Star Wars Rebels Season 2 Episodes 14-15 review - Homecoming/The Honourable Ones

Da! Dadada da! Sorry, here's my review of the next two episodes

Homecoming

They really need to work on building the Empire back up as a threat again.

So, after losing another ship and pilot, they decide that they need a new carrier for their fleet, fortunately there’s such a ship over the planet Ryloth (calling a planet a system is still f*cking stupid, but they’ve done that since Degobah) so they join forces with a rebel cell on Ryloth, including Hera’s father. But he has his own plans for that ship, which is sending bombers to Ryloth to decimate the rebels below.

So, let’s talk about Hera, it’s great to find out more about her character and her heritage, as it was with the other characters in the season. Here’s the thing though. Character back story does not equal character development and despite having two episode focused on Hera’s character, neither have seen her develop at all.

Hera is not the character with flaws in this episode, it’s her father. Yes, she manages to convince him around but what was really needed here for Hera’s character development is something similar to the lines of Sabine’s episode. Maybe some daddy issues or something. And whilst they do hint to it, it’s not a focus of the episode and once again, Hera’s character is overlooked in that regard. It frustrates me even more now that there was a perfect opportunity for it in Wings of the Master and they chose to ignore it.

They acknowledge that they’re losing pilots, which is at least a step forward, but I’m still concerned that they can do so so nonchalantly, why I believe a major character needs to die before they can really look at the losses they’re taking with any seriousness.

There are unfortunately 2 other problems that are keeping this episode, and the series in general back for me. We’re 5 episodes in to the season, and we’re yet to see the inquisitors again. One of the parts of the mid-season trailer is that they’re the ones preventing them helping the rebels establish a base except we really haven’t seen that at all. The inquisitors are what, at the moment, keep the empire a threat to the rebels, we need to see more of them.

Then there’s Ahsoka, and you could probably include Rex in this too. Neither of them have had major roles since the midseason break. Ahsoka is going to face Vader, presumably in the series finale, we need time so that audiences that haven’t watched the Clone Wars can get to know her. She doesn’t have to be in every episode, but she does have to have a presence, same with Rex who’s barely been a part of the rebellion since the mid-season break.

A lot holds this episode back, but it’s not unenjoyable. I just wish it’d kick into high gear already!

Rating 7/10

The Honourable Ones

An episode of intrigue for several reasons.

This feels like one of the more organic character episodes they’ve managed to do. Zeb and Kallus have been established as enemies before, what with the Kallus leading the charge against Zeb’s homeworld, and in the face of the empire, taking credit for it

So in fighting off an ambush Kallus end up stranded on a freezing cold moon (with some sort of atmosphere since it has weather) with creatures ready to attack and a number of factors preventing their escape. Their only chance to survive is working together.

It’s a fairly standard plot, you’ve seen it before but what will sell it is the interactions between the characters, this episode excels here. I really haven’t said much about Agent Kallus or many of the other empire stooges, inquisitors notwithstanding largely because they’re relatively not worthy of note. Here is where some light is fleshed on Kallus and the decisions he has made.

The story of Kallus’ patrol unit being brutally wiped out by a Lasat rebel sheds some light on the fact that not all rebel cells are quite as, how to put it, restrained. One could argue that the Rebels have a pretty high kill count with all the ships they’ve destroyed and you’d be correct, but these rebels mostly attack high value military targets or are defending themselves against ambushes in the skies and tend not to use lethal force on the ground.

Kallus also expresses that whilst he earns face with the empire by taking credit for the Lasan massacre, that was not his original intention, the empire just wanted to make an example of them. Also the fact that despite several opportunities for both parties to end the other, they both make it out alive. Kallus at the end seems more reflective and may well end up defecting from the Empire by the end.

Honestly, this is the strongest character episode this show has ever had, Zeb was absolutely the right choice for this one. It also hints to construction going on the sector, likely on the first death star.

Rating 8.5/10

For updates and exclusive extras click here to like my Facebook page

For more reviews click here

Images used in this review are from Star Wars Rebels and belong to their respective owners. All images in this review are subject to fair use.