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

Star Wars: Rebels - Wings of the Master (2015) [S2E7]
With the rebels in desperate need of a ship with heavy weaponry, Hera seeks out
a master engineer who has built a powerful new starfighter prototype.
Star Wars: Rebels - Blood Sisters (2015) [S2E8]
While on mission to rendezvous with a courier holding secret information, Sabine encounters
someone from her past: a bounty hunter named Ketsu. But is she friend or foe?
Star Wars: Rebels - Stealth Strike (2015) [S2E9]
When the Empire uses a powerful new weapon to capture Ezra and Commander Sato,
Rex and Kanan must put their differences aside to save their friends.




CONTINUITY
These three standalone episodes are about the Rebels and the Empire developing tactics and technology to counter each other.
The planets Ibaar, Shantipole, and an unidentified world are seen for the first time. Four worlds are seen in these episodes:

These three episodes are the last of this series to take place in 7973 (4 BBY) according to supplementary material. As the previous material
in this calendar year are often difficult to space out, it can be assumed they all take place within the first half of this year. This means
that these three episodes cover all the second half of the year, and therefore it can be assumed they are about equally spaced out,
and that a month or more occurs between each episode. Ezra will have been part of the crew and Kanan's student for about a year
by the time of 'Blood Sisters', and by 'Stealth Strike' the Spectres have been part of Phoenix Squadron for at least a half of a year.

- Ibaar is a terrestrial planet located in the Jubilar Sector, in the Slice region of the Outer Rim. In galactic terms it is relatively close to the Lothal
Sector which Phoenix Cell is operating out of in this time. It was colonized by races from the Core civilization, likely millennia ago, and in
this time period is moderately populated. Little else is known about the planet other than its active water cycle and significant cloud cover.


- Project Shantipole is Shipmaster Quarrie's name for the development of the B-Wing starfighter, here identified as originally the Blade-Wing.
The planet Shantipole was chosen because it is "the perfect place to test them. If it can fly here, it can fly anywhere. And it's also the last
place the Empire would look." After the success of the prototype, Hera states, "It seems Senator Organa has found a ship works
sympathetic to our cause, and willing to manufacture more of these B-wings in secret." Quarrie states that, "Project Shantipole
will continue; under my supervision, of course. Supplementary material has long established that the B-Wings were manufactured
by Slayn & Korpil, a shipbuilder widely-contracted by the Republic before and during the Clone Wars. In legendary material, this
construction was done at 'Research Station Shantipole', in the Roche asteroid field, home to a not yet canon insectoid species called
the Verpine. Although Slayn & Korpil is a Verpine company, according to legends this project was also a joint effort of Admiral Ackbar
and the Mon Calamari Fleet. This episode attempts to preserve this backstory, as this newly created planet Shantipole has been located
in the Roche Sector where the B-Wings will be constructed, and also introduced a Mon Calamari designer to explain this collaboration.

- Shantipole is an unspoiled planet located in the Roche Sector, on the southern edge of the Trans-Hydian region of the Mid Rim. The planet lies
along the historically important Perlemian Trade Route, and has been known for 20,000 years, however it has not been colonized, since
"every pilot in the galaxy knows" that attempting to land on the planet is "a one-way trip." The turbulent and apparently electromagnetic
conditions in the upper atmosphere are usually disastrous for ships, which Hera describes as "you can get through it, but your craft never
seems to maintain its power." Despite its reputation, at least one wreck of a crashed starship is seen amongst the planet's towering rock
formations. There is some native ecosystem, including flying creatures known as dactillions, also seen previously on Utapau.


- A/SF-01 B-Wing, apparently short for Blade-Wing, is a heavy assault starfighter described as "a blockade buster." It has variable geometry
like most Slayn & Korpil designs, in this case its S-foils, and is fast, agile, a has a narrow attack profile. Its primary armament includes
high intensity blasters, ion cannons, and proton torpedoes, however its weapons power can be channeled into a composite-beam
laser array which produces an unusually powerful laser blast. The energy drain from this "multi-cannon firing system" overloads
the power on the fighter, at least in the prototype, in this instance damaging the hyperdrive beyond repair.

