Rebels Rewind: "Spark of Rebellion"

The rebellion begins...

I don’t like to think of myself as old.

I’m sure there are some reading this who are scoffing at the idea of someone who turned 30 last year being worried about being old. But it’s something I’ve noticed from friends around the same age, a lot of them keep talking about “being old.” I’m trying not to fall down that rabbit hole. We’re all aging, of course. That’s inevitable. Age is a reality. But “being old” in the way people my age talk about it is as much a mindset as anything.

That being said, every now and then someone says something like “Did you know Star Wars Rebels premiered over ten years ago?” and the feeling of “oldness” starts to creep in.

I followed Rebels from its early days as a “replacement” for Star Wars: The Clone Wars in 2013, all the way through its conclusion in early 2018. I was at the very first preview panel for it at Star Wars Celebration Europe in 2013 and I was there when Dave Filoni announced the series was coming to an end at Celebration Orlando in 2017. To say I loved this show and followed it closely is an understatement. But I still think of it as “new”, so the ten-year anniversary “surprised” me last year. And it made me want to go back and revisit the series.

Rebels was the first major piece of on-screen Star Wars produced by Disney (and without George Lucas’ direct involvement). It was an introduction to a new era and the follow-up to a beloved show. No pressure, right?

The two-part first episode, “Spark of Rebellion” premiered on October 3rd, 2014. And it was good. Really good. It might even be “perfect” if such a thing exists. And it set the bar really high for the series.

From its beginning standing on the shoulders of The Clone Wars and the Original Trilogy, Rebels has gone on to build a grand legacy of its own. The series has built and maintained a passionate fanbase, one that has emboldened its creators to incorporate not just aspects of the series into live-action, but entire plotlines as well. Ahsoka is essentially a sequel to Rebels, starring many of the same principal characters and picking up the threads left dangling by the 2014 series.

Because of this legacy, the time is right to revisit the series. Not only are the storylines relevant to the future of Star Wars, they feel apt for this moment in the real world as well. One of the central themes of the series, which is laid out in this first episode, is the importance of helping others. This is something we could all stand to think about more often as the forces that move our society seem consistently driven to push us further apart.

Hera wouldn’t have stood for that. And neither would Ezra, Sabine, Kanan, or Zeb. Not even the maniacal, killer droid Chopper.

Season One, Episodes One & Two, “Spark of Rebellion”

Written by: Simon Kinberg

Directed by: Steward Lee (Part 1), Steven G. Lee (Part 2)

Air Date: September 26th, 2014 (on demand), October 3rd, 2014 (Disney Channel), October 6th, 2014 (Disney+), October 26th, 2014 (ABC)

Original US Viewership: 2.74 million

Lothal orphan, Ezra Bridger catches the attention of the Rebel cell led by Hera Syndulla and Kanan Jarrus and operates out of their starship, the Ghost. After Ezra tries to steal from them, the Ghost crew rescues him from the Empire. Ezra has his eyes opened to the effects of Imperial rule on his homeworld and the galaxy at large, and Ezra joins the crew for a mission to Kessel to rescue some Wookiee slaves.

Pinned down by the Empire, Kanan reveals that he is a Jedi Knight and uses his lightsaber to save the day. Back on Lothal, Kanan, having recognized Ezra’s latent Force abilities offers to train him in the ways of the Jedi. Ezra accepts, becoming the seventh member of the Ghost crew. Meanwhile, Agent Kallus of the ISB, having been thwarted by the Jedi, calls in assistance from the Grand Inquisitor—the leader of an order created by Darth Vader to hunt down the surviving Jedi.

Perfection, If Such A Thing Exists

I’ve said already that I consider “Spark of Rebellion” to be as close to perfect as any episode of television can be. I felt that way when I first saw it (at an advance screening during Fan Expo Canada 2014) and I felt that way when I rewatched it on November 6th, 2024.

The opening chase through the streets of Lothal City and the plains outside the city is such a fun introduction to all the characters. Through a series of short interactions with Ezra, we know the personality of each “Spectre.” Kanan is wise and crafty. Sabine is flashy and efficient. Zeb is tough. Hera is caring. Ezra is all these things too, but he’s too self-centered to appreciate the value of a team.

Throughout the episode, we get to witness Ezra’s first steps in becoming a rebel. His exposure to the Empire’s treachery in Tarkintown hammers home the true cost of life under Imperial rule. Don’t want to toe the line? You’ll be forced out and left to live in squalor. It’s a moment that resonates with Ezra, but it isn’t only the depravity of it all. While the existence of Tarkintown is a tragedy, the sight of the rebels bringing in free food (which Ezra tried to steal from them in the opening sequence) shows that there are still good people left in the galaxy. This leaves Ezra to grapple with the question: is he one of them?

He finds out the answer later in the episode when Hera confronts him about not wanting to save Kanan from the impending Imperial attack. Pressed by Hera to do the right thing for once in his life, he leaps out of his chair and races in to save the day. “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” he cries out as he rushes off. “I can,” says Hera, having been proven right about Ezra’s true character. It’s a beautiful little moment that sets Ezra out on the journey that will define and drive Rebels.

Separate from Ezra’s journey, one of the series’ great moments occurs in this episode. Kanan’s Jedi history had been teased throughout the episode, with Ezra finding his lightsaber and holocron, and Kanan and Hera talking cagily about testing Ezra’s Jedi potential. But on Kessel, when all hope appears to be lost, the former padawan leaves no doubt, telling his crew he wants to run a “22-pickup.”

“Care to let me in on the secret?” replies Ezra.

“Kid,” says Kanan, “I’m about to let everyone in on the secret.”

He then walks out from behind the barricades that were shielding him and walks towards the firing stormtroopers, stepping out of the way of their blasts as he does. He then draws his saber and everything stops. Everyone, from Ezra to the Wookiees to the stormtroopers knows they are witnessing something incredible. Agent Kallus’ voice actor David Oyelowo delivers a tremendous performance as he responds to the sight of this myth come to life.

“All troopers, focus your fire on…on the Jedi.”

It got a round of applause when I saw it for the first time with an audience at Fan Expo, and I’ve gotten chills every time I’ve watched it since. Star Wars is known for its iconic moments—Luke looking off at the sunset, Vader choosing to save his son, Obi-Wan and Anakin on Mustafar—I believe this moment belongs in that same pantheon. It captures the hope of the moment, something so special, so unlikely, that even the stormtroopers stop and stare in awe. That feeling, of knowing you're seeing something special, translates on and off the screen and is handled perfectly.

Quote of the Episode

“If all you do is fight for your own life, then your life is worth nothing.”

Hera’s challenge to Ezra to save his new friends is one of many moments that just feels so true to what Star Wars is.

George Lucas often spoke about how the core of the Dark Side is selfishness, and Ezra is a selfish character at the start of this episode. Moulded by a life spent growing up alone in the shadow of the Empire, he cares about just one person: himself. He steals and lies to get his way. When he learns that he was stealing food meant to feed the starving residents of Tarkintown, he feels shame. He wants to do better, he just needs someone to show him the way.

Enter: Hera. Hera understands, as Qui-Gon Jinn did, that life is full of symbiotic relationships. What happens to some people, affects everyone. Our choices impact the lives of the people we don’t know. Ezra’s decision to save Kanan creates ripple effects felt throughout this series (and beyond).

As Nemik says in Andor, “even the smallest act of insurrection” helps the cause. Choosing to fight for others, in whatever form that takes has an impact. It matters, even if it doesn’t seem that way at the time. It’s one of the central themes of Rebels and its genesis is found in this moment.

Spectre of the Past

Like most Star Wars stories, the Rebels premiere does its best to ensure that it's accessible to new audiences. As a result, there are limited overt references to past stories.

That said, we do get a call back to one of the oldest references. Kessel, the run and the spice mines are brought up throughout the Original Trilogy, and in “Spark of Rebellion” we pay our first visit there. The planet would be further expanded on in Solo: A Star Wars Story and the seventh season of The Clone Wars but its debut, and the basis for its design, is found here.

