Star Wars Rebels S04E10 "Jedi Night" & S04E11 "DUME"

Synopsis

The Ghost Crew infiltrates the Imperial headquarters on Lothal to save one of their own before reeling from a devastating loss, the Ghost crew rallies together to find a new purpose and resolve.

What I thought

After what seems like an age since we last saw 'Rebels' and that failed attempt to blow up the TIE Defender facility on Lothal, we're back with what is a double-bill episode, although some countries are showing them individually. Crazy! They really are better back to back, not least because there's little actual content in the second episode, once you've seen the devastating first one.

Let's get it out of the way instantly: Kanan is dead. There should be no ambiguity here, and I don't think there's even a slither of one. No one is even posing the question as to if he survived the end of episode 10. After such a massive loss of a central charecter, and the massive explosion that saw this Jedi's demise, the subsequent episode was always going to be a downer of sorts, but it was one that was definitely needed in order for emotions to be played out. I've seen Clone Wars and Rebels cartoons, but this combo of episodes was the first time I came close to actual tears in what was a massive pay-off for regular fans of the show in terms of reunion and loss for Hera and Kanan.

There's a sign of good things to come at the start of episode 10 when we have Kanan preparing himself for what he obviously seems to know is inevitable, by having a haircut and a shave with a knife that would be best used for chopping up bread. How he managed to shave that well with such an implement I don't know. He's placed Ezra in charge of the rescue of Hera who is being tortured with the electric chair and mocked by Thrawn in a way only he can deliver. Not long before the gang use manual flying contraptions to look like natural "birds" to infiltrate the Imperial Base, the dreaded Interrogating Probe Droid 'ball of no fun' injects Hera with a truth drug. Why it takes that floating device to give an injection I don't know, but I guess it cuts down on nurses. Entering the base proves very easy by air for Kanan, Sabine and Ezra, the latter of the two go their own way to help find transport away from the base, as Kanan uses magnetic suction devices to climb the walls to where Hera is being held. All Jedi's know how to make an entrance, and Kanan has this one nailed, as he arrives via the floor of this room, which for some reason extends outwards unlike the rest of the base. He ruthlessly deposes of the two troopers, one via the "Mace Window" exit technique, and kicks the probe droid down the entrance hole. Hera is delirious due to the drug, making for a fun and emotion moment, especially just before Kanan arrived. When Rukh shows up, Kanan eventually deals with him in a rather uncivilized fashion of force pushing him off the edge, before the pink-pimpernel Death Trooper's have them pinned down, leading to Kanan and Hera escaping via the manual flying contraptions. Incidentally, the Death Troopers this episode speak in garbled code, just like in Rogue One, which is what we all expected them to be like and not as they has been in previous Rebel episodes. That's more like it! Sadly, they don't seem to be much better than regular troopers at aiming this week as the Rebels get away. I'm also not sure why the Death Troopers were dispatched when they are normally guards for high-ranked commanders. Guess Thrawn sent them. He's about at this point but soon gets called away by Tarkin for a meeting with the Emperor to lobby for his TIE Defenders. Good luck with that Thrawn, especially as the Death Star plan gets a mention here. 

Kanan and Hera land in the fueling depot of the TIE Defender factory, quickly climbing to the top of the central fuel cell to await rescue by Sabine and Ezra who have some amusing moments infiltrating an Imperial shuttle, very reminiscent of the Clone Wars style, which is a joy to see. Governor Pryce, left on charge now, has a moment of madness that is pretty rubbish even for her, as she is usually not too bad for an Imperial Commander. She sends in AT-ATs (why?) to pursue this handful of Rebels, and then crazily fires on the fuel cell the Rebels are being rescued from! Is she stupid? Seems so. It's like using a hammer to crack a nut. As the Rebel's are far from safe from the explosion, Kanan courageously sacrifices himself, using the force to hold back the explosion and send the rescue craft to safety. With the episode ending in total silence, and the following beginning the same way, this is a OMG moment that's executed brilliantly.