- The commander of one of the light cruisers in the Imperial blockade is a Lieutenant in the Navy. This unidentified officer is referred to
as "Commander." This has been a feature of all SW material starting with the very first films that any officer in command of
something from a Lieutenant all the way up to a Moff are referred to as "commander" about as often as they are addressed by
their actual rank. This officer is one of about twenty Imperial officers seen in Season 1 and 2 of this series who look exactly like
Lieutenant Lyste, almost as if the animators wished to save time and expense by constantly reusing the same animation template
and assuming no one would notice or that this was an unimportant detail. This was more excusable in early The Clone Wars episodes,
since animation was more expensive in 2010. When these episodes were created in 2015, creating different faces shouldn't have
been an issue. It is likely this commander is only wearing a Lieutenant's insignia because it was already present on Lyste's template
and those making this episode didn't know or care what the insignia mean, however there is no continuity issue in this instance.
Main Article: Ranks and Rank Insignia

- Hera was a little girl when the Clone Wars came to Ryloth. This was 17 years earlier in 7956 (21 BBY), during the Ryloth Campaign seen
in The Clone Wars (S1E19-21). Her father Cham Syndulla figured prominently in those events.

- The Phantom gets upgraded with a hyperdrive, giving the Ghost and its support ship yet another unexpected ability which enhances
the Spectres' strategic capabilities. While some starfighters are large enough to carry hyperdrives, smaller fighters may not have room
for one, or may have been designed not to have one as part of its weight and maneuverability design. The Phantom may have lost
some maneuverability with the hyperdrive piled on top of its hull, but not enough to negate the advantages of having one.

- The command ship for the Imperial blockade scans the rebel ships looking for the one which carries the relief supplies. After less than ten seconds,
the officer reports "comscan has identified the Corellian VCX as the supply transport." While the many limitations of scanners in SW are often
shown, this is one example of how much more advanced scanning technology in this civilization is than on modern day Earth. Scanners are
able to giver detailed holographic images of ships or objects in space, and can easily identify which ships have cargo containers attached to
them and which do not. This can be ascertained by the crew by reading the computer analysis or looking at the hologram themselves.
Main Article: Scanners, Sensors, and Cloaking Devices

- The Black Sun are apparently still "slavers and assassins who don't care about anything but body counts and quotas." They were a prominent
crime syndicate during the end of the Republic era, and the power and scope of their operation grew during the lawlessness of the Clone
Wars. They were forcibly joined to Darth Maul's Shadow Collective 15 years prior to these episodes, and based on conversation in Solo
they were still operating under its auspices 6 years before these episodes. Maul's disappearance at some point between that film and
this season may have affected that arrangement, or may not have, depending on whether or not Maul left a Sith apprentice to run things.

- Havoc Outpost is located on an unidentified planet within Wild Space beyond the Outer Rim, in the southeastern extreme of the galaxy within
the Tingel Arm, one of the galaxy's outer spiral bands. This remote planet is terrestrial, beautiful, and has ample water. There is at least one
settlement on the planet, Havoc Outpost, which is used in this time period by rebel intelligence as a safe port for meetings. Havoc Outpost
appears to have been built by Core civilization settlers, judging by the Aurebesh signs indicating various stores and amenities located at
the outpost, as well as the sign for the outpost's security services.


- The Del Zennis System is an unremarkable starsystem located in the Eucer Sector, on the southern edge of the Trans-Hydian region of
the Mid Rim. It lies along the Perlemian Trade Route, a major hyperspace lane, and is not far from Shantipole, which was seen two
episodes prior to 'Stealth Strike', which takes place primarily within the Del Zennis System. Commander Sato says "there's nothing
out here", which must be taken to mean there is nothing useful or habitable here, or at least nothing settled, since as a starsystem
it certainly contains a star and some planets, which may be unremarkable. At the time this episode take place, the system is
a restricted zone due to the Imperial operation taking place there. This unsettled system which allows an unmonitored way to
and from the Perlemian Trade Route is an ideal system for rebel traffic, which is why the Empire attempts this operation here.

- Ezra gets a sense through the Force that, "something's about to happen." This is very vague, which may in part be because what was about
to happen was not something most people had ever experienced, but also because vision through the Force is organic and comes
through more as feelings than as information, even regarding the very near future, what is usually called the predictive sense.

- Interdictor-class star destroyers are large warships designed to generate a gravity well which can pull ships out of hyperspace, and prevent
them from entering it. They are the product of advanced technologies research at Sienar Systems, however their hull geometry is based
on Kuat Drive Yards' designs, and they probably manufactured many of its less-experimental internal components. This ship is one of
a limited number of prototypes, however it is likely based on its success that many were produced before and during the Civil War.


