Stealth Strike (Star Wars Rebels - S02E09) - Animated Series

How are the Rebels able to keep stealing Imperial ships at will? SPOILERS. 

What a difference a week makes. Last week I talked about how Rebels only has a few standout episodes, and this was one of them. "Stealth Strike" still has issues, but it was simply a lot of fun. This episode benefited from focusing on Kanan and Rex, whose relationship has been one of the show's strong points this season. While on a mission to locate a missing patrol, Commander Sato and Ezra were pulled out of hyperspace and captured by a new Imperial cruiser. After receiving Sato's distress signal the Ghost crew couldn't understand how a ship could be pulled out of hyperspace. Sabine explained that while she was at the Imperial Academy the Empire was designing a cruiser that used gravity wells to pull ships out of hyperspace. This is the first canon appearance of the Interdictor class cruiser, which has been featured in the EU throughout the years. The Interdictor has been well established in the EU for years but in this episode it kind of reminded me of the Malevolence from The Clone Wars. Hera assigned Rex and Kanan to rescue Sato and Ezra. I'm glad this episode focused on Kanan and Rex but it did feel a little forced that they were the only ones to go on the rescue mission. Hera just said it was the only way. Back abroad the Interdictor, Admiral Titus quickly identified his two captives. That's right, apparently Kallus isn't the only Imperial officer in the galaxy (although Kallus does make a pointless appearance later in the episode). Maybe it's just because he wasn't Kallus, but I liked Admiral Titus. He was a good, if over confident, villain for this episode.

As with previous episodes this season, Kanan and Rex weren't happy about working together. In order to get aboard the Interdictor, Kanan and Rex stole Stormtrooper armor and an imperial shuttle. Frequently, the humor in Rebels falls flat for me but it was actually one of the best parts about this episode. I loved the running gag that Rex despises the Stormtrooper armor. Using various protocols and codes, Rex was able to convince the Interdictor to grant them permission to land. Rex told Kanan that he and Cody practically invented the emergency protocols used by the Empire during the Clone Wars. That line made me even more curious about what happened to Cody after Order 66. Did he stay on with the Empire or desert after he realized he tried to kill Obi-Wan? I always thought it would be interesting if Cody stayed with the Empire and Rex joined the Rebellion. We're half way there. As Rex and Kanan gained access to the Star Destroyer, Ezra escaped from the Stormtroopers escorting him to his cell. The scene where Ezra escaped was fun to watch but it has me wondering if Ezra is becoming too powerful. I don't think a kid who just started his training should look as powerful as the Jedi Masters we saw in the Clone Wars, especially since Rebels is so close to A New Hope. Moving on, after Ezra escaped from his captors he shot two Stormtroopers who turned out to be Rex and Kanan in disguise. This goes back to Rebels handling humor better this week. I couldn't help but laugh when Chopper played a recording of the incident after Ezra lied about what happened or when Rex told Ezra he should've shot to kill. After Ezra was safe, the group decided to split up. Rex and Kanan went to rescue Sato while Ezra and Chopper went to sabotage the ship.

Over the past few weeks I've noticed that the writers have been doing a better job of handling Chopper, but he was more of a mixed bag this week. Chopper had a few standout moments this week but his callous disregard for Ezra's life when they sabotaged the reactor core reminded of the character that annoyed me so much last season. Kanan and Rex's rescue of Commander Sato was the most fun I've had with Star Wars Rebels in a while. From Rex throwing his helmet at a Stormtrooper in frustration to Kanan pulling Stormtroopers with the Force so Rex could shoot them, it was just what Rebels needed after last week. This was the most we've seen from Rex since he joined the cast in the two-part season premiere, and it might be his best showcase yet on Rebels. His decision to stay behind so the others could escape and his defiance during Admiral Titus' interrogation gave me flashbacks to The Clone Wars and were two of the best scenes in this episode. Kanan saying he had to go back for his friend was a little cheesy but it brought their relationship full circle. The tension between Clone Trooper and Jedi has been one of this season's best ongoing storylines, but if it had gone on much longer it would've gotten irritating and repetitive. I don't expect Kanan and Rex to become best friends right away, but this episode was an important step in mending the scars of the Clone Wars. The rebels managed to escape and the Interdictor was successfully destroyed thanks to Chopper's sabotage. The animation quality is usually one of Rebels weak points, but the destruction of the Interdictor was beautifully animated. I should note that Admiral Titus escaped, perhaps we'll see him again. Overall, "Stealth Strike" was one of this season's strongest episodes and a significant improvement over the previous episode. Was this episode a masterpiece? No, but it was a lot of fun.

What Worked

• Kanan and Rex working together
• Best showcase for Rex so far
• New Imperial Officer
• Balanced humor and action well

What Didn’t Work

• Is Ezra getting too powerful?
• Chopper takes a step back

External Links:

• StarWars.com Episode Guide
• Wookieepedia Episode Summary