Tag: Disney XD

As the Empire’s hold on shipping and supply lanes grows tighter, the Rebellion is forced to try to make new pacts with allies. This brings Hera and Phoenix Squadron to the war-torn Mandalorian world of Concord Dawn, whose leader, the outlaw Fenn Rau, might be receptive to an alliance. But Hera discovers too late, and at the cost of half of Phoenix Squadron, that that Fenn Rau has declared his allegiance to the Empire. Sabine is the only pilot other than Hera to survive, and Hera herself barely survives. Kanan decides to go back to Condord Dawn to engage in more aggressive negotiations with Rau, but Sabine may have other ideas…such as declaring a Mandalorian blood feud.

written by Henry Gilroy & Kevin Hopps
directed by Brad Rau
music by Kevin Kiner
based on original themes and music by John Williams

Cast: Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger), Freddie Prinze Jr. (Kanan Jarrus), Vanessa Marshall (Hera / Phoenix Four / 2-1B Surgical Droid), Tiya Sircar (Sabine), Steve Blum (Zeb / Phoenix Two / Wingman #1), Keone Young (commander Sato), Kevin McKidd (Fenn Rau), Dave Filoni (Phoenix Three), Dee Bradley Baker (Rex / Imperial Officer / Wingman #2)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Ezra learns from Hondo, a somewhat unreliable source, that some of the last living Lasat refugees are about to be taken into the custody of the Empire. Zeb is relieved at first to see fellow Lasat, but then becomes frustrated when they seem intent on allowing ancient prophecies decide where they will settle. Worse yet, they insist that Zeb is part of those prophecies. How can he take part in them when he doesn’t believe them?

written by Matt Michnovetz
directed by Saul Ruiz
music by Kevin Kiner
based on original themes and music by John Williams

Cast: Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger), Freddie Prinze Jr. (Kanan Jarrus), Vanessa Marshall (Hera), Tiya Sircar (Sabine), Steve Blum (Zeb Orrelios / Imperial Officer #1), Dee Bradley Baker (Admiral Konstantine), David Oyelowo (Agent Kallus), Grey Griffin (Chava), Gary Anthony Williams (Gron / Stormtrooper #2 / Stormtrooper Commander #1), Jim Cummings (Hondo Ohnaka), Dave Filoni (Stormtrooper #1 / Stormtrooper Commander #2)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Hera, Kanan and the others are running low on fuel as they prepare to raid a mining guild platform based in an asteroid field – a much-needed supply of fuel for both the Ghost and the Rebel fleet, and intercepting its latest fuel shipment would also prevent that fuel from being used by the Empire. But a swarm of whale-like space creatures gets in the way…until Ezra points out that they’re heading for the asteroid where the mining platform is. The creatures need the unrefined gas that is used to make starship fuel, so destroying the entire asteroid and igniting the gas is no longer part of the plan, much to Hera’s frustration. Can they really bet everything on Ezra’s Force connection to these creatures?

written by Bill Wolkoff
directed by Mel Zwyer
music by Kevin Kiner
based on original themes and music by John Williams

Cast: Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger), Freddie Prinze Jr. (Kanan Jarrus), Vanessa Marshall (Hera), Tiya Sircar (Sabine), Steve Blum (Zeb Orrelios), Fred Tatasciore (Boss Yushyn / Mining Guild Guard), Dave Filoni (Mining Guild Guard #2)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

After Phoenix Squadron is reduced to half strength in a high-risk raid to move cargo to other ships in the Rebel fleet, Commander Sato tasks the Ghost crew with a challenging assignment: find a base of operations which can provide Phoenix Squadron with shelter. One promising target is a massive Imperial carrier ship which holds station over Hera’s home planet of Ryloth. Hera contacts her father, Clone War hero Cham Syndulla, and tries to mend fences with him. Tiring of Imperial control over Ryloth, Cham wants to destroy the ever-present carrier rather than commandeering it… and he’s willing to betray his own daughter to make sure his plan is the one that’s carried out.

written by Steven Melching
directed by Bosco Ng
music by Kevin Kiner
based on original themes and music by John Williams

