REVIEW: Star Wars Resistance: Season Two

Let me start this review by stating this. A lot of what I have to say about season two of Resistance boils down to what I wanted personally to happen. I was not part of the creative team with the show, so I don't understand everything that goes into making a show like this for its targeted audience. This season, when looking at it from a show made for little kids, is fine. It has good messages and character moments, and enough cool action set pieces to keep younger ones entertained.

That being said, coming as someone who is, well, not a younger kid, this season left me feeling disappointed. That's not to say there weren't great moments and episodes throughout, but overall, I felt like this season could have been a lot more, especially considering this was supposed to be the "bridge" between the sequel trilogy films.

First, let's talk about what I liked. I thought Kaz really grew as a character this season. While yes, there were moments throughout where he was clumsy or an idiot, those moments were balanced out well when he fully embraced his journey as a member of the Resistance, vowing to make the galaxy a better place. I thought it was a nice evolution for him as a character go from a young, hot-shot pilot from the New Republic, afraid of getting into any conflict, to a man who is willing to sacrifice his life to save the people of the Colossus, and fight the First Order. Plus, he's only 20. A regular 20-year-old human with no force powers. So it was nice for him having the courage to fight, without having to rely on the force, unlike Ahsoka and Ezra, which was honorable to me.

The characters I liked in season one, I liked in season two. These included Yeager, Torra, Captain Doza, and Synara. Hell, I even warmed up more to Neeku more in this season.

The show, in its flying and action sequences, had really good animation in my opinion. I also thought there were great background and creature designs throughout the season as well.

I also thought when the show focused on its main plot -- Kaz and the Colossus vs. the First Order -- the season was at its best, as it had real stakes, emotion, and suspense. I also thought the final episode was a mostly great and satisfying finale, that wrapped up the individual storylines of Tam and Kaz well.

That being said, here is what I was mixed on with the season. I said, many times in season one, that I wasn't a big fan of Tam as a character, but really liked the twist of her joining the First Order. Therefore, it was my hope that this season focused on her journey in the First Order, getting to know her better, and to understand her situation, before she defects from the First Order.

In my opinion, the show did the bare minimum amount in that regard. You do see her life in the First Order, why she chose to join, and why she ultimately decides to leave. However, it didn't feel as fleshed out as it could have been, as I wish we got more sequences, or even her own standalone episodes, focusing on her adventures and backstory.

The same thing goes for the First Order in general. Even though they were the main villains, I wish we got to see more of them throughout the season, be more menacing, and more of a constant threat to the Colossus. When they showed up, they were great, but it made me wanting more.

That leads me to the bad, or what I didn't like about the season. Pretty much every episode that didn't directly involve the First Order I thought was filler or unneeded at best, and bad at worst. Seriously, I honestly think "Kaz's Curse" might be my least favorite episode of the show. In theory, I understand some of these episodes detail the dire needs of the Colossus, such as needing food, fuel, and credits, which are important, and I'm glad they addressed. I just wish they addressed all those problems in one episode, two at the max, rather than draw it out, taking away from expanding on the ploys of Kaz and Tam. I also thought the episode, "The Relic Raiders," was unneeded because the idea of exploring the force wasn't ever really addressed in the show, and felt like a throw-away episode just to explore on lore. I'm all about exploring lore in Star Wars, but only when it truly matters and connects to the story of the show.

I also thought once again, the Aces, except Torra and Hype, got very little screentime, and no character development at all, minus like five minutes with Griff. It felt like a wasted opportunity, again, not getting to explore them in-depth, while focusing way, way, too much on the pirate crew, who, to me, had no redeeming qualities to them, and were a constant annoyance, minus Synara.

If I had to redo the season, with the same number of episodes, 19, I would keep the first three episodes the same. I would get rid of "Hunt on Celsor 3," and replace it with one episode dealing with the whole Colossus crew getting food, fuel, and credits. I would keep "the Engineer and Rendezvous Point," but get rid of "From Benath," "The Relic Raiders," "The Voxx Vortex 5000," and "Kaz's Curse" That gives us six episodes so far, and thirteen remaining.

It would be here that I would show "The Mutiny," right then and there, to get rid of the pirates, followed by two, back-to-back episodes, for a total of four, showing Tam's solo adventures in the First Order, followed by two episodes of the Aces going on missions for the Resistance, bonding and learning more about the other. I would then show the rest of the season in order, followed by an additional epilogue to the finale, showing Kaz and the Colossus interacting with members of the larger Resistance, setting up the events of The Rise of Skywalker.

I think this would have solved all my personal issues with the show, and made the season even better. As it stands now, to me, it was uneven and sloppy at its worst, with good to great moments throughout.

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