2x03 Always Two There Are

8.2/10. This isn't the most complex episode of Rebels there's ever been, but I really enjoyed its basic arcs for Ezra and Zeb and the way it dramatized them. The opening scene gives us the basic setup: per Rex, Zeb needs to use his wits rather than his brawn more often, and Ezra needs to learn some more discipline.

So what do we when the episode gets going? Ezra shows a lack of discipline, running around the abandoned medical station and turning finding supplies into a game rather than staying focused, which gets him caught by an Inquisitor. This, of course, gives him an opportunity to show that he does have discipline and should use it, resisting the Inquisitor's torture and refusing to give up his friends despite the physical pain and manipulation he's faced with.

For his part, Zeb is initially pretty witless, getting himself stuck in an air vent and being pretty impulsive himself. And yet, when he needs to save his friends, Zeb show's that he can be pretty damn clever. Reprising the old "Commander Meiloorun" pseudonym from "Fighter Flight" to tell Ezra and Sabine to "keep their chins up" while he surprises the Inquisitors with a fake tip and sits docked on the ceiling of the bay is a nice way to dramatize Zeb acting smart rather than just strong, and it works as a way to get out heroes out of this hairy situation.

Plus, speaking as a big fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it's an absolute thrill to hear Sarah Michelle Gellar (real life wife of Kanan's voice actor, Freddie Prince Jr.) appear on the show as a badass, dark side-affiliated force-wielder. Gellar does a great job at adding dimension to her inquisitor. While the other new guy feels like a walking trope, Gellar's inquisitor has a playful but malevolent edge to her, making her seem smart and manipulative rather than just powerful. In that way, she and the male inquisitor make an interesting reflection of Zeb and Ezra needing to learn to harness different sides of their personalities to make it out.

In addition, I love the tension between Rex and Kanan in the episode. The fact that Kanan still doesn't really trust Rex is a nice touch, since it would be too easy if their differences were resolved in just a pair of episodes, and the proper way to train Ezra makes perfect sense as a sticking point between the two of them. What's more, I loved how the adults are publicly Gruff when Zeb, Sabine, and Ezra return, but after they leave the room, are clearly shaken by the reveal that there are two more inquisitors there, and the Rebels have no idea what more might be coming at them.

There's a real Empire Strikes Back feel to this season so far, a sense that the good guys managed to strike a blow for their side, but that they now have the full attention of the Empire, and with that comes its full force that our ragtag bunch of heroes might not be quite prepared for. The arcs in this one are fairly simple, but the characters are interesting and enjoyable all around, and the more we get a window into this world and this struggle, the more exciting, and even scary it seems.