Star Wars Rebels 3x21 "Zero Hour, Pt 1" - reaction & review
Added 2022-11-28 12:38:41 +0000 UTCHey everyone! Here it is - my reaction to season 3, episode 21 of REBELS!!!! Whoa, we were SO CLOSE when it came to a plan to really make a good strike against the Empire, dang it! Why does Thrawn have to be so THRAWN!!!! Also Kallus :( And Sato!!! :((( Things fell apart really fast, and Thrawn is way too clever for his own good. But I know two things from Star Wars - 1) the Rebels thrive under pressure and will literally give their lives to make sure the mission goes on, and 2) there's always hope!! And right now, that hope's name is SABINE!!!!! Can't wait to see the finale! Great ep! Enjoy!!! ~ MH
Comments
There was a lot of loss here wasn't there!!! They're not messing around in this one. Angry Bendu, omg!!!!!! He was in a stormy mood :P Lol!!!
Melissa Moore
2024-03-14 14:29:40 +0000 UTCFinally lost Constantine after all this time cause he was too greedy and couldn’t just do his job. Also lost Sato and his brave pilots that stayed. And now we get to see what happens when you make Bendu angry. He disappeared into storm clouds!
Cody
2024-03-14 03:27:19 +0000 UTCOhhhh I think I know what you mean!!
Melissa Moore
2022-12-04 15:35:36 +0000 UTCKanan’s inner peace EXCEPT for some emotional inner turmoil for reasons you will have now seen in the first episode of season 4: most un-Jedi like :-)
Nick
2022-12-03 16:54:37 +0000 UTCI love that scene too!!! Curious what will take place between them in season 4 too, and I agree that it's a great culmination of all the love, respect, shared experiences, etc. They've definitely shaped each other for the better! That's such a great analogy about real life parenting too!!! :D
Melissa Moore
2022-12-03 15:07:00 +0000 UTCI agree, they represented quite a bit with that sacrifice. The animation was superb, I agree, you could really see the emotion on his face! So well done. You can also really see Ezra's progress like you said! Hahaha Chopper is a boss, he's contributed a lot for sure! Hera is also a boss!! I love Rex and Zeb here too. Kanan's character arc of finding himself and his inner peace has been great to watch. And Sabine learning how to become a strong leader too! I agree about Thrawn, he's not cowardly in his actions. Yes I can see the tonal shift for sure!!!! It's been amazing to watch!
Melissa Moore
2022-12-03 15:03:09 +0000 UTCOh, and I meant to add that the moment near the start of the episode between Ezra and Kanan, when Kanan tells Ezra he stood out as different (in a good way), and Ezra tells Kanan how much he has learned from Kanan about being a good person, I find incredibly moving. It’s moving partly because of their shared past together up to that point, partly because of the obvious strong bond between them based upon mutual love and respect, but also for other reasons associated with season 4. And it’s obvious what a positive effect Kanan and the rest of the Ghost crew have had on Ezra by this point. Just as it is obvious how Kanan has grown and changed through his experience of teaching and looking after Ezra. It’s a bit like becoming a parent in real life: it’s kind of obvious that the parent will influence the child as the child grows, but what perhaps gets mentioned and thought about less is the way being a parent changes the parent, often for the better.
Nick
2022-12-03 11:35:11 +0000 UTCSato and the two nameless individuals that volunteered to stay with him and die really emphasise the camaraderie and sacrifice this rebellion inspired/ required. And the show did this in a serious, thoughtful way, with a well respected character, to add to the impact of the act. The look on Sato’s face as he was making his decision to sacrifice his ship and himself was amazing animation; and having seen his facial expression, no words were needed to know what was going through his mind: a moment of animation genius for me. Ezra is showing a lot of experience, maturity, quiet confidence, and thoughtful humility in this episode - he’s a very different Ezra to episode 1, season 1. Although, I can’t help but feel that Chopper has contributed more to the Ghost crew and the rebellions efforts and successes than Ezra was admitting to! :-) Hera is demonstrating even more impressive leadership qualities. It’s great to see Rex and Zeb together: comrades in arms that clearly respect and like each other, and both willing to risk their lives together as capable warriors who believe in the rebellion. I really like their friendship in Rebels. Kanan and Sabine have also grown as people considerably. Kanan is surely fully living up to his Jedi knight status (where he gained this at the Jedi temple on Lothal in season 2), and is by now an experienced Jedi, and de facto Jedi Master. Someone who has also found an inner peace and place in the world, just as Obi Wan has. And Sabine is also turning into a strong leader. Also, it’s worth observing that Thrawn did not have to put himself in harms way capturing Kallus during Kallus’s transmission; however, whatever Thrawn’s faults are, lack of intelligence, fear, and an inability and unwillingness to fight his own battles, definitely don’t feature as being part of his nature. A foe to be feared and respected. Finally, there’s the broad change in the last half of season 3: a far more serious, even darker, higher stakes tone coming in. It’s been there before at times but even so …
Nick
2022-12-01 21:56:44 +0000 UTCHahahah I remember the fruit days :D Ohhhhh that's how he put it together, interesting! Yeah he is highly entertaining, even if I'm rooting against him! Very cool about Dodonna, I knew the name was familiar! I couldn't agree more about Ezra!! Loved the line as well haha. The Star Destroyer sound effect is really great at putting one on edge for sure. Ohhhh no kidding, that was Dave Filoni?! Awesome! Hats off to Hera for sure for going up against someone as calculating as Thrawn! She made the best tactical decision she could. I don't know what Konstantin was thinking either, but good thing he made that decision! Scary to think of how much worse it would have been if he hadn't. Such a good point about Bendu's lack of action being worse than anything. Yeah Kanan has to call back to how he was when we first met him, for sure. The action was great for sure, and I can see how this battle would have hit even harder!!! YES Sabine!!!!!!!!!!! XD
Melissa Moore
2022-11-30 16:09:12 +0000 UTCYeah it bugs me that Thrawn is so calm! Yeah I figured it was planned that it was Ezra's place??? But maybe not! Hahahah total death flags, what the heck! Thrawn's definitely trying to get results but really enjoying himself way too much along the way like you said haha. Oh I know, it worked out so well that there was conflict in the ranks here! It's scary to think about though, that it was something like insubordination that was the only reason things didn't go worse for the rebels. So true, that was just the message I saw from that as well! That's the thing, Bendu's totally in the middle, so a light-side focused argument won't work! But, if the Empire knocks that balance out, that's bad for Bendu too. Hahah way to go on the prediction! Yeah I would have been surprised too if Sabine hadn't shown back up sooner or later!
