Star Wars: Rebels Season 4 (2017) Review

Now ahead of The Bad Batch season 2 coming to Disney+ in the New Year, I have now finished Star Wars Rebels with its 4th season. I actually have never watched this season before, so this is my first experience seeing the conclusion of the shows run and here is my review for it. The premise of the season sees after the destruction of The Rebels base by Thrawn, The crew of The Ghost return to Lothal and attempt to save the planet from the oppression of The Empire. 

Main Character

Ezra Bridger once again voiced by Taylor Gray gives a really strong performance. I compared him to Luke Skywalker from A New Hope in my Season 3 review but in Season 4 he is more like Luke from Return of The Jedi and it is handled extremely well. He has developed as both a Jedi and a person, clearly showing his progress from the very first episode to the last episode. After a rough start, Ezra has really developed into a great character that deserves a huge amount of credit. 

Supporting Characters

Freddy Prinze Jnr is back as Kanan Jarrus, he is given plenty to work with and the character develops into a real Jedi Master. They do some cool things with his character especially as the season progresses. The rest of the Ghost crew are given plenty of stuff to do and its pretty worthwhile. Though I feel like the emphasis is really on Ezra & Kanan that they don't get as much time to shine with some of the other supporting characters disappearing for the majority of the season. Lars Mikkelsen is back as Grand Admiral Thrawn and once again he is the best part of the show, we see him in action way more and that is always a good thing. There are some characters that are surprises here and they are also handled well without breaking canon too much. 

Story 

The overall theme of the story is fantastic, spending the bulk of the season on Lothal was a good call as it was the first real location of the show. It feels ramped up like a final season should do and the writers did an excellent job of making us really care about what was going on. But, some big stories from the previous seasons are really limited, there is one in particular that has been built up since the very first episode that has a lacklustre ending and that is a let down. 

Script

The script is really good. This is easily the most mature of the seasons and we finally see the devastation and destruction that comes from this war. The humour isn't as prevalent and I am glad to see that. 

Style 

The style of the show is better then ever, the animation is fantastic and sells just how large the stakes are for these characters. Also the whole filler issue is gone as there are less episodes and pretty much all of them are crucial to the story being told with an amazing finale. 

Overall

Overall, the fourth season of Star Wars Rebels is fantastic and in my opinion the best season of the show. It really ties things together well and with the brilliant finale it truly delivers and is a must watch for any Star Wars fan. 

Rating - 9/10

Star Wars: Rebels Season 3 (2016) Review

With the 2nd season of Star Wars: The Bad Batch coming to Disney+ next week, I decided that it was finally time to finish my review of their previous animated show Star Wars Rebels and here is my review for the third season. The premise of the show sees after the traumatic experiences of the previous season's finale, the crew of the Ghost attempt to continue to build a rebellion. But the introduction of a new Imperial leader makes their lives more difficult then ever. 

Main Character

Ezra Bridger is once again the main character voiced by Taylor Gray and this is a strong performance. You see the issues that he has been going through since the events of Malachor and it actually feels pretty natural. His character comes across similar to how I feel about Luke Skywalker is A New Hope, he is a bit whiny and annoying at times but you do end up rooting for him and wanting to see him succeed. For a show heavily aimed at children, this is a pretty mature and complex character. 

Supporting Characters

This show has a huge cast so I will probably just mention my favourite ones. Freddie Prinze Jnr voices Kanan Jarrus and he is fantastic. After being blinded by Maul, his character has to go through plenty of development to really gain an understanding in how to be a full Jedi and this is handled in an appropriate way. Sabine Wren voiced by Tiya Sircar is given way more to do this season, the whole Mandalorian storyline is expanded this season and her character is tied very closely too it. Focusing on this supporting character for a few episodes could have been dull but it ended up being some of the best episodes of the show. The rest of the Ghost crew, Zeb, Chopper, Hera & Rex are given time to shine to and it is just really nice seeing a show focus on a group of characters that are just so likeable. Maul is back for a storyline voiced by the excellent Sam Witwer, his presence is hanging over the whole season and even though he isn't the main threat I really liked how he is used with some of the biggest moments of the show. But the addition to the show that really shined was the addition of Lars Mikkelsen as Grand Admiral Thrawn, his chilling voice and overall demeanour is superb. The way he is presented makes him one of the best villains in the Star Wars universe, everything from his tactical mind to score make him a major threat and easily my favourite part of this show. 

Story 

The story is better here, it focuses on some major plot points that focus on the characters and the building of the Rebellion. Maul's story, the Mandalore plot and Thrawns hunt for the Rebels are easily the best and thus give this season way more intrigue and care then previous plot lines. But there is still some filler here, it's not as bad as the previous season but I wish there was a few less episodes and the focus was even more on Thrawn and how his mind works. 

Script 

Though this show is meant to be for kids, I feel like season 3 was more mature and the writing was improved. The majority of the characters grow and are developed, there are some legitimately dark moments and even though the humour is still a bit childish it works overall. 

Style 

The show has its unique style but there has been a clear improvement from Season 1 to Season 3. The set pieces are bigger, the action is more exciting and the characters just look sleeker. The shorter length of episodes make this an easier binge which considering some of the episodes was required. But as I mentioned above, there is a bit too much filler for me. I don't know why this season felt like it needed 22 episodes as it does hold it back a bit. 

