Rebel Adventures

Star Wars Rebels has premiered and it was exactly what I was expecting. I find the animation style a bit disappointing, especially after the beautiful artistry of Clone Wars, but it does not get in the way of the story telling.

I heard someone complain that there couldn't be any Jedi, but at no point in the Star Wars movies was it claimed that all the Jedi had been killed, just that the order was wiped out. Here we have a Jedi who listened to Obi-wan Kenobi's message (mentioned in Episode III) who is fighting to make a difference while hiding. But sometimes making a difference makes it impossible to hide.

What I got from the first 3 episodes (the hour premier was technically 2 and Disney XD already has the next episode) is a real sense of the old Star Wars Role Playing Game. Even the nature of the character and the stories. Not to mention jumping into the world of Episode IV for the first time. This is the Galaxy under the heel of the Empire. Rebellion is brewing and there are plenty of opportunities for Rebels to play a part in small ways that made a big difference.

The characters are engaging. Kanan is the leader, a Jedi, or at least someone who has had considerable training. From his age, likely a youngling or padawan when the Jedi Temple was destroyed.

Ezra is an Aladdin type street urchin who is strong with the force and has picked up far more on his own than Luke ever did. Joining the Rebels is by no means a good fit right off, but by the end of the premier, we see it will be after some breaking in.

Zeb is the muscle. He is one of the Lasat, a creature that is basically the preliminary design for Chewbacca, which made him posing as a wookie in the first story very amusing.

Sabine likes to blow things up with an artistic use of colors. She also wears a Mandalorean style helmet.

Hera is the pilot and seems to the binding force that holds them all together.

C1-10PR is a diminutive astromech droid, apparently an older style than the familiar R2 units. He has a distinctively grumpy attitude for a droid.

The story so far hasn't gone far or done much, but the feel is very classic Star Wars. I can see the seamless leadup to Episode IV. And while a definite Disney product, it is no more or less for kids than the movies themselves. Adult Star Wars fans should enjoy it a lot. I certainly do.