Brom Titus is an excellent recurring character, but in each of his three appearances his rank and insignia are a continuity
issue or an outright error. This first appearance is the later, as he is wearing an Army Intelligence insignia which indicates
that he is a Brigadier General, and yet he is referred to as "Admiral". It is true that any officer in charge of a fleet of ships
can be referred to as an Admiral, just as any officer in charge of a ship is called 'Captain' regardless of their actual rank.
This was almost certainly not their intent, as this series proves repeatedly that its creators had very little concern about
the meaning of the insignia they use, and no chart of how the different insignia might work as a unified system. Some
supplements suggest red with gold insignia indicate Navy Operations, as opposed to the gold with red insignia which
represent 'Army' Operations. If the creators were trying to make him part of Navy Operations, their insignia should
have been gold with blue. Making Titus part of 'Navy Operations' would not have fixed this continuity error, as his
insignia would indicate he is a Commodore. A Commodore is a kind of Admiral, but one that is properly addressed as
'Commodore'. This is either an incorrect insignia or an incorrect rank given in spoken lines. Based on Titus' other two
appearances, it makes slightly more sense if he is part of the Army chain of command, as his red-based insignia indicates.
Since his spoken rank cannot be correct, his insignia is accepted as correct, and he is therefore a Brigadier General at
this time, and in command of an Army Intelligence operation to capture rebel agents using the prototype Interdictor.
Main Article: Ranks and Rank Insignia


- Commander Sato attempts to deceive the Empire by suggesting "we are members of the Corporate Alliance." This confirms in canon that
the Corporate Alliance survived the Clone Wars and their heavy participation in the Separatist Alliance. The Techno Union and Trade
Federation were nationalized and the Commerce Guild was dissolved, although its constituent members continued on under
the Empire. The Banking Clan became an extension of the government on Coruscant during the last year of the Clone Wars, and like
the Corporate Alliance was absorbed rather than dismantled. The Corporate Alliance's enthusiastic consent for the Imperial project
was instrumental in Palpatine's cementing of power in the first decade of the Empire, and because of this important partnership were
granted limited autonomy within the remote Corporate Sector, where they can now administer their numerous megacorporations
throughout the galaxy in a regulation-free environment. They are still considered Imperial subjects and under Imperial jurisdiction.

- Rex says that "Cody and I practically invented these emergency protocols back in the Clone War." This is probably somewhat exaggerated,
and Rex does qualify it by saying "practically", however Cody and Rex were both amongst the first shipment of completed clones, and
their prominence during early action could have led to their modifications to the basic protocols becoming widely-adopted and
ultimately codified as useful improvements to the rudimentary system the Republic started with.

- Rex is upset to learn that the armor given to stormtroopers "doesn't protect you from anything." This is probably true compared to
the armor given to clones during the Clone Wars, as the Empire has a exceptionally large army and views its individual soldiers
as highly expendable, basically the organic version of battle droids. As with many historical Empires, the quality body armor
which is expensive is usually reserved for elite troops and special units, while frontline infantry and security forces are given
cost-effective armor of limited value on the battlefield. There is also the fact that blasters are designed to bore through armor,
and while solid armor like that of the clones may save a soldier's life if shot with a blaster, often times the shot still penetrates
deep enough to wound the individual, usually enough to take them out of the immediate fighting. In other instances, clones
were still killed despite their armor absorbing much of the energy blast. Stormtrooper armor is therefore not only meant to
dehumanize the soldiers and make them menacing, it is also still better to have on if shot or in an explosion than not to.

- General Titus' remarks indicate that the Empire still officially regards the clones as heroes, and tells Rex, "you and your kind brought peace
to the galaxy." He considers Rex's disloyalty to the Empire to be surprising, indicating clones who resist the Empire is an unusual
phenomenon. Rex tells him his loyalty was to the Republic, which Titus points out was not as different from the Empire at the time
Rex fought for it, reminding him "I serve the order you put into place, Captain." Titus' offer to be reinstated as an Imperial Academy
instructor in exchange for betraying his rebel friends suggests that though the Emperor retired the clones, it is not impossible that
there are still some clones in the Imperial system. It also suggests that Titus finds it difficult to imagine that Rex might have a motivation
for helping the rebels which is genuine, and seems to suspect Rex was bored and simply wanted back in the action.

ANALYSIS
The Imperial policy regarding rebel activity is based on containment. If rebel activity is isolated, they are branded as terrorists and criminals,
and security forces repress the planet until rebels are defeated or leave, as happened on Lothal. If local opposition becomes too widespread
and too well entrenched, the Empire's approach depends on how populated and vital a planet is. A planet like Ibaar, which has a large but
galactically insignificant population and holds little to no special value to the Empire, is simply blockaded until rebel groups surrender. This
eliminates the need for troops and equipment being lost pacifying a planet, which will only lead to more rebellious citizens. If the situation
gets out of hand the Empire will invade and decimate the planet. If the resistance is too strong the Empire will simply obliterate settled areas
from the air and space. In the case of worlds like Ibaar, the Imperial plan is to break their spirit, suggesting they will inevitably surrender.
This is apparently what most people did after the Empire "cut all remaining rations", however the "few holdouts in the mountains who have
been in contact with the rebel fleet" are the ones that the Empire has been after in the first place. Their underground network of operatives
suggests that Ibaar is one of many worlds where anti-Imperial sentiment has already produced a significant resistance organization. Rebel
cells taking action to help such people is not only the right thing to do, it preserves important future allies for the larger conflict to come.

Project Shantipole and the B-Wing starfighter will give the rebel movement the kind of advantage they will need to successfully combat a vastly
superior opponent with considerable construction and research capacities like the Empire. Imperial technology is usually state-of-the-art, and
while much rebel equipment isn't much older, this still gives the Empire an additional edge to add to its many advantages. This project gives
the rebels a starfighter with greater effective firepower than any Imperial fighter. These kinds of advantages are not simply luck or tenacity,
they are the result of the galaxy the Emperor has created and the way he went about creating it. The Techno Union and the other guilds gave
the Separatist Alliance access to the most cutting-edge technology in existence at the time, often surpassing what was available to the Republic.
While many of the concerns, facilities, engineers, and scientists involved in that work were co-opted by the Empire, those which weren't were
often anti-Imperial from the beginning. If they had thought that the Republic under the Jedi were oppressive and imperialist, one can imagine
how they felt about the Empire. Separatist advancements like advanced ion-technology made their way to the Rebel Alliance through such
people. At the same time, many loyal republicans with advanced technology or production facilities came to the aid of the rebels because they
were unhappy with the Empire whereas they had been willing participants in the Republic. Engineers from companies like Incom Corporation
and Mon Calamari Shipyards were eager to support rebel efforts to subvert the Empire, bringing designs and equipment to remote locations
outside of Imperial control. Other concerns like Slayn & Korpil which were diminished by the change to the Empire were happy to profit while
helping those who oppose the new order. This is of course dangerous, and at this point in history it will be several years before these operations
are anything but small and isolated, however the importance of these endeavors to the events of the next decade cannot be understated.
While it is certainly ordinary people who made the rebellion strong and successful, their success could not have been achieved without
the critical efforts of anti-Imperial scientists, engineers, and shipyards, and those who worked to fund, organize, and protect them.

The greatest rebel advantage against the Empire was not technology, but tactics, primarily in the way they move information, materials, and
people, and the ways they use the Empire's own procedures and systems against them. Most of this is very basic, like starfighter parts being
picked up out in the open at market in crates are labeled "ronto meat", or other 'in plain sight' operations like using an EG-series power droid
as a spy and courier of intelligence. Taking advantage of the size of the Empire and its massive supply chain is the safest and most effective way
to avoid scrutiny and minimize detection. Senator Organa's intelligence network has been using such means to accumulate vast amounts of
very useful information about Imperial military and supply operations, civilian groups and activities on countless planets, and political affairs
for 15 years. They have also been carefully moving supplies and equipment in hard to notice amounts to their small units of hardcore Republic
loyalists. The network uses remote outposts with no Imperial presence like Havoc Outpost to move operatives, defectors, and droid couriers.

The Empire's primary approach to dealing with the rebels or any other threat is to build a larger military, huge warships, as well as developing
new technology. Their capacity and resources for research and development greater than any organization in galactic history, however their
fascist economy had intentionally demolished much of this capacity. The Emperor did not wish advanced technology firms to be creating
advanced technology all around the galaxy, and to prevent such proliferation as was seen in the Republic, most high-tech concerns which were
not devastated by the Clone Wars were nationalized or dissolved. While this left a relatively few companies left on the cutting-edge, it did give
those entities access to much of the galaxy's advanced technology and a large pool of available engineering and scientific talent to employ.
The leader in advanced technology for the Empire was undoubtedly Sienar Fleet Technologies, whose flagship corporation Sienar Systems
was the primary developer of the Imperial military's cutting-edge products, including the Interdictor-class star destroyers. Interdictor ships
are a significant problem for rebels who are already at a disadvantage in many ways against the Empire. Gravity wells prevent escape, which
is an important part of rebel tactics, and also make using major hyperspace routes for fast travel risky given the threat of being pulled out of
hyperspace and captured. Rebel attempts to assault starships or orbital targets could also be nullified using these ships, negatively effecting
rebel offensive capabilities. The Empire does not rely on advanced technology alone, as they have also studied rebel activity and adjusted their
own tactics to take advantage of rebel procedure. Having established the likely route rebels were taking between two locations with rebel
activity, the Empire is able to set up a gravity well trap. Imperial Army Intelligence correctly "suspected if we captured even one rebel ship,
others would race to the rescue", showing that the rebels motivations and tactics are already becoming uncomfortably predictable to the Empire.


FURTHER ANALYSIS
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