There's not really as much to say about the second episode 'Dume' which does play the aftermath of Kanan's death very well. Everyone is deeply affected, not least Ezra and Hera, the latter of which finds great comfort from her family heirloom that Kanan saved for her, along with Chopper who stays by her side. Ezra though feels lost without Kanan, and ends up getting chased by Wolves, who cryptically speak to him, eventually revealing that he needs to fight on, especially as the Jedi Temple (which one though?) is at serious risk and he needs to protect it. This is eventually what Ezra tells the gang they need to do next and sets up an intriguing final 4 episodes, not least as we know the Emperor is involved. I hope we also get to see Thrawn meeting him, although unsure on that one. 'Dume' might seem like filler, but it's a necessary one for it shows the emotions of the gang, which really had an impact on me. It also helps show direction for the setup of the end of the show which promises to have some surprises, I can feel it.

Rating 8/10 - An awesome "Jedi Night' episode, and an emotional fallout 'Dume' episode which is less awesome but packed of tearful moments and a setup for the end of the series.

What I liked

• Death Troopers talking in code! Now that's more like it!
• That Imperial craft the Rebels stole is so Clone Wars
• Everything about 'Jedi Night' episode, especially Hera/Kanan was simply emotional, warming and brilliantly scripted.
• The end of Jedi Night episode! The silence afterwards ...
• The setup for saving the/a Jedi Temple.
• Hera/Chopper's emotional bond
• The gang's grieving is very well protrayed.
• Just the mention of the Emperor perks up ears.
• Rukh being awesome

What I didn't like

• Let's make Death Troopers great again please! They need to be effective.
• Governor Pryce. Why? What was she thinking? Was this an order to undermine Thrawn?
• Rukh being undone by Sabine/Zeb and made to look stupid by being spray painted. Why did he go after them??

Thrawn mocks Hera

Haircut time for Kanan. Would have been easier with the lightsabre.

Health and Safety would never approve this rescue plan.

Climbing walls "sucks" for Kanan.

 

A Jedi knows how to arrive in style!

Death Troopers!

Governor Pryce has a senior moment.

Kanan holds back the flames, and our tears, sacrificing himself.

Kanan :(

Pryce!? WTF?

The wolves really harass Ezra.

Hera grieves with the help of Chopper.

Invisible Rokh? That's a new trick but sadly goes wrong.

Big wolf, daddy wolf, grandmother wolf ...

Poor Rokh.

I hope that's a map.

The Curse of Oak Island S05E07

Synopsis

Two new pieces of ancient evidence found deep in the Money Pit may be proof of theories that could rewrite the history of the Oak Island mystery.

What I thought

Starting in the Money Pit again this week, 40 of the Geotech holes have been drilled, which is the full whack, good enough. We’re led to believe though that only one of those holes, H8, produced anything interesting, because little is said about the rest. The gang have called back in Irving Engineers to decide on the logistics of drilling H8 to an even bigger hole; It’ll be about a 50” hole with casing to about 200ft.

Paul Speed, a researcher, is the latest guy to visit the War Room with their theory about Oak Island. Specifically, he’s got something speculative to say about the Money Pit. He’s been thinking (as we all have) how someone could have constructed anything on the Money Pit (if they even have) and he’s centred in on a technique used by Cornish Miners. These flood tunnels by the Money Pit he believes
would have been constructed from further out, rather than straight down from source. He puts 16^th century Francis Drake on the map as taking gold he’s plundered to Oak Island. Basically, although there’s no proof he went to North America, that this might be a vault that was used as a bank of sorts for a period until it fell out of use or was used as Francis Drake’s grave! Apparently, Francis Drake died overseas and was encased in a lead coffin and poured with mercury (for good measure?) but this has never been found.  This isn’t as wacky as some of the ideas I’ve heard although this guy looks rather cocky about his claims, but then, he would. Incidentally, mercury has been found on the island.

Next up, some of the boys are with metal detectorist expert Gary Drayton again, as well as Laird in Lot 26; this is the one Samuel Ball owned, who got it from Captain James Anderson, a former pirate and the guy who owned that sea chest we saw a while back. They wonder if there’s more chests in this lot area. First up, there’s a wall that they think could have been used for loading/unloading of stuff on/off ships by Captain Anderson in past. The narrator has them discovering it but I seriously doubt that’s the first time anyone has seen that wall. It’s not in great condition anyways. Then they find a rectangular depression in the ground. They want to dig it but need a permit as this is in a protected area.

