Prior Episodes | 7973 (4 BBY) | Next Episodes
Continuity & Analysis

Star Wars: Rebels - Call to Action (2015) [S1E13]
The Ghost crew, having proved effective in their strikes against the Empire,
win the attention of a powerful new enemy.
Star Wars: Rebels - Rebel Resolve (2015) [S1E14]
With Kanan in Imperial custody, Ezra makes a risky deal and sets a plan in motion to save his Master.
Star Wars: Rebels - Fire Across the Galaxy (2015) [S1E15]
The Ghost crew makes a final desperate attempt to rescue Kanan from the Empire. Who will fall?




CONTINUITY
These three episodes form a single storyline about the Imperial response to the Spectres' activities on Lothal.
Two worlds are seen in these episodes:

Based on the number of episodes said to take place in this year, 7973 (4 BBY), it would ordinarily be assumed that most episodes
are spaced out more or less evenly throughout the time, with the content and context of the episodes taken into consideration.
This is complicated by supplementary material placing two episodes (S1E8-9) in this year when they must take place at the end of
7972 (5 BBY), reducing the number of episodes which take place in this year. Additionally, S1E8 through S1E10 takes place over
a relatively brief period of time, as does S1E12 through S2E4, the later taking up eight episodes set in this year. Unless there are
very large gaps of time at the end of the year, which is possible, it must be assumed that there is some time gone by before and
after 'Idiot's Array' (S1E11), perhaps as much as a month or two between S1E10 and S1E12.

- Tarkin was last seen chronologically in a holographic transmission in The Bad Batch 'Kamino Lost' (S1E16), set 14 years earlier.
He has since been promoted from Moff to Grand Moff, and has been appointed as military governor of the Outer Rim territories.


What exactly is Moff Pryce up to? It is stated in 'Empire Day' (S1E8) that she was at that time invited to Coruscant to join
the Emperor's personal celebration, however she was not seen on Lothal at any point in this series before that episode,
and she still has not returned. Even if all of these episodes take place in a relatively short period of time, it will still have
been at least a month and a half or two she has been gone, and if she hasn't been on Lothal the whole run of the show,
that it is probably more like two to five months. There could be many reasons, however this is an unusually long absence.
She will not be seen until Season 3, although it is presumed she returned much earlier than her first appearance.


- As is clear from the circulating rumors and the talk of Imperial officers, the concept of a Jedi is still known on most worlds, particularly on
worlds which began as colonies of Republic worlds. Despite it having been only 15 years, Tarkin describes the appearance of a Jedi as
akin to one "leaping from the pages of ancient history." The Jedi had been around for over 20,000 years, and just like European knights,
they are associated with ancient times by people even when they were numerous and an active part of modern political life. Tarkin also
mentions that he "actually knew the Jedi, not from the pages of folklore or children's tales, but as flesh and blood." This is not only
because the Jedi are mostly destroyed and illegal, as even in the Republic most people had never met a Jedi, and they were most
well-known as the inspiring heroes of legends and mythohistorical tales. Tarkin says that he believes the Jedi to all be dead, "every
last one of them", and is therefore unwilling to believe they are still around. While the Inquisition believes there are certainly still
a few to be accounted for, it is their assessment and that of the Sith Lords that the job is essentially finished, with Vader calling them
"all but destroyed." This is due in part to those Jedi who are wrongly presumed to be dead, and those who hid so successfully that
the never appeared on the metaphorical radar at any point after Order 66. Minister Tua, who is well-educated and privy to some
level of Imperial information, isn't exactly sure what happened to the Jedi, calling her unspecified knowledge about it "rumors".
Main Article: Awareness of the Jedi and the Sith

- Jalath is a small city located in an outlying region of the same continent as Lothal City. Like most towns of its size on Lothal, it is built
around its marketplace and local shops, and is also home to the residences of the local merchants and service providers.


- Senator Trayvis does a public u-turn regarding his criticism of the Empire, as he is now exposed among true rebels and of little use as
an informant. It is unclear if he is simply being retired, or if he retained enough clout to return to some position as a Senator.

- A hyperspace broadcast can be tracked "in half a second", since it is omnidirectional and its source is therefore easy to isolate. This is
not an issue if the signal comes from one of its own towers, which is why the Spectres plan to hijack one. The range of hyperspace
broadcasts is extremely limited compared to a directed transmission. While calls can be sent and received half-way across the galaxy
using transmitters small enough to fit in a starfighter, the large Imperial transmission towers can only reach a few other inhabited
starsystems. This suggests a limit of perhaps a couple thousand lightyears, a tiny distance compared to the size of a galaxy. Since
hyperspace communications and data are transmitted by the same system which broadcasts in hyperspace, the loss of the main
tower on Lothal interrupts the entire data network, both the galaxy-wide Imperial network and the local network on the planet.
Main Article: Hyperspace Communication

- Aresko and Grint are killed for not being very good at dealing with a single five-person rebel cell. Their ineffectiveness was due in part
to their adopting a reactive strategy which waited for the Spectres actions rather than proactively searching them out or other
more effective tactics. As is often the case in SW material, they also fail to effectively utilize their advanced technology. Tarkin just
arrived on Lothal an immediately deploys probe droids, something the Empire should have had doing recon at all times, and not
just in search of the Spectres. Why would a security state like the Empire keep probe droids in storage instead of keeping them
working at all times? It isn't as if they can't afford to recharge them or replace any that get worn by use.

