Star Wars Rebels is entering its final season, and although it will last only a total of four seasons, the show isn’t ending because it has been bad but rather because the timeline calls for it. Now approaching the Rogue One timeline, Rebels from the onset has been a great placeholder in giving us a canon-based look at the start of the rebellion. The characters have become beloved by fans, and although we can take a good guess as to where their fate leads them at the end of the season, the journey there is still worth watching.
*Warning, if you have not seen the episoses, watch before hand. Spoilers ahead*
The first two episodes, “Heroes of Mandalore Part 1 & 2,” bring us an arc that really symbolizes what Star Wars Rebels has been about. In season three Sabine found the dark saber and returned to Mandalore in hopes of leading her home world out of the grips of the Empire. First winning the trust back from her family, she enters this season on a mission to unite the different clans of Mandalore. The first episode is about freeing her father, someone who carries much weight with Mandalorians and is important to their cause. With the help of Ezra, Kanaan, and Clan Kryze, and a perfectly executed plan, they freed him and struck a massive blow to Saxon’s plans. However, celebration quickly turned to panic and fear as Saxon used a weapon created by Sabine against her clan. This brings about the moment of truth, unite to stop Saxon and set Mandalore free, or stand divided and fall.
“Will the future of Mandalore be one of honor, or cowardice…hope or fear, the choice is yours.” –Bo-Katan Kryze
What I love about this episode is that although brief, the spirit of Mandalore and the Mandalorians is brought to the forefront. The machine Sabine built targets Mandalorian armor specifically, which in and of itself is the ultimate sin. Sure, they can change their armor(Ezra foolishly suggests), but it isn’t just armor. It’s their history that is at stake. Mandalorian armor is centuries old built and reforged from metal that has the blood of their people since beginning of time. It is as much Mandalorian as the blood that runs through their veins. Sabine must atone for this sin, but it is Saxon who must pay. To him, they need to adapt to the empire and the true power of the emperor. To him, the proper state of Mandalore is one on its knees at the beckon call of the empire. An empire that rules by fear. But to be free, hope needs to reign. Sure, as time goes by we adapt, but we should never forget our foundations. If we are willing to give up our moral compass and what we were made for then we are lost.
I’ve always been impressed with the Mandalorians (thus why I am working on my own armor to join their ranks in the costuming world), the honor and loyalty that they show is above none other. Power isn’t what is respected, but loyalty. Family and clan is more important than oneself. In Sabine, she returned in what was thought to be the one to lead Mandalore, but her calling was to clear the path. Her journey was one of John the Baptist. Repenting of her sins and showing her true loyalty brought forth the true leader of Mandalore, one who also had to find her path. She is not her sister Satine, and she must rule as she knows how. Bo-Katan Kryze never gave into the empire and as Sabine had her journey, Bo-Katan shall have hers as well. Leadership isn’t just about strength, but also about wisdom and Bo-Katan became the real hero in this episode. Now, the clans are uniting because fear is no longer allowed. Mandalore will be one of Honor and of Hope and if they die, they die free.
Stay tuned each week as we cover this season of Star Wars Rebels.
