Star Wars animated series Rebels ran for 4 seasons from 2014 to 2018. The series was set 15 years after the events of The Clone Wars, it’s predecessor. It introduced several new characters and followed a group of rebels through the galaxy during the early stages of the Rebellion. This was a markedly different format than The Clone Wars, which jumped between different points of views and planets, and had 3 episode arcs covering various battles and aspects of the War. Rebels, in contrast, had a more stable and intimate feel to the storytelling. The focus mostly remained on the Ghost Crew, consisting of Ezra Bridger, Kanan Jarrus, Hera Syndulla, Sabine Wren and Zeb Orrelios.
Like The Clone Wars, Dave Filoni was one of the main creators behind Rebels as well, and has since moved over to creating live action shows along with Jon Favreau. The next Star Wars series, Ahsoka, premieres in August and marks the live action debut of all the Rebels main characters including Ezra, Hera, Sabine, Zeb and Chopper. Even though all these series can be watched and enjoyed on their own, it’s much more enjoyable if you know who these characters are and where they’ve been, as well as their bond with Ahsoka herself. Filoni has also confirmed, more or less, that Ahsoka serves as a continuation of Star Wars Rebels.
To convince you even more, here’s a list of reasons to watch Star Wars Rebels immediately:
- Opportunity to learn about Ahsoka’s life after Order 66: Wanting to know more about the main character of Ahsoka is a pretty solid reason to watch Rebels for the first time. Ahsoka plays a major role in the series. She served the Rebellion under the codename of “Fulcrum” and fought Vader’s inquisitors, and much more! Ahsoka’s past which included being Anakin Skywalker’s background is hard to overlook, even for her, now that it’s been 15 years since the fall of the Republic, and her Master has joined the dark side. Let’s just say that their confrontation is not to be missed!
- Learning about Mandalorians: If Mandalore and Mandalorians are your thing, and they very well could be, then Rebels is a great series to watch. Characters hailing from Mandalore play a pretty vital role in the series, and you’ll also get to see the planet in the aftermath of the fall of the Republic. Bo Katan and the Darksaber also have a prominent role in the series, and if you’ve ever been interested in the Darksaber, this is where to get all the knowledge.
- Exploration of the mystical side of the force: From Jedi temples, strange force visions, a World between worlds, Loth wolves, giant creatures representing the balance between the dark and light sides of the force, and Sith holocrons, Rebels has it all when it comes to the force. This show is a goldmine for people who want the force and what it means to be a Jedi to be explored in detail. The writing is simply outstanding, and it’s never too lore heavy. It’s perfectly balanced out by the action and relationships between the characters.
- Lots and lots of Darth Vader: The Empire and its inner workings, the tension and friction between various Imperial officers plays a massive role in Rebels. If you liked Andor, then Rebels should be your thing. Rebels walked so Andor could run. But ,above all, it has one of the most terrifying versions of Vader. Everything from his design to his fighting style is immaculate. He’s used sparingly, but always makes a dramatic and terrifying entrance. This version of Vader is an interesting blend of Rogue One’s Vader and Obi Wan Kenobi’s Vader. He’s cold. he’s ruthless, he’s powerful, but as seen during one of its most emotional moments, one that serves as an inspiration for the Kenobi series, underneath it all, he’s still Anakin Skywalker.
Ahsoka streams this August on Disney+. Meanwhile, all 4 seasons of Rebels are available for streaming on Disney+.