Cast: Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger), Freddie Prinze Jr. (Kanan Jarrus), Vanessa Marshall (Hera), Tiya Sircar (Sabine), Steve Blum (Zeb Orrelios / Imperial Officer / Stormtrooper Commander), Corey Burton (Carrier Captain / Phoenix Three / Imperial Officer #3 / Gobi Glie), Robin Atkin Downes (Cham Syndulla / Rebel Captain / Imperial Officer #2), Keone Young (Commander Sato), Catherine Taber (Numa / Phoenix Two), Dave Filoni (Phoenix One / Stormtrooper Deck Officer)

Notes: Cham Syndulla was indeed a hero of the Clone Wars, appearing in two episodes of that series, season one’s Liberty On Ryloth and season three’s Supply Lines. Robin Atkin Downes, who voiced the character in his Clone Wars appearances, played the part of rogue telepath Byron in the fifth season of Babylon 5.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Captain Rex leads the Ghost crew to the planet Geonosis, whose Separatist insect inhabitants were lured into sparking the Clone Wars, which led directly to the Republic’s transformation into the Empire. Believing that there is still a significant stockpile of Imperial material there that would be put to better use by the Rebellion, Kanan and the other rebels find themselves fighting their way out of a trap. The destruction of an Imperial orbital platform forces Zeb and Agent Kallus, the tireless pursuer of the Ghost and its crew, to share an escape pod which crashes on an icy moon of Geonosis, breaking Kallus’ leg. The two bitter enemies must set aside their differences to survive even a single night there.

written by Kevin Hopps
directed by Brad Rau
music by Kevin Kiner
based on original themes and music by John Williams

Cast: Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger), Freddie Prinze Jr. (Kanan Jarrus), Vanessa Marshall (Hera), Tiya Sircar (Sabine), Steve Blum (Zeb Orrelios), Dee Bradley Baker (Admiral Konstantine / Rex), David Oyelowo (Agent Kallus)

Notes: The episode’s title is a play on the title of its inspiration, the 1958 movie The Defiant Ones, whose plot of two bitter enemies forced to depend on each other to survive has all but become a movie and film trope of its own.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

As the Ghost crew continues searching for a base for the Rebellion, the Inquisitors keep pursuing Kanan and Ezra, to the point that Kanan believes their presence is endangering the rest of the Rebellion. They seek Ahsoka’s advice, but she has none – at time like these, she would always turn to Master Yoda. With Ahsoka in tow, Kanan and Ezra return to Lothal and reveal the hidden Jedi temple there, where Kanan hopes to seek Yoda’s counsel. Instead, Kanan receives a dire warning that he will fail to protect Ezra, and Ezra will turn to the dark side. Ezra sees Yoda, while Ahsoka sees a vision of Anakin, berating her for failing to be at his side when he needed her most. And during all of these Force visions, the Inquisitors are once again close by…

written by Henry Gilroy
directed by Saul Ruiz
music by Kevin Kiner
based on original themes and music by John Williams

Cast: Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger), Freddie Prinze Jr. (Kanan Jarrus), Vanessa Marshall (Hera), Tiya Sircar (Sabine), Steve Blum (Zeb Orrelios), Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka Tano), Matt Lanier (Anakin Skywalker), James Earl Jones (Darth Vader), Philip Anthony Rodriguez (Fifth Brother), Jason Isaacs (Sentinel), Sarah Michelle Gellar (Seventh Sister), Frank Oz (Yoda)

Notes: The powerful Force user known only as the Grand Inquisitor was previously a Jedi Knight. This is Anakin’s first appearance since the Clone Wars series finale; the Lothal Jedi temple was previously visited by Kanan and Ezra in season one’s Path Of The Jedi.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

The Rebel fleet prepares to jump to the Yost system, a system rumored to have little or no Imperial presence, a promising site for a future Rebel base. But the Rebels’ stolen Imperial carrier doesn’t have enough fuel for that kind of hyperspace trip, and more must be stolen from the Empire. The Ghost lands at a remote Imperial depot, but as Hera and Kanan fight their way into an Imperial complex, Chopper is more interested in getting a new left leg. The cranky old droid finds a suitable leg at a nearby dealer of droids and droid parts, but is so preoccupied with this leg that he fails to notice the Ghost leaving without him…

written by Matt Michnovetz
directed by Mel Zwyer
music by Kevin Kiner
based on original themes and music by John Williams

