If you're getting into the Star Wars animated series or just finished watching The Clone Wars for the first time, chances are you'll watch Star Wars Rebels next.
Star Wars Rebels takes place after Episode III - Revenge of the Sith and before Episode IV - A New Hope, taking fans into what life was like for ordinary people during the Empire's reign of terror. Not only that, but we get a unique perspective into the life of undercover Rebels who must fight for survival while the Rebel Alliance struggles to get it together.
Rebels has a little bit of everything, including a group of Rebels, Jedi, Inquisitors, Darth Vader, pirates, and a few surviving clones. With plenty of surprises here and there, what makes Rebels a masterpiece is its in-depth exploration of the spiritual side of Star Wars. Perhaps more than any other series, Rebels dives into what it means to be a Force user, and the presence of the Force in all things and places our heroes can imagine.
With so much to offer, it's hard to narrow down the best moments from the series, so I decided to make this a list of 5 moments that will stay with me forever.
1. Ahsoka and Rex's reunion
Ahsoka Tano and Rex were together during the harrowing events of Order 66, during which Rex almost killed his Jedi Commander before Ahsoka managed to deactivate his inhibitor chip. Afterward, the duo had to experience the tragedy of Rex's fallen brothers, whom they buried together before parting ways. Separately, they struggled to survive for years until their paths crossed again during the Rebellion.
Thanks to their mutual friends, the Ghost Crew, Ahsoka, and Rex reunited in Season 2, episode 4, "Relics of the Old Republic." You'd be lying if you said this moment didn't move you to tears. In a rare display of emotions, Ahsoka warmly hugs her friend, who notices how much she's aged. This moment brought back the warmth of relationships we grew to love in The Clone Wars and proved that while Ahsoka has shut her feelings away, deep down, she cares deeply.
2. The Grand Inquisitor's death
In the Season 1 finale, Kanan and Ezra Bridger run into the Grand Inquisitor once again, who nearly kills Kanan Jarrus's young apprentice. This is an emotional and high-stakes duel in which Kanan eventually overpowers the Grand Inquisitor. After losing against Kanan, the Grand Inquisitor decides he'd rather fall to his death instead of facing Darth Vader after being defeated by Kanan. His famous and chilling last words are, "There are some things far more frightening than death," proving that even death is better than having a boss like Darth Vader.
3. Kanan's sacrifice
Love always leads to tragedy in Star Wars. Kanan Jarrus made the ultimate sacrifice to save his love, Hera Syndulla, and his friends from an explosion in Star Wars Rebels, Season 4, episode 10, titled "Jedi Night." Before this tragedy, we finally get a few sweet and tender moments between Kanan and Hera. As she watches him engulfed by the flames he dies protecting her from, Kanan regains his eyesight and sees Hera one last time before dying. Kanan's death was a big gut punch for Rebels fans, and the series' remaining episodes had the tall task of keeping his memory alive and filling the hole of his absence. I'll always remember how I felt watching the final episodes after Kanan's demise.
4. Ahsoka v. Darth Vader
I was extremely excited about watching The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels for the first time, so it was a bit upsetting when I discovered that Anakin eventually fights and nearly kills his own Padawan. Ahsoka and Darth Vader's duel in Malachor was emotionally riveting, heartbreaking, and flawlessly written. Highlights include the brilliant voice acting by Ashley Eckstein and the sound mixing department giving us a mix of Darth Vader's voice with Matt Lanter's, something the Obi-Wan Kenobi series would repeat years later with Vader and Hayden Christensen's voice.
For anyone who watched Rebels when it originally aired, it took years of suspense before Ahsoka's fate at the hands of her former master was eventually revealed. The wait must've felt like forever. Nevertheless, this episode is high on emotions, so prepare to watch it with a box of Kleenex. Hearing Ahsoka's name from Vader's mouth is a moment nothing can prepare you for!
5. Obi-Wan Kenobi vs. Darth Maul
After taking out his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, and the love of his life, Duchess Satine Kryze, Maul wasn't done with Obi-Wan Kenobi yet. Maul uses Ezra to lure Obi-Wan out of hiding on Tatooine. While Obi-Wan manages to return Ezra to his friends, it leads to a confrontation between the wise Jedi Master and his old nemesis. Maul attempts to cut Obi-Wan down using the same move that worked on Qui-Gon years earlier, but a calm and centered Kenobi anticipates Maul's plan and strikes a fatal blow.
Prepare to sob your eyes out when Obi-Wan cradles a dying Darth Maul in his arms, a display of Jedi compassion like no other. Maul is aware that Obi-Wan is on Tatooine because he's protecting someone. Knowing well that he and all the Jedi have been used as pawns their entire lives by Palpatine, Maul questions if the one Kenobi is protecting is the "Chosen One." When Obi-Wan replies that he is, Maul dies, hoping that the Chosen One will "avenge us all." This scene is the epitome of what makes Star Wars Rebels so special and will stay with me forever.