Last week on Rebels, it was an Ezra centric episode. With Kanan and Rex still butting heads and pulling Ezra in two different directions the pressure was mounting and he needed an escape. Meeting Hondo was just what Ezra needed even if he is still unsure of whether he wants to be a Jedi or a soldier, or neither. Following last week’s character centric arc, we get another this week and it is one everyone has been waiting for. Now get ready for hyperspace and watch out for asteroids (spoilers), lets jump right into “Wings of the Master.”
Blockade
A space battle kicked off this week’s episode as the Ghost crew led Phoenix Squadron to an imperial blockaded planet that was in desperate need of supplies. Things didn’t look too good for the group when the transport is destroyed, and Hera finally decides to abort, but only the crew of Ghost and a few single fighters left make their escape. As they regroup and are discussing with the fleet what should be done, Rex mentions that a certain ship might be able to make it through the blockade. Kanan, in which is a big change in the norm, actually volunteers Hera for this mission claiming she is the best pilot and the only one capable of making it through.
The B-Wing
Kana, Ezra, and Chopper go off in search of supplies with the Ghost while Hera leads the Phantom to this abyss looking planet where after crash landing they meet and eccentric looking mini Admiral Ackbar. A man going by the name Quarrie doesn’t quite seen keen on giving up his ship, which is aptly called the Blade Wing or as it will be known, the B-wing. Quarrie seems to be testing Hera before he is willing to give up his ship and this allows us to get a better understanding of why Hera left home and joined the rebellion. Taking the B-wing for a test ride, we see that despite its unique shape that it has some heavy fire power.
Captain Hera
It is around this time when they get in touch with Kanan and find out that Commander Sato has ordered Phoenix Squadron to once again commence an attempt to bypass the blockade. Quarrie seems hesitant to give up his ship as he feels it needs a new color, but it is at this point that we find out that the Phantom now has a hyperdrive system, which allows it to carry the B-wing to the blockade. It is just in the nick of time, too, as Phoenix Squadron looks to be in trouble against the blockade even with Kanan piloting the Ghost. Hera and her B-wing arrive right on time and in an unexpected move takes out one of the imperial ships, surprising Agent Kallus and allowing much needed supplies to finally reach the planet. Joining back up with Phoenix Squadron, we learn that the rebels found a group to mass produce these B-wings, and thanks to a suggestion from Kanan, Hera has now become Captain Hera.
A fun episode of Rebels this week with a few space battles to liven things up, and the introduction of the B-wing brought a bit of nostalgia to the show letting us see a ship’s origins that we first met in the original trilogy. Like last week’s episode, “Wings of the Master” helped to shed more light on a single character. Up until this point for season two, Hera had been more of a background character without much to do other than fix the Ghost when it needed repairs. It was nice to see her love of flying is what led her to where she currently is and seeing her about to have a bigger role in the rebellion will bring an interesting dynamic to the group. It will intriguing to see what this does to the relationship between Hera and Kanan. While it may have been his suggestion that got her promoted, he is still the figure of the group that chafes at not being able to do his own thing.