Hey, is this thing on? Oh, good–because Star Wars Resistance is back after its mid-season hiatus with a delightful little episode called “Bibo.”
Longtime Lucasfilm animation fans know that it’s just not a Star Wars cartoon without at least one creature-centered episode, and “Bibo” fits that bill with relish, while hinting at exciting things to come.
I should mention that I’m perhaps not the ideal, neutral person to be reviewing this particular episode. Creature episodes have garnered mixed reviews from Star Wars fans, from the praise for the Godzilla references in the Zillo Beast arc of The Clone Wars to the small but rather vocal contingent of viewers who didn’t care for the purrgil in Star Wars Rebels. But as a person with a particular affinity for unusual pets (read: My life goal is to have a chinchilla breeding farm so I can hug the floofy critters whenever I want), I couldn’t help but sympathize with Neeku’s love for Bibo, a strange, squid-like animal dredged from the salvage-rich waters surrounding the Colossus. Bibo’s antics are sure to delight younger viewers, and they also provide the perfect backdrop to a key part of Neeku’s character: He’s unfailingly loyal to those he loves, and he’ll defend them even in the face of a giant, murderous sea monster. Neeku’s persistent goodness and earnest attempts to help others are what make him endearing, and those traits are on full display in “Bibo.”
The trailer for the back half of Resistance‘s first season promises darker things to come, and although “Bibo” is largely a light-hearted episode, it does lay some groundwork for these more menacing themes. Will Synara finally get out of the pirate life? What else has Eila, one of the refugees from Tehar, been seeing in her dreams? How much further does Captain Doza suspect that Kaz might be a spy, now that he’s seen the young pilot’s chops in the battle against the sea monster? And will we see Bibo and his mom again? Would she be willing to help protect the Colossus, now that she knows the people there protected her son? As Ezra Bridger learned in Rebels, it helps to look to the animals when you really need help.
Luckily, we have a whole half of a season to find out! Be sure to check back to see what we think of every episode.
