Star Wars Rebels sort of reconstructs a large number of things that years of the extended universe broke. Like the Mandalorians. Clone Wars deconstructed them, almost certainly to tweak Karen Traviss’s nose, by having them be hippies that almost entirely abandoned their warrior race heritage.
Anyway, the rebellion needs new routes around Imperial blockades. Sabine found one that runs right through a system belonging to a Mandalorian colony. The faction that runs it (Concord Dawn being the colony, which sounds more like a brand of wine) were the ones that were originally brought in to train the clones, according to Rex. Commander Sato wants to go in guns blazing, since as warriors they’re far more likely to respect a show of strength, but Kanan suggests diplomacy. He wins out mostly thanks to Hera, who takes on the mission herself, with Sabine tagging along because she knows far better than they that the diplomacy thing is far more likely to go sideways.
And it does. Spectacularly. Fenn Rau of the Protectors (the faction that runs Concord Dawn) is already in the Empire’s pocket, and dispenses with formalities with open fire. but hey, at least an incidental voiced by Steve Blum survives, for once. Hera sends the rest of the squadron she brought with her back, covering their escape. Sabine leaves her under protest, and her and her worries turn out to be founded when Hera’s A-Wing makes it back to the fleet.
She’s still alive, but Fenn Rau really shot the shit out of her. The medical droid in this scene, coincidentally, is also played by Vanessa Marshall; so she treated herself. Anyway, Sabine’s out for blood, but Kanan recognized Fenn’s name, and decides to try diplomacy on his own, his way, refusing to bring anyone but Chopper.
Sabine had other plans, and stowed away on the Phantom. Her plans involve high explosives, which is why we like her. It’s also why we like Mythbusters, but that’s another thing entirely. Kanan, however, lets her know that he’d really prefer that she’d wait to blow shit up until things go wrong.
Kanan and Fenn Rau fought together during the Clone Wars… technically. Kanan’s just beginning to butter the guy up when Sabine gets caught and demands a trial by combat with Fenn. Their fight is ended when Sabine detonates all of the explosives she planted, destroying all the Protectors fighters but one; Fenn’s. Which he immediately hops into to get away.
In the ensuing chaos, Kanan hops onto the top of Fenn’s fighter, while Sabine runs back to the Phantom, because Kanan will need aerial support. Kanan manages to hold on despite Fen’s best attempts to shake him to a plunging death that no amount of force power will save you from. You can see the realization in Fenn’s eyes when Kanan decides enough is enough and jams his lightsaber through the cockpit and the controls.
After a daring midair jump into the Phantom with Fenn’s unconscious ass, they return to the fleet victorious. Since they’re holding Fenn as an “honored guest”, the Protectors won’t do shit, unless they really want the Empire poking around their system. They have their new route, and thus ends another episode of Star Wars Rebels.
Final Thoughts:
- The surviving Steve Blum incidentals for this episode is actually up to two.
- Sabine’s clan (House Vizsla) was, interestingly enough, at odds with the Protectors. Actually not surprising, as that places her mother in Death Watch.
- It’s nice to hear Kevin McKidd. I’m probably one of like five people that remembers Journeyman.
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