[This is a review of Star Wars Rebels season 2, episode 4. There will be SPOILERS.]
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It's easy to write off this week's episode of Star Wars Rebels as 30 minutes of filler with little to no impact on the rest of the season, but doing so would be selling 'Brothers of the Broken Horn' short. With each passing week, Ezra is changing before our eyes into the man that will (this reviewer believes) have a significant affect on the Star Wars Universe down the road.
Ezra's journey as a force user is still in its infancy, but he is already being pulled in different directions by his sometimes-overbearing mentors. The newly acquired ex-Clone Trooper Rex is trying to teach Ezra to be a better soldier, while Kanan is telling him to strive to be a better Jedi. In a time of war, just like Anakin and Obi-Wan were in during the Clone Wars, those lines get blurred. The Jedi are usually known as peacekeepers, but they can also kick some serious butt when out on the battlefield. So, Ezra is actually getting valuable lessons from both battle-hardened veterans, but until they see eye-to-eye, Ezra will continue to suffocate under their tutelage.
Needing a breath of fresh air leads Ezra to one of the more popular scoundrels outside of Han and Lando in one Hondo Ohnaka. He's the perfect kind of villain, who will help you out at times, as long as your interests benefit his. Even though Hondo acted shocked when he found out Ezra was not who he claimed to be, one would have to assume the clever thief knew all along. Hondo's suggestion to Ezra to become a space pirate was a fantastic idea for this episode, as Ezra's journey shadowed that of his masters.
If you've had a chance to read Kanan The Last Padawan from Marvel Comics, then you'll know that Kanan too traveled with pirates for a time after Order 66 separated him from his Jedi master. Only difference here is the length of Ezra's time as a pirate. Kanan's journey lasted for years, while Ezra had one action-filled day. Either way, it was fun watching him getting mixed up in all this dishonest work.
Another pleasant surprise this week was hearing legendary voice and film actor James Wong (Blade Runner) portraying the rotund red-skinned villain Azmorigan. Watching him scamper away as blaster fire filled the air was hilarious. It's sometimes easy to forget that Star Wars Rebels is a series on Disney XD that needs to appeal to both adults and children alike. One can only imagine how difficult a task this must be. 'Brothers of the Broken Horn' felt more like a children's show than last week's entry with the introduction of the new Inquisitors. Even though this outing felt more "kid friendly" than previous episodes, it has no less of an impact and is another solid entry in the Rebels saga. War is most assuredly coming for our crew of the Ghost, so look for dark days ahead.
What did you think of Ezra's short time as a pirate alongside Hondo Ohnaka? Keep watching to see what happens next on Rebels.
Star Wars Rebels continues with 'Wings of the Master' next Wednesday on Disney XD @9:30pm.