Category Archives: Rebels

Why Bria Tharen Needs To Be In Rebels

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The Expanded Universe is an absolute gold mine when it comes to story ideas in Rebels. From characters to planets to mere concepts, there’s plenty for the taking and tweaking. The Clone Wars already proved how successful that tactic could be with their use of Dathomir. In our continuing series here at Tosche Station, we’re pitching you things we’d like to see make it into Rebels. This week? Bria Tharen.

Before you grab your pitchforks, hear me out. A.C. Crispin introduced Bria Tharen into the Star Wars galaxy with the Han Solo Trilogy during the Bantam era. When readers first met her, Bria was a wealthy young Corellian who’d fallen into a religious cult’s trap where they exploited their pilgrims as slaves in their spice mines. Enter Han Solo and a crazy plan that gets both of them (and friends) off Ylesia followed a sudden lack of purpose in her life. The short version of what follows is that Bria ends up leaving Han behind so he can go to the Imperial Academy and she can go off and break her addiction and find a new meaning for her life. She ends up joining Senator Garm Bel Iblis’ resistance group, eventually becomes the commander of Red Hand Squadron in the Alliance to Restore the Republic, and dies in service to the Alliance.

For a show called Rebels, she’s potentially an obvious choice to bring into the new canon. While her story is linked closely to that of Han Solo, it doesn’t need to be in order for her character to be well used in Rebels. The writers can retcon away any mention of the brash pilot and instead condense her backstory down to something easier: she’s a former slave who was freed, joined the Rebel Alliance, and has neither tolerance nor mercy for slavers. Doing so would not only actually help strengthen Bria as a character but also allow the show to tackle several tough topics. Seeing how Rebels is a show that’s already touched on genocide and execution? These probably won’t be too much of a stretch.  Continue reading →

Review: Star Wars Rebels: Out of Darkness

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rebels logoIt should come as no surprise that all of us at Tosche Station have been clamoring for more Hera and Sabine centric episodes. We’ve learned a lot about Kanan and Ezra, had an episode that featured Zeb prominently, and even Chopper seems to get more screen time than Sabine. This week it seems that Dave Filoni and company have heard our requests, because we have an episode all about Hera and Sabine! Even more, we learn more about Sabine’s backstory, and it made me like her character even more than I already did. Spoilers under the cut!

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Why the Emperor’s Hands Need to be in Rebels

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choices of oneI wasn’t too excited when I first heard that ABC was going to broadcast “Spark of Rebellion” with a new Darth Vader scene added in. Sure, I love Vader as much as the next Star Wars fan, but it seemed like selling out to me. I wanted him to show up in Rebels, but only as the trump card — similar to Darth Sidious finally showing up in the Season 5 Maul arc of The Clone Wars. When Darth Vader shows up, you should know shit has gotten real.

As it turned out, the scene didn’t add much; it was just Vader giving orders to the Inquisitor. I thought the episode worked fine with or without the scene. But now, after seeing “Rise of the Old Masters” and “Breaking Ranks,” I wish this scene had been included in the pilot film the beginning, because it has vast ramifications for the future of the Empire and its Force users. Spoilers under the cut!

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Review: Star Wars Rebels: Breaking Ranks

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rebels logoRebels gives its viewers a chance to catch their breath this week after a heck of a brutal ride the episode prior. Breathing doesn’t mean the creators slacked in any way shape or form though with this week’s episode: Breaking Ranks.

The Ghost is already taking advantage of Ezra’s young age as they send him undercover into the Lothal Imperial Academy as a stormtrooper cadet. Hera and Kanan remain aboard the Ghost while Zeb and Sabine are the backup boots on the ground as Ezra tries to steal an essential decoder. Lucky for him, he discovers an ally in a fellow cadet, Zare Leonis who definitely has his own agenda at the Academy.

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Why Alderaan Needs To Be In Rebels

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Or to title this piece more accurately: Why Alderaan, Queen Breha, Leia Organa, and Winter Need To Be In Rebels Too And Bail Organa Needs To Be In It More

Bail Organa in Star Wars Rebels

Bail Organa in Star Wars Rebels

As the fandom well knows by now, the second episode of Star Wars Rebels ended with a cameo from the one and only Bail Organa, Senator and Prince Consort of Alderaan. This was definitely a great sign for both fans who want to see existing film characters make it into the new show and for fans who want to see other parts of the fledgling rebellion. But hey! Why stop there? We need tons more of Alderaan and the characters who hail from that beautiful planet. Why? I’m so glad you asked.

It gives viewers and fans a sense of familiarity
While we’ve only actually had the chance to visit Alderaan on the screen very briefly, it’s been one of the Star Wars planets that we’ve known the longest. Likewise, Princess Leia was one of the first characters that we met back in 1977 and she’s one of those characters that fans still love passionately to this day. Visiting Alderaan and seeing a young teenage Princess Leia would be an easy way for Rebels to make the show feel even more familiar to fans. After all, what sort of character could be more Star Wars than a Skywalker?