Cast: Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger), Freddie Prinze Jr. (Kanan Jarrus / Stormtrooper #4), Vanessa Marshall (Hera), Tiya Sircar (Sabine), Steve Blum (Zeb Orrelios / Imperial Officer / Stormtrooper #5), Dee Bradley Baker (Admiral Konstantine / Rex / Ugnaught Shopkeeper), Stephen Stanton (AP-5 / Stormtrooper #1 / Stormtrooper #3), Dave Filoni (Cargo Deck Officer / Stormtrooper #2), Keone Young (Commander Sato), Gina Torres (Ketsu Onyo), James Adomian (Imperial Captain)

Notes: Ketsu had first appeared in Blood Sisters earlier in the season.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

The planet suggested by Chopper’s new friend, AP-5, as a possible Rebel hideout is indeed promising. The Empire’s influence is nowhere to be found, and a desert planet attracts little interest from anyone else. But the Rebels haven’t counted on hostile local life forms, and soon find themselves fighting to save their new base from creatures that already lived there. Meanwhile, Kanan and Ezra are training furiously for a showdown with the Inquisitors, a duel they know they cannot avoid – and a duel which Hera knows may cost her two of her most valuable crewmates.

written by Steven Melching
directed by Bosco Ng
music by Kevin Kiner
based on original themes and music by John Williams

Cast: Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger), Freddie Prinze Jr. (Kanan Jarrus), Vanessa Marshall (Hera), Tiya Sircar (Sabine), Steve Blum (Zeb Orrelios / Phoenix Two), Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka Tano / Deiser), Stephen Stanton (AP-5), Keone Young (Commander Sato), Dee Bradley Baker (Rex)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Kanan, Ezra, and Ahsoka set out with Chopper to find out why the vision of Yoda directed Ezra to go to Malacore. The answer is obvious when they arrive: an ancient Sith temple lies waiting. And that’s not all that lies in wait: the Inquisitors are already there, though not all of them are expecting the Rebels. A third Inquisitor is hunting “the shadow”. A floor collapses in the temple, separating Ezra from the others, and he befriends an old man who simply calls himself the Old Master. The Old Master has been trapped alone in the Sith temple for years, but since all Sith technology and architecture requires two people – a master and an apprentice – to operate it, he enlists Ezra’s help to retrieve a Sith holocron. The Old Master is the shadow.

But he was once known as Darth Maul.

written by Dave Filoni
directed by Simon Kinberg & Steven Melching
music by Kevin Kiner
based on original themes and music by John Williams

Cast: Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger), Freddie Prinze Jr. (Kanan Jarrus), Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka Tano), Robbie Daymond (Eighth Brother), Sam Witwer (Maul), Dee Bradley Baker (Rex), Sarah Michelle Gellar (Seventh Sister)

Notes: Introduced – and then dispatched (or so we thought) – in live action in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Maul returned to hound Obi-Wan and the Jedi in the fourth and fifth season of Clone Wars.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Kanan and Ezra race to the scene of an attack on a Rebel cruiser, only to discover it’s a diversion: the twisted Sith Maul has taken Hera and the reset of the Phantom crew hostage, and demands both the Jedi and Sith holocrons. When retrieving the Sith artifact from Bendu, Kanan and Ezra are warned that the two holocrons together are a powerful threat. The holocrons are delivered to Maul by Ezra, while Kanan barely survives a trap set by Maul. Kanan is left for dead, making it easier for him to free the others, while Maul discovers something from the combined holocrons that leaves him repeating “He lives! He lives!” as he makes his escape. But what did Ezra see?

written by Henry Gilroy
directed by Steward Lee
music by Kevin Kiner
based on original themes and music by John Williams

Cast: Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger), Vanessa Marshall (Hera Syndulla), Freddie Prinze Jr. (Kanan Jarrus), Tiya Sircar (Sabine Wren), Steve Blum (Zeb Orrelios / Rebel Trooper), Tom Baker (Bendu), Sam Witwer (Maul), Dave Filoni (Rebel Crewman)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Word reaches the Rebellion that there’s a dissident faction among students at an Imperial flight school, wishing to defect. Since she has prior experience as an Imperial pilot trainee, Sabine is enrolled at the school with a new identity and a cover story, and meets three pilots who want to escape the Empire and join the Rebellion. Sabine engineers an escape plan, but the Empire, aware that there are traitors in their midst and aware that a Rebel agent is among their trainees, has already planned to stop them. Ezra’s impatience to get Sabine and her trio of defectors to safety is as much of a danger to the operation as the Empire.

