Books - 2 weeks 6 days ago
Star Wars Rebels to Deliver A New Hope to Fans
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Submitted by S.J. Mitchell on Mon, 10/06/2014 - 02:00
After the credits rolled on 2005's Revenge of the Sith, many fans of the original trilogy were left unsatisfied. The newer trilogy seemed to focus on updated special effects and intense choreographed fight scenes.
The overall story, however, seemed to sputter like the Falcon's hyperdrive.
Enter the ultimate in ironic acquisitions: Disney, a real Empire seeking to expand it's reach, purchased Lucasfilm and the rights to everything Star Wars.
Moving quickly they began to develop the next motion picture installment with Episode VIII. To ensure they remained in touch with the original audience, veteran actors such as: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher were all brought in to pass the torch to a new generation of heroes.
But there was still an issue regarding the most recent trilogy. With the successful animated series The Clone Wars, coming to an end, Disney needed a new show to bridge the gap from Revenge of the Sith to A New Hope.
That's where Star Wars Rebels comes in.
As the Empire tightens it's grip on the outer rim, it's quickly making their presence known throughout the galaxy. Initially the new regime was seen as a way to restore order to the failed, old republic. The Emporer, along with Admiral Tarkin and Darth Vader, ruled with an iron fist; and as Princess Leia said, "The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers."
Only in this case, instead of star systems, we're getting a band of rebels as a result of the Empire's efforts. Led by a former Jedi in training, Kanan (voiced by Freddie Prinze Jr), leads the crew of 'The Ghost' on a crusade against the Empire. While it's far too early to tell, the fire of the rebellion could ignite out of this spark of rebels.
With sound effects pulled straight from the original trilogy, the return of Storm Troopers and familiar tech such as TIE Fighers and Star Destroyers there is reason to believe this show will appeal to fans of all ages. It even has a lovable astro-mech droid, Chopper, even if the previews show that it's more callous than caring.
And what would a Star Wars series be without a Jedi hunting, Lightsaber wielding villain? The Inquisitor (Jason Isaacs) will be this shows version of Darth Vader. An arrogant yet calm combatant, the Inquisitor is called in action any time there is a hint of Jedi in the air. And just like Tarkin pulled Vader's strings, 'Rebels' will have a high ranking officer in the form of Agent Kallus (David Oyelowo). The big difference here, is Kallus will be more 'boots on the ground' in his dealings as his sole purpose is to seek out any pockets of rebellion that may be forming.
This series has the right pieces in place to be an excellent chapter in the Star Wars universe, as it combines all the elements of what made the franchise so successful in the past. Disney XD is so confident in this show, it was announced in the news section of the Star Wars website, that 'Rebels' has been picked up for a second season ahead of the premiere!
Star Wars Rebels is set to debut its pilot tomorrow on Disney XD (9 p.m. ET/PT), and then, on October 13th, the series airs its first episode.
