Spark of Inspiration

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The humble beginnings of the Rebel Alliance are chronicled in “Star Wars Rebels”

Pilot episodes are a tricky thing. On one hand, the initial episode of a series needs to capture an audience. On the other, it has to show viewers everything it’s about and keep them begging for more. The good ones tend to be action packed, witty and obviously tended with care. When the stars align and the appropriate sacrifices are made to the gods of marketing, there will be some momentum moving into the air date. It will be an event.

Star Wars Rebels has direct hits on all these targets, but, more importantly: it is a very good show.

I’ve watched the premiere 40-minute movie “Spark of Rebellion” a half-dozen times now, and it has only endeared itself to me more on every repeated viewing. There are layers here, people. Rebels is firmly set in the Original Trilogy era, and “Spark of Rebellion” has done all it could to let you know that. The visuals, music, and even the dialogue bring the viewer back to Episode IV. The artistic direction is an achievement all its own. Rebels succeeds in sprawling. beautiful landscapes inspired heavily by Ralph McQuarrie. It’s not afraid to show off the colorful-yet-muted watercolor palette in sweeping skyscapes that dwarf the characters on screen. There are moments that are so perfectly framed that they look as if they are ripped off a canvas. However, all is not pretty, even if it is gorgeous to watch. The elegant, Flash-Gordon curves of the Prequel Era have been left behind, and the Used Universe is back. There’s a lot of dirty grey, a lot of rust, and a lot of dust. If feels like Star Wars, no doubts about that.

In contrast to the Clone Wars, which began with an angular, Thunderbirds-inspired style, Rebels features slick, smooth models that tend to resemble action figures in the fondest way. There’s a waxy, plastic sheen that is captivating in its singular uniquess. The stylized, economical design animates beautifully, creating vectors for momentum and speed that are hard to decipher in still photos. For the greatest majority, the visual style used in Star Wars Rebels is a success, but there are moments where I see there is still work to be done. The wookiees, with their layers of matted hair and trademark gait, presented a difficult challenge for the animation team. However, more importantly, I’d like to see more subtle, expressive facial animation that does not cross the line into exaggeration. This is a layer of complexity that would only let shine the depth and nuance of the work done by the exceptional voice actors working on the show. In all fairness though, this is Rebels’ first outing, and I have no doubts that the animation will improve with time. Make no mistake: the show is beautiful–it can only get better.

While the show may have premiered on the Disney Channel, Rebels is not kiddie Star Wars. There’s a double digit body count in Spark of Rebellion (not counting the ships Sabine blows up. The humanity!). The Empire kills. Our heroes kill. There’s a weight of consequence when a stormtrooper gets gunned down that can’t compare to ripping through battle droids. People are dying due to the oppression of the Empire, and the stakes are as high as they can get. There are no guarantees that our heroes will make it out alive. It’s not like we see them at Yavin Base in A New Hope, right? The future is by no means certain for the crew of the Ghost, even if we know where the galaxy is heading.

The tone is set immediately as the show begins: an Imperial Star Destroyer, the floating symbol of oppression, looms over the planet of Lothal in a scene that’s instantly iconic. As Ezra blasts off in search of plunder, we’re taken to a marketplace that feels right at home for fans of the original trilogy. The blend of Ralph McQuarrie and Kenner figure inspiration is the perfect starting point for these new characters to drop into. The litmus test works; they fit right in. It’s all fun and games until the Force draws Ezra’s attention away from what he was doing, to notice Kanan standing alone in the marketplace. I pay special attention tot his scene, because it is the first time in all of Star Wars that sound design has been used in this way to describe the Force. Typically, a low bass rumble is used to signify the use of the Force on physical, tangible objects; this is something different. The viewer hears an ethereal whistle, far off yet distinct.

The question goes unanswered throughout this episode: Does Ezra actually hear this in his mind? Or, is this merely an audible post marker for Ezra’s connection to the Force. The viewing audience has never shared this sort of firsthand experiential knowledge of the Force, and I want to more of it.

As the would-be master and apprenctice take note of each other, a plot to steal crates from imperial agents ensures. We meet Sabine, a brightly-colored Mandolorian that can casually toss a grenade, and Zeb, the muscle with a gruff mouth and a heart of gold. Chase ensues, and one of the fastest and most thrilling sequences of Star Wars animation begins with a speeder chase that starts in the marketplace, proceeds out to the open plains and ends with a Tie fighter shot down by the group’s impressive ship, the Ghost. Hats off to Dave Filoni on the direction here. He captures the essence of the original trilogy in the speed, editing and angles used here and in the upcoming space battle. Ezra’s ability in the Force is displayed openly in a superhuman last-minute jump onto the ascending cargo bay of the Ghost. It’s impressive enough for Kanan to take note, and around this time, Kanan decides to put Ezra’s Force ability to the test.