- Ezra has a strong connection to animals, and of all his abilities with the Force this comes easiest to him, other than his great leaping
ability which manifested even before he began to train as a Jedi. This connection to animals will increase as Ezra grows more
powerful in the Force, making Ezra the contemporary Jedi equivalent of St. Francis of Assisi.

- Ezra claims to need power cells for his lightsaber, and although it is an intentional misdirection, it only works because that seems totally
normal and reasonable to Hera. This is the first instance in which the longevity of a lightsaber's power source is discussed, and it
certainly raises a few questions including how long each cell can power a saber under normal usage rates, and how long one would
last if a saber is being used constantly. Is there a risk of lightsabers running out of power in the middle of a crisis? These questions
are not addressed, and no guess can be reasoned from the material, nevertheless the assumption has always been that the power
cell only needs to provide a fraction of the power needed, as the kyber crystal magnifies power which is run through it and also
channels energy directly from the Force. Given the battery and power technology of this civilization, it seems likely that the power
cell on a lightsaber should ordinarily not need to be replaced very often, even during the constant combat of the Clone Wars.

- Vizago doesn't believe that Kanan is a Jedi when Ezra tells him, and believes that it is about as likely that Ezra is a Jedi. Like most worldly
people, he knows what a Jedi is enough to make this inaccurate assessment based on their appearance and abilities he is aware of.
Main Article: Awareness of the Jedi and the Sith

- Chopper tries to kill another fellow astromech droid, just as in the last storyline. This time the mission can hardly be used a justification,
as the droid had been helpful and Chopper did this merely to keep the crew from adopting a second droid. There is no programming
that makes Chopper simulate jealousy or territoriality, and this is yet another emergent property of a droid's personality. In this case,
like many other mechanic droids Chopper is a jerk at times, and seems to have little regard for droids he doesn't personally like.
Main Article: Droid Intelligence

- When Kanan believes Ezra has perished, he tells the Inquisitor that it was a mistake to kill Ezra because Kanan no longer has anything left
to fear. As shown in much previous material, a Jedi becomes more powerful the more focused and connected to the Force they are,
and selfish emotions get in the way of this. This is why the Jedi discourage attachment, however they are still affected by their
attachments to their fellow Jedi, especially those who enjoyed the master and student relationship. Having a Padawan actually gets in
the way of this at times for Jedi. Kanan's abilities have been being held back by his fear of openly being a Jedi, and his lack of belief in
his ability to teach Ezra. Once he acknowledges that he "was a coward" and focuses on the Force which is "stronger than fear", his
abilities can be fully realized, and perhaps more, as the scope of the power connection to the Force can bring is immense.

- Kanan has his third and final duel with the Grand Inquisitor. Their first duel was in 'Rise of the Old Masters' (S1E5) and their second in
'Gathering Forces' (S1E9). They briefly crossed sabers in 'Call to Action' at the beginning of this storyline as well. Before allowing
himself to fall to his death he says, "You have no idea what you've unleashed here today. There are some things far more frightening
than death." It can be assumed he is talking about Lord Vader, Lord Sidious, and the rest of the Inquisition, and that he is as afraid
of them as he believes Kanan should be, leading him to prefer death rather than what he would face after his total failure here.


- Ahsoka Tano was last seen 15 years earlier in The Clone Wars 'Victory and Death' (S7E12), where she narrowly escaped Order 66. She
is seen to have constructed a pair of new lightsabers and to be working for Senator Organa's rebel intelligence network. The Fulcrum
agent code system was developed by Anakin during a Clone Wars mission she was on seen in 'A War on Two Fronts' (S5E2).

- Darth Vader was last seen in 'Spark of Rebellion' (S1E1-2) as a hologram transmission, and now makes his first in person appearance in canon
since he was seen 15 years earlier in Episode III.

