- Title: Star Wars Rebels – Steps Into Shadow
- wiki: link
Set a few years after the events of “Twilight of the Apprentice,” Star Wars Rebels begins its Third Season with an older Ezra (Taylor Gray) leading missions for the Rebellion, a blinded Kanan (Freddie Prinze Jr.) spending most of his days in seclusion, and the Empire bringing in new resources to deal with the Rebel threat by enlisting the assistance of Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen). For the first time in the series the Rebels will be pitted against an Imperial officer willing to play the long game and not fall for the Rebels’ usual tricks. Since we’ve seen him last Ezra hasn’t grown any less reckless but he has grown more powerful in the Force thanks to the Sith Holocron which he’s kept secret from his master and shipmates but the changes in his demeanor haven’t gone unnoticed by his friends.
While both missions under Ezra’s leadership in the two-part season premiere are technically successes, the young Jedi puts himself and his team in danger by ignoring orders and taking questionable risks. This does allow the Rebels to get their hands on a small number of Y-Wings but also nearly costs Ezra his life when his improvising has unforeseen consequences. Along with the changes in Ezra, the premiere also introduces a new influence for Kanan when he runs across the Bendu (Tom Baker) near the Rebel base on Atollon. The Bendu’s alternative view of the Force, choosing neither a light nor dark path, helps Kanan find the strength needed to rescue his student, but we’ll have to wait and see just what the creature’s larger role might be this season.