The first act of “Spark of Rebellion” is action-packed, fast, and above all, fun. That’s the element that elevates this show from merely “good” to “kick-ass good”; it’s fun. I love the biting wit of the dialogue, the pulsing music, and the kinetic energy of the ships. It’s what Star Wars is all about, and it’s going to make this series soar.

The action continues into open space, and it is noteworthy that a show moving this fast takes a moment to reflect on a poor street kid’s marvelous reaction to being in space for the first time. Of course, it would be our reaction too, wouldn’t it? Choral comments aside, this is another example of the oppression of the Empire: the ability to restrict travel, and thereby restrict commerce of trade and information, is a hallmark of tyranny and a direct antithesis of the culture of the Republic. The Ghost enters hyperspace to escape the TIE fighters in pursuit, and a decent round of exposition ensues. In this time we get to know the lovely pilot, Hera (no, really, she calls Kanan “Love”) and C1-10PR, the aging, grumbling astromech droid known as Chopper, with a mind and agenda all his own. (Curiously enough, the episode credits list him as his himself in the cast?) Chopper has a way of asserting himself as if the Ghost is his territory and the rest are just unruly guests. Filoni has said Chopper is the cat to Artoo’s dog, and it is an apt analogy. The banter and humor between the characters is effortless and does not feel forced at all. Freddie Prinze, Jr., Vanessa Marshall, Steve Blum, Tiya Sircar and Taylor Gray give us some of the finest voice acting I’ve ever heard, on par with the equally exceptional cast of The Clone Wars.

I got lost slightly taking in the dialogue and the geography of the Ghost, because I lost the plot thread at this point. It took me repeated viewing to realize that our heroes used hyperspace to escape, only to immediately return to Lothal undetected using the Ghost’s signal-scrambling capability. Ezra is shown a side of his home planet he’s never seen: the ghetto known as Tarkintown, a place for dissenters and undesirables to wallow and die. In addition to arms dealing, the crew of the Ghost has been acting as Space Robin Hoods. Notable Easter-egg characters include the Kenner Hammerhead figure and the original McQuarrie concept design for Han Solo. I love this type of thing and hope it shows up more. This is a tactic that has worked well to set the scene with “Spark of Rebellion”; heavy on the nostalgia, heavy allusions to the OT. It establishes the tone for the rest of the series, which then allows it to branch out into new and exciting ways while maintaining its core. Also of note, we meet Vizago, the untrustworthy black-market dealer who is guaranteed to pop up from time to time as the series unfolds. I wish they could have used Hondo Ohnaka. I loved that character and it would have been a perfect through-line between the two eras of the saga. In any event, Vizago could be very interesting because he deals in shades of gray, and I look forward to seeing him. In exchange for the stolen blasters, he gives Kanan and Hera much sought after information–the coordinates to a transport ship full of captive wookiees that the Empire will enslave.

Meanwhile, Ezra is in contemplation. He’s taken his first steps into a larger world, and grappling with his little-understood Force abilities when the whistling begins again. The Force draws him into the ship as part of Kanan’s plan to test Ezra. It’s at this point that I think is a good chance to discuss the music of Star Wars Rebels. Composer Kevin Kiner is no stranger to the Star Wars. Technically, with his score for The Clone Wars, he’s composed more hours of music than anyone else for Star Wars. But now, he sounds like he’s been unleashed like a kid in a candy store. He’s playing in Williams’ area here, and all the familiar themes you’re looking for show up. Kiner puts his spin on many, deftly so, yet knows when to let the original leitmotifs shine. Notably, Darth Vader’s original theme from A New Hope, long set aside in favor of the legendary Imperial March, has been infused with new life in Rebels. Kiner rightly uses it–this is the time of the first Death Star’s construction, five years before a green farmboy from Tatooine hit the scene and eight years before The Empire Strikes Back. It is thematically and chronologically the most fitting way to describe the Empire through music. There are many moments where the score shines; even Leia’s theme shows up. But, the place where Kiner has truly made his mark is also perhaps its quietest. Driven by the Force, Ezra makes his way into Kanan’s room. Chopper sees him breaking in with a sort of manual Artoo-hacking device and chooses to ignore him. He finds the holocron, and then that mythic weapon of a more civilized age. Truly, in this series the lightsaber has been restored to the status of Excalibur. Then, Kiner’s true talent is put to use. He can use Williams all day, and it will be great, but he created his own moment when the lightsaber fires up. The gentle twinkling keyboard tones all at once evoked everything that I have ever loved about Star Wars: the mythic coming true, magic becoming real, youthful hope just starting to kindle, a greater destiny lying just off the horizon. It’s powerful, and primal, and gives me chills every time I watch the episode.

