Suvudu Universe

Elisa and I return for this week’s latest episode of Star Wars Rebels, “Fighter Flight.” Leave your thoughts and comments below!

General Thoughts About The Plot

EA: “Fighter Flight” is a far more contained and less emotionally heavy episode than that of “Droids in Distress,” and though some may be disappointed at that, it is something that I do not at all see as a fault. It’s a more personal story, one revolving around getting some supplies for Hera, but it remains exciting and fun to watch.

Something I love about this episode is the interactions we get from it, and though Ezra and Zeb are the main players this time around, there are still great moments to be found between the rest of the crew. As the episode progresses, we see Ezra and Zeb’s relationship strengthen, get some insight as to what the Empire is also up to when it’s not blasting at people directly, and hopes for a fun payoff arise at questions left unanswered.

JM: The desire to see more Hera and Sabine moments was strong in this episode, but given the fact that Ezra is the focus character of the series and we see the story evolve through his eyes, it’s understood that the concentration will be on him and his relationships with the other characters. Hence, the reason why we have this bonding episode between Ezra and Zeb, a follow up to the previous “Droids in Distress” when Ezra saved Zeb’s life. Both fun and enjoyable, “Fighter Flight” reminded me of the lighthearted episodes from Star Wars: The Clone Wars, particularly when C-3PO and R2-D2 went on the hunt for jogan fruit and ended up on a wild ride.

It is with great hope that future episodes also feature bonding experiences with the other characters, especially Hera and Sabine. For now, “Fighter Flight” offers good fun and humor, a glance at the latest Imperial activity, and perhaps, a setup for something bigger. The episode ended with Zeb and Ezra “crashing” the TIE fighter. However, concept art shows the vehicle hidden in the rock structures on Lothal. Will we see that TIE fighter return at a later point in time when the crew needs it the most? I hope so.

General Thoughts About The Characters

Kanan

EA: I love how relaxed we get to see Kanan in this episode. A scene with him playing Dejarik against Chopper is a nice peek at their lives during down time. Something I did love during one of the scenes in specific is that Kanan comments to Hera about how peaceful it is “with the kids gone.” It’s a simple line, but it’s one that helps solidify the idea that he and Hera are the “parents” of the ship and her crew.

Another bit of information we learn in this episode is that Kanan knows how to disable a TIE’s locator beacon. I know this was probably thrown in as a one off thing for the comedy that follows, never to be touched upon again, but I am curious about how he knows this. Unless he was told by someone or found a TIE manual and looked up this information, then it seemingly stands to reason that he’s been in a TIE before. I kind of want to know why he was in a TIE, and what he ultimately ended up doing with it to require him to turn off the beacon inside.

These are questions I’ll probably never get answered, but they’re still fun for me to think about.

JM: Appearing more relaxed than usual, it was entertaining to see Kanan take up the father role in this episode. He clearly disapproved the stealing-a-TIE-fighter situation that Zeb and Ezra found themselves in, revealing his knowledge of TIE fighters in the process. Makes me wonder if he found himself in a similar situation at one point or another, since he knew how to disable the locator beacon. I especially loved when he exhibited that relieved moment of not having “the kids” around because he needed to wind down and have some quiet time around the ship. Although he got a moment’s rest, an aggravated Kanan always makes for an enjoyable episode because Freddie Prinze, Jr. does an exceptional job at bringing about that tone in his voice.

Hera

EA: After a brief chase and some roughhousing through her ship, Hera is the one that gives the task to Ezra and Zeb that gets our episode and its storyline started. Like Kanan, Hera is not seen that much in this episode, but when she is, not only do we see the calm and warmth we’ve become familiar with, but we get a nice look at her mischievous side. Another peek at Hera’s character we hadn’t seen before is how she reacts to finding Sabine painting, especially where she probably shouldn’t be. What I was expecting was more of the same motherliness that we’ve come to see with Hera when she’s not interacting with Kanan. What we got, or what I personally got from the interaction with Sabine, was an older sister vibe, especially with Hera’s final comment about being happy that at least it wasn’t her room.

A great thing about Hera is that she feels fluid and that she can fill any role that’s needed at any time, depending on the situation. Yet, she still has a solid identity, and one that I can’t wait to further explore.

