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Though we’re huge Star Wars fans, we didn’t pick up Rebels until Disney+ arrived. As adults, the series seemed geared toward kids and involved a bunch of characters we couldn’t care about. Boy, were we wrong!
Taking place five years before the original film, Star Wars: A New Hope, Rebels follows Ezra Bridger, a spunky teenager from the planet Lothal. Ezra ends up joining a small band of rebels including Kanan Jarrus (who’s voiced by Freddie Prinze Jr.), a runaway Jedi. Shortly after, Ezra discovers his mystical connection to the Force and becomes Kanan’s padawan.
For those looking for a good throwback, Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl Jones!!!), Princess Leia, C3PO, R2D2, and more make their way into the series. Favorites from The Clones Wars, including Ahsoka Tano, also return. As the series takes place near the events of Rogue One, many of those themes make their way into episodes.
However, Rebels is great because it goes beyond what we know in Star Wars. The series explores how individuals joined the Rebel Alliance to take down the Empire. Exploring unknown regions and even the mystical side of the Force, Rebels expands on characters who aren’t “the chosen ones” like the Skywalkers. In many ways, it makes these characters from Lothal, Mandalore, and Ryloth that much more likable.
Best of all, the stakes are high in Rebels. Villains such as the Inquisitors (rogue Jedis who have joined the Empire) and Admiral Thrawn are more than worthy adversaries for Kanan and Ezra. Even Emperor Palpatine shows up from time to time, bringing plenty of wickedness. Overall, the series is about finding hope when all seems lost.
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If you’re still skeptical, you should know that Dave Filoni co-created the show. He’s worked on The Mandalorian and The Clone Wars. Any Star Wars fanatic will tell you that Filoni knows what he’s doing.
Furthermore, many of the themes around Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney parks are heavily borrowed from Rebels. For example, Hondo Ohnaka in Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, and the lothcat in the Creature Stall shop are prominent in this show.
The 3D animated series launched in 2014 and ran for four seasons. It’s won Saturn and BTVA awards and even scored Emmy nominations. The complete series is now available on the Disney+ streaming service.
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