written by Gary Whitta
directed by Saul Ruiz
music by Kevin Kiner
based on original themes and music by John Williams

Cast: Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger), Vanessa Marshall (Hera Syndulla), Freddie Prinze Jr. (Kanan Jarrus / Imperial Technician / TIE Cadet #1), Tiya Sircar (Sabine Wren), Steve Blum (Zeb Orrelios / Green Leader), David Oyelwo (Agent Kallus), Corey Burton (Bridge Officer / Instructor Goran / Rake), Keone Young (Commander Sato), Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (Female Civilian / Governor Pryce / TIE Cadet #2), Dave Filoni (Green Five / Imperial Officer), Trevor Devall (Hobbie / Rebel Captain / Transport Captain), Mario Vernazza (Vult Skerris), Nathan Kress (Wedge Antilles)

Notes: This episode is as close as we’ve gotten to an origin story for (future) Rebel flying ace Wedge Antilles, as well as his fellow Rebel pilot, Hobbie, who would prove instrumental in the Battle of Hoth.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Hera and the crew of the Ghost race to rescue Hera’s father, Chaim Syndulla, and his inner circle of revolutionaries from an Imperial garrison on Hera’s home planet. Where previous Imperial attacks there have been hit-or-miss, Chaim Syndulla now says that there is a new focus and ferocity in their actions. Hera enlists the help of her friends to retrieve a personal item from the palace, only to discover that the Empire is more deeply entrenched there than previously believed. Grand Admiral Thrawn himself has taken personal command, and knows exactly who Hera and Ezra are. Now, if Hera’s father does not surrender himself to the Empire, Hera and Ezra will pay the price unless they can outwit Thrawn.

written by Nicole Dubuc
directed by Mel Zwyer
music by Kevin Kiner
based on original themes and music by John Williams

Cast: Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger), Vanessa Marshall (Hera Syndulla), Freddie Prinze Jr. (Kanan Jarrus / Stormtrooper #2)), Tiya Sircar (Sabine Wren), Steve Blum (Zeb Orrelios / Imperial Officer), Andre Sogliuzzo (Captain Slavin), Robin Atkin Downes (Cham Syndulla / Stormtrooper #1), Corey Burton (Gobi Glie), Lars Mikkelsen (Grand Admiral Thrawn), Catherine Taber (Numa), Dave Filoni (Scout Trooper / Stormtrooper #3)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Captain Rex leads Kanan, Ezra and Chopper to a crashed Separatist ship left over from the Clone Wars, hoping that its stockpile of munitions will be intact. To his amazement, that’s not all that’s intact – there are still functioning Battle Droids guarding the ship, and they believe the war between the Republic and the Separatists is still on. Since he wasn’t alive to experience the horrors of the Clone Wars, Ezra makes a bet with the droid army’s strategist: if the Battle Droids can be beaten, Ezra and his team can take the remaining weapons back to the Rebellion. For Rex, it’s a nightmare: the war that cost him so many of his friends and comrades is about to be fought again. Worse yet, the Empire arrives, and has no qualms about wiping out all of the combatants.

written by Brent Friedman
directed by Bosco Ng
music by Kevin Kiner
based on original themes and music by John Williams

Cast: Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger), Vanessa Marshall (Hera Syndulla), Freddie Prinze Jr. (Kanan Jarrus), Tiya Sircar (Sabine Wren), Steve Blum (Zeb Orrelios / Stormtrooper #1), Dee Bradley Baker (Admiral Konstantine / Red Pauldron Trooper / Rex), David Oyelwo (Agent Kallus), Matthew Wood (B1-268 / Battle Droids), Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (Governor Pryce), Gregg Berger (Kalani)

Notes: As the episode hearkens back so strongly to the animated Clone Wars series that preceded Rebels, the end credits and music appear as they would have in an episode of that series, rather than using the standard Rebels musical theme.

LogBook entry by Earl Green