Its back to St Mary’s University as the boys don their white suits once more. Dr Yang also doesn’t play game as he’s too cool for white suits. They are testing the small piece of pulp. It’s made of paper, possibly a parchment, the likes of which was used rarely and only for important documents back in the day after 15^th century. Looking at the small piece of leather next and it is indeed leather (thank goodness we had those experts to help huh?) but also there’s some fibres in with it, leading the expert to suggest it might have been used as a book binding. This now leads them down the theory that William Shakespeare’s friend Francis Bacon put clues in his writings and then buried his original manuscripts on Oak Island. See how just one little mention of something can lead them down all sorts of paths? Anyhow, next up they need to find textile experts and get some date on these items.

3 days afterwards, it’s back to Lot 26 to look at that depression. They’ve got a permit but to get their destructive equipment in, they need to butcher a few smaller trees. This is heart-breaking to watch but I guess no pain, no gain. I’m sure they replant 2 trees for everyone chopped down, right? Lots of digging but absolutely nothing is found. Trees sacrificed, and a depression mutilated, all for nothing.

2 days later again, and it’s the War Room with Laird and the gang to get results of the bones via a Dr Fraser on the phone. One of the bones is from the European group, but the other is middle eastern which surprises them all, but leads to the Knight’s of Templar theory who got lots of stuff from the Middle East. Of course, it could just have fallen out of someone’s pocket hundreds of years ago …

The last few minutes are the heavy equipment arriving in Money Pit to dig a massive hole in H8.

Rating: 5/10 – Lots of talking, theories and wasted digging, but not a lot learnt about the items or bones apart form initial findings.

The gang discuss the merits of giving up on the Money Pit and creating a putting green, but first they look at H8 where they plan to dig a massive hole next.

Here's the next crazy theorist person in the War Room, although he's got a more realistic and probable theory than some of the others we've heard.

This is depressing. Yes, it's a depression in the ground in Lot 26.

This is the leather close-up. It's magnified so much that your eyes could pop. 

Noticing how picturesque the area in Lot 26 was looking with it's little cute depression, the gang set about chopping down trees and digging a pit large enough to bury that JCB in.

The Curse of Oak Island S05E06

Synopsis

After years of searching, the Lagina's unearth evidence of what Marty believes is the exact location of the ultimate target - the Money Pit.

What I thought

It’s gloomy, waterproofs are sodden, as the rain comes down, yet Dan Henskee (first appearance this season!) and Jack are looking through spoils from H8, washing it down through wire mesh on a makeshift bench they’ve constructed. It’s been long hours washing through small items, most just normal stones etc, but they’ve found some more pottery with a nice blue design on white and some odd wood which they all are fascinated in. I can’t see much too unusual about it, but they’ve seen more fragments than I have.

Next day we’re off to St Mary’s University to Halifax with the bone and wood from H8 to get it scanned. Rick, Marty and Jack all dress up in white suits again as does the main expert but yet again, the computer operator is in his usual clothes. Electron microscope SEM that magnifies objects by 200x and composition material. Both items turn out to be bone! They can even see hairs and tissue; gross. Need more tests to find out if animal or human.

We’re then back with more spoils work by Dan and Jack on much better sunny day. They find a small piece of leather, possibly from a shoe. Then there’s a rather flopping paper pulp like piece of paper perhaps. It’s hard to tell exactly what it is, but it’s certainly interesting, given that this is possibly the area where that small piece of parchment was found many years ago.

Same day, we’re back in Money Pit. Apparently, they’ve done 35 out of 40 Geotech bore holes. Blimey, that was quick. Geophysics’ Mike is here. He’s putting probes down most of the holes that will read conductivity and detect items nearby. But wait, Rick is not there?! Seems he’s ill. We then get Marty to visit Rick who gets shirtless to show this bite on his back. Nasty. Both go off to doctor. It’s lime disease and he gets antibiotics for next month. Back in the Money Pit area, scans on several holes show nothing, but this time it’s hole H8 where everything has been happening recently that gets scanned. Indeed, there are disturbances down this hole at depths where the famed Chappell vault was suspected to be. After drilling to 250ft deep in hole H8, and 11 years after starting quest to find the Money Pit, the brothers declare they’ve found the Money Pit! One suspects a massive hole to be drilled now where H8 is.

