REVIEW: Star Wars Rebels "Twilight of the Apprentice"
Okay, I'm just going to come out and say it, much like last season's finale, this one delivered. In fact, I think that this was the best episode of the series so far and its ending changes EVERYTHING for the future. Yeah, it's that good. Oh, and for those that say the show is kid-friendly and won't go dark, well then say hello to this episode.
The three lightsiders arrive on Malachor and through Ezra, enter a place in the planet that contains the ruins of an ancient battle and a Sith temple. Yes, Ezra uses the dark side, get used to that. Anyway, the three are attacked by a new Inquisitor but an explosion causes Ezra to be separated from the other two.
The two manage to defeat and capture the Inquisitor and informs the two that there are still many more Inquisitors out there and that he is after someone on the planet known as the shadow. I'll use this time of the review to say that the art, lighting, music, animations and fight scenes were fantastic, easily ranking among the series' best.
It is then that Ezra meets Darth Maul, and for me, surprisingly, he was the highlight of the episode. I know what you are thinking, really, he was the highlight in the episode with Vader vs. Ahsoka? I'll explain my reasoning, mainly he offered the biggest shocks and surprises of the episode. He first appears like an old-wise hermit like Ben Kenobi but in reality it is a ruse to lure Ezra to become his new apprentice. Sam Witwer returns to do his voice and of course, he is fantastic. He adds so much depth to the character and you can see the turmoil and emotions in him every time he speaks.
Anyway, the two team up because they are both after the same goal, knowledge about the Sith. The whole temple is built on the rule of two philosophy in that every room, elevator and passage to get a holocron needs two and only two people to get. I like how Ezra is conflicted with Maul because he wants to trust him but also has faith and puts trust on Kanan's teachings. It makes for a good dynamic that makes you wonder if Ezra will one day turn to the dark side.
The two eventually find the holocron as all three Inquisitors attack with Vader on the way. The first jaw-dropping moment came when Maul first appears to them all and attacks them with A NEW DOUBLE-BLADED LIGHTSABER BABY! Ahem, anyway, the three Inquisitors retreat by, flying through the air with their lightsabers?! OK, since when in the hell could those things do that? Seriously, that was kind of silly.
Anyway, Kanan agrees to side with Maul as the four climb the temple to place to holocron at the top. Kanan and Ahsoka get separated as Maul force grabs the Seventh sister and tells Ezra to kill her. When he refuses, he throws his lightsaber and bisects her. Yeah, of course they didn't show it on-screen but you hear it. Yeah, I did not expect that. Maul then tells Ezra to go and then proceeds to brutally kill the Fifth Brother and appears to kill the third Inquisitor. I think he might survive as he fell off the temple and didn't get stabbed, but we'll see if it's true.
Then, the biggest shock of the episode comes in. Maul attacks the two. Ok, that part wasn't a surprise, but in the process stabs Kanan in the eyes and blinds him. Yes, Kanan is now blind. I did not expect that at all. Maul then reveals that the temple is actually an ancient weapon and will use its power to exact his revenge against Sidious. Ezra puts the holocron in the, thingy, and the weapon turns on and talks to him, weirdly in the same exact voice as Assajj Ventress from the Clone Wars.
Anyway, Ahsoka fights Maul briefly as it is revealed that the two know each other and have history. Oh details for the future. Ahsoka leaves to help Ezra and Kanan, wearing a mask similar to the Jedi Temple Guard from his vision, defeats Maul and pushes him off the building. I'll admit, I thought Maul went down a little too quick, but it was still a good development moment for Kanan as he now has to learn how to fight with his disability.
Then, the moment you've been waiting for comes. Vader arrives and after a brief duel, destroys Ezra's lightsaber and is about to kill him. Ahsoka comes and after a great one-on-one moment of words, the fight begins. Ok, million-dollar-question, how was the fight? It was good, it was still intense and it had its standout moments, but I just wish the fight lasted longer as it was relatively short given the stakes. Ezra and Kanan manages to pull the holocron away which causes the temple to collapse.
Ezra and Kanan are about to be captured by Vader when Ahsoka slashes him across the mask revealing part of his real face and damaging his voice box making him talk like Anakin again. That was the best part of the fight again and it was both really powerful for Ahsoka to try and redeem Vader and for Vader to say, "You will die," as Anakin. Ahsoka stays behind as the temple collapses and the two Jedi escape.
So yeah, that's pretty much where the episode ends. The two return to the rebellion, Maul survived (which makes me think the third Inquisitor might have survived), and in the end you see Vader limp out of the destroyed remains of the temple. Does that mean she died? Well, in one frame you see what appears to be a person enter the temple. That could be her, it could not be her. it will be a mystery until next season. Speaking of next season, the episode ends with Ezra's eyes turning yellow and opening the Sith Holocron. FORESHADOWING!?
Like I said, the length of the Ahsoka-Vader fight was my only complaint. There was emotion, drama, darkness, surprises, and more questions to lead to theories to lead us to next season. While the first season's finale made us have hope, this finale has a feeling of realism, grittiness, and makes you truly wonder what is going to happen to all of these characters in the future. I mean, none of them show up or are mentioned in the original trilogy. Until then, all we can do now is speculate. But I will say that for now, this finale delivered in almost every single way and pushed the series forward to new and exciting depths, and I can't wait for more.