Melissa Moore
2022-11-30 16:01:28 +0000 UTCI know!!! They were MVPs!! The trust and loyalty is legendary!!!!!!
Melissa Moore
2022-11-30 15:55:57 +0000 UTCRIP to Sato and his crew. The ones that followed original orders and the ones that stayed. Either way it shows the greatness of trusting one another and staying loyal to one another. 💫
Manny
2022-11-29 11:57:27 +0000 UTCI’m gonna go ahead and dump this in before I watch the finale so I don’t have hindsight tracking me down. First off Thrawn saying he brings “urgent” news while he walks calmly off the ship - I’m beginning to wonder if anything flusters this guy… other than that one outburst about art he’s been excruciatingly calm. Ironic that Kallus’ station for reporting to the Rebels would be Ezra’s old hideout… I don’t know if that was planned but I don’t see how. Just one of those coincidences. Oh, you got death flag talk from Kanan and Ezra’s conversation too? So it wasn’t just me… I think on some level Thrawn is telling the truth… he’s looking for results, but for him he enjoys the game a lot more and boy, he’s good at playing it unfortunately for the Rebels. Fortunately for the Rebels, the Empire is full of hard heads and not everyone listens to Thrawn. If they did, the rebellion would’ve ended a long time ago. Konstantine has been a trigger happy commander all season but this time his goof cost Thrawn his victory and the commander his own life. Sari’s kamikaze also sends a message: people are willing to sacrifice anything and everything for their freedom. Bendu’s always been in the middle and Kanan’s appeal seems to be falling on deaf ears. He was equally interested in both the light side and dark side of the force as they are two sides of the same coin. Your entire argument is based solely on the light side of the force winning… to convince him you’re going to need to present a case that this is pushing the pendulum too much to one side, I think. Also, last scene: I called Sabine before Ezra even said it. I’m gonna pay myself on the back but also, consonant, she’s been gone long enough for a major character and you think we’re going to leave her out of the finale? I know how this plot point gets set up without even looking. 😎
Tyler Stobbe
2022-11-29 05:59:57 +0000 UTCAh remember back when we were only concerned with getting some fruit? Thrawn has been waiting for this moment. The codes AP-5 and Chopper stole a few episodes ago, have alerted him to the fact that the rebels were planning to attack the Lothal shipyard to take out his TIE Defenders, and he times it correctly when General Dodonna's fleet head off, so Thrawn assumes he is meeting up with Sato and Hera's cell; and he uses Kallus's call to triangulate the planet they'll head to - Atollon. You don't want him to succeed, but like Vader, he is also too cool not to enjoy watching. On General Dodonna, he is in the original trilogy and I believe Rogue One too, and is played by an actor who was in A New Hope as well, which is a great tie-in. You mentioned a few episodes ago Melissa about how much Ezra has learnt from Kanan and Hera; I was going to mention at the time, that he does recognise it, but thought it would be best to hear it from him here. Ezra is special, and the Spectres - well aside from Chopper!! - have helped him become a selfless person, great rebel and on the long path to Jedi Knighthood. There is something endearing the way he says "may the force be with me!" :D There is something about the sound of all the Star Destroyers flying in simultaneously thats terrifying. We rarely see them at their worst in battles, but they are indeed something to be feared in the right hands. Always smile at the pilot played by Dave Filoni, who is Green Leader here, with his 70's tache, its a beauty! :D Hera going toe-to-toe with Thrawn as a military leader here. She can't win, but getting out without being completely decimated, will feel like a victory. I don't know what the heck Konstantin (who has been with us for some while throughout the series) was thinking, breaking ranks and undermining Thrawn. Even if his attack succeeds and they all get out with victory, he'll be executed for insubordination by going against his superior officer's orders. Sato takes him out as he sacrifices himself and his pilots (who are god-damn heroes for staying!), just to get Ezra out. RIP Phoenix Cell Leader. Love the scenes with Kanan trying to rile Bendu into fighting. As he always says, he is the one in the middle, but apathy and acting in self-interest - no matter how ancient and wise he is - is almost as bad in this situation, as what the Empire is doing to his planet. We've seen Kanan be a lot more Jedi-like this season as he has rediscovered his balance and has something to fight for; but here he is acting more like his old self, Kanan Jarrus the rebel, to try to get Bendu involved. Some great space action shots of the battle, and every ship the rebels lose here is utterly devastating. The sound design throughout and particle effects of the explosions are horrifically satisfying. This Battle Of Atollon for me is even more devastating than Hoth in Empire Strikes Back. There is only one hope here for our heroes, Sabine.
Saltire
2022-11-28 13:34:11 +0000 UTC
