Except not really. The sequence presented the clear problem of her being trained as a warrior and growing up in a time of war. But no real solution to that problem with emotional authenticity. She just arbitrarily declares that she chooses to live as a symbolic act of moving forward, but we have no insight into what journey she has taken to reach that point. If anything the "resolution" is fundamentally confused because the resolution is her further engaging in a light saber fight which is itself symbolic of warrior ways.

She doesn't choose peace over conflict (which might have been symbolised by refusing to continue the duel), she doesn't come to any sort of realisation that it was wrong for the Jedi to have become soldiers (which could have been done via more meaningful dialogue with Anakin). She just declares that she chooses to live and keeps fighting - if anything, pushing her even deeper into the problem posed that fighting is all she has ever known.

 

It wasn't just that she was growing up in a war, it was that she felt she couldn't be anything BUT a child of war. Anakin's line of, "You're more than that, because I'M more than that." is about the fact that the legacy she inherited wasn't just about killing and war, because it goes back to Obi-Wan, to Qui Jon, to Dooku, to Yoda, who have all passed down something good. Her choosing to live wasn't a choice of peace over war, but an acknowledgement that her legacy wasn't just one of death - it was one of life, too.

 

So… I don’t think the issue is that it was bad or weak…but I do think it points to a deeper issue in the live action and its relationship with the Jedi order. The live action shows are extremely hesitant to come out and say “The Jedi Order was wrong and needed to change. The Jedi are partially responsible for their own downfall.”

I think we see this in Luke forcing Grogu to choose between Mando and the Jedi.


a show with more time and nuance would’ve explored Ashoka deconstructing the previous way of the Jedi and aiming for something deeper.

It’s similar with the Mandalorian. The show never had the protagonist address the fact that he is part of a cult and deconstruct the Death Watch. It just accepted it.

So, idk. I don’t think it’s bad. I do agree with Taure that it could have been more though.

 

Guy they got to play Ezra nailed it imo.

also I’m going to lmao if the whole reason the first order and the reason the sequels exist is because Sabine was selfish lol.

 

I love the giant doglike mount Sabine has, it’s adorable.

Also very interested in what Baylan is looking for on this planet. Ray Stevenson has been amazing this season, it’s very sad knowing we won’t get more of his work. Titus Pullo will be missed.

 

Just learned that Enoch, Thrawn’s Captain of the Guard, is played by Wes Chatham aka Amos Burton from the Expanse. Hopefully he gets to be menacing/has a role beyond looking awesome in that gold helmet.

 

I realise that Ezra was just a Padawan when he got stranded to Peridea, but I have to admit I was a bit disappointed in his fighting with the force after he said he didn’t need his old lightsaber or a blaster because he trained. Again, I realise he was just a Padawan and he didn’t have any Jedi texts or holocrons to learn new force abilities and such (unless one counts blocking a lightsaber with the force a new ability, but that’s just applied telekinesis) but his showing still felt a bit underwhelming for someone who supposedly trained his force powers for around a decade. Other than that, I don’t really have any grips with the latest episode and quite liked it. The show in general I also quite like, although the arc before they go to Peridea could have gone faster, I think, so that the rest of the show could be spent doing more stuff that isn’t just “hunt after the macguffin map”.

 

I thought Ezra did pretty damn well for himself in that fight. And the casting is just fucking aces.

 

Dude is a damn good actor. He's managed to bring so many of Ezra's mannerisms into his portrayal. I love it.

 

There's a joke here about Kanan and turning water into wine because this dude looks like what I think an AI would spit out if prompted to generate images of Jesus.

 

Spoiler

Really sad Baylan’s story ends on a cliffhanger. I’m sure they’ll recast it, but it makes me sad we won’t get to see more of Ray Stevenson’s take on it.

 

The statue he was standing on was absolutely the Father standing next to the Son.

 

Spoiler

and the destroyed statue was of the daughter. I feel like the great power the Witches were running from was Abeloth.

 

As someone who never properly watched Rebels but is familiar with the broad strokes of the story, I enjoyed this series a lot more than I thought I would. The last episode especially was ace, with the great fight between Ahsoka and Morgan as my personal standout moment.

Also, Lars Mikkelsen has Thrawn nailed down. I could watch him play that character all day, every day. My vote for favourite character goes to Huyang, though. David Tennant did a great job with his lines.

 

Well, it's over and now I'm sad there isn't a new season right around the corner. Great show. Near perfect cast. Good action and interesting story beats almost every episode.

I think the one thing I wish they would have explored further was Ahsoka's distancing from the Jedi mindset. They dipped their toe in the water with it, but didn't really jump in.

 

Evil Space Mom really needs to be re-canonized. I'm hoping Peridea ends up being the birthplace of the Ones, with The Font and The Pool being what Baylan is after.

 

Thinking of canon vs noncanon...

Does the Chiss Ascendancy even exist in New Canon? I don't feel like it's ever been mentioned in the cartoons or show...

 

It does. The two new Thrawn trilogies are both firm canon. Zahn was a consultant on Ahsoka and Rebels.

PS go read Ascendency to any who haven't done so. They are legit great books.