

***SPOILERS***

I can definitely see how some will feel let down by the final duel between Obi / Maul and Maul's arc in total. This one is going to be super divisive I think. I loved the duel. I loved the samurai nature of it (quick and to the point) and the abrupt, but inevitable finality of it. A duel on the scale of TPM of some of the later CW ones wasn't possible and I don't think would have been fitting. Their initial duel was driven by ego as much as a physical prowess that neither still possessed. I also half way think Maul offered himself up in that final move which was very similar to the one where Obi halved his saber in TPM; only then, Obi didn't take advantage of the clear opportunity to kill Maul and instead kicked him away, prolonging the duel out of a sense of perpetuating his anger and justice. Here, a wiser and more humble Obi-Wan dispatches him without any pyrotechnics.

I was also struck by Obi-Wan's seeming empathy for Maul at the very end. I think it shows truly who he is. Also, Maul's final line: 'He will avenge us.' Who exactly is us? Obi-Wan and Maul? I was very moved by it. Unexpectedly so.

Agree with all the good points - amazing visuals and direction. Stephen Stanton - WOW. Sam Witwer - amazing as always. I think the biggest problem with Ezra and all these characters is they're simply conduits for us to experience the greater story of the main arc which the Skywalker Saga. This really came home for me in RO. That movie and this show are really just tours through major aspects of continuity featuring characters we have more of an investment in and not so much about the characters in the film at all, although Rebels has been doing more to develop its mains this year.

[Scockery]

Nice that Ezra disobeyed orders and lost the Alliance a valuable A-Wing fighter. Someone needs to knock that teenage twit down a peg.

Cartoon vehicle occupancy rules...the A-Wing can fit a small astromech behind the seat.

Did the A-Wings have hyperspace drives before?

Chopper went along hoping to see Ezra die...and least that's my theory.

James Arnold Taylor was robbed...I thought he could an older Obi-Wan. Not that Stanton wasn't good.
"I don't recall owning a dewback. I do recall pwning Maul!"

Maul, what was the point of it all?

Did Ezra find Maul's ship? Using jedi magic?

Overall, shrug-worthy. I had no attachment to Maul. And I'm hating Ezra more and more.

[GrandMoffNick]

I also thought there was too much Ezra.

I very much enjoyed the Obi Wan / Maul interaction. I liked the short duel and as Darby said was unexpectedly moved by Maul's death and last words.

I am however upset with both Jayson and Darby for not letting the first thing I got to read in this thread being what sucked about the episode by Scockery as it normally is

[Matt_Fury]

There was basically a season's worth of set-up for a duel that lasted three hits.

I was glad to see Ben Kenobi, finally.  Odd that Organa has been telling everyone that Kenobi died...but I only say that in how Kenobi was covered in Rogue One.

[Nicklab]

I watched the episode a couple of times, and I just watched Rebels Recon.  FWIW, Rebels Recon does give some tremendous insight into how the episodes are made.  And I think it was an excellent episode.

I caught a line of dialogue from one of the Rebels at Chopper base that said Bail Organa had said Obi-Wan Kenobi was dead.  I think that was disinformation on Bail's part to help keep Obi-Wan's seclusion a secret.  And regarding the A-wing?  The deck officer told Ezra that a trainer was ready to go when he left Chopper base, and that's the A-wing they took to Tatooine.  The run-in with that Tusken Raider was done pretty well, from Ezra fighting the one with the gaffi stick, to the snipers taking shots at them from the ridge, and blowing up the A-wing.

I like how they depicted Tatooine.  The hills were a lot like the Jundland wastes, and there was that arch that seems to have popped up in the pod race as well as Anakin's search for Shmi.  But the desolate wastelands and sandstorms?  That's the Tatooine that I think we never really saw in places like the homestead or Mos Eisley.

The holocron does seem to be a somewhat ambiguous plot device.  And it seems based on what Obi-Wan told Ezra that the intentions of a holocron can mimic the desires of those who would seek it's knowledge.

As for Obi-Wan?  I like that the message form of Obi-Wan was shown as a kind of connective tissue to the past.  And they didn't shy away from depicting an OT era Obi-Wan Kenobi.  I also think that Stephen Stanton did an amazing job with the part that was true to OT Obi-Wan.  That was really what the character needed to be like.  He had Maul's game pretty well figured out before he even saw Maul in the camp.  And he also measured Maul up pretty well in the duel.  It was over quickly, like a classic Samurai duel.  Maul's last move was like one he use on Naboo.  He tried to hit Obi-Wan with the saber hilt the same way he hit Qui-Gon before Maul ran him through.  Obi-Wan saw that coming and countered it, ending the duel.

