Why Star Wars doesn’t need a Rebels sequel

Since Star Wars Rebels ended on March 5, 2018, fans have hoped and begged for a sequel to the unforgettable series. Its four-season run, to many, didn’t feel like enough. Though we’ve seen some of its characters pop up again — and will see more in upcoming shows — there could be so much more of their stories to tell.

But maybe this doesn’t have to — and shouldn’t — happen in the form of a Rebels sequel series.

Don’t get me wrong: Rebels is my favorite Star War. It’s my comfort show, it’s an extremely important part of my life. But it’s also a story I draw hope and inspiration from almost daily. I would love to know where all our favorite characters ended up after the main show aired its final moments.

Historically, though, the sequels we dream of when our favorite media properties end very rarely end up living up to our elevated expectations. We write stories in our heads — some of us even turn that into fanfiction — and the story we might actually get, in a Rebels sequel for example, will never follow that exact outline. As much as we might say we’ll love it anyway “because it’s Star Wars,” there’s such a high chance we’d still be disappointed anyway. Would it even be worth the risk?

In terms of logistics, one of the most tragic things about the show’s ending is that those final moments are presumably the last time the Ghost Crew ever operates as a unit. Everyone goes off and does their own thing — Kallus with Zeb; Sabine with Ahsoka; Hera with Jacen. This likely means that if we’re going to see more of their goings-on after the show’s main story concludes, it’s going to be through separate narratives. A show about Sabine and Ahsoka, for example. A romance novel featuring Kallus and Zeb, perhaps. You never know.

We don’t need the crew to come together again — that story is already over. We could and probably will see their contributions to the galaxy as individuals, much the way we got glimpses of Hera’s future in the Alphabet Squadron trilogy and Squadrons video game.

A sequel series would never live up to the original. But crafting new stories around these familiar and beloved characters has the potential to be just as magical.

Use the #RebelsRemembered hashtag on March 5 to share your love of Star Wars: Rebels with the fandom!