Full Series The Size and Scope of Rebels

I've been thinking of what is possibly my only major quibble with Rebels (which I otherwise do like) and it's how small the show makes the galaxy feel like (at least so far).

I know the rebel group the series follows is just a local group on the backwater planet Lothal and shows their day-to-day life with conflicts and whatnot, but I don't think it should feel this small and, with the lack of a better word, repetitive; so far it's been Lothal in every single episode and only a few other planets are visited sporadically (including an abandoned Republic base on an asteroid). Despite the run-ins with the Empire and the occasional spacefaring, it plays out small and relatively restricted; in comparison, it feels like even a random OT film has more variety and exploration.

I think that with the show is seemingly starting to get it's groove going, they should expand the series and have them explore it and the possibilities more. A possible way to do so could be some kind of development on what's happening on Lothal with the Empire being there, like perhaps an escalation that ends with the gang having to flee and realize they can never come back; that would be a good turn of events that would not only take them out of their comfort zone and make it more interesting, but also mean we get to follow them out into the galaxy and see what's out there, wether we have seen it before or if it's all new stuff (and with the latest couple of episodes, Empire Day and Gathering Forces, with the looming threat of the Inquisitor and his scheming, I can't say that it feels like something impossible).

Anyway, I'd like to hear your thoughts on this. Do you also think it should break out of it's rut and expand, are you content with what has been going on so far and like the smaller scope or are you undecided (or maybe doesn't care as long as you enjoy it)?

 

Lothal doesn't seem very ... dynamic? There are the Imperials and then there are the suppressed citizens. Little shades of grey or conflicts beyond the most obvious ones. Not much going on on Lothal.

Where are the collaborateurs? Where are the people who benefit from imperial rule? Or powerful figures who try to manipulate the Empire?

All we got so far is one kid that wanted to become a stormtrooper.

You'd think the Empire has no backing whatsoever, but how would they survive as a government, if that really was the case?

 

You best described it when you said "their comfort zone". I think they really don't have the financial means to fly all over the galaxy and enjoy being close to what they know. And what they know is Lothal and the Empire has plans for that planet so we should be getting some more action.
I agree though, that I want to see new planets and characters. Maybe we will in due time. It's only been 1/2 season.

 

I think it will expand a lot in the next season, with the rebel alliance actually being formed.

 

I am finding it somewhat hard to believe that the Ghost can operate out of Lothal continuously. I mean, how many VCX-100's are there out there anyway? It's just a matter of time before the Empire starts shooting them on sight.

 

We shouldn't forget that we are just half way through the first season. We HAVE visited other locations throughout the course of the show thus far. And I think we will be seeing the end of the Lothal saga soon enough.

 

It took me a bit of thinking to understand the Ghost's ability to scramble its signature, but I can buy them being able to avoid the Empire on Lothal. The Ghost's ability is not so much like continuously switching the license plate on a car as changing the transponder code on an airplane. Unless you're Darth Vader the Empire doesn't look out their windows to identify incoming spacecraft, per Return of the Jedi. Also, when the setting of your story is a whole galaxy it easy to forget how big planets are.

 

I don't think absolutely everything within SW must be expansive to be of merit. Everyday stuff is repetitive, that's life. Why not finally treat some characters in SW like they are actually people?....on BOTH sides even?

 

Nailed it I commend you for that.

 

Because in my opinion it's more boring and not as interesting or fun to watch if they keep showing us the same everyday stuff. I don't feel that way about the series as a whole yet, but there are definitely times when i feel that way watching it.

When you say "both sides" i think you mean Empire in addition to Rebels? That would be more interesting since it would be going in to greater depth, kinda like we saw in depth exploration of characters like Ventress and Maul on TCW. But so far Rebels is fixated on just recreating an OT experience of only following the crew of the Ghost and much of the time having them retread familiar types of scenes we've seen play out before.

 

Tseebo did say TIE fighter production was starting in 6 weeks. So Lothal will probably be experiencing a major change sooner rather than later.

 

Correct, I think it would be interesting to know how much time in-universe has actually passed. I don't think that if there is a significant uptick in Imperial activity on Lothal that they would want to sick around too long unless they had reason to via legitimate business.

 

Yeah, I know the Ghost can scramble its transponder signal, but when the Empire suffers multiple repeated terrorist attacks and it's always the same ship fleeing the scene...well eventually they're going to believe their eyes and not their ship ID equipment. Also planets may be big, but for an advanced spacefaring civilization that's not that much of an obstacle...just set up a bunch of orbital satellites to keep track of what's taking off and landing on the surface. And Lothal looks pretty sparsely populated with not much in the way of space traffic, so the Ghost's coming and going would stand out.

 

Yes, I meant Empire, Watto. That may be the case for you and 'action' types but it doesn't make the everyday or mundane any less valid. Life is more than grandiose actions. I care much more for character depth and relationships myself. I like to observe human wirings. Action is dull in most cases for Cushy. We are simply different.

In fact I would much prefer a nuanced Empire series than more of this entirely too forced focus on Rebels and black/white shallowness. That is dull.

 

Yes that is true but people don't spend seven to ten dollars at the movie theater or sit for thirty minutes to an hour in front of the tv watching people do boring stuff that every person does anyway at home.

Walking Dead is about the most popular program on tv right now. Do you think it gets all those viewers by showing the lot sitting around their hideaway twiddling their thumbs (which they probably do more of than what is actually depicted on the show)?

If you want to see what you are looking for you probably need to start reading the New EU books.

 

Lol..it is definitely time to get of off Lothal and get out in the universe. The GFFA is way too big the Civil War needs to start already. GET ON WITH IT.

 

I haven't read "A New Dawn" or any of the other Rebels-related stuff, but does Kanan and his crew have any long-term plan other than making symbolic pinprick raids against the Empire?

 

I just wish someone would post them on youtube.....

 

A New Dawn takes place about five years before the start of the show so there is really nothing there that talks about longterm other than wanting to fight the Empire.

The closest we have gotten as of yet of them talking about longterm goals was when Hera was talking to Sabine about having faith that there is something larger in play here. I would assume that will likely change before the season is over but as of now they havn't delved much more into it than the crew wanting to fight the Empire and hoping one day it will amount to something more.

 

I understand your taste of not wanting to see constant action, and to dwell on human moments instead. But I do wince at you labeling me an action type... it's not that I need constant generic action movie stuff, I just need something interesting to happen with the plot. That doesn't mean a big battle scene, it could be story developments with the Rebel Alliance. Hey how about that Fulcrum stuff they've been teasing out for too long? Or how about showing what actually happened on Mandalore that Sabine gave a vague tease about. Too many teases and not enough payoff for me.

 

Watto

I think that if they do more origin comics after Kanan, that's where we'll see what happened to Mandalore in a Sabine one.

 

Boo! Let's have the story in the actual show instead of a prequel comic. Out of Darkness was just Hera and Sabine bickering and shooting creatures. Would rather have had an actual story.

 

Yes but you need to remember the time is much more limited on Rebels than it was on TCW. They are going to have shorter seasons and who knows if they will even get 3,4, or 5 seasons to go along with that. I personally think TCW did a poor job with their extra time they had (as a lot of the extra time for episodes was spent on meaningless sidequests and droid arcs).

 

If they have shorter seasons, then why do they waste time on filler episodes?

 

They havn't really had any filler episodes up to this point. If you want to see the definition of filler episode look at TCW.