REVIEW: Star Wars Rebels Season 4 mid-season trailer
Given how "divisive" the Last Jedi is, it's nice to talk about Rebels again. Although, soon, that won't be the case. It's hard to believe, but Rebels' remaining 7 episodes will air from February 19 to March 5. I'm not a big fan of double episodes per week, however, the episodes themselves look really good. It's going to be an emotional finish for the show, and hopefully, the show can finish properly and live up to both fan expectations, as well as the expectations out on by Dave Filoni himself.
As always, I'm going to simply react to different moments and shots from the trailer and what it could mean for the show as a whole.
Kanan's new look
The first half of the trailer is shots from past seasons, detailing Ezra's journey so far. While I admit, at times I complain how stagnant the show can be, taken from the start of the show, it's amazing how far we've actually come. I mean, what started off as a group of rebels trying to mess with the Empire, now is the same rebels working with the official Rebel Alliance and fighting to take back a world from Imperial control. Of course, it's also amazing how far certain characters has come, such as Ezra...
...as well as Kanan. Yes, Kanan has shaved and cut his hair. Myself, as well as, many people on the internet, made the connection that Kanan is finally ready to fully embrace his Jedi mindset and become his birth name, Caleb Dume. Of course, other characters will still call him Kanan, but I think the journey he has been on, both good and bad, have led him to this point. Of course, he looks really weird without his ponytail, but hey, I guess I'll just have to get used to it.
More Rukh
One of my complaints from the first half of season 4 is that we didn't see much of Thrawn's assassin, Rukh. It seems, from just the trailer, he will be a force to be reckoned with now. We see him throughout the trailer fight with Kanan, Ezra, and Zeb, and I'm excited for all three fights. It will be interesting to see how much of a sword-fighter he will be against two lightsaber wielders.
The Emperor in the flesh
This was honestly the biggest surprise of the trailer. Darth Sidious, the Emperor himself, will be making a physical appearance in the show. I honestly never expected to show up in the show. We see him in the trailer interact with Ezra, saying: "Ezra Bridger, mine at last!" This obviously implies he wants to use Ezra as one of his servants, which makes sense, given how many times he has dabbled in the dark side. My question, based on how the trailer is set up, if he is even going to physically interact with Ezra, or its a dark side illusion. I mean, if Ezra actually met the Emperor, Ezra would be defeated in less than a second. Maybe he serves as another temptation like Maul, or maybe he has a real dramatic role in the final episodes.
Also, he is voiced by Ian McDiarmid! Cue all the Revenge of the Sith memes!
The clones are back
After being pretty much absent for all of the first half of the season, both Kallus and Rex are back to join the fight on Lothal. Rex even has a new look that supports the fan theory Rex is the old Rebel trooper on Endor in Return of the Jedi. Also, not to be undone, Rex has brought back his other two clone friends, Gregor and Wolfe, which we haven't seen since the second episode of season 2.
Everyone together
One of the lines from the first season 4 trailer was "All the paths are coming together." Well, that is certainly true too, as it appears almost every side character the Ghost crew has worked with will come back to help, including Ryder, Ketsu, and Hondo. It will be nice to see all the allies working together, just, don't overdo the comic relief. I know there is going to be some, especially with Hondo, but don't let it be too distracting.
Thrawn's brutality
We don't see much of Thrawn in this trailer, but his impact is certainly felt. Probably after losing some small battles, which FYI, the action looks really good, he decides enough is enough and orders a full orbital bombardment of the capital of Lothal. I imagine that moment will be a devastating and powerful moment, especially for Ezra.
I still wonder how the battle for Lothal will turn out. I mean, they wouldn't end a show like this on a sour note, but Filoni said he knows the Rebel Alliance never had a major victory until Rogue One. Maybe he'll pull a technicality and say it wasn't the full Rebel Alliance that won?
More wolves
The Lothwolves will continue to be a big, and I do literally mean big, mystery throughout the season. Ezra comes face to face with a giant lothwolf. Like the other wolf moments before, I feel this is leading to a big payoff that I can't really predict. Still, why is this wolf so big...and have blue eyes?
More mysteries
It is confirmed that at least Ezra will return to the Lothal Jedi temple. I guess is that this mysterious plane of existence he is in is an illusion, or test, that he will go through, which again, will hopefully lead to a big payoff. Ezra also comes face to face with the bird called a condor. This bird has followed Ezra across the galaxy, such as Lothal, Atollon, and Malachor. What does this bird represent? Again, we'll have to wait to find out.
The ones
Talk about callbacks, this brief image is a major reference to one of the most beloved stories from the Clones Wars, involving the Father, Son, and daughter, who represent the balance, dark side, and light side respectively. A major theme of Rebels, of Star Wars really, is the idea of balance. Therefore, it makes sense that these characters would be referenced, or even possibly reappear this season.
One final lesson
The last few shots of the trailer are going to make fans speculate the most. Ezra first is seen talking to a hologram in the Jedi Temple. Could this be the mysterious voice that was in the Sith Holocron, could this be the Bendu in another form, or Obi-Wan, or a new character, or, could this be the return of Ahsoka. She is confirmed to return, but Filoni is still keeping her fate a mystery for the time being.
Regardless, Ezra finishes the trailer by saying he knows what to do, "One final lesson," before standing by Lothwolves. What could this mean, and how could this lead to his and Kanan's fate? Whatever the answer, I'm sure the result will at least get everyone talking.
Overall, it was a really thought-provoking trailer for just seven episodes. I know I say all trailers are good and I find some ways to be disappointed in the final product. Well, I can still have problems with something even if I like the material a lot and thought the trailers were great. (The Last Jedi) Regardless, I'm interested to see 1) How the show itself ends; 2) How all the characters will wrap up; and 3) How the path of the Ghost crew will affect the grand Star Wars universe and story as a whole.
