Animé and Toons
Star Wars Rebel Season Two
By Hervé St-Louis
August 23, 2016 - 23:38

Studios: The Walt Disney Studios, Lucasfilm Ltd.
Starring: Freddie Prinze Jr., Vanessa Marshall, Steve Blum, Tiya Sircar, Taylor Gray, Ashley Eckstein, Dee Bradley Baker, David Oyelowo, Sarah Michelle Gellar
Directed by: Dave Filoni, Simon Kinberg, Carrie Beck
Produced by: Dave Filoni, Simon Kinberg
Running Time: 485
Release Date: August 30, 2016
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Distributors: Disney



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Having escaped from the Empire with the help of new rebels galvanized by Ezra’s message of hope, our band of freedom fighters seek to fight the new menace of Darth Vader. The Sith Lord is the latest envoy of the Empire against the rebels and he may prove to cut Ezra’s training as a Jedi short.

This season picks up exactly where the fist ended but with new characters and old favourites such as Lando and Dart Vader himself. The story continues to chronicle the journey of Ezra as he trains with Kanan to become a Jedi. The series continues to be aimed at kids and parallels the early Star Wars films just like the recent film did. Some diehard fans may object to the lack of exploration of new territory and themes but I understand that this is meant to give a new generation of viewers a Star Wars that they can call their own.

With Darth Vader, I was afraid that the producers were relying on the character and even overusing him. But he appears in character and is as menacing as ever. His animation and posture looks more realistic than the other characters. The animation of the other characters is a bit disappointing. The walk cycles look a bit fake and the textures are all plastic-looking. Metal, grit, and glass does not seem to be attributes that the animation rendering system production team took advantage of.

This series is for more than kids. Fans of the franchise will find enough good material to quell their hunger for more Star Wars material.

Bonus Features:

Blu-ray:
From Apprentice to Adversary: Vader vs. Ahsoka (Exclusive to Blu-ray) – Executive Producer Dave Filoni reflects on the climactic ending of the season, when Ahsoka Tano finally confronts Darth Vader in a long-awaited, fierce and epic lightsaber battle.
All DVD Bonus (see below)

DVD:
Connecting the Galaxy: Rebels Season Two – Uncover hidden references, easter eggs and connections to the Star Wars universe found throughout the season.
Rebel Recons – Blast off with 20 fun, fast-paced episode recons, featuring behind-the-scenes footage, interviews with cast and crew, and more!
Rating: 8/10

Related Articles:
Star Wars Rebels: Season 2 - on Blu-ray and DVD August 30
Star Wars Rebels the Complete Season One