Monday 15 February 2016

Star Wars Rebels 'The Protectors of Concord Dawn' Review


This Review WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS for the episode to be discussed, if you do not want certain plot points or story spoilt for you, please do not read further.


Whilst Sabine was something of a mystery during the first season of the show, season 2 seems to be enjoying gradually filling in some of those blanks in the characters back story, giving us a deeper look in who she is and what drives her.  'The Protectors of Concord Dawn' is another episode that goes does this.

With the Empire becoming more and more active in the Outer Rim, making life difficult for our Rebels, Sabine suggests making use of a little used and out of the way hyperspace route that passes the Mandalorian colony Concord Dawn.  Whilst some of the Rebels initially want to fight the Mandalorians in order to use their hyperspace route, Hera suggests instead trying to talk to their leader, Fenn Rau, and convince them to join the fight against the Empire.

When Sabine and Hera travel to Concord Dawn to talk with Rau and his men they come under attack from the Mandalorians, who have chosen to side with the Empire.  Sabine and Hera escape, but Hera is badly wounded in the attack, leaving her hospitalised.  It's then decided by the Rebels to send Kanan to Concord Dawn to finish the mission.  Knowing that Kanan can't go up against the Mandalorians alone Sabine sneaks along.


Once on Concord Dawn we get to see some aspects of our two characters that don't normally shine through, with Sabine being a lot fiercer and bloodthirsty then we've seen her before and Kanan getting to show a little emotion.
Kanan comes face to face with Rau and tries to negotiate like a real Jedi would, to find a peaceful solution to the whole situation.  We also learn that Rau and Kanan have met before, during the events of the Clone Wars.  We only get a sneak peek at what happened here, but get to see more in the pages of the marvel comics 'Kanan' in issue 10, where he saves Kanan and his master, Depa Billaba, from battle droids.

Sabine decides that the only way to complete their mission and to get revenge for Hera is to go up against Rau and kill him.  She makes a challenge for one on one combat that she knows he is honour bound to accept, where she reveals a little piece of her past we've not seen before, that she's part of House Vizsla, a name that will be familiar to many Star Wars fans, and fans of The Clone Wars especially.


Eventually Sabine and Kanan manage to get Rau on side and get him to agree to assist the rebellion, allowing them to use their hyperspace route.  Whether this also means that we'll see the Mandalorians again in the future, fighting alongside the rebels against the empire is yet to be seen, but as we know from The Clone Wars Mandalorians are amazing fighters and could prove to be a major asset to the rebel cause.

'The Protectors of Concord Dawn' benefitted greatly from Kanan's involvement and the sense of history that he brought to proceedings with his Clone Wars past, but the heart of the episode was without a doubt with Sabine, where it gives her the opportunity to explore a little of her past, as well as a side of her personality we don't normally get to see.

Amy.
xx

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