One year after the fifth and final season of the fan favorite CGI animated show Star Wars: The Clone Wars came to a close, Lucasfilm and Dave Filoni struck while the iron was hot with the post-prequel-era/pre-original-trilogy-era series Star Wars Rebels.
Beginning 14 years after Revenge of the Sith and five years before A New Hope, Star Wars Rebels follows the escapades of a small group of rebels in the lead-up to the Galactic Civil War. The show ran for four seasons on Disney XD, wrapping up this past March, and while it certainly had its share of peaks and valleys, it holds a special place in the hearts of countless Star Wars fans.
Now that Rebels has concluded, we here at Epicstream decided to take a deep dive into the full series and pick out the episodes we feel are the absolute best of the best. With that in mind, here are our picks for the 10 best episodes of Star Wars Rebels:
Zero Hour
This two-part episode was an incredibly climactic finale to an otherwise middle-of-the-road third season, and it gives Grand Admiral Thrawn his first real chance to shine as a villain since he was introduced to the series. Much like The Empire Strikes Back, the episode ends with the Rebels suffering a massive defeat. However, even in light of the uncertainty they face, the fledgling Rebellion remains hopeful, which is a theme that’s been at the heart and soul of Star Wars since 1977.
Fire Across the Galaxy
Season 1 came to a close with a bang in “Fire Across the Galaxy,” which not only sees the death of the Grand Inquisitor but also the return of the fan-favorite Ahsoka Tano, who was revealed to be the informant known as Fulcrum. The episode also sets the stage for Darth Vader to have an even greater role in the series heading into Season 2, which is always a welcome addition, and there are some fun callbacks, such as the TIE Fighter Ezra and Zeb stole back in “Fighter Flight.” The true highlight, though, is the climactic lightsaber battle between Kanan and the Inquisitor, which – as we alluded to earlier – ends in the Jedi’s favor.
The Future of the Force
The spiritual successor to the popular Clone Wars episode “Children of the Force,” “The Future of the Force” sees what fans had been waiting for since Ahsoka’s return, which is the former Padawan of Anakin Skywalker in a lightsaber battle. Not only that, but she actually manages to defeat two Inquisitors at once, which is no small feat. The episode is also an excellent reminder that, despite the execution of Order 66, new Force-sensitive children are still being born, and that means there’s still hope for the Rebels in their fight against the Empire.
Trials of the Darksaber
This Sabine-heavy episode focuses on the Ghost crew’s resident Mandalorian training to use her newly acquired Darksaber, while also giving viewers a much-needed exploration of her dark legacy. It also does an excellent job visualizing Jedi training in a manner we’ve yet to see on the big screen, which is certainly a benefit of telling Star Wars stories in a serialized format. All in all, though, it’s the character interactions and development, particularly for Sabine, that allow this episode to shine.
The Siege of Lothal
Season 2 kicked off with this two-part epic, which spares no expense in terms of big moments. For one, there’s the inclusion of Emperor Palpatine (in voice only). Then, of course, you have the destruction of Tarkintown and, in turn, Ezra’s home. Perhaps the heaviest hitter, though, is Ahsoka’s realization that her former Jedi master Anakin Skywalker is none other than Darth Vader. It’s a heartbreaking discovery, to say the least, put this ultimately becomes the driving force behind Ahsoka’s character arc throughout the series.
Shroud of Darkness
“Shroud of Darkness” marks several firsts for Rebels. It’s the first time we see Yoda in the series, and it’s also the first time we see Kanan as an actual Jedi Knight. Plus, we even get to see actual footage from Attack of the Clones, which is an added bonus. The episode also introduces Malachor into the new iteration of Star Wars canon, albeit only in dialogue, but it still helps plant the seeds for one of the show’s best overall arcs.
Twin Suns
This was the moment viewers had been waiting for – the rematch between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Maul – and boy was it worth the wait (even if the fight was rather short). Not only that, but the episode also features a cameo from a young Luke Skywalker – his only appearance in a Star Wars animated series to date. Both of these elements of the episode do incredibly heavy lifting in terms of furthering the Skywalker legacy and the prophecy of the Chosen One, whether it be directly or indirectly.
Path of the Jedi
After nine episodes, Ezra finally gets his lightsaber in the appropriately titled “Path of the Jedi.” Plus, although Yoda’s first “appearance” is in “Shroud of Darkness,” this episode is the first one in which we hear Frank Oz reprise his role as the voice actor for the pint-sized Jedi Master. At the heart of the episode, though, is the relationship between Kanan and Ezra, which is where the best episodes of Rebels truly excel.
Twilight of the Apprentice
The Malachor Sith Temple and Maul both make their Rebels debut in “Twilight of the Apprentice,” giving the series even deeper connections to not just Star Wars canon but also the Expanded Universe/Legends. The episode is also jam-packed with incredible lightsaber duels, but easily the most epic one is the long-awaited battle between Ahsoka and Darth Vader, which ends with the former being taken off the table until the end of Season 4. It’s Star Wars high drama at its absolute best!
Jedi Night
The death of Kanan, although not entirely unexpected, was one hell of a tough pill to swallow. In fact, it’s probably the most emotional moment in all of Rebels, especially considering the recent developments between Kanan and Hera. Heartbreak aside, though, the episode has no shortage of action as the series began its final stretch. However, the incredibly heavy emotional beats secure “Jedi Night” the number one spot as the best episode of Star Wars Rebels.