Overall

Overall, The third season of Star Wars Rebels is a great addition to the Star Wars universe. It is fun and shows the Rebellion being built in a more interesting and worthwhile manner. 

Rating - 8/10

Star Wars: Rebels Season 2 (2015) Review

I started rewatching the Star Wars Rebels show and now I just finished watching the 2nd season and here is my review. The premise of the season sees the crew of The Ghost become a part of a Rebel fleet, with the help of Ahsoka Tano they aim to put dents into The Empire which causes the ire of Darth Vader himself. 

Main Character

Ezra Bridger is back as the lead character and he is once again a great character. He has that youth about him that makes him vulnerable but you see his power growing and you see him becoming more and more capable. He is written well aswell, you can tell they have a long term plan for the character and this start is really well executed and you are interested to see where it is going next. 

Supporting Characters

Freddie Prinze Jnr plays Kanan and both of the characters work really well together, you learn more about his history as a Jedi and how he isn't like the majority of Jedi we have seen on screen. The bond between him and Ezra has grown this season and it is better to watch and you feel the loyalty and connection there. The rest of the Ghost crew Hera, Zeb, Chooper & Sabine are more fleshed out this season and they are just a really likeable group and you care about all of them which is really helpful for a show like this. The show brings back Captain Rex and Ahsoka Tano from The Clone Wars and the legendary Darth Vader and even though used sparingly it is great to see. You know all season you are waiting for the clash between Ahsoka and Vader and when it comes it does not disappoint and lives up to the billing.

Story

The story is interesting, seeing are rag tag group as part of The Rebel Alliance changes there characters and the way they act. As mentioned the characters are fleshed out and most of the stories are made more personal. The final episode is brilliant, it is breathtaking and some of the best Star Wars that has been seen ever. The problem is this season, that the story is bit all over the place, because there was more episodes they stray away from the main plot too much and some characters have to take a back seat in order to keep the mystique of them alive.

Script

The script has some really good drama, better then the previous season. There is much more emotion and it is really well handled. But the humour is once again pretty childish and doesn't really work, I mean I have to accept it is designed for kids but humour should still work making the characters more natural.

Style

The style of the show has some exciting action scenes and really epic moments leading to the final episodes. But for some reason this season has 22 episodes, 8 more then last season and it is just way too many. It leads to a lull in the middle of the season where if some episodes were cut it would be a better flowing show. 

Overall

Overall, this is a good second season, I feel like if it had the same amount of episodes as the previous season it would have been better but it is only decent. If you are a fan this is a worthy follow up for sure. 

Rating - 7/10

Star Wars: Rebels Season 1 (2014) Review

 After watching The Clone Wars all the way through I have decided to go through and watch the sequel show all the way through, starting with the first season of Star Wars Rebels, here is my review for this season. The premise of the season sees 15 years after the death of The Republic a group of misfit rebels come together in order to stop The Empire's hold on the planet Lothal.

Main Character

A new character is introduced on this show and that is Ezra Bridger voiced by Taylor Gray and I really liked this character. He feels like a young kid bought into this crazy world and you do sympathise with him. He has a really interesting story and has a real personal reason to get involved in the story of the show. They leave some mysterious things to be revealed later and it makes you interested in the character and I did end up caring about him. 

Supporting Characters

The best part of this show is possibly the supporting cast, the great thing about the crew is that they are all so different and you grow to really like them all in there unique ways. Freddie Prinze Jnr voices Kanan Jarrus and he was a great part of the show, there is a big reveal early on about his character and it leads to a really interesting dynamic between him and Ezra, there characters go through alot during the season and you see Kanan really face his reality and be made into a better person. Hera, Sabine & Zeb are all great characters, the chemistry between the crew is a real highlight and it works, they all even have small story arcs to themselves to flesh there characters out and give you a reason to care about them. The Inquisitor is the main villain and I thought he worked for this season, he is a great foil especially for Kanan and feels like a perfect first season villain and he feels like a natural villain. 

Story

This show is often compared to The Clone Wars and one thing this show does better is that of its characters story as it feels much more focused. It focuses on its crew and develops them well and doesn't try to do too much, all the characters are given interesting stories and pretty much every episode contributes to the main plot so it all feels like it has to be there. Also the finale is a truly great episode with two twists at the end that makes you really want to keep watching and gets you even more excited for a 2nd season. 

Script

The script actually has some suprisingly touching and dramatic moments that was a nice suprise considering this show was made as a kids show. These characters have real problems and the show does a truly great job of showing that effectively. One of my issues is that the humour doesn't quite work, it is here where you notice the childish elements of the show and that it feels a bit more kid friendly and not a way to make the characters more interesting. 

Style

The action scenes are pretty exciting, they keep you interested even though they don't do anything to push the boat too much in this first season. The season has 15 episodes and this was a really good length as I said the episodes are pretty much all interesting and important to the plot which makes it move by very quickly in the right way. However, this show's animation isn't particularly strong, it works for a childrens show but for me it doesn't quite do enough to hit the darker tone The Clone Wars, I know they are different shows but this show does it sometimes but not enough to really hit the levels it needs to. 

Overall

Overall, this is a great first season of the show, it is a fun show to watch with a great selection of characters that you care about. Definitley makes you want to watch a 2nd season and that makes it very affective. 

Rating - 8/10