After the death of Kanan (Freddie Prinze Jr.) and Ezra (Taylor Gray) spending time in the wilderness with the Loth-Wolves, Star Wars Rebels gears up in the race to the looming series finale. “Wolves and a Door” and “A World Between Worlds” continue the more spiritual focus on the Force as our Rebels continue in their fight with the Empire. The episodes also allow for the show to play some of its greatest hits (and steal a few lines from various other corners of the Star Wars universe) and offers the return of a fan favorite.
Realizing that the Empire is searching for something valuable within the Jedi Temple on Lothal, Ezra and Sabine (Tiya Sircar) decipher the temple’s artwork and discover a gateway to a hidden dimension outside time and space where one could step across the the galaxy or through time and alter history. While Ezra isn’t able to use one of these doorways to save his master, he is able to reach in and pull Ahsoka (Ashley Eckstein) out of her duel with Darth Vader long enough to save her life and quite possibly provide the Rebels with a powerful ally against the Empire in the show’s finale.
Both in how the Loth-Wolves travel through the Force and how the gateways operate across space-time open up an entirely new aspect to the Force allowing for not only Ahsoka’s return (also helping explain the ominous scene at the end of “Twilight of the Apprentice” with the former Jedi walking back into the ruined temple) but also lays the groundwork that a future television series or movie may be able to mine. The appearance of the Emperor, who nearly gains control of the hidden passageways is a pleasant surprise, and I also enjoyed the verbal sparring between Sabine and the Minister Hyden (Malcolm McDowell) as well.
