Kanan is forced with a difficult decision after the events of "Gathering Forces." Has Ezra touched on the Dark Side? Has he stepped onto the path? Is Ezra still capable of becoming a Jedi? Kanan needs to know. He needs a Jedi Temple...
So he has Ezra find him one. Through communing with the Force.
And, then, Ezra has an experience very reminiscent of Luke's experience in The Tree on Dagobah.
On the one hand, it's all very cool. It's a good episode in that respect and brings up a lot of questions (like "What has Kanan been doing since the Purge?") that I hope we get to see answered. Ezra's experience in the Temple is well done and is very revealing about him as a character. It's a great step forward for the show and it definitely has my attention (and approval) at this point. Although still obviously geared for kids, it has stepped above being merely a "kids' show."
On the other hand, there are some things I find annoying in a more global sense. What we know about Star Wars in general is that Anakin was the most powerful Jedi ever, even more powerful than Yoda. That is, until Luke was born, and Luke is supposed to be even more powerful than Anakin (even though no one ever took his midi-chlorian count), but what we're seeing from Ezra is stuff that goes way beyond Anakin or Luke. Stuff that makes Kanan fearful of his ability to teach Ezra.
From a global story perspective, you are driven to do this kind of thing, because the natural inclination is to take things to the next level, not show things you've shown before, but I think you can do that without making each new character the most powerful ever. So I hope that's not what they're doing, but it does look like it's headed that direction.
Still, taken in the context of this one show, it's very good, and I am, now, looking forward to each new episode we have time to watch.
I've tried, not strenuously mind you, but I've tried to get into the Rebels series. Not sure what it was but it just wasn't my cup of tea.
ReplyDeleteBut I do know one thing....the force is real. I even say as much in my recent blog post. The Matrix is real too.
Workingdan: It's taken me many episodes to really get into it.
DeleteInteresting.
ReplyDeleteI don't like the whole midi-chlorian thing. I realize that hardly puts me in exclusive company. I just don't see why the Force must be quantifiable - compromises the more mystical aspects of the story, I think.
TAS: That was the point Lucas was making, that the Jedi had reduced the force to some kind of quantifiable science rather than retaining the spiritual side of it. They had, in effect, lost their way. Or, at least, the newer Jedi were missing the point.
DeleteWhile I realize that may have been his intention, I don't think he did a good job of conveying it. I would say, in fact, that's a more interesting story than the one that came across in the prequels. Again, it's easier to see in Clone Wars. Take a step back and there's something undeniably, ethically wrong with the very existence of the clones, for instance. But still, it's too subtle.
DeleteConflict within the Jedi Order itself would be worth exploring more deeply.
TAS: I think there have been a lot of things in Star Wars that were too subtle for people in general. Like, for instance, Luke was supposed to have been on Dagobah for a long time, months at least, a time that corresponded to the actually extremely long trip Han and Leia had to take to get to Bespin. That stuff comes out better in the novel and is referred to in several non-fiction pieces of related material. But it's never stated in the movie, so people miss that stuff. It's unfortunate.
DeleteSo I had a thought about this story that I'm going to expand on in my own blog.
ReplyDelete