3 days later, Rick is recovered and has a haircut too. In The War Room he reads out the results from St Mary’s University’s’ further tests which reveal that the bones are human and possibly two different people!

Rating 7/10 – Because we get conclusive proof of the bones being human (although we don’t know ages yet), more evidence from the spoils of H8, and positive detection in right location down H8, this is a very satisfying episode.

Jack & Dan discover more pottery from the spoils of H8.

And also find wood ... except it's not wood, it's bone!

Her'es the main controlling the electron microscope who is too cool to wear a white coat.

Before the results are displayed, the boys have to sit through an hour long Health & Safety video explaining how to wear white coats effectively.

The results are in: it's bone!

Jack watering his plants? Nope, these are more spoils from H8.

Having spent so many hours going through the spoils without any breaks, Jack finds himself wanting to eat the piece of leather.

The results of the scan down H8 show lots of stuff on the screen, none of which I had time to understand.

Marty points out that he's still using Windows 7.

The biggest shock this episode: Rick's choice in seats.

The Curse of Oak Island S05E05

Synopsis

The discovery of a document offers new clues on the exact location of the Money Pit, and the fellowship of the dig makes a cryptic discovery at uncharted depths.

What I thought

Ricky, Marty and drilling team are back in the Money Pit. 16 of the 40 holes complete in GeoTech grid and there’s lots of wood coming up that they are sifting through like a scene out of a gold rush movie.  John Wannacott, Geophysics engineer and historian, turns up. He and his partner originally helped devise the grid of Geotech holes, which leads Marty to ask the obvious to him “Why haven’t we found it yet?” Of course, they are not half way through the holes yet and the area is littered with past excavation remains. There’s bit of debating about if all the holes are needed and the order they will be drilled but essentially, they all agree to continue as planned. That’s five minutes of basically nothing then.

Next, we’re off to Sydney! No, not Australia but another town miles NE of Oak Island where Alex, Jim and Peter are meeting Doug Crowell, researcher, who has spent a few days looking through documents donated to the Beaton Institute library from past treasurer hunter, William Chappell. I’m not sure what he was doing for last few days as all the good stuff seems to have been found today, although I expect that’s just the way it looks on TV. In 1897, it was William Chappell who believed he found a vault and the small parchment of paper before flooding destroyed location in Money Pit. There’s a lot of very decent informative documents in this institute (which leads me to ask, where have they been for the last 100 years then?) including a document written on oath from a William Blair that Chappell drilled through gold. There’s also a map that basically shows that where the gang thought the bottom of the Chappell shaft was is wrong as the bottom extended 12ft north. More holes needed it seems. Why didn’t they look at this data before they started?

A Day later, 8 new holes mapped in new area and a start on one of them, H8. Currently they are turning up wood that was painted in a black substance that they used around 1890s to protect wood from water. Apparently, it smells. This new H8 hole had seemed to have gone past an object in a void but at 200ft they don’t seem to have found anything. Then, they found small pieces of pottery at 190ft. As they call it a day on drilling further, they find a larger object in the spoils, about the size of a finger.

Marty, Dave and Gary Drayton are at boulderless beach on the north shore. They find a large iron spike. Probably early 1700s from a ship so they call up Laird who marches all the way there and basically confirms what they said. Poor chap, Why they dragged him there I don’t know. It could be a spike from a ship or a wharf. Maybe boats were offloaded etc there. Could explain the odd formation of that area.

At War Room, Laird looks at the pottery and he reckons it’s late 1700s English imitation pottery of sorts, which would just predate discovery of the Money Pit. Why’s it so deep though? The other item the size of the finger Laird says he’s fairly certain is bone! Exactly if it’s human or animal though remains to be seen. It looked like bone from day one to me, but I might have thought that thanks to the sneak peek from last week and not due to any intelligence in detective work.

Rating 7/10 – The team dig up yet another spike but in Money Pit, a new discovery on where to drill reveals pottery and bone.

Much to the annoyance of others trying to study, Alex calls his dad up to tell him about what they found.

Yet more evidence pops up to tell them they are drilling in wrong place.

Gary digs up an old spike. Let's ask Laird what he thinks ...

