[Traveller]

Just watched Rebels Recon - was good to see the flashbacks to where Ezra has already been to the world between worlds. Talking to Yoda there; collecting his lightsaber Crystal in the temple... the background is the same. Filoni has found a legit way to link all the force users throughout the series, through their access to that state.

(Also do you remember Tau from season 2, warning them that the Emperor was looking for something on Lothal? Right before she was killed? So many good links throughout).

And yes, the minister falling into that world and gaining access to the knowledge in there might well be the origin of Snoke.

I'm looking forward to a complete Rebels blu-ray box set to go with The Clone Wars one.

This post has been edited by Traveller: 28 February 2018 - 09:03 PM

[JPK]

Holy shit, now THAT'S what I call a finale.

[Traveller]

Can't wait to get home and watch...

This post has been edited by Traveller: 06 March 2018 - 05:28 PM

[QuickTidal]

I'm still a few eps behind (iTunes Canada drops them a week after they air sadly), but I've been so glad to hear people say it's a very good finale! Filoni rarely disappoints.

[Traveller]

I think he was just pleased to be able to give Rebels the proper send off he was cheated out of with Clone Wars.

This post has been edited by Traveller: 06 March 2018 - 07:10 PM

[QuickTidal]

Traveller, on 06 March 2018 - 07:10 PM, said:

I think he was just pleased to be able to give Rebels the proper send off he was cheated out of with Clone Wars.

For sure!

[Traveller]

Well that was just an awesome couple of hours of Star Wars.

Haha so many questions now!

Star Wars perfection, thank you Rebels.

Also...

Spoiler

Jacen Syndulla?!

This post has been edited by Traveller: 06 March 2018 - 11:21 PM

[QuickTidal]

Re: Minister Hydan

Spoiler

The positing I’ve seen suggested (and not just here but elsewhere on the net) that Minister Hydan is Snoke.

This is interesting indeed. For a few reasons.

Hydan is a bent-backed old scholar of the Force (I assume Jedi and Sith) with black eyes (I noted that specifically), who is specifically studying a Jedi temple with the Mortis Gods as entrance key that requires a force connection. He is not force sensitive (Rebels Recon states this apparently, as does his description in the Star Wars Databank) At the end when Ezra destroys it (note that it’s the son’s icon that is changed to destroy it; nice touch that) he falls into it in a blaze of light. And I’m not sure if anyone else noted it, but when Hera shows Ezra what became of the temple after his efforts….all that’s left is a symbol on the ground (and they don’t focus on it, or let the camera drift over it to REALLY see it…but…it is the SAME symbol that is on the ground in the cave of the First Temple in TLJ….which tells me that the First Jedi Temple that Luke found is also in a state of “destroyed/closed” as far as the Force is concerned. Interesting. Inside that temple was the entrance to the World Between Worlds. A sort of dimensional set of gateways to major events of people who interact with the Force…which you CAN interact with and even use to change events….turns out that Ezra is the one who saved Ahsoka after the Malachor Sith temple collapsed as she fought Vader by pulling her out of the event, and then her jumping back into it after the temple had already collapsed (Noice! I lurve me some Ahsoka!). Something tells me that THIS is what Darth Plagueis (and therefore Sidious/Palpatine) knew about as a way to “cheat death”….from a retcon POV anyways. It works. It’s clear that the Emperor knows its capabilities of messing with time already when he attacks Ezra and Ahsoka (from what seems to be his own temple/access point….at a guess, the hidden Sith Temple below the old Jedi Temple on Coruscant? Would make sense.), but he seems to access it VIA a spell he cants instead of an open doorway….so when Ezra destroys it, he seals the access to it from even Sidious/Palpatine….which would explain why he wasn’t able to use it in the OT against the Rebels to turn the tide.

Anyways. So years later we have Snoke. A being who seemingly knows a lot about the force, and it is said is old enough to have “watched the old Republic fall”. He is taller than a normal human (more the size of the three Mortis Gods, wouldn’t you say???), and disastrously scarred (burned and injuries from being dropped into a collapsing, blazing temple???), with black eyes and a deep knowledge of the force and its adherents, the Jedi and the Sith.

Right.

So what if when the temple collapsed and Minister Hydan dropped into it, it changed him physically, and he inexplicably got locked into the World Between Worlds….and somehow the First Order (more specifically the mysterious people who continued Palpatine’s studies in wild space after Operation Cinder (the Imperials from Chuck Wendig’s books) found some arcane way to access the World Between Worlds again and Minister Hydan/Snoke came out…with he FULL knowledge of Jedi and Sith and Force history (including Kylo Ren [since we HEAR him in the WOLVES AND THE DOOR episode as one of the many voices Ezra hears] and likely his forthcoming betrayal. So he plays along. Goes through the sequence of events that lead to his demise in the throne room scene in TLJ.