It’s a chance to recanonize some aspects of the Expanded Universe
As of the now, the Queen of Alderaan doesn’t actually have a canon name.* She wasn’t named in either the film or novelization of Revenge of the Sith and didn’t appear in the Clone Wars. If she were to appear in Rebels and be officially named Queen Breha, that would be fantastic. After all, it’s hard to run a planet and probably secretly fund a rebellion when you don’t have a name.

*This was discussed amongst the blogosphere on Twitter several months ago. If we missed something, please let me know.

More than just names could be recanonized though. Having a young white-haired girl standing by Leia’s side in Rebels would go a long way towards making Expanded Universe fans hopeful about seeing some of their favorite characters again. Winter’s backstory was already retconned to fit with the prequels and most of her story comes from beyond the Original Trilogy which means writers wouldn’t have much trouble making it work. Quite frankly, she’s a pretty useful person to have around. Most people wouldn’t give a 14 year old girl a second look much less suspect her of silently remembering everything that she says and hears. Basically she’s the perfect person to have involved in a rebellion. Also she’s one of my favorite characters so pleeeeeeease bring her back.

Finally, there are opportunities outside of the Royal family for recanonizing aspects of the Expanded Universe. I suspect that no one would loudly object if there were a sly mention of Novacom… And if the showrunners want to make Sabé going to Alderaan and tutoring Leia more than just a Legend, I certainly won’t object. Continue reading →

Review: Star Wars Rebels – “Rise of the Old Masters”

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rebels logo“Rise of the Old Masters” was most anticipated episodes of Star Wars Rebels yet and it did not disappoint. The atmosphere, dialogue, and storyline are so reminiscent of the darker aspects of the Original Trilogy, and it’s clear the creators know exactly what tone to create when it comes to more serious episodes. There’s not much that can be said about it without delving into spoiler territory, so to the cut!

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Go/No-Go: Star Wars Rebels: Servant of the Empire: Edge of the Galaxy

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nasa-mission-control-3Servants of the Empire: Edge of the Galaxy is the first installment in a new young reader tie-in series to Star Wars Rebels. Told from the perspective of a teenage boy named Zare Leonis, it chronicles his final year in AppSci school before following his sister Dhara to the Imperial Academy on Lothal.

Jason Fry is no stranger to writing Star Wars, and he does a great job with Zare’s character arc. Zare starts out the story a teenage boy whose only concerns are succeeding in grav-ball and proving himself to be just as good as his sister, but due to the year’s events he starts to question the Empire he’d basically been born to serve. It gives a good insight into what causes some people to want to rebel against the Empire, and why others would be more resistant to speaking out. Despite it being set in a different universe, it’s a very relatable issue.  Do you do what you feel is right and in the process risk your life and the lives of your loved ones, or do you keep quiet about wrongdoings and not cause any trouble? It’s easy to say what you’d do in that situation until you’re actually in it. And Zare’s problems start small, from issues with a school administrator, but eventually become much larger than he could ever imagine.

One thing I found interesting is that the Imperial Academy was actually located on Lothal, and not on a more populated world. I always had the impression from A New Hope that there was just one Academy, but upon reflection I realize that would be unrealistic in a universe as big as Star Wars. It makes me wonder which Academy Biggs attended, and which one Luke would have gone to.

SotECoverEdge of the Empire has great little nods to the Legends EU, including mentions of caf, hot chocolate, and use of the swear words stang and kriffing. I was also glad that Dhara mentioned women going through stormtrooper training at the Academy. Fry also invents a new sport called grav-ball, which is a combination of soccer, football, basketball, and Quidditch (the sport in Harry Potter, for all you Muggles out there). I’m not a huge sports fan, but those scenes were well-written and tied into the plot and Zare’s character arc very well.

If you’re a fan of Rebels, definitely pick this up. Don’t be put off that its meant for younger audiences. It’s a fun, fast read and does a great job at depicting everyday life in the Galaxy Far, Far Away. And, as I’m sure was the intention, I’m now really looking forward the Academy episodes of Rebels–not to mention the future installments in the Servants of the Empire series. This book gets a GO from me.

Review: Star Wars Rebels: Fighter Flight

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rebels logoFighter Flight is a pretty self-contained bottle episode. That in and of itself is pretty unremarkable. What is remarkable, however, is that it was a bottle episode that was thoroughly entertaining and fun. If this is what Rebels is going to do with even episodes that may not have the biggest bearing on the overarching story, we’re in for a great ride.

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Review: Star Wars Rebels: Droids in Distress

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rebels logoStar Wars Rebels began airing in its usual time slot last night at 9pm on Disney XD with its very first regular sized episode: Droids in Distress. How does the next episode hold up after such a fantastic pilot? Read on for a spoiler filled review and find out!

The Ghost is running low on funds so they agree to take a job that involves intercepting a shipment of highly dangerous weapons to the Empire. The job seems simple enough until Zeb discovers what the weapons are… and two familiar droids wander into the path of the Ghost’s crew.

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