Celebrating 10 Years of Star Wars Rebels

Ten years in the past right now, Star Wars set off in a implausible new course. October 3, 2014 was the day Star Wars Rebels first aired—and with it, a complete new technology of Star Wars heroes and villains have been born. These characters have gone from animation into dwell motion and change into a number of the most enduring, and widespread, items of the franchise.

To have fun the anniversary, we cracked open the io9 archives to focus on the total scope of our protection: a few of our greatest items, interviews, and a complete bunch extra. All of which began a 12 months prior, October 2013, the primary time we wrote about Rebels on the location. You may see it within the beneath hyperlink.

[Note: These little bolded boxes are our highlighted articles and will continue throughout.]

That very same week introduced our first have a look at a personality from the present (the Grand Inquisitor), idea artwork, and extra, regardless that we have been nonetheless a 12 months away from its debut. Teases continued all year long till, at San Diego Comedian-Con 2014, audiences got their first full glimpse of the present. Right here have been io9’s ideas.

Yup, we liked it from day one—and when the primary episodes lastly debuted on October 3, 2014, we have been all in.

The primary season wowed us with the return of Darth Vader, spinning lightsabers, and a complete lot extra. We even named one second, when the Inquisitors used the stays of Luminara Unduli to attract in Kanan, as top-of-the-line moments of the 12 months.

Season one resulted in March of 2015, and we proceeded to dive into its reveals, primarily the return of Ahsoka Tano, a really landmark second for creator Dave Filoni and Star Wars normally. Plus, it was round right here, between seasons one and two in 2015—earlier than even the discharge of The Pressure Awakens, this rumor began…

Which, years later, occurred in a giant manner on the Ahsoka present. However in fact that was utterly unfathomable on the time since Star Wars TV wouldn’t exist for an additional 4 years.

Season two debuted in October 2015, earlier than The Pressure Awakens, and right here’s after we began doing weekly recaps. We received’t be posting all of those, in fact, however you will discover them on the Star Wars Rebels tag and right here was the primary…

Season two continued the present’s wonderful storytelling and tight stability of characters new and previous. Princess Leia made an look, we discovered extra about B-Wings, and the connection between Zeb and Kallus started. It was additionally round this time that io9 started to consider the tip recreation of the collection and the implications it might have.

Season two was additionally when io9 started a long-standing relationship with Rebels creator Dave Filoni. We interviewed him typically in regards to the present, together with our breakdown of the season two finale which aired in March 2016. Just a few months later, at Star Wars Celebration, Filoni dropped his greatest bombshell but: Grand Admiral Thrawn was coming to Rebels and Star Wars canon.

This was one thing we right here at io9 have been very, very enthusiastic about. So fortunately, we have been capable of speak to Filoni about it whereas at Celebration. That full interview is right here.

September 2016 introduced the beginning of Rebels season three and it’s when the present actually bought cooking. Bear in mind when Ezra had a imaginative and prescient about twin suns? Or when Wedge got here onto the present? The reintroduction of the Darksaber? Plus, the discharge of Rogue One noticed a number of little Rebels Easter eggs sneak into dwell motion for the primary time, like Hera’s ship, the Ghost, and Chopper.

In the course of season three, Disney renewed the present for season 4 and everybody had a way it was constructing to one thing big. We’d seen Mon Mothma begin the Rise up, Sabine’s battle, and a lot extra. And although it wasn’t the finale, season three had the unforgettable episode “Twin Suns,” which noticed Obi-Wan Kenobi lastly kill Darth Maul. We have been fortunate sufficient to talk to Filoni all about it.

In April of 2017, it was introduced that the fourth season of Star Wars Rebels can be its final. Issues kicked off in October of that 12 months and it was clear early on that Rebels was not messing round. We spoke to Filoni about his expectations and the long run because the season went alongside and fell in love, as soon as once more, with Hera Syndulla. Then, in March of 2018, the present got here to an finish. Right here is our closing official recap.

In fact, the tip wasn’t actually the tip. We talked to Filoni about what occurred within the finale, contemplated what was subsequent for Ahsoka and Sabine, after which consideration shifted to the subsequent animated present, Resistance.

Just a few years handed, however Rebels by no means left our minds, after which in 2021 it occurred: information started to leak that Filoni was going to proceed the story in dwell motion. An Ashoka present forged actress Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Sabine Wren, Lars Mikkelsen as Grand Admiral Thrawn, and extra. The present even introduced again Hera and Jacen Syndulla, Ezra Bridger, and Kanan Jarrus, albeit it briefly in that final case.

Now, with season two of the present gearing up, Star Wars Rebels stays as impactful on Star Wars 10 years later because it was 10 years in the past. A real landmark in a galaxy far, far, away.

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