As such, what if he used a clone, or a projection of himself to fool Kylo into thinking he’d killed him?

That episode opens a whole HOST of cool possibilities, and offers JJ Abrams and Chris Terrio a way out of what Rian did to Snoke.

Anyways, I think the Minister Hydan = Snoke theory is solid…but if the last few years have taught me anything…..it’s that Disney cares very little for OUR theories.

[QuickTidal]

The Swampfather, on 07 March 2018 - 06:00 PM, said:

That was pretty good. The info that

Spoiler

everyone survives past Endor was unexpected. Will Jason become a Jedi only to be killed by KoR? I’m glad that Pellaion was made cannon but mad whales killed him. So where did Ezra take Thrawn? What kind of shape will he be in when Asoka and Sabine find him?

You'll be happy (I think) to know BK...that's it's apparently officially spelled:

Spoiler

Jacen Syndulla

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 07 March 2018 - 06:05 PM

[QuickTidal]

The Swampfather, on 07 March 2018 - 06:50 PM, said:

It’s going to have to sink in a bit. I would be much happier with a Solo or Sky spelled thus.

Why did you read that post if your a week behind? It’s going to be ruined for you now.

I stumbled across some spoilers accidentally elsewhere. It's fine, I'm not too fussed about being a little spoiled for stuff.

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

Watching S04E14. The Loth wolves causing mayhem and routing the imperials reminds me a lot of the Hounds of Darkness. This episode was a nice way to bring the entire Rebels gang together in preparation for the finale.

[Traveller]

I like the Minister Hydan theory; his background and character would fit, as would the events that lead to his future change.

However...

Spoiler

QT, you say you noticed his eyes were black? I remember noting that they were blue, and thought I'd have to check what colour Snokes eyes were. I just double checked a couple of pics of Veris Hydan, and his eyes are definitely blue. (As are Snokes) Also, is Snoke actually bigger than human? I thought that was only his projected image. If he is physically bigger, there might be a link to the Son of Mortis. It was the Son's image who closed the portal and the temple, and into whose image the minister fell - maybe the scholar becomes possessed or influenced by the Son at that point?

What if he has actually become possessed by the Son? That itself might explain his size change and Dark force ability, his old and rotting body, and his desire to manipulate the Skywalker line (He previously showed Anakin his future in order to make him turn).

I really like the way Filoni has used the world between worlds as a way to link all the SW episodes and force users, to tie Rebels/Clone Wars, prequels and new movies into to a more cohesive work. Ezra is able to access it through a physical portal, but it is a representation of a 'state' that can be reached by any force user (Ezra has even visited before). It's the place Luke enters in ESB when he sees his friends in danger; the jedi and even Palpatine can use it to see, but only Ezra can interact in a more direct way as he actually physically entered it. IF Hydan became possessed by the Son, he would have been able to learn about the force, both light and Dark, from the earliest times. As a scholar, he would be more likely to observe than interact; he even told Sabine not to touch the mural in case she altered it. And, we know the Emperor REALLY wanted to find a way into this place - prexicely for the sort of power that Snoke ends up with. If true, it would really tie in nicely with what little we know of Snoke, and would be a great way of linking Rebels and Clone Wars with the new trilogy. Also, in the picture I found of Hydan, his mouth shape and hawk nose look very similar to Snoke, as well as them both having blue eyes.

I kind of hope it is true - not just because it doesn't make the new trilogy seem quite so disconnected, but because it makes Rebels more essential viewing to get the whole picture.

This post has been edited by Traveller: 07 March 2018 - 10:45 PM

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

Finale time!

I love the painterly feel of the opening shot — I wonder if it is a 3D scene, or if they just did a digital matte painting.

"When it comes to Jedi, the worse the plan, the better the result."

I like how Thrawn turned Ezra's plan around on him. Just when Ezra thought he was the hostage-taker, Thrawn made him realize he was actually the hostage. Thrawnianly ruthless.

I was wondering how Palps looks so young and handsome, and then the hologram started to flicker back and forth. I went through it frame-by-frame and the expressions on the Emperor's and illusion's faces were very expressive.

Does anyone know what the anti-gravity pikes the Royal Guard were using are called? I've never seen or read about anything like that. Seems formidable.

Gregor

Incredible scene with the final jump to hyperspace, but how will Ezra and Thrawn breathe in hyperspace with the windows broken?

EDIT: Next series — Ahsoka & Sabine hunting for Ezra? PLEASE YES.

This post has been edited by Whisperzzzzzzz: 07 March 2018 - 10:21 PM

[Traveller]

Rebels might also have a link to Solo trailer - Purgill tentacles maybe?

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

This post has been edited by Whisperzzzzzzz: 07 March 2018 - 11:11 PM

[Traveller]

I just noticed Chopper now has a name in the credits..!

Turns out Filoni stepped in for the pilot as they didn't have anyone for Chopper - and he stayed with it. Funny hearing him do it during the post Rebels panel q+a.

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

Traveller, on 09 March 2018 - 10:59 PM, said:

I just noticed Chopper now has a name in the credits..!

Turns out Filoni stepped in for the pilot as they didn't have anyone for Chopper - and he stayed with it. Funny hearing him do it during the post Rebels panel q+a.

They had a fun gag touching on that in the final Rebels Recon:

[QuickTidal]

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 07 March 2018 - 10:11 PM, said:

Does anyone know what the anti-gravity pikes the Royal Guard were using are called? I've never seen or read about anything like that. Seems formidable.

They seem to operate off the same principle as the ray shield prisons and the "anklets" that Dooku held Obi-Wan with in ATOC. Just on the end of staffs. Don't think we've ever seen their like, but it seems like he modelled his Guard after the old Jedi Guards, and they had lightsaber pikes, so this would be a version of that.

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 07 March 2018 - 10:11 PM, said:

EDIT: Next series — Ahsoka & Sabine hunting for Ezra? PLEASE YES.

Yes! I wants it. There have been rumblings about Filoni getting a live action movie...and I wonder if they might be looking at telling that story in live action?

Anyways, I finally watched the final two eps in one go yesterday.

I have nothing praise and admiration for Filoni and his whole team. That was one of the best TV finale's I've ever watched, and may be the best ending to a Star Wars ANYTHING I've ever seen. It was pitch perfect in every single way. I adored that it ended on the same crescendo of music that the movies end on.

I mean, what's more to ask for? Ezra alive and has taken Thrawn Via hyperspace beast, presumably into the Unknown Regions, Sabine and Ahsoka are setting out to find him. Everyone survived past Endor and Jakku...and we have the son of an Old Republic Jedi and one of the best pilots in the Rebellion, who is also the bloodline of of a Clone Wars General in Jacen Syndulla. Simply amazing. In fact, Jacen was what I wanted from Rey. Someone who had a past, a family lineage that stretched back and connected, but didn't prevent them from being their own person. I think it's interesting that REBELS can introduce a character and automatically make me care about him simply by dint of his lineage....and the ST writers refuse to do that. I care about Jacen Syndulla and want to know about his life....becuase of how much I cared about his parents (Kanan and Hera)...I have no such attachment to Rey NoName. Just interesting to note that for me.

Anyways, this series I'll buy the complete BluRay set for, and it will have a place of honour on my shelf....and I will be so excited to one day show it all too my daughter when she's old enough for Star Wars.

[Traveller]

It really is a wonderful piece of storytelling. That finale is one of the best SWs I've watched.

[paran falcon]

I dvr'd this entire series when it ran a couple weekends ago and have been working my way through it. I had watched a handful of episodes a while back but it wasn't high on my priority list at the time and it fell by the wayside as I hadn't been hooked enough to dvr it for a half hour a week watch. But I have skimmed through this thread periodically, enough to see the praise it has received from most/all of you. When it was held up as comparable in quality, if not better, than some or all of the latest SW feature films, I decided I would give it a go again. Also, I happen to love Ahsoka Tano (sorry BKBachelor, I know you hate all things Clone Wars film related!) and am aware she makes appearances in Rebels.

This show IS really good. I'm 2 episodes from the end of S2 as of yesterday and I'm enjoying every episode, not just slogging through waiting for something good. Good character development, much better animation than the Clone Wars series (which i also was unable to stick with at the time of its run) and a pretty consistent storyline. I can't think of any episodes that are complete throwaways, it seems like every one plants a seed for the future or moves along the growth of a previously planted seed.

Chopper might be the funniest droid in the SW universe so far. That droid has had me laughing out loud more times than I would have ever thought possible. "No, the 1st one to the bridge is NOT Captain!" And the whole hunt for the matching strut/leg! Not to mention just interpreting what he's actually saying. I could swear I've heard a 3 syllable statement from him that seems like "WTF!" more than once.

I have to give a lot of credit to the writers and showrunners for their imagination, as well. The force "catapulting" that Kanan and Ezra do (in the tunnel with the closing blast doors especially) seems like something different yet ingenious that hasn't been done before, at least to my knowledge. And the lightsaber battles so far have been pretty good. They've also done a nice job of tying things into the tapestry of the movie universe: Senator and Leia Organa, Lando, Rex and now Saw Gerrera was mentioned in one of the last eps I saw yesterday. And Ahsoka has appeared in quite a few eps in S2. I may have to go back to try to mine just her path through the Clone Wars series without sitting through the whole thing as I don't know the details of her separation from the Jedi as Anakin was turning.

I've avoided as many spoilers as possible in this thread as there is no doubt now that I will continue all the way through the series. Can't wait to go back through and read everyone else's opinions on the ending.