Synopsis

As members of the Rebel Alliance, Ezra and the Ghost crew must accept a mission to spy on an Imperial outpost they would rather destroy. Later, after being separated from Hera and Kana, Ezra and Sabine join the desperate quest of Saw Gerrera to hunt down the Empire's elusive secret super weapon.

What I thought

After a reasonable opening hour episode to the season, things really beef up in this double-parter, especially in the second half as Saw Gerrera arrives and so do multiple massive explosions. Although there are references to Ezra and Sabine always blowing things up in this episode, given what we know about Saw, we also know to not only expect things to go boom but also to take a turn for the worse when he’s about. However, for the first half, he’s not about, at least not physically, except for his massive big head (visually and probably figuratively to many other Rebels) appearing to transmit a message to the Rebel base on Yavin IV. This absolutely beautifully stunning setting for a base is interrupted by Saw telling them how rubbish they are and not willing to do what it takes. As if waiting for him to appear, Mom is out of the base and there to dispute his accusations and then cut the plug on his mouthing off. Before this, we had the gang together again as Kanan, Ezra, Sabine and Chopper meet up with Zeb and Hera at the base. I expected Hera and Kanan to rush into a hug but they really held that off, leaving the handshakes and fist pumping to our imagination. As rewarding as seeing Yavin IV was, we also got to see Rex and Kallus once again, albeit both in a small supporting role. Sadly, no AP-5 who would have been fantastic in this episode with his cynical nature.

What gets this episode going is that a new massive communications antenna (you know, just like the ones we see in Rogue One) is being used by the Empire and is causing them to get the heads up on the Rebels. Mom Mothma therefore instructs the Ghost team to utilise it to the Rebel’s advantage rather than destroy it. This was going to plan, until the Rebels actually landed on the device, by way of a heavy landing by Ezra, Sabine and certainly by Chopper! This whole skydiving that happens in this show I have to just accept at face value. It all doesn’t quite add up for me, as Ezra says he doesn’t need a jetpack, yet he uses it? It’s all just odd how casual they are with this but, hey, it’s a cartoon! Anyhow, once an Imperial cruiser arrives, things start to go comically wrong, as he there’s Stormtroopers falling over each other as Chopper manipulates the tilt of the dish, and Ezra doing an even worse impersonation of an Imperial voice than Han Solo in the detention centre on the Death Star. Seriously, that was Ezra’s plan, to chit-chat to that incoming cruiser? That’s the biggest waste of an idea ever. Sure enough, it’s time to bail out, but the Ghost is preoccupied by TIEs but luckily Saw is at hand, as he helps rescue the three and also nuke the dish, taking out the cruiser at the same time, naturally.

This takes us into part 2 and Sabine/Ezra/Chopper hooking up with Saw and his wingman to infiltrate a civilian cargo ship which Saw has intel on being used by Imperials. Sadly we see little of the space station that the cargo ship undocks from but once inside the cargo ship, it’s all creeping about like Scooby Doo and totally awesome as the gang indeed find the Empire is using the cargo ship, where they find a group of prisoners whom seemed to be on the way to Scotland’s Comedy Fringe Festival, given their comedy abilities. But no, they are all weapon experts who were made prisoners by the Empire for not agreeing to help them. Rogue One reference? Tick. Secret Weapon? Tick. Krennic and Death Troopers? Tick ... well, almost. Krennic gets name dropped but there be Death Troopers guarding a massive Kyber Crystal in this cargo ship! This isn’t just any gang of Death Troopers. Oh no, these boys and girls are fresh out of Death Trooper training squad because they seem unable to know how to utilise their secure comms, weapons or armour, for they are made mugs of by the Rebels. Saw, determined to find out what’s really going on, has no interest in helping the prisoners, leading to a game of cat and mouse with Sabine/Ezra before he destabilises the kyber crystal upon bailing out when a Star Destroyer shows up and no secret Imperial weapon evident. Needless to say our gang get out alive, but not before the cargo ship goes supernova, taking out the Star Destroyer with it ... naturally.

Rating: 8/10 – A gritty action packed episode full of Star Wars and Rogue One nostalgia.

What I liked

· Saw Gerrera and his wingman were cool and were awesomely portrayed.
· The secrecy and conspiracy elements were top-notch.
· References to Rogue One were like hand outs of candy to fans
· The ‘green’ alien prisoner was absolutely a great comedian as well as scientist.
· Chopper back on form providing humour and comically dealing with Stormtroopers.
· Yavin IV looked beautiful.

What I didn’t like

· It was odd hearing Death Troopers talk in English. They are way more cool when talking in code.
· Death Troopers made to look like the they were no better than StormTroopers.
· How did the Star Destroyer captain not notice the energy build-up until the last minute?