[CorranHorn]

I was also struck by Obi-Wan's seeming empathy for Maul at the very end. I think it shows truly who he is. Also, Maul's final line: 'He will avenge us.' Who exactly is us? Obi-Wan and Maul? I was very moved by it. Unexpectedly so.

I took this to be Maul realizing that he, and in a way Obi-Wan, were both used by Sidious, the Jedi, and perhaps the Force itself. And that use is what led them both down the path they found themselves on, as well as the larger path the Galaxy and the Force were on. Luke as the Chosen One can/will fix this, but of course from a Dark-sider's pov that will be an avenging.

Did Ezra find Maul's ship? Using jedi magic?

Obi-Wan directed Ezra to go north, likely he knew where Maul's ship was - whether by the Force or his own eyes.

[Darby]

I am however upset with both Jayson and Darby for not letting the first thing I got to read in this thread being what sucked about the episode by Scockery as it normally is

 

[tmanthegreat]

Wasn't able to catch the full episode, but did find an excerpt of the Obi Wan/Darth Maul confrontation scene elsewhere online, which was what I really wanted to see.  I loved it.  Stephen Stanton did an awesome job recreating Alec Guinness' voice and the OT Obi Wan's character.  Despite the fact that the character was animated, it was a believable characterization that fits in with the OT films.  The more "limited" fight seemed very fitting as well...  It plays into Episode IV well where his fight with Vader was pretty static.  It would not have made sense for him and Maul to have taken out across the desert in a wild fight.  Obi Wan is older and presumably has had time to reflect and practice his sword arts into a fine craft...  I enjoyed the reference to him guarding Luke - the "Chosen One."

[Scockery]

I am however upset with both Jayson and Darby for not letting the first thing I got to read in this thread being what sucked about the episode by Scockery as it normally is

I know, right? Other people actually watched this episode.  Weird.

[Jesse James]

I watched the last two eps this weekend and I really liked the one with AP-5.  It's tempting me to repaint the droid from the Clone Wars line because it's to a T the AP-5 character just silver.  I think that one can be had for cheap from China if you look around on Ebay and AP seems to be a sort of purplish color, but not quite black. 

He's quickly becoming one of my more liked characters on the show.

I generally don't care for Rebels overall.  I think it's just not nearly on par with TCW which had horrid episodes too, but this just seems to have a lot more appeal for kids maybe, and a lot less for adults.  That said this last two eps were great I thought.  Whoever voiced Kenobi was spot-on.  I liked the abrupt ending even, actually.  I liked that they played up Maul's more complex character that's been made since TCW (whether I felt good about that choice or not, they ended it on a high note).  Lots of good all around.

I assume Kenobi's directions to Ezra about going NOrth and stuff and finding his way home meant Maul's ship.  OWK seemed quite aware of Maul.  Again that played well into the quick death I felt...  Kenobi's seasoned at this point, far more like Yoda than the OWK of the Clone Wars.  The dying line Maul had was pretty great too.  The Dark Side is nothing but misery.  It's nothing but bad even for the people who embrace it, almost like drug addiction or something.

I enjoyed these two eps.  I still hate Ezra.  I hate Zeb generally.  Kanan I'm not wild about.  Sabine I'm 50/50 on.  Chopper, AP, and Hera are the only steadfastly good things about the show, to me.  Well that and designs are all over that I really want to translate into toys.  Ships, boxes, weapons, etc.

Oh and now glasses are in Star Wars on Lobot's father?  That's odd.  We've never seen anyone else using them, but him?  Hmmm.

[Jeff]

Oh and now glasses are in Star Wars on Lobot's father?  That's odd.  We've never seen anyone else using them, but him?

Glasses are old school Star Wars...

[Dave]

Loved the quick saber battle!

The only thing that really bugged me was when Ezra made it back to the rebel base and didn't mention Obi-Wan to anyone.  You would have thought finding a Jedi Master would have been big news he would want to share the second he landed.  I would have thought Ob-Wan would have told Ezra not to share this info, or maybe he would have got back to base and had a conversation with Kanan or Bail and they would have come to a similar conclusion of leaving Obi-Wan alone.