The end of last seasons Star Wars Rebels promised big; Vader big. And they did not disappoint.
The season 1 finale saw the crew of the Ghost join up with the Rebellion proper. Moreover, it revealed that not only did Ahsoka survive the Clone Wars, she was also part of the Rebellion and Hera’s contact. But the best part was the stinger, showing Darth Vader walking down the ramp from an imperial shuttle to Lothal. No one liners about failure to Tarkin or Agent Kallas. Just that respirator.
Vader is not, however, happy with Minister Tua’s performance, despite her working overtime at doing anything and everything she possibly can. He invites her to a mandatory meeting with him and Governor Tarkin the next day. Considering that last season she saw what happens when you fail one of the Sith one time too many, she is understandably terrified for her own life. So much so, that she contacts the Rebels through Old Jho, offering Imperial secrets in return for an extraction. Everything goes to plan, until it turns out that her shuttle was booby-trapped on Vader’s orders, killing her and leaving the Ghost crew with no means of getting off of Lothal as their transport gets shot down.
They decide that their best way off Lothal with the blockade in effect is to steal an imperial shuttle. From the base. Since the garrison is spread thin looking for them, they succeed in getting into the base. And, I particularly liked watching Ezra fail to use the Mind Trick on a storm trooper. Unfortunately, Vader is there.
The writers definitely wanted you to remember how much of a badass Darth Vader is, despite George’s efforts to the contrary. No matter how awesome Kanan’s fight with the inquisitor was last season, Darth Vader is many steps above that. He almost effortlessly beats the ever loving shit out of Kanan and Ezra. The only get away form him thanks to an explosive distraction gives them an opportunity to Force push him. And then drop a couple of AT-ST’s on him. They then have the audacity to try to walk away, not realizing that this is DARTH FUCKING VADER we’re talking about, and two burning chicken walkers are nothing to him.
Sabine even gets her bell rung because she was foolish enough to fire a blaster at him to cover Kanan and Ezra’s escape. He reflects them back at her, and she’s damn lucky she was wearing her helmet. They get away, and realize that there’s only one person on Lothal that can help them get away. Lando Calrissian: smoothest Colt 45 spokesman in space. He lets them use his crap on Lothal since he’s not home at the moment, in return for some shield generators they stole from the Imperial base.
I have to take a moment to say that it’s awesome that they actually get the original actors for these parts when they can. Yes, that’s really James Earl Jones, that’s really Billy Dee Williams. And while there are certainly times where it isn’t feasible, they care enough to try. That’s the sort of thing that earns high marks.
Unfortunately for the Ghost crew, Vader mastered the Batman Gambit, and dropped a tracker on the shuttle they stole. Meaning that they lead him right to the Rebel fleet. And does he drop his Star Destroyer on them? A fleet of TIEs? No, just him, in his personal TIE fighter. The rebels send their Phoenix squadron at him, the guys that were rocking the crap out of the Imperials at the beginning of the episode. They didn’t stand a chance. And after he’s gone through most of Phoenix squadron, he just starts shooting up the command ship.
The Ghost crew puts themselves into the fray in an attempt to buy the fleet time to escape. It’s only because Hera is an excellent pilot that Vader doesn’t shoot them down. Ahsoka decided to join them, and tries to figure out just who is in the TIE fighter with a bit of help from Kanan. By reaching out with the Force, she finds out, and the revelation knocks her out. This is because all they know is that he’s a Sith lord, not specifically that he’s Darth Vader. But to Ahsoka, there’s no denying it. After they finally get away, she pretty obviously lies to them when she tells them that she doesn’t know who they’ve been fighting. Her attempt went both ways, however, and Vader definitely knows that she was Anakin’s apprentice.
They end the episode with a call to the Emperor. Vader lets Palpatine know that Ahsoka is in the game. The Emperor has better shit for Vader to do, so he orders him to put a couple of inquisitors on the case. Makes sense; you can’t keep Vader in the game all the time and also keep his potency as an effective antagonist.
Final Thoughts:
- You know one of those Star Destroyer bridge officers got Force choked.
- James Earl Jones’ voice = auditory sex.
- We’ve been promised clone troopers this season.
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