Hello my Star Wars-loving people! You’ve probably been wondering why I’ve been on an unannounced hiatus for the last couple months. Well it started out with just not having a good post idea one week… and then was followed by a major bout of IRL busy-ness and a general lack of desire to write. I know I’ve missed a lot of great opportunities to talk about Star Wars since then, with Disney Parks and John Powell and porgs(!). But hopefully I can start to remedy that in the weeks to come. Now we shall begin again by discussing the utter excitement of the Freemakers’ most recent escapade, Trouble On Tibalt! And hopefully this will be a much more efficiently-written post than my previous work.
NOTE: Contains spoilers from Episode VI, Rogue One, Rebels episode Wings Of The Master, much of the Freemakers season one, and Trouble On Tibalt.
(Also yes now I’m linking my previous Closer Look posts into the spoiler warnings so you can refresh your memory if need be. But you still should read this with caution if you haven’t actually seen an episode or film listed here.)
That Darth Sidious is something else, right? He’s the emperor of the whole galaxy right now, has an amazing virtually unstoppable Death Star II in the works, but he’s still sore about the Kyber Saber incident and that “Reginald” Freemaker kid. Not gonna lie, my instantaneous thought was “OMG OMG IS THAT THE FREEMAKERS’ DAD?? IS HE IMPORTANT TO THE EMPIRE LIKE GALEN ERSO?? WOW!!” and then I suddenly realized the joke and felt like an idiot. Probably better that way… “Reginald” is just not the most appropriately Star Wars-y name out there. But though Palpatine doesn’t have everything he wants, he does have one particular new something. Something special. Something downright deadly. Its name, or more precisely, his name, is M-OC. You know, the prospect that Palpatine built M-OC himself (which is what I’m assuming at the moment) is quite intriguing. I had no idea he knew anything directly to do with droid engineering. I honestly doubt he built it all himself though. Probably had a few Imperial technicians involved I would think, I mean… as we soon see, this intimidating-looking hunk of metal is no average Imperial droid…
Elsewhere in the galaxy, it seems the Freemaker family has taken to their new careers in the Rebel Alliance like a sando aqua monster to water. Salvage and repair is second-nature to them, and now they get to do so for a noble cause. That’s a win if I’ve ever heard one! Plus, they get these great new khaki uniforms that both serve their workday purposes and celebrate each of the kids’ unique spirits! Only downside to the job is the constant moving around the galaxy every time the Empire shows up. “Stupid Empire! Stupid timing!” Yesss Rowan I have thought that many a time over the years watching, reading, and playing Star Wars. But on a different note, I will say I realize now that it’s better he didn’t tell Luke of his abilities. It might’ve caused some complications with Yoda’s “last-of-the-Jedi-you-will-be” claim if Luke literally knew another Jedi. And though TFA is technically not 100% canon, I don’t think they’d want to outright go up against a fact like that. Unless, of course Rowan actually doesn’t… um… yeah I’d like to hope he lives at least a few few more decades, if that’s all right. Anyway I hope I made my point there, I wasn’t intending to spend so much time on that one topic. One of the many things I love about TFA is that the only noncanon stuff they really ever do are fun Lego-y self-awareness gags, compared to the blatant (though still funny) inaccuracies in the other specials.
Check it out I’m finally separating my paragraphs so this blog is easier to read! Anyway, so even with an Imperial fleet causing trouble, Kordi, Zander, and even Roger are completely in their element, fixing up the fighters as they go out into the battle and fixing them up again when they come back to the hangar. They’ve totally got this… to the point that Rowan finds himself overlooked in the midst of it all. I know well how you feel, sweet child… it’s no fun feeling useless and not knowing how to help. But enter General Syndulla: spacemom bosslady extraordinaire! I was so utterly thrilled when I first found out Hera was going to be in this season, not just because she’s one of my most favorite characters, but because she’d fit in so perfectly. I knew that long before I knew she’d be a general by Rogue One, and definitely long before I found out her presence in this timeline is canon. I had so many questions though. What would she be like at this point? What has she faced since the days spent with the Ghost crew? What actually happened to the Ghost crew? Of course we won’t know that last part for a while. And while I would like to hope that everything is peachy and everyone lived, I simply don’t know, especially this far down the timeline. But though only a small moment in this episode, it had me smiling hard, because even with a high rank and I imagine some tough times in her more-recent past, she’s still completely the caring, thoughtful Rebel mom she’s always been :3 She sees Rowan looking down and decides to give him a special assignment all his own. OK so right now all I want is for Hera to unofficially adopt these precious kids. Like seriously. That, and that awesome jacket of hers, because isn’t it the coolest?!
It’s absolutely no question, M-OC is a walking nightmare and I adore him. He doesn’t just look intimidating, he’s got the skills to back it up. Lots of skills. He can saw, burn, blast, and outright tear people apart. Not to mention he’s super super agile. And his entirely cold, logical personality (or lack of one) sets him apart from a number of villains. There are a lot of scary droids out there, no doubt. But this guy is all of those scary droids and more, I think. I mean… guys. He can turn his head all the way around. He might just be a droid but that’s never not creepy, unless you’re an owl. Can you imagine what M-OC would look like in the films or Rebels? I’m gonna say likely this guy won’t make it out of the season fully-functioning, so he wouldn’t be able to cross over to the canon like that, but wouldn’t that be something! He’s awesomely terrifying either way, though. And cool as he is… I’m a tad concerned for Rowan atm.
So you guys we’re going to have to talk a while ’bout Quarrie! In a way, I wasn’t terribly surprised to see him in TFA; considering shipbuilding’s his thing, he would be a logically perfect fit for the Lego-verse. But what did surprise me was the idea that Hera would want Rowan to become his apprentice. That is most definitely a perfect fit! Though only the first time we get to see him interacting with the youngest Freemaker, I foresee a lot of fun and excitement and a bit of a grandpa-grandson bond in the near future 🙂 And any time to learn more about this beautiful crazy (though a bit cranky) mon calamari is a good time! I’m so so glad they found this role for him alongside the Freemakers!
It’s both impressive and pretty gut-wrenching how quickly M-OC’s able to nab Rowan. Had me thinking several times he might actually get away and we might be minus Ro for a couple episodes. And isn’t M-OC’s ship cool? Yeah I know Quarrie, Imp ships lack real craftsmanship, but it’s still so so very cool! My brother and I debated a bit whether it was a specific existing ship; he thought it was closer to the upcoming TIE silencer, and I was thinking it was more of a TIE striker, but looking at it now I think it’s something entirely different. Either way, it’s sleek and it’s dangerous and me likey. Of course, M-OC (quite literally) didn’t call into account his captive wielded a lightsaber. Oh yeah, here’s a good question: where was he keeping his ‘saber? I don’t think it was holstered, and considering the danger of being a Jedi right now that probably wouldn’t be the safