REVIEW: Star Wars Rebels "The Protector of Concord Dawn"
Well, this was, an interesting episode, at least for Star Wars lore. While the plot of the episode is nothing we've never seen before, the main focus of this episode to me was the moral implication of choice and the continued backstory of Sabine and the Mandalorians. How well done were the implications of each? Well, decently.
The episode starts out with the rebellion needing a new hyperspace route to get past the Empire. The group suggests that they use the Mandalorian colony of Concord Dawn. This creates a divide amongst the group because the actual planet Mandalore was captured by the Empire and they are worried that this group will be loyal to the Empire. Uh, how about yes? It doesn't take a lot of brains to figure out who they will side for. However, regardless, Commander Sato and Sabine want to pretty much capture the base so they can see the the rebellion's strength while Hera and Kanan want to talk diplomacy and not kill anybody.
Both of the strategies do have their own strengths and weaknesses. However, why don't you just pick a different lane? Why does it have to be the Mandalorian one? Also, Kanan, I get why you don't want to kill but I'm sure you've killed a few stormtroopers over the course of your past. Just saying. Hera and Sabine lead a small group of fighters and big shock, they are under the pay of the Empire. Sabine and Hera escape but Hera is left severely injured.
Hera and Kanan then want to do completely different strategies again as a response. Kanan wants to try diplomacy again, which--why try if you just saw what happened to your friend? Sabine wants to go down and personally deal with the leader of this group called the Protectors, called Fenn Rau, who she knows from her past. I can understand her mental state in wanting to make the decision. However, it's not wise either because what would happen if they alerted the Empire?
Sabine and Kanan land on the planet and decide to try to do a mixture of the plans. Kanan will try and talk to Rau, and if he disagrees, they will blow up their ships. I guess it's the best plan they've had this episode.
Ok, I will use this section to talk about backstory and lore because the rest of the episode is pretty straight forward. It is revealed that Sabine was a member of House Vizsla on Mandalore. For those who aren't aware, Vizsla were from the group, Death Watch, who were the leaders of Mandalore until Darth Maul killed their leader, Pre Vizsla, and started a civil war between his group and Vizsla loyalists. My guess is that when the Republic--later Empire--took over Mandalore, Maul fled and his group swore loyalty to the Republic while the Vizsla loyalists fled as well and went into hiding. Years later, Sabine was born.
It is just a theory, but if it's true, I really like that development. Mandalorians are about strength and honor, so when Maul fled, they felt betrayed. So they joined the stronger and more honorable group to avoid disappearing. It would also explain why Sabine left the Imperial Academy on Mandalore as well. I like how we are getting more and more snipets of Sabine's past. I just wish they were more frequent and expansive. On a side note, we got more info on Kanan's past in the Clone Wars as well, and I thought it was intriguing as well.
Kanan talks to Rau, who of course says that he is staying with the Empire because they are paying them and are the stronger group. Sabine puts explosives on some of the ships but gets captured halfway through. Sabine then challenges Rau to single-combat, which is the Star Wars version of Texas test your luck gun draw. Kanan pleads with her not to kill him and in a badass moment, blasts the gun from his hand and detonates the bombs on the ship.
We then get a badass sequence in which Kanan and Sabine, without killing anyone, escape and capture Rau and take him prisoner. Kanan goes ham in this sequence and goes on his ship and literally pulls him from there and onto the phantom. Rau agrees to let the rebellion use his hyperspace lane and not tell the Empire because he's a prisoner. I just wish the resolution wasn't as rushed though.
Overall, the episode isn't bad. It had cool action and badass moments, and the lore still is intriguing, at least to me. I just wish some of the choices were thought out more and the ending wasn't as fast-paced.
Comments