... "It's a spike", says Laird.

Some of the pottery from H8.

The fragment of bone from H8.

The Curse of Oak Island S05E04

Synopsis

Danger strikes just as the geo-tech drilling team hits a possible void in the Money Pit.

What I thought

This episode can be thought of as the one dedicated to the legacy of the Restall’s and a timely reminder of Health and Safety.

We’re back in Money Pit area with those GeoTech holes being drilled left, front, centre … right, down a bit, left a bit, drill drill … etc. Terry the Geologist is still there. So far, 16 of the 40 4” wide holes to 200ft dept have been drilled systematically (there is a plan it seems) near GAL-1 and C1. Apparently, this sort of drilling is usually used to assess stability of construction for the likes of dams, bridges etc. The team believe they are about to drill holes in the area known as the ‘Chappell Shaft’; thus named with the surname of an exploratory shaft drilled in the 1930s which will lead to an original hole found in 1897 to the ‘Chappell Vaults’ where there were claims of shiny gold stuff. Just when the current drill hole hits 166ft odd, they think they’ve hit bedrock (no, not where the Flintstones live). Then, there’s a change as the drilling team report they’ve found nothing, or as they call it more technically, a void. Make that two voids, one of which is 30ft “tall”. The gang think this might be a “spiral staircase” theorised back in 1959 ish by a previous explorer. Next up, they start bringing up wood in the spills, which I’m not sure how that adds to the staircase theory but it’s interesting nonetheless. Then there’s a dramatic moment as the pressure pipe assisting the drilling breaks free, taking out one of the operator’s called Max. He’s down and injured. Looks like the worst of it is a broken wrist but it’s a moment of drama and concern for everyone. It’s also a time to take stock of general health and safety practices, which they’ve not neglected but perhaps have been a little too lax over how close people get to certain equipment.

Meanwhile, next day, Jack/Peter and the metal detector maestro Gary Drayton are off exploring Isaac’s Point once more. First up, they find parts of a toy gun from 50/60s. Uncannily, this is all related to the other theme of the episode, the Restall family.

In the War Room, the debriefing over the GeoTech holes in the Money Put is discussed by Ricky and Jim. Having learnt more as they’ve already drilled the holes, they now feel the need to modify the plan and increase the number of holes. Jack barges in to show off the toy gun. Rick thinks it might be the Restall’s boy’s gun, of which the family were there in the 60s and tragically left after the father, another son and two others died in an accident in the Money Pit. Lee Lamb, Restall Snr’s daughter, has also recently been in contact and wants to return to see the new visitor centre.

Three days later it’s back to Money Pit to meet the drilling team by Rick, Marty & Craig. Max is alive and mostly well; it’s “only” a small fracture of the wrist and he’s otherwise ok. After a lesson in drilling by the narrator, we hear of a new safety measure the team will use to stop the hose from flying all over the place if same thing happens again.

Later, Lee Lamb and her brother Rick Restall return to Island. They are shown to the Visitor Centre in an emotional reunion of sorts with their display of photos and maps on the wall showing the Restall’s time on the island. They also show Rick Restall the gun they found, which he remembers losing over 50 years ago. It’s certainly a memorable moment.

Right at the end, in time honoured tradition of making us lick our lips for the next episode, we end with one week later, drilling resuming in the Money Pit and … Max is back!

Rating 6/10 - A moving tribute to the Restall family and a Health & Safety assessment make this an episode with emotion.

The spoils are really spoiling us: we've got bits of wood!

Red Alert! The pressure pipe breaks free, injuring drilling team member, Max.

Max is made of hard stuff though, taking it in his stride.

The offending part of pipe that took down Max. 

Gary the metal detector expert finds a gun. Ok., it's a toy gun.

Jim finds it hard to get excited over the interruption to a meeting to see this toy gun. ;)

The newest piece of safety equipment ensures that what happened earlier won't happen again.

Rick Restall is reunited with his toy gun, lost 50 years earlier on the island.

Lee Lamb also gets a tour of the Restall section of the visitor centre.

The Curse of Oak Island S05E03

Synopsis

New evidence of a European presence on Oak Island exhilarates the team, until alarming news threatens to shut down the entire operation.

