As the anticipated Disney+ series Andor reignites the inner Rebel spark in Star Wars fans, many are hoping for cameos from characters in the upcoming Ahsoka series. With talented actress Natasha Liu Bordizzo tapped to portray the colorful Mandalorian member of Phoenix Squadron, Sabine Wren, fans can only hope that live-action versions of the notable characters from the animated hit Star Wars: Rebels measure up.Both exalted and denounced, Rebels have invoked emotional reactions across the entire spectrum of human emotion, drawing the most scrutiny from the die-hard The Clone Wars fanbase. Nonetheless, Rebels presented Star Wars with numerous memorable additions and storylines over its four seasons, deftly summed up here in the following ten examples of memetic glory.
The 3 Stages Of Watching Rebels
During its inaugural season, Rebels received scrutiny from critics and fans, citing the animation regression from the acclaimed Clone Wars and a youthful target audience, leaving fans underwhelmed. However, considering this was the first central Star Wars production following Disney acquiring Lucasfilm, it was understandable that Disney and Co. adopted a slower, cautionary approach.
Wisely, after season one, Disney got an in-depth look at the metrics regarding the viewing audience, and feedback suggested that the main contingent of viewers was, in fact, an older demographic of Star Wars fans, migrating over from the Clone Wars and Prequel era content. This information would prompt a deviation from a show designed for Y7 viewership to a crucial piece of Star Wars canon fans could vest an emotional stake in, as this meme expertly conveys.
One-Of-A-Kind Tie
Many Star Wars fans were skeptical of Rebels, especially after a lackluster first season. Indeed, as some of the most particular and invested fans in the science fiction community, Star Wars fans can be hyper-critical of perceived slights against continuity and canon.
This overreaction can spread to forums too, where many devoted prequel era fans aired their displeasure when Rebels memes began to sprout up on the storied r/PrequelMemes Subreddit. Previously reserved for Episodes I-VI and The Clone Wars, this memetic expression trove initially resisted Rebels' incursion before welcoming this colorful, eccentric series into the ranks.
Haters Gonna Hate
A superb display of creativity earns this meme a spot at the top among Rebels. Creatively combining iconic scenes from Rebels and Marvel's Captain America: The First Avenger to encapsulate the feelings of the oft scrutinized, at least in the early years, Rebels fan base.
Unequivocally one of the best moments in Rebels, "Twilight of the Apprentice: Part 2" was a perfect way to conclude a season and pay respects to one of the most distinctive relationships in all Star Wars. Also notable for shedding some light on Ahsoka and her discovery of the truth regarding Darth Vader, the scene remains nostalgic to this day.
Our Favorite War Criminal
A tasteful and spicy offering of memetic goodness, Our Favorite War Criminal is a comedic compare and contrast take on two founding members of the Spectres and Phoenix Squadron. The daughter of resistance leader Cham Syndulla, seen in The Clone Wars, Hera exhibits all the hallmarks of a leader. Throughout Rebels and beyond, Hera would show her tactical acumen to be of the highest grade, fighting the Empire on her terms while achieving the rank of general within the Rebel Alliance.
Representing the opposite end of the moral spectrum, the cantankerous clanker C1-10P, better known by his Phoenix designation of Chopper, displays zero qualms with the termination of organics. Initially found damaged by Hera during the Clone Wars, Chopper will be repaired and become fiercely loyal to the young Twi'lek. An internet sensation due to his murderous ways, this mechanized menace nonetheless serves as a grumpy yet vital member of Phoenix Squadron.
Rebels Personality Chart
Superbly capturing the intricacies of pivotal characters in Rebels, this fabulous meme captures each character's unique personality. Including a host of never before seen characters, Rebels bridged many of the gaps leftover from The Clone Wars, believably weaving in arcs involving many of the most remarkable characters in Star Wars.
Such favorites as Lando Calrissian, Maul, and the Piscean- inclined pirate Hondo Ohnaka had meaningful appearances that helped add consistency to the period between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. Finally, the extreme care given to add essential character depth sets Rebels apart, transforming relative unknowns into some of the most memorable Star Wars characters.
Different Kind Of Mandalorian
Bursting with vibrant colors, the Mandalorian Rebel armory expert Sabine Wren infused Rebels with the needed coloring to balance a noticeable earth-tone chroma aesthetic. Sabine represented a stark contrast to other Mandalorians, who were notably drab and simplistic in their color pallets, both on armor and at their estate.
Resoundingly bucking many previous Mandalorian fashion trends, Sabine shows herself as one of the preeminent Star Wars artists. However, as this meme comedically demonstrates, Sabine never withheld her artistic zeal, whether in her room aboard Ghost, her hairstyle, or her traditional Mandalorian beskar.
Fulcrum
The rebel saboteur and counter-intelligence asset Fulcrum will significantly combat the Empire and aid the building rebellion movement. Sabotaging attempts to capture Phoenix, Fulcrum likely was the primary means by which Phoenix eluded the vaunted Grand Admiral for so long.
First, with Ahsoka, the famed former Jedi and Padawan of Anakin Skywalker, who then passes the duties to ISB Agent turned rebel Alexsandr Kallus. Undoubtedly one of the best character arcs of the series, Kallus does a complete 180, transforming from one of the most loyal, dogged pursuers of Imperial threats to a rebel with a heart even Thrawn had to appreciate.
Filoni Brings Back Legends
Legends fans rejoiced after Dave Filoni and Disney formerly made the Chiss Grand Admiral Thrawn canon. One of the most well-received and beloved villains, Thrawn would become the primary series antagonist in seasons three and four, showing many new fans why he was held in such high regard by the Legends community.
With the upcoming Ahsoka live-action series, fans will undoubtedly be gifted with numerous meme-worthy moments. However, until then, the quality offerings from Rebels and devoted fans like this will have to do.
Epic Final Confrontation
Praised for featuring stories involving meaningful cameos over its four seasons, Rebels treated viewers to many nostalgic moments seeing characters from the original and prequel trilogies, books, and animated series. Primary amongst those would surely be the inclusion of the former Darth, head of Crimson Dawn and son of Dathomir Maul.
Finally, bringing Maul's character arc to a close in a most apropos way, Rebels gives a proper sendoff to a truly iconic character in the Star Wars universe. Checking all the proverbial boxes, "Twin Suns" sees Maul end his journey as a warrior, locked in mortal combat, versus his oldest rival.​​​​​​​
Burdened With Such Knowledge
Over its four seasons and 74 episodes, Rebels contained information integral to the official Star Wars canon. However, many fans were left pondering the bevy of questions left unanswered after the conclusion of Rebels in season four.
Questions like "what happened to Ezra Bridger?" and "where is Grand Admiral Thrawn?" weighed heavy on the minds of the cerebral Rebels community, as expressed in this meme from Redditor El_Arquero. Thankfully, the future looks bright for Star Wars fans as answers to these questions and many more in this formative era are further expounded on in the upcoming Disney+ series'.