It is not only the 10th anniversary of Star Wars Rebels but also the month of October, which means it is time for Halloween—or, as my eight-year-old daughter says, "spooky time." Together, we watched the Rebels episode "Visions and Voices" to get ready for the season.
"Visions and Voices" is the eleventh episode of the third season of the hit series. In the episode Darth Maul returns and works with Ezra Bridger to unlock mysteries in the Force they both are searching for.
The episode has many elements that fit into the Halloween season. First, Maul and Ezra use dark magic to summon the Nightsisters. The magic used has a very haunting feel and sound.
The dark magic in "Visions and Voices" brings out the illusion to Halloween
The ghosts of the Nightsisters are seen throughout the episode, and their spirits end up possessing the bodies of Kanan Jarrus and Sabine Wren. They turn almost zombie-like before Ezra is able to save both of them. The spirits can be very scary but enjoyable as we look to find fun ways to celebrate this month.
At the beginning of the episode, Ezra is haunted by visions of Darth Maul before he and Kanan come into contact with the once-Sith Lord. Creator and executive producer of the series Dave Filoni described Maul in Ezra's visions as having a quality akin to Freddy Krueger. The Krueger character from A Nightmare on Elm Street film series is one of the most popular during Halloween.
The lighting throughout the episode makes it stand out, fit into the feel of Halloween, and stand out in Season 3. From the opening scene on the Rebel base to Maul's sanctuary decorated with haunting paintings to the scenes on Dathomir, it has a very dark and illusionary feel to it. The lighting fits perfectly into the season.
My daughter loved the episode and said she was happy that despite it being a bit scary, because Ezra saved his friends at the end. It was fun for her and me to usher in the Halloween season with an episode from a favorite franchise to do it.