In addition to original leitmotifs for the crew of the Ghost, it’s the spirit of the music here that I want to hear more of in Rebels.

The action ramps up again as the rebels find the Imperial transport and form a plan to liberate the captive wookiees. While storming the ship, they discover it was a trap set up by Agent Kallus of the Imperial Security Bureau, a ruthless mid-level officer that Jason Swank of Rebel Force Radio accurately compared to Javert from Les Miserables. Visago sold them out, unwittingly, and in the escape Ezra is captured. A beautiful scene unfolds as Ezra throws the holocron in frustration, closes his eyes and attempts to clear his head. This spontaneous meditation taps into the Force and before long the holocron is replaying a message from none other than Obi Wan Kenobi. It’s a poetic message brilliantly delivered by James Arnold Taylor, who confirmed to me via Twitter that his performance aimed for a slightly older Kenobi than in The Clone Wars. However, the content raises questions. According to A New Dawn, the first major piece of the new Star Wars canon, the message Obi Wan leaves at the temple is clear and short:

“This is Obi-Wan Kenobi. Republic Forces have been turned against the Jedi. Avoid Coruscant, Avoid detection. Stay strong. May the Force be with you.”

That is not the message in “Spark of Rebellion.” I am left to assume that the message in the holocron is a newer, different message, and I want to know how this is possible! I refuse to believe this is a continuity mistake; it is much too important.

Ezra escapes, just as the crew of the Ghost returns to break him out. We get some nice interaction between Zeb and Ezra, and Sabine displays her penchant for the artistic with explosive spraypaint. Ezra returns to the crew with information on the wookiees’ location. They’re being taken to the infamous Spice mines of Kessel, so that’s the next stop.

In 2014, Frank Herbert’s classic novel Dune does not maintain the same status in the zeitgeist that it did in the seventies. Dune was an still remains a groundbreaking, influential novel, and there is no doubt that it influenced Star Wars heavily. The Spice mines of Kessel were one of the most overt homages to Dune in A New Hope. Spice is an integral part of the Dune universe and this is a direct lift. There is no doubt in my mind that Kessel is an analog for Arrakis and it stands up visually. Too bad there are no sandworms.

A firefight ensues while releasing the captive wookiees, and it’s clear something drastic will have to be done to get out from under the suppressing fire. Kanan decides it’s time to let everyone in on “the secret” by initiating a 22-pickup. In a climactic move, Kanan shows that he can easily dodge blaster fire, and ignites his lightsaber, exposing himself to be a Jedi. It’s worthy to note that the former padawan does need some concentration to use his lightsaber. He not a Nick Gillard-trained, one-handed swordsman, and favors the two-handed style typically seen my the older, more mechanical, and lesser trained combatants of the OT (and Kit Fisto). It’s an attentive detail that informs so much of Kanan’s training.

In the end, the wookies are freed, our heroes escape, and Kallus gets to hilariously send a stormtrooper falling to his death. Ezra decides to join the crew of the Ghost to learn more about the ways of the Force from Kanan. And, just to keep us on the edge of our seat, we are left with a foreboding conference call between Kallus and the mysterious Inquisitor, a dark side Pau’an Force user that’s gonna be some bad news.

Some final notes:

• The series begins in media res, just like A New Hope.
• Is it just a similarity that Kanan and Zeb’s uniforms are similar?
• Kanan’s mission call sign is Specter-1. I’m loving the ghost-themed terminology. Or is it a Bond reference?
• The lighting of this show is an element all its own that adds so much depth and energy to each scene, especially the interiors of the Ghost.
• Hera says wookiees were soldiers for the old Republic? When was that? As I saw it in Episode III, the Republic aided the wookies to defend their home planet from invasion. It wasn’t like there were wookiee soldiers spread across the galaxy fighting in the Clone Wars. When did they help Lasat and Ryloth?
• You can tell which cockpit chair is Sabine’s. Just look for the checker pattern and racing stripes.
• Zeb’s impersonation of a wookiee is both hilarious and ironic.
• Chopper can jam tractor beams–something Artoo cannot do in A New Hope.
• Jabba is more famous than I thought!
• I’ll start what may become a long debated question: Is the Ghost a more capable ship than the Millennium Falcon? From its performance in Spark of Rebelllion, it would seem to do with ease what the Falcon has difficulty achieving.
• Sabine can speak Wookiee
• I find the line “Not all of us” to be deliciously ambiguous. Is he inferring there are more Jedi still alive, or is he merely referring to himself?

Check back next time for my recap and analysis of the regular series premiere of Star Wars Rebels, airing Monday, October 13, 2014 at 9:00 pm ET on Disney XD.

-Joseph