We’re now almost three years on from The Rise of Skywalker, and Star Wars fans are still finding new ways to dump on Disney’s sequel trilogy. That’s understandable given how bad that final installment was, the lingering sense that Lucasfilm mismanaged Episodes VII, VIII, and IX, not to mention that the movies squandered the final appearances of several iconic characters. Even so, is one 46-minute episode of an animated series really better than three whole movies?
Fans are discussing Star Wars: Rebels season two finale “Twilight of the Apprentice”, generally considered one of the highlights of the CG animated shows:
The episode sees the return of Darth Maul as the mysterious Old Master, who joins forces with the rebels to fight back against the Inquisitors. But the crowning glory is Ahsoka Tano’s fight with Darth Vader, which is especially poignant as Anakin was her former Master. It’s one of the best lightsaber duels in the franchise, is soundtracked by some excellent music, and is incredibly satisfying if you’ve followed Ahsoka and Anakin’s story throughout The Clone Wars.
But better than an entire trilogy? Fans have their doubts, and many see this as an apples-to-oranges comparison. It’s also worth remembering that “Twilight of the Apprentice” only works as well as it does because it comes after so much backstory:
Why do you need to compare?
Some are over the sequels endlessly being trashed:
The community negativity is approaching toxic levels:
But for some it’s a no-brainer:
Others say the sequels have their merits after all:
Is this episode of Rebels “a piece of art”?
The only thing people seem to agree on is that “Twilight of the Apprentice” rocks, so if you haven’t dipped your toe into The Clone Wars and Rebels we’d recommend it. It may be worth catching up with this, as Ahsoka and Anakin’s duel will likely be referenced in Ahsoka when it airs in 2023, as we know that Hayden Christensen will appear in the show.
Star Wars: Rebels is available on Disney Plus, and Ahsoka is expected in the first half of 2023.