[This is a review of Star Wars Rebels season 2, episode 15. There will be SPOILERS.] 

-

Star Wars Rebels usually receives most of its praise for what it accomplishes in its large-scale battles and duels, like in the spectacular 'Siege of Lothal' movie that jump-started season 2. Unlike its predecessor, this week's outing, entitled 'The Honorable Ones,' showcases a brilliant display of how two people speaking in isolation can be just as powerful as Vader dueling against Ezra and Kanan.

To be fair, anytime Vader is onscreen he steals the show, but watching Zeb and Agent Kallus have a war of words with each other was pretty fantastic, too. The plot is nothing new, especially if you've seen the 1984 cult classic Enemy Mine, starring Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett Jr. This is a familiar story, but it's executed to perfection by Dave Filoni and his crew.

Agent Kallus is one of those characters who many Rebels fans wanted to know more about, and we sure got what we were asking for this week. It's hard to call him a "good guy," but unlike some of his Imperial counterparts, he's not a man without honor. Much like Zeb, the two men share a common code that binds them as if they were brothers. Kallus' story about how he obtained a Lesan weapon was touching. Sure, Kallus can be a ruthless killer at times, but he's not as cold-blooded as many perceived him to be.

Star Wars Rebels Season 2 Episode 15 - Zeb and Kallus

Kallus showed respect for Zeb's people and sounded regretful when speaking of their genocide. Now the question becomes whether or not he will stay loyal to Emperor Palpatine and Vader. There's no denying the Imperial officer is conflicted, especially after that ending.

When Zeb was reunited with the crew of The Ghost, he was warmly embraced by his fellow comrades, which was to be expected after a near death experience. Kallus, on the other hand, had a much different reunion with his superior officer who coldly greeted him upon his return. Alone in his bunk, the weary Imperial officer looked sullen and defeated. He had the appearance of a man who had the weight of the entire galaxy on his shoulders, which makes him the new wild card in this series.

'The Honorable Ones' was no mere "filler episode"; it was an excellent example of how you can tell a great story in under 30-minutes. Most of the other crew took a backseat this week, but with only a handful of episodes left this season, you can be sure we're going to see the entire Ghost crew in action on a regular basis. It's nice to see Filoni and his writers taking time to flesh out the entire ensemble. Zeb is one of this reviewer's favorite characters.

Now that we've seen Agent Kallus doubt his allegiance to The Empire, do you think there's a chance he might defect in a future episode? Stay tuned to see what happens next.

-

Star Wars Rebels continues with 'Shroud of Darkness' next Wednesday @9:30 on Disney XD. Check out a behind the scenes look below: