Kaz and his friends lead the Colossus into battle against the First Order, Tam’s future takes an unexpected turn.
The article contains plot points for Star Wars Resistance S1E21, “No Escape: Part Two.”
Season One of Star Wars Resistance wraps up with the finale, “No Escape” Part Two, directed by Saul Ruiz and written by Brandon Auman. In the second part of a two-part episode, Kaz witnesses the ruthless destructed of his home planet, Hosnian Prime. Despite this shocking event, Kaz shows the wherewithal and perseverance to keep moving forward, to rescue his friend Yeager and Captain Doza. Star Wars Resistance has taken a dark turn; there’s no doubt, but within the utter bleakness of recent events, friendships grow stronger and hopeful futures are on the horizon.
As strong as Kaz was trying to be, he could not have done it without the help of his friend Tora Doza. Young as she is, Tora was Kaz’s crutch when he needed it the most. Friends like this are hard to find, and when friends go through rough times together, it means for a much stronger bond down the road. In a very similar scene in A New Hope, Leia comforts Luke after he witnesses the sacrifice of Ben Kenobi, despite her planet just being destroyed by the Empire. In a role reversal, the characters whose world just got blown to bits is the one being consoled, not vice versa—which probably makes more sense.
Yeager’s reaction to hearing about Hosnian Prime was surprisingly minimal. Is planetary destruction commonplace in the Star Wars galaxy? It has been within the past forty years with the devastation on Jedha and the obliteration of Alderaan. Perhaps it’s becoming the norm—it’s accepted despite the insanity of the situation. In times of war or stressful events, what was thought to be inhumane is now the norm for the sake of survival. Not letting her friends dwell too long on the sad news, Tora informs her father of their plan to lift the Colossus into orbit. Though Captain Doza expresses some hesitation due to the Colossus being stagnant for the past two decades, the plan moves forward.
The Hero Needs Companions
One of the most endearing qualities of Star Wars Resistance is that it brings together characters from all backgrounds, species, and abilities together for a just cause. This kind of gathering is the kind that brings down oppressive governments. In the control room deep within the station, Neeku, Kel, Eila, and Vil’pak (one of the shellfolk) work together to lift the Colossus and “remove their stormtrooper problem.” Little nuggets like Tora’s reaction to Neeku being Neeku are brilliant. No words need to be said; her response is worth a winning hand at sabacc. Animating characters in the background that aren’t speaking can be easily overlooked; it’s not necessary to have them do anything. However, making Tora do a facepalm twice adds to the overall enjoyment. Splendid job!
Neeku has become a fan favorite and deservingly so. He is this generation’s comic relief in Star Wars, a tradition that started with C-3PO, continued with Jar Jar Binks, and now Neeku. Every scene with Neeku is a comedic moment. It’s a wonder how he got this far in life without getting hurt, but it works. It’s a comedy that is not forced upon or pushed; it’s who he is, and that is the best part, Neeku is doing Neeko. Unlike 3PO’s uptightness or Jar Jar’s slapstick comedy, Neeku does possess some technical skill which comes in handy at times. When things start to become too heavy, Neeku is sure to lighten the mood.
A whirlwind of circumstances swirls around and in the center of the storm is Yeager’s mechanic, Tam Ryvora. The station is flooding out stormtroopers, Commander Pyre is losing control, and Agent Tierney is calling for more reinforcements. A ship the same model as Kylo Ren’s Command Shuttle arrives at the Colossus to take Tam off-world. Tam is not only torn, but she’s hurting. From her point of view the people she thought were her friends, have lied and kept secrets from her. Also, to a person like Tam trust is number one, once that trust is broken, it may very well be lost forever. Tam is blind to the motivations of the First Order, all she knows is that they’re treating her like an adult, with respect and kindness. Also, they offer purpose, a life probably not unlike her grandfather, a person Tam had much respect for. Yeager was like a father to Tam, and he betrayed that bond.
From a Certain Point of View
On Kaz’s word, Neeku activates the drives on the Colossus, and the station reverts to its original identity, a massive space-going ship. The last time the Colossus flew was about five years before Tora was born, and ten years after the events of Return of the Jedi. A firefight breaks out during the chaos. Yeager had a clear shot at Tierney and Pyre but didn’t realize it as his back was turned. In an agonizingly tense moment, Tam had to make a choice; reach for Tierney’s outstretched hand, or turn back towards Yeager’s pleas to stay? In a fateful decision, Tam willingly chose the former, boarding the First Order shuttle and leaving the Colossus behind.
WIth the Colossus in the sky above Castilon, and under attack by TIE’s Doza frees the Ace squadron from the prisons and orders them to defend the station. On top of that, Hype and Aunt Z make their triumphant return aboard a stolen First Order troop transport and the pirates, including Synara San, lend a helping hand. The First Order retaliates by bringing in their muscle; a Star Destroyer. In an attempt to keep the Colossus from escaping, the destroyer opens fire. The Colossus, which flies in an upright position, makes a successful jump to hyperspace, destination unknown.
Coda
In Star Wars fashion, “No Escape” Part Two ends with the stars pulled into the long lines of hyperspace. The crew of the Colossus full of uncertainty of their future, but hopeful of what may come. Season One of Star Wars Resistance may have gotten off to a slow start, but character building takes time. By the halfway point, one could argue that Resistance had the finest first season of any Star Wars animated program. The creators have put the second season in a position of success, one that cannot get here fast enough.
Once upon a time in a town no one’s heard of, there lived a boy who enjoyed Star Wars from the quiet of his bedroom. A time came when a new comlink allowed the boy to hear that there are others like him. Overjoyed, the boy wanted nothing more than to join in the conversation. So he did. The rest is HIStory. Besides Star Wars I also enjoy Marvel and Game of Thrones (I dabble in all sorts of geeky fun). You can find me on the couch watching one of several streaming services, reading or writing. Let’s go, Bruins!