A reconnaissance mission takes a turn for the worse as Poe and Kaz infiltrate an abandoned First Order facility in “Station Theta Black”!
Kazuda overcomes some mechanical issues with the Fireball to rendezvous with Poe and the Resistance above the planet Castilon to hand over some recently decrypted intel he’s acquired. Kaz’s determination and hard work has gained him the attention of none other than General Leia herself whom he meets on-board her ship to discuss the Resistance’s next move. After slicing secret information from Captain Doza’s datapad they learn of a secret First Order installation – Station Theta Black – out in the Unknown Regions. With strict orders to maintain a low profile and not to engage the enemy they immediately set out in their X-Wings to discover the stations purpose.
The pair quickly learn upon entering that the facility was used for mining dedlanite, used in the production of blasters, but are interrupted by the arrival of Captain Phasma and The First Order. Disregarding Leia’s original insturctions to not engage the enemy Kaz and Poe fight their way off the station and back to their fighters before the Order detonates the Station Theta Black in order to hide their tracks.
Royal Rendezvous
Poe drops out of hyperspace just in time to help Kazuda out of a bind and thankfully he’s not alone. Also arriving is a CR90 Corvette, an iconic Corellian Corvette, with a very special passenger.
General Leia.
Voiced by Carolyn Hennesy it’s her second appearance in the series, showing up via holo in “The Recruit“, but the first time her voice is heard. Voicing a classic and beloved character is no easy feat and can be scrutinized to the nth degree but Carolyn’s interpretation is spot on. If it can’t be the iconic Carrie Fisher then this is a phenomenal runner-up. As Leia appears in The Force Awakens her appearance here is an important piece to the puzzle of how the Resistance has ramped up their efforts against the First Order.
The end of the episode delivers the goods and conveys that her inclusion in “Station Theta Black” is more than just cameo. Kaz warns that if the other Senators in the Republic are like his father this new intel will do nothing to sway them to the Resistance. Leia’s response ties together what is learned not only in The Last Jedi, about war profiteering, but the stance of many in the Senate as explored in Claudia Gray’s novel Star Wars: Bloodline. Not only are some profiting off this “Cold War” but some may even be sympathetic to the First Order. The fact that Kazuda’s father, Senator Hamato Xiono, was not keen on him working with the Resistance could be some heavy foreshadowing on where his own allegiances are. And if Hamato is currently on Hosnian Prime, the location of the Republic government, well that obviously doesn’t bode too well given the planet’s fate in The Force Awakens.
Leia here seems slightly despondent as she is learning more of what they’re up against. Wishing that there were more out there like Kaz he reassures her that there are many who would be willing to help if they knew what was at stake. By the end of The Last Jedi, the Resistance is practically devastated, losing many of their forces during both the assault on D’qar and the Battle of Crait. A distress signal sent out as a last ditch effort to rally their friends has seemingly gone unanswered. So where is everybody? Other media have tackled what some others are doing as the events of The Last Jedi take place, the comics on where Poe’s allies in Black Squadron have been, and Leia tasking others with hunting down reinforcements in the Ressurection DLC for Star Wars Battlefront 2. As Xiono continues his mission of gathering intel on the First Order from Colossus Station its possible that his interactions could generate support for the Resistance. Could Kaz, Ace Squadron and the Colossus heed Leia’s call and appear in Episode IX? Anything’s possible.
The Order Flexes Its Muscle
The chance to explore a secretive First Order facility is too great an opportunity to pass up for Poe and Kaz but the two get a lot more than they bargained for. The Order arrives led by Captain Phasma and Major Vonreg who have come to destroy the station and erase all traces of the station’s purpose.
Aside from shootouts with Stormtroopers Phasma gets quite a bit of action here. Arguably more than she has in both live-action films so far and gives Gwendoline Christie more to contribute to the story. There’s also a moment here where she takes a fall, from a decent height, and shrugs it off like a pro. If that doesn’t give anyone hope that she doesn’t come back for Episode IX….
Before Phasma completes their objective and obliterates Station Theta Black a peak through some files reveals just what the First Order is doing there. The station is used for the mining of dedlanite which is used in blaster production. The amount that the station has been processing is massive and is indicative of the military buildup that is going on behind the scenes. Information that they are desperate to cover up. The fight continues after Poe and Kaz take to their X-Wing’s and attempt to make a run for it and an intense dogfight follows. Flying close to and in some parts through the structure creates a visually stunning sequence. One similar to the attack above Scarif in Rogue One. It’s a lot more action from the Order than has been seen thus far and as the season progresses it’s likely this will escalate even further.
Interlude
“Station Theta Black” delivered on multiple fronts and serves as a mid-season finale of sorts while the series takes a brief hiatus. Over the course of 11 episodes Star Wars Resistance has developed some of the characters it has introduced enough to both let audiences connect with them on a deeper level while also stoking the desire for more. Some more than others. Hopefully the back half continues the trend.
With no idea as to the number of seasons Resistance is planning on running the series at this point could go many places. It could run not only up to the events of The Force Awakens, but since it and The Last Jedi are days apart at best, right through both and into the period between The Last Jedi and Episode IX. Pure speculation of course but what would Star Wars be without a healthy dose of that?
Mike Harris hails from the suburbs of Chicago and has been a fan for most of his life. Working as an industrial radiographer and raising a family with his wife take up most of his time, but there’s always room for Star Wars books and podcasts! Just looking to give back to Star Wars and the fan community, it’s been a source of fun and learning for him for so long.