Chris Cooper reviews Star Wars Rebels – ‘Zero Hour’…
Imagine we’re in a room. In front of us are the three Star Wars Rebels season finales.
One, two, and three, all minding their own business. Ah-hem! They all stand to attention. Now then, you ask them, which of you is the most disappointing?
Finale three shuffles uncomfortably and raises its hand.
Zero Hour (both parts) is a fantastic episode of Rebels that contains pretty much everything you could want in a Star Wars story. There are highs and lows, there’s sacrifice, and there is an absolute tonne of action, both on the ground and in space. We see some great nods to Rogue One along with the other films, and I spent the entire time on the edge of my seat. Speaking to my brother after, he was completely satisfied by it. So why aren’t I?
I just can’t shake a feeling of disappointment. We all knew that really Thrawn needed a big win. He’s let the Rebels go or toyed with them for an entire season now, so it was time for things to get real. Now, I think things did but the cues were perhaps not as strong as I’d have liked. I wanted ‘BIG’ and I got ‘big’. It’s tough to explain without going into specifics.
Perhaps I peaked last week with Twin Suns? That may not have really touched the main arc but it was a huge deal. It led to me expecting something astonishing and I didn’t get that.
The more I write about it, the more I think it’s just come to me at the wrong time. If we’d had a droid episode between that and this I might be going ga-ga over it.
Rebels’ Season 3 finale, go back to the others. Maybe you didn’t do anything wrong. Maybe it’s not you, it’s me? Maybe I’m a terrible person that doesn’t appreciate you the way many others will?
Season 3 has been great overall. A great mix of episodes led me to the realisation that there is no such thing as filler! Thrawn is a great villain and I feel that most of the crew have really come on. Disney’s treatment of Star Wars may feel to some like wringing all the cash they can out of their purchase, but to me they’re bringing new and old together to create a great new set of adventures.
That’s it for now. Thanks for sticking with me through Season 3. I’ll see you later in the year for Season 4!
Chris Cooper
Originally published March 26, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
