After being introduced earlier this season, we haven’t seen much of the Inquisitors and the threat they pose. Enter a civilian transport that catches the Empire’s interest and our two new Inquisitors make a visit with an eye for the baby on board. Now strap in for hyperspace and watch out for asteroids (spoilers), here comes the latest episode of Star Wars Rebels: “Future of the Force.”
Jedi Business
A nice surprise with Ahsoka Tano’s return only means bad news for Kanan, Ezra, and crew. Ahsoka had been doing some eavesdropping on Mustafar, leading to two spot investigations. Kanan, Ezra, Zeb, and thankfully for them Chopper too, head one way and Ahsoka goes off on her own to find an abandoned ship. The ship ends up being the civilian transport from the start of the show and only the grandmother of the missing baby remains alive.
Zeb and Chopper do some snooping of their own when they stumble across the missing baby in a tie fighter. Kanan and Ezra search through a building when they stumble across a hurt female Ithorian. We find out that the red bladed ones (the Inquisitors) took her baby leaving Kanan to puzzle together why (it’s obvious Kanan, the baby Inquisitors and future darksiders are trained from birth).
Zeb goes on a solo mission to find the Ithorian baby that seems a bit too easy when he finds the baby almost immediately. Of course it’s too easy. Enter the two Inquisitors and the chase is on. Kanan and Ezra turn up in time to catch up with Zeb and the baby. Unfortunately for them, the baby isn’t a quiet one and leads the Inquisitors to our Rebels’ door. The room quickly becomes a pincushion for red lightsabers before Ezra and Kanan cut themselves a way out. A decoy shows that the Seventh sister and Fifth brother aren’t without a bit of conflict and aren’t exactly each other’s best friend, though it seems that the Seventh sister likes to mock the Fifth brother. Kanan catches on to why the babies are so important and forces Ezra to take the Ithorian baby and escape in the vents. The baby once again gives them away but Ezra is finally able to connect with the force to help keep the child calm.
Battle of the Force
Kanan makes himself known and ends up going one-on-one with the Seventh sister while Zeb does everything he can to match up against the Fifth brother. That doesn’t work too well and Zeb grabs Kanan and makes a run for it. Their relief is short lived as the Inquisitors manage to hijack a shuttle, thanks to the Fifth brother and his amazing arm leads the shuttle crashing. Zeb, Kanan, and Ezra are completely owned by the Inquisitors when who but Ahsoka Tano shows up with her twin white blades. Ahsoka shows that her skills with a lightsaber have only improved in time and easily handles the Inquisitors before Imperial reinforcements show up forcing her to flee with the others. “Future of the Force” ends with Kanan acknowledging it is now their job to protect the young force sensitives and on the opposite spectrum the Inquisitors finding out where our group of Rebels is heading.
This week’s Rebels in contrast to the previous episodes comes off as a detective themed episode with very well crafted cut scenes. “Future of the Force” is the pivot point for where the show could go and not just a one-off episode that seems loosely connected to the others. The return of Ahsoka was a pleasant surprise and just seeing her flex her force muscles makes this a must see.