An emotionally charged and amazingly well acted episode, Trials of the Darksaber is not only one of the best episodes of Rebels but is the episode where I finally connect with Sabine.
For a long time fans have complained about Sabine being a Mary-Sue. I’ll admit that I have joined that chorus on occasion. Looking back however we only ever saw Sabine in situations a Mandalorian should shine. It’s taken seeing her fail as she deals with her inner demons this week to realise that. Now that she’s been humanised she’s a far more interesting. I’m happy to admit I’ve been hard on her before and I understand that there has been a lot of other stuff to get through before we could concentrate on her in this way. It’s as though a shroud has been lifted and I finally see her fully.
That wouldn’t be the case were it not for Tiya Sircar and Freddie Prinze Jr, who deserve immense praise for their performances. On a more superficial level seeing Kanan push Sabine emotionally is interesting, but that’s only part of it. Kanan himself is learning, overcoming his own issues. Teaching Sabine, who is no Jedi, forces him to rethink his approach with some help from Hera.
Ezra and Rau each take smaller but still important rules roles that round out the story. As Ezra and Sabine work through Lightsaber forms (squeeee!)
There’s a lot here to warm the heart of this Star Wars fan. From portable heaters reminding me of Dagobah to SoroSuub speeders, Trials of the Darksaber takes me back whilst making me excited to see more of one of its main characters.
Be the first to comment