[This is a review of Star Wars Rebels season 2, episode 5. There will be SPOILERS.]
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Hera Syndulla finally has her moment in the spotlight with this exciting new episode of Star Wars Rebels, entitled 'Wings of the Master.' For most of season 2, our favorite lovely green Twi'lek has taken a backseat to her shipmates, so it was nice to see her prove just how much of a badass she really is.
For those of you who have not read the new Star Wars canon novels, like New Dawn and Lords of the Sith, this was the first time we got a sense who Hera really is. After crash landing on a strange planet in search of a new kind of weapon, Hera meets an eccentric Mon Calamari named Quarrie (Corey Burton). The amphibious humanoid has designed a beautiful new red assault craft capable of breaking through Imperial blockades. Quarrie won't easily part with his ship unless he knows the pilot is worthy of her.
In this moment, which may be the highlight of the episode, Hera divulges why she chose to become a pilot. For her, it was never about simply fighting a war to gain independence, she just really wanted to be up in the sky. What seemed to really stir Quarrie's heart was when she said that having to fight against the Imperials was only necessary when it concerned helping those in need. Basically, Hera is not some crazed blood-thirsty killer. The B-Wing she would soon take off the planet was a tool, not a weapon. Hera proved what we already knew about her -- she's a true hero who is willing to sacrifice anything in order to save a life.
Her first flight in the B-Wing was another memorable scene, as you can easily see the joy in her face. While the writing has been solid this season, the animators deserve equal amounts of praise for their ability to not only craft extraordinary worlds, but for making their character's emotions so tangible to the viewer. Perhaps this is overstating it a bit, but there are times when it's easy to forget you are watching an animated program.
The opening and closing blockade action sequences were both well crafted and delivered a tension sometimes missing in these short episodes. Watching the B-Wing use its concentrated red beam to destroy the Imperial ships was thrilling, and it's good to know that the rebels will be constructing more of these ships with the help of Quarrie. In the original trilogy, the B-Wings aren't revealed until Return of the Jedi, so seeing their origin is an added bonus.
As strong as this episode was, there's one scene that didn't quite add up. After Hera and the rest of the assault group successful broke Agent Callus' blockade and delivered the goods to the people on the planet's surface, they just flew away leaving Callus and his men behind. The question is: If Callus and his men are still there with no rebels around, couldn't they just go down to the surface and steal the goods back, or simply bombard the colony from above?
Well, nitpicking aside, this was another enjoyable adventure. Hera also gets extra props due to her promotion as Captain of Phoenix Squadron. What did you think of this Hera-centered episode? Keep watching to see what happens next.
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Star Wars Rebels continues with 'Blood Sisters' next Wednesday night @9:30pm on Disney XD.