To be fair, the more limited budget of Rebels leaves the planet looking far more barren than it does in those other stories. But both Solo and The Clone Wars honoured what was established here when elaborating on the design. In hindsight, should Kessel’s debut have been saved for Solo or another project where it could be more fully fleshed out? Maybe. The Wookiee rescue could have taken place anywhere. But no one knew at the time that Kessel would feature so prominently in later stories. And no one can blame the Rebels creative team for wanting to put their stamp on an age-old piece of Star Wars lore.

Vision of the Future

Both the Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) and the Inquisitorius find their (canon) origins in this story. While both had counterparts in Legend, here much groundwork is laid for their roles in other upcoming stories.

The ISB has gone on to play a major role in Andor, thanks to brilliant additions like Deedra Meero, Major Partagaz, and Lieutenant Blevin. And the Inquisitors, including a recast Grand Inquisitor, played a major role in Obi-Wan Kenobi, with the Third Sister (aka Reva) serving as one of the primary antagonists in the series.

Recon Rewind

We didn’t know how good we had it with Rebels Recon, the 5 to 7-minute(ish) web series released on YouTube following each episode’s airing on Disney+. It would feature cast and crew interviews, a tease for next week, and (hit and miss) comedy sketches in the form of “Chopper Cam”. It’s the sort of thing that I wish they would do for The Mandalorian and Skeleton Crew and all the shows that have aired since Rebels wrapped up.

The premiere episode features cast interviews from the series’ red carpet premiere as well as interviews with Joel Aron, Killian Plunkett, and Pablo Hidalgo, all of whom would regularly appear throughout the series. All spoke about relishing the opportunity to work in the Original Trilogy era as those were the films they grew up with.

Meanwhile, Chopper experiences a similar indignity to C-3PO being denied entry to the Mos Eisley Cantina in A New Hope as he’s turned away from the Lucasfilm coffee shop (Java the Hutt) for the same reason. “We don’t serve your kind here,” the barista tells him, pointing to the exit.

Behind the Scenes

• The opening scene of this episode, with Darth Vader and the Grand Inquisitor, was not included in the original releases of the episode on Disney Channel and Disney+. The scene’s debut came almost a month later when Spark of Rebellion was re-aired on ABC to drum up more viewership for the series’ network debut.

• Voice actor David Shaugnessy voiced both Commandant Aresko and Taskmaster Grint on the series.

• The working title for Rebels, according to Freddie Prinze Jr, was “Wolfpack”

• Tarkintown is a nod to the Great Depression when shanty towns popped up all over the US. They were frequently referred to as “Hooverville”, after President Herbert Hoover.

Final Thought: A New Hope Will Emerge…

I rewatched “Spark of Rebellion” the day after the 2024 US Election. It was a dark day and I needed a dose of hope.

I expected the Kanan scene to stand out, and Ezra’s moment of choice. And they did, as we’ve discussed they always do. But the sequence I needed most on that day was the Holocron message from Obi-Wan Kenobi. A between-the-scenes moment from Revenge of the Sith that shares with us the message Obi-Wan told Yoda he left to keep Jedi away from the temple.

“This is Master Obi Wan Kenobi. I regret to report that both our Jedi Order and the Republic have fallen with a dark shadow of the Empire rising to take their place. This message is a warning and a reminder for any surviving Jedi. Trust in The Force. Do not return to the Temple, that time has passed. And our future is uncertain. We will each be challenged. Our trust. Our faith. Our friendships. But we must persevere. And in time, a new hope will emerge. May the Force be with you, always.”

I wasn’t the only one who needed to hear that. My social media feed was flooded with Star Wars fans posting videos of themselves listening to the speech in light of the previous night’s results.

The fight won’t be easy and there is darkness ahead, but we have no choice but to keep fighting and keep moving forward. No matter how hopeless things may seem. The episode's title is “Spark of Rebellion”. A spark alone is something small, but it can ignite into something unstoppable.

George Lucas has said that Star Wars was meant to be inspiring, and that’s what Obi-Wan’s words do. He doesn’t mince words or pull punches, but James Arnold Taylor delivers them with such determination and feeling that we can’t help but feel inspired and ready to dig in for the long fight ahead.