JM: Despite not having the biggest role in this episode, Hera definitely comes across as the owner and leader of the ship, distributing orders and making sure that they get carried out. Knowing that meilooruns would be an impossible thing to find, she sent them out anyway in hopes that they would work out the solution together. Hera also shared a great moment with Sabine. Despite the Ghost being her ship, I think it’s lovely that Hera allows Sabine to draw and paint anywhere in the ship (except her own room, of course). She doesn’t stop her from expressing her artistic abilities, like the Empire would. Instead, she fosters those interests and lets her individuality grow within the walls of the ship.

Chopper

EA: I really don’t have much to say about Chopper for this episode besides him being proof as to why people aren’t afraid of beating a droid in Dejarik, and that I absolutely love what a little jerk and instigator he can be. Also, his laugh is one of the best sounds ever.

JM: The instigator of the group, I adore that Chopper finds enjoyment in playing with others (or ruining other people’s lives, however way you choose to see it). For a tiny astromech droid, he has a vibrant personality and a great sense of humor. Others might think he’s a menace or good for nothing, but Chopper is the younger brother who always keeps you on your toes (like my younger brother is to me). I like that he seeks others out for his own entertainment, an unusual but endearing aspect of his programming/personality.

Zeb

EA: So far we’ve seen the serious side of Zeb’s personality explored, and I have got to say, he’s a lot more patient than I originally suspected. Faced with Ezra’s constant reminder that he saved Zeb’s life, I think Zeb shows an impressive measure of restraint. Saying that, I do love the way that his and Ezra’s relationship grows and where it leaves them at the episode’s end.

I love how Zeb is so free with his teasing when it comes to Ezra using the Force, and though he’s quick to stare in awe when something is happening, he’s just as quick to give sarcastic support when it doesn’t work out, which to me only helps solidify the brotherly nature of their relationship. Zeb’s light and humorous side hasn’t been as heavily explored yet, and we get a good solid look at it in this episode. From Zeb’s sheer enjoyment of having command over a TIE he’s stolen to trying to pass off as a legitimate Imperial Commander, his sense of humor and the way he thinks is a pure joy to watch.

JM: Without a doubt, Zeb wears the cranky pants in the crew. So far, we’ve seen him in an uptight, always growling, and frustrated kind of mood. Everything, especially Ezra, seemed like a bother to him. In this episode, however, we got to see a lighter and playful side to the cranky Lasat. He warmed up to Ezra in an older brother kind of way, and it warmed my heart to see him acknowledge Ezra’s hobby for collecting helmets and offering him the TIE fighter pilot helmet to add to his collection. It was especially entertaining to see him terrorize poor Baron Valen Ruhdor, the TIE fighter pilot, and commandeer his vessel. Zeb’s laughter was very infectious at that point in time, and it was great to see him let loose, even if it was a dangerous move on his part. Also, Zeb as Commander Meiloorun is my new favorite thing.

Sabine

EA: We’ve known that Sabine is an artist for a while now, and though we’ve seen her tag objects, and have seen hints of what she’s done in her own room and in the cockpit, it was great seeing her hobby fully realized. The little interaction she had with Hera midway through the episode really brought a smile to my face, and I love the amount of freedom she has, not only on the ship surely thanks to Hera, but in general. She loves art, and when inspiration strikes, she has to hit while the iron is hot. I also want to take the opportunity to say that I love the cartoony style Sabine has, and I hope we see more of her renditions of the crew and anyone else she feels the need to graffiti.

JM: As any other artist would, Sabine spends her time drawing, decorating, and becoming inspired by her surroundings to draw some more. In this episode, it made me laugh to see her roll her eyes at Ezra and his obvious crush towards her while she was paying attention to her art. She clearly had no time for his games, and I have a feeling she might have told him to stay out of her room, which explains why he kept to the doorway and hall. I love that Sabine has no problem taking her artistic abilities into other people’s rooms, allowing the inspiration to take over. She also has varying styles to her art, as seen with the cartoon-like versions of Zeb, Ezra and Chopper.

Ezra

EA: I feel that over the course of this episode, Ezra had a lot of personal growth. At the beginning, he loves reminding Zeb that he saved his life. He even goes so far as to mention, that in some places, such an act could lead Zeb to being his own personal servant. This harkens back to a less equal version of the Life-Debt Chewbacca had with Han Solo. I like to think that the bonds formed among the crew of the Ghost are going to be lifelong, and that the little throwaway line of Ezra’s, for as not equal or kind as it is, was a nice little piece of potential foreshadowing for at least his own future friendship with Zeb. Meaning, that it will grow into a strong bond, one that is built upon mutual respect.