ANALYSIS
The Imperial government on Lothal in no way represents the interests of the citizens of the planet, as Governor Tarkin's private conversation
with fellow Imperials illustrates. Governor Pryce and her subordinates have a singular mandate to protect the Empire's industrial interests.
Their efforts to maintain utilities and security are framed as for the public good, but in reality the Empire only expends money and resources
as an investment in this world as a factory for their war machine. Tarkin indicates that Lothal's production is "vital to our expansion throughout
the Outer Rim", as this region has finally become the last major region where the Empire can still expand its hold and presence. As governor
of the Outer Rim, Moff Tarkin has inherited the region of the galaxy which was already the most independent-minded in the galaxy, which
was the home of the Separatist movement only a decade and a half earlier. In addition, many republican and other anti-Empire groups which
have been driven from the Core and more central regions have sought refuge in the Outer Rim. The Spectres pose a less urgent threat due
to their preference for non-lethal methods and their efforts to avoid civilian casualties, partly due to having a Jedi leader. This previously served
to help keep the Empire off their back, but now that this has increasingly become public knowledge, they have been moved to the top of the priority
list. What Tarkin fears most is the possibility of a larger rebel movement, siting the existence of cells, factions, and tribes which resist the Empire.
The major factor keeping these groups from speaking out and coming together is fear of discovery and destruction by the Empire. The return
of a Jedi to the struggle threatens to restore hope that rebel forces may have allies powerful enough to protect them from the Empire, and
ultimately make victory possible. Tarkin's willingness to destroy his own forces or equipment in order to defeat his enemies is part of why he is
such an effective leader in an empire with no ethical priorities, and is part of why Palpatine has constantly placed him in powerful positions.

The Empire's most basic propaganda method its total monopoly on media, which allows only official narratives of the establishment to be
spread. This is not only a feature of fascist states like the Empire, but usually happens informally in imperialist states which consider themselves
to be democracies. The Republic was officially democratic with an elected Senate, but like ancient Rome or the British Empire it eventually came
to terms with its imperial nature during the Clone Wars and stopped pretending it wasn't an empire. Narrative control through the media relies
on shutting down any competition to establishment media, and silencing independent voices like Ezra's parents. The media maintains its facade
of reasonableness and objectivity by occasionally allowing "dissenters", like the disingenuous Senator Trayvis, to speak about injustice or reform
as long as they forswear violence or physical resistance to the law. The Empire, like any government, doesn't mind peaceful protest or dissent
because it will change nothing. The Empire regularly employs violence and force in order to maintain its control and prevent anything from
changing, and those who offer any resistance to this are branded as terrorists and criminals. So long as citizens are unwilling to fight back,
or at least are unwilling to stand up together and potentially be killed, there is no reason for those who are already in power and who have
heavily armed forces protecting them to change anything. While many will recognize this, the majority of people will be more willing to believe
the official narrative broadcast by trusted mainstream media voices than to side with "terrorists" unless they know better from their own lives.

The threat which independent voices pose is greater than the threat of armed insurgents to the Empire, because of how much the Empire relies
on narrative control and propaganda to manufacture public consent and compliance. The message sent by the Spectres threatens to undermine
public confidence in Imperial security and inspire others to take an adversarial position towards the Empire. The Jedi-like priorities of Spectres
lead them to take make this broadcast, as they know that the truth and inspiring others is a far more powerful weapon against evil than arms.
The message that fear of loss and of sacrifice cannot justify acceptance of oppression and injustice is the most dangerous message as far as
the Empire is concerned. This is precisely why the loose alliance of rebels being organized by Senator Organa and his allies has refrained from
such provocative actions as operating pirate radio. Attracting attention to their activities is certain to bring an Imperial response, and threatening
to undermine Imperial stability will only lead to the kind of increases in security and patrol which will make forming an effective rebel military
that much more difficult. Rebel intelligence is also concerned about this action because they believe that Jedi are more important than regular
people, not only as warriors and leaders, but chiefly as symbols of hope and virtue. The desire of the organized resistance to preserve the lives
of Jedi leads them to try and restrict the Spectres activities, however it also leads them to expose some of their forces to rescue the Jedi and
their friends after they are caught by the Empire exactly as they had warned. This is not to say that the rebels wouldn't prefer to help allies and
other good people in other situations, but they have the wisdom and strategic sense not to try and bite off more than they can chew.

The Rebel Alliance is not officially declared for over two years, however in reality it has already become a fledgling organization. Senator Organa's
intelligence network has identified and linked up with potentially hundreds of republican resistance groups, former Separatists, others with
anti-Imperial sentiments. Some of those cells have already created military formations, like Pheonix Cell, and been supplied with craft and
equipment by those working from within the Imperial power structure. The Fulcrum intelligence network which did most of this leg work had
pushed rebel groups to maintain a low profile and avoid attracting serious Imperial attention. Cells were not supposed to meet or know each
other, to avoid rebels exposing the entire network under duress or torture. The signal broadcast in the Outer Rim was heard and retransmitted
widely, and drew an unusual amount of attention on Coruscant. This meant that the seriousness of the rebel threat was beginning to necessitate
a need for the rebels to change their tactics, which is why they exposed some of their strength to recover valuable agents at Mustafar.
The destruction of Moff Tarkin's star destroyer by Rebel infiltrators has effectively put an end to the Empire's largely passive response to the rebel
threat, and a period of regular, small-scale combat and limited actions between rebels and the Empire has begun. The Rebel network has thus
changed their protocol regarding joining cells, and begun to amass larger forces to meet the demands and challenges of this escalating conflict.


FURTHER ANALYSIS
Report Pending