SPOILER Rebels Season 3 Ep 20 & 21 "Zero Hour" (Paul's Review)

I wonder if rogue one being pushed back 6 months led to needing more filler episodes.

 

I don't really think there were more fillers in this season. They've followed a very similar pattern for all three seasons in my mind, but I haven't actually counted.

--- Double Post Merged, Apr 4, 2017, Original Post Date: Apr 4, 2017 ---

I'll clarify a bit - I think they've followed the same basic pattern of one-off episodes (who many refer to as filler) vs more integrated storylines as in other seasons. I do think overall the quality of the episodes was not quite the same as previous seasons, but I don't know if I would say they were bad, just off.

 

After 80+ viewing, still get goosebumps with the space battle.

 

A thoroughly underwhelming end to an underwhelming season. Not that it was awful, it just lacked any sort of emotional impact and may well have been a regular mid season episode.

What really ruined it for me was how little sense the episodes made. To enter hyperspace the ships need to clear the planets gravity well, the interdicters create localized gravity fields in the tiny point of space the Imperial ships occupy. So why did the rebels feel like they had to fly into the Imperials, getting further into the interdicters gravity field before flying past to escape? There was open space to the sides, below, and above. They could of even fled back around the planet and away. There was absolutely no need to go anywhere near the Imperial fleet. SW does this regularly, "oh no the planet is blockaded by three ships!" No it's not, it takes a fleet big enough to form a sphere of ships around the planet and then even that would not be very effective unless the blockading fleet was also forming a deep sphere, otherwise you just need to get past one ship! On the first attempt the rebel ships are destroyed with a few hits but at the end they can fly past the same number of Star Destroyers no problem? Not having Thrawn on the bridge does not alter the accuracy or power of the Imperial guns or the strength of the ships armour, which seems to be non existent since hand blasters can now puncture a capital ships hull with ease. Also blaster rifles have the range to shoot into the upper atmosphere? The Star Destroyers cannons would of turned the surface into molten slag not merely brushed past Kanen.

Mon Mothma claims she cannot help as that is what Thrawn wants but she will negotiate fair treatment for the prisoners. Really? With what leverage? You're a fugitive who will be executed if captured, why would the Imperials feel the need to negotiate with you? They will will torture and execute the prisoners and that will be the end of it. The rebels will lose their fleet if they try to help but the Imperials are helpless if they are a handful of Mandalorian ships? I just hate that sort of lazy writing, there is no logic and everything happens because they writer made it happen, not because there was any reason or logic for it within the characters character, or circumstances of the story.

 

Finally, finally, FINALLY caught up with Rebels! I thought the finale was pretty good, but I'm torn. On one hand, the Rebels creators get major props for tying the Bendu storyline and the Thrawn storylines together. And showing off the Bendu's powers was awesome. THAT BEING SAID, using the Bendu as an escape was a giant Deus Ex Machina - one that I don't appreciate. It takes away the victory of the escape from the rebels, and just makes Thrawn's victory feel cheap.

Overall, I really enjoyed the episode, and in ways liked it more than "Twilight of the Apprentice," but until walking through the corridors of the Ghost at the end, I didn't feel too connected. What I think I'm trying to say is that maybe Rebels should save the big battles for the episode before the Season finale, and make the finales going forward more intimate affairs? I think that's why "Fire Across the Galaxy" and "Twilight of the Apprentice" worked so well...but hey! It's (just a theory...a game/film theory! Thanks for watching/and cut!) Star Wars, and it's good, I can't complain too much!

 

I understand your point, but in order to escape the Rebels also had to destroy the gravity well projectors on the Interdictor.

 

Lol you're right about that! But to me those scenes had no emotional or cathartic gravitas to them. Had they had to do that while Thrawn was launching the ground assault and WITHOUT The Bendu raining down lightning, I think it would have meant more to me...I guess I'm just another unpleasable fan now...

 

Wow Bendu is one in the middle.

 

LOL-- Yes!

(Pardon the off-topic/subject-sidebar...)

This notion ties in with my ongoing tongue-in-cheek supposition/theory that- (in SW) - "planets" are generally spheroid forms ranging in size from 25-30 city blocks. ...Say an approximate average of 5 sq. kms awkwardly wrapped around a ball.

...And if two people are on the "same planet", they are thus nearly guaranteed to run into each other. (Coruscant is occasionally an exception to this rule, but frequently fits as well.)

To be fair, this is a fairly common phenomenon in science fiction/fantasy - a genre we tend to be quite forgiving toward, for the sake of fun storytelling.

Though sometimes, the "fictional stretching" is admittedly a touch too agonizing.

 

Still enjoy this scene.