Resistance is not futile: A skeptic’s review of Star Wars Resistance first season

From its debut, Star Wars Resistance has caused consternation with some fans due to everything from its animation style to characterization. Now that the first season has finished, is there any reason to re-assess just what it is all about for those who did not find it to their interest?

(Note: This article will primarily be spoiler free for those who have not seen the show, though some broad spoilers may be found.)

When I first started contributing editorials here to Dork Side of the Force, I made myself a promise: I would not focus on anything negative. I thought there was enough negativity to be found in Star Wars internet traffic (and Star Trek, and comic book, and…well, pretty much any subject really), and I did not want to add to that. I vowed to promote what I loved rather than to bash what I hated.

That does not mean that I think all Star Wars content was above reproach. Yes, I have a pretty favorable opinion of the vast majority of post-Disney content; it is not all perfect. Indeed, there is some stuff I either do not like, or at least don’t find to my taste.

Hence, I have not yet discussed Star Wars: Resistance.

Photo credit: Lucasfilm

I did not think the show was bad when I first tuned in, it just felt like it wasn’t geared toward me.  It seemed to skew toward a younger audience, which I think is a good thing!

You don’t get future fans if you don’t bring in a youth audience, and I firmly support a flavor of Star Wars for every taste. This flavor just didn’t seem like mine. Plus, there were other contributors who WERE enjoying the flavor, and doing a great job giving the show coverage, so I didn’t say much about it, here or anywhere.

I did however, keep watching. I had made the mistake before with The Clone Wars, thinking it was “too kiddie” for me and had as a result missed out on some of the best Star Wars storytelling there is.

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Dutifully, I watched Resistance each week, despite feeling that the lead character, Kazuda Xiono, was way too slapstick, and frankly the least interesting character on the show for me. I was particularly miffed at the way Kaz’s presence rolled over Tam Ryvora, who was someone I thought was getting the short-shrift as a character.

The action was good though, the appearances of Poe Dameron, Captain Phasma (swoon), and General Leia (double plus swoon) kept me intrigued, and the slow build up toward what the First Order had brewing was holding my interest. Indeed, in Episode 14, “The Doza Dilemma,” when the true nature of the First Order’s relationship with the local pirates becomes known, it seemed like there was a sudden shift in the seriousness of the storytelling. The characters themselves began to grow.

Turns out I wasn’t the only one who thought Tam Ryvora was being neglected; so did Tam, leading her to a decision at season’s end that another “kid show” may not have allowed their character to make.

Kaz, already finally growing into the role I was hoping for from the start, sees something so horrific as to forever change him. The days of dropping wrenches for comedic effect come to an end for Kaz when Starkiller Base comes into the picture.

The broader ramifications the show began to have for the sequel trilogy also became more relevant. As the show solidified exactly when it was happening in the sequel trilogy timeline, the stakes became far more dire, the character actions became far more significant, and I found myself really looking forward to each new episode.

With season one’s end, we get some really wonderful new First Order characters, and the culmination of some story arcs that were being built behind the slapstick earlier in the season.  The two-part finale “No Escape” turns out to be a pretty satisfying ending, with what may well be elements Episode IX will pick up when it hits theaters in December.

I don’t know that Star Wars: Resistance will ever be the dramatic tour de force The Clone Wars was, or that it will make me adore characters the way Rebels did. I am however excited to see what will happen to Kaz and his friends (and enemies) in Season 2. Resistance is a worthwhile watch for old and new fans alike and helps bring texture and depth to the Sequel Trilogy and the Star Wars universe.

And any excuse for more Leia and more Phasma is OK with me. In the end, I did find I could talk about Resistance and be positive. I hope you can too.

What’s your take on Resistance? Do you think Episode IX will directly reference the show? Will Neeku ever learn how to take a joke? Let us know in comments!