I also love how tenacious Ezra is, not just in needing to succeed in getting something that he’s been told to get (in this case, a specific fruit at Hera’s request), but also, in not giving up when it’s needed to help others. We get to see Ezra focus and use the Force in a controlled manner we haven’t seen when it comes to anything other than jumps. Given that Ezra seems to have more of an understanding of his abilities and how to use them, I think it would be prudent to say that his Jedi lessons, whatever they may be, are paying off.

JM: Ezra has definitely made a home in the Ghost, growing comfortable in the space he shares with the other crew members. He still has that cocky and proud attitude, especially when rubbing in Zeb’s face the fact that he saved him in the previous episode. I like that he continues to practice with his abilities when the opportunities present themselves: the bowl, lifting the crate, preventing the TIE from crashing, and pushing the button on the troop transport. He’s not one who easily gives up, and I should think not, since he lived on the streets on his own and fought to stay alive. In this episode, we also see a connection to his past through Morad Sumar. Ezra has a natural inclination to help people at the risk of his own life. He’s a good person, and I’m glad he found himself a permanent place where he is constantly surrounded by other good people.

Favorite Scene

EA: Just like last week, it’s hard to pin down one specific moment. For as much as I want to list all of them, I think my favourite has to be Zeb offering Ezra the Imperial Pilot’s helmet. He knows that Ezra collects them, and there is clear disappointment on Zeb’s face when Ezra tells him that he already has one like it. Watching Ezra make an excuse to take it so as to not disappoint Zeb is a heartwarming moment, and it really seals the fact that their relationship has grown for the better over the course of the episode.

JM: When the stormtrooper aims the blaster at Ezra with the meiloorun in his hands. I love that the stormtrooper said, “Wait…you did all this…for fruit?” Ezra seemed a bit offended, but gave in to the fact that he was, in fact, partly motivated to get the meiloorun. I just couldn’t stop from laughing!

Dislikes

EA: Though I could just put down that I want to see Hera and Sabine interact more than they have already, this episode overall hasn’t left me with any specific complaints. It’s super enjoyable, and it gave me a lot of laughs. What is there to complain about with that?

JM: I have two dislikes. One, I wish the stormtroopers weren’t a source of humor all the time. From time to time, they should be seen as a threat. Getting hit with meilooruns and being outsmarted by kid didn’t exactly help with the “threatening” image they’re supposed to possess as Imperial soldiers. Although it made for great laughs, I hope to see a more serious side to the stormtroopers. Two, I wish they had shown the TIE fighter in the end. We know they didn’t crash it because of the obvious fact that they were hiding it, but it would have been great to focus on it hidden in the rocks somewhere for just a few seconds.

Final Thoughts

EA: The personal growth between Ezra and Zeb along with the quiet moments that were shown in the Ghost were immensely enjoyable. I love the feel the characters have with each other already, and I can’t wait to see how their relationships continue to grow as the series progresses.

I also have to mention that I love the fact that the Stormtrooper armour is not affected by Ezra’s weapon. For as much as I love his slingshot, it’s not a blaster, and seeing troopers being able to shrug off a hit helps show that their armour actually does do something besides look pretty.

Finally, I enjoy the questions left open at this episode’s end and can’t wait to see how they’ll be addressed in the future. Will Ezra and Zeb always have that picture on their room’s wall? Since I can’t imagine they’d clean it off. Will it be replaced with something else in the future if Sabine has another moment of creativity? But most importantly, what did Ezra and Zeb really do with the stolen TIE?

JM: “Fighter Flight” was all kinds of fun! A few awesome moments that stand out that I didn’t get a chance to mention before: Zeb climbing the wall like Goliath in Gargoyles, Ezra’s awesome slingshot in action, and the Rodian merchant that reminded me of the cabbage man in Avatar: The Last Airbender. I’m always a kid at heart when it comes to life in general, and this episode reminded me of that fact. I appreciate the genuine humor and warmth exhibited by the characters as well as the timeless morals that were in place for both children and adults: never give up on your goals (even if they involve finding rare meilooruns) and always help those in need.