After the return of the clones to start off the season of Rebels, and introducing two new characters last week, this week brought back another old favorite from the Clone Wars television show. Hondo Ohnaka was/is an infamous pirate who got the better of both the Jedi and the Sith several times throughout the Clone Wars. Through the use of humor and a great deal of luck, Hondo might not have always come out on top, but he did manage to constantly live another day.
Pressure of Responsibility
Rex and Kanan’s continuing rivalry is starting to effect Ezra, who is not sure that he wants to be a Jedi or a soldier. The crew of Ghost goes off on their own leaving Ezra and Chopper to clean the ship as a form of punishment. Fortunately for Ezra, it is a short lived cleaning session as they receive a distress signal causing Ezra to rush off to the rescue. As is usual and per the normal for the Star Wars universe, when a Jedi in training goes running off to help, it usually leads to trouble. Instead of Vizago though, Ezra going as Lando Calrissian meets Hondo. The trouble for Hondo and Ezra arrives in the shape of an Imperial Star Destroyer and it is only thanks to Chopper’s quick work that has them jumping into hyperspace.
Pirates
While making their escape, Hondo manages to convince Ezra to help him pull off a job. Ezra shows some negotiating skills of his own and it looks like this rescue mission may pay off. That feeling goes away quickly as Hondo and Ezra are held up at gun point and on the verge of being sent into space after Azmorigan changes the deal. Before they are, though, Ezra’s real identity is revealed to Hondo who doesn’t seem to mind that fact at all and actually is rather impressed. Then, as has become true for the films in the saga, the droid comes to the rescue. Chopper goes to town taking out all of Azmorigan’s henchmen, but not before Azmorigan is able to make his escape. Ezra comes to Hondo’s rescue as he is about to be ejected into space, revealing to Hondo that he is a Jedi.
Helping the Alliance
Hondo does his best to convince Ezra to become a pirate Jedi and join his crew. While not really sure how, Ezra makes a deal for the generators that seems to convince Hondo that he has joined his crew. While Ezra goes off with Chopper to get some drinks they come across Cikatro Vizago locked up in his own brig. Ezra and Vizago make a deal to take back his ship, but it becomes quickly obvious that Ezra can’t really trust anyone on that ship. Vizago activates his droids causing Hondo to flee in the Phantom, forcing Ezra and Chopper to reach the planet by escape pod. Ezra and Chopper arrive back to the group thinking about how he can avoid getting in trouble only to run into Hondo talking to the crew. All’s well that ends well, at least until the Inquisitors show up again.
Rebels’ “Brothers of the Broken Horn” was a story to help develop more of Ezra’s character. Still a young kid with a lot of responsibilities, the pressure of it all at the beginning of the episode seems too much for him. This failed rescue mission is just what he needed as he runs into his past, in a manner of speaking. Hondo, while funny and not too bad of a guy, is a being out for himself at his core which allows Ezra to get a glimpse at his past before he meets Kanan and the crew of Ghost. The questions he had of who he is at the beginning of the episode may not have been answered, but it looks like meeting Hondo has given him a different outlook on whether he is to a be a Jedi or a soldier. An enjoyable episode of Rebels with a good amount of humor. It will be interesting to see in which direction Ezra truly decides to go in.