Celebrating 10 Years of Star Wars Rebels

Ten years in the past right this moment, Star Wars set off in a incredible 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 live action and change into among the most enduring, and popular, items of the franchise.

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

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

That very same week introduced our first look at a character from the present (the Grand Inquisitor), concept art, and more, regardless that we have been nonetheless a yr 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 one of the best moments of the year.

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

Which, years later, occurred in a giant method on the Ahsoka present. However in fact that was fully 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 Drive Awakens, and right here’s after we began doing weekly recaps. We gained’t be posting all of those, in fact, however you could find them at the Star Wars Rebels tag and right here was the primary…

Season two continued the present’s glorious storytelling and tight steadiness of characters new and previous. Princess Leia made an look, we learned more about B-Wings, and the connection between Zeb and Kallus started. It was additionally round this time that io9 started to consider the tip sport of the sequence 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 usually in regards to the present, together with our breakdown of the season two finale which aired in March 2016. A number of months later, at Star Wars Celebration, Filoni dropped his largest bombshell but: Grand Admiral Thrawn was coming to Rebels and Star Wars canon.

This was one thing we right here at io9 were very, very excited about. So fortunately, we have been in a position to speak to Filoni about it whereas at Celebration. That full interview is here.

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

In the course of season three, Disney renewed the show for season 4 and everybody had a way it was constructing to one thing big. We’d seen Mon Mothma start the Riot, Sabine’s struggle, 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 announced that the fourth season of Star Wars Rebels could be its final. Things kicked off in October of that yr and it was clear early on that Rebels was not messing round. We spoke to Filoni about his expectations and the longer term 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 remaining official recap.

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

A number of years handed, however Rebels never left our minds, after which in 2021 it occurred: information started to leak that Filoni was going to proceed the story in stay motion. An Ashoka show cast 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 last case.

Now, with season two of the show 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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