What I thought

Craig and Jack visit the geologist they hired to go through the spoils from the Money Pit Geotech holes who is lurking nearer with his dishes of muck and stones. These Geotech holes go up to 200ft but so far they’ve only done 10 holes out of what I think was 40 odd. All the spoils from the drill holes come down shaker bed and get checked out by the geologist. A Plastic PVC pipe goes down to keep holes intact. In an area where previous treasure hunters say they encountered a vault and then a massive metal plate, the driller is at 165ft ish and there’s fragments of metal coming up in the spoils as well as it being impossible and harder to drill. They can’t get any further on this hole, so they stick the plastic casing down. To prove he’s a geologist and enamored only with rocks, the geologist completely ignores all the excitement of the metal finds that the gang are oozing over. Lol.

Rick, Marty and Gary the metal detectorist extraordinaire are on Lot 16 again. This are used to have spoils from the money pit dumped there in the 1960s when a previous treasure hunter dug a super massive pit which later collapsed. He basically just gave up and left the spoils behind. Almost as if by magic, Dave Blankenship appears from nowhere to join the three. The first find is a broken nail, and no, not from Gary’s fingers. Then things improve remarkably as they find two coins, which Gary thinks shows Charles II’s head on. That’s about 1660 ish; 1673 they reckon one reads. We then get reminded by our narrator of Captain Kidd, pirates and a few other random theories just to fill in time and make us all lick our lips. A quick trip follows to see Dan Blankenship to show him the coins. He’s pleased. So, English were there, Spanish, who else on this island? We’ve seen coins before. We all need to see something else that’s tangible, other than coins.

Politics comes to Oak Island in the form of a Heritage and Culture letter to Rick. Back in 2010, Rick and partners got a Treasure Hunting Act from the Canadian Government to essentially do what they liked on island (and hell yeah, they have!) except in sensitive areas like the swamp, coastal areas and a few small “foundation” areas. Seems them discovering these artefacts on Samuel Ball’s land last season has stirred a few at Heritage department. Most likely watching last season on TV has given some heritage people palpitations. Rick and Marty have a meeting with that department to find out what’s up and then come back to the pub to discuss with the others. Finally, some sense it seems is coming to proceedings. The heritage people don’t like the gang digging up everywhere like they have so Rick/Marty propose hiring an archaeologist to accompanying all future digs as a way to satisfy the heritage people. Whoop! This really should have been in place ages ago! All this random digging, even though there’s been years of it before, has always worried me. The next day after, archaeologist Laird arrives, who we’ve seen numerous times assist the team in past. He’s now on board and their official archaeologist. Yippee!

The next day, apparently, and Rick, Marty, Gary and Laird are at Lot 24. This is where they found those artifacts last season related to Samuel Ball. Uh oh, there’s some trees in the way, which means Marty is let loose with a JCB. Poor trees. Guess they aren’t important ☹ Could have been worse, at least it wasn’t Jack! The area would be nuked if he had the JCB controls. So, Gary goes searching. What do we find? A Spoon bowl, 18^th century. Ok, that’s definitely a spoon. Then there’s a lump of iron, which could have been for anything, before we find a bit of a plot. No, I mean pot. Things all add up to someone having been here at some point living. When they lift up another stump of a tree, there’s organised stones everywhere, causing Laird to blow his top and shut down any further digging. Rejoice for Laird! This guy is what they needed from episode 1 season 1 to be there lurking and checking everything out. Laird thinks this could be foundations for a house or wall. It’s something though for sure. He’s also got lots of red tags scattered over the area as if it’s a crime scene. I love this guy!

Rating 6/10 - Some 17th century coins aside, a possible house where Samuel Ball lived and some welcomed stringent archaeological presence on site, this episode makes steady progress towards some answers.

Finding more change than from a vending machine, there's two more 17th century coins this week.

Lots of muck, stones and ... wait ... metal ... come out of one of the holes in the Money Pit.

It's just random metal though. From previous digs perhaps?

Laird arrives on Oak Island to bring some organisation and sanity to all the digging this lot do.

Woodhenge? No, it's an area cleared of young trees in order to ... DIG!

There's a spoon lurking beneath a stump.

Laird can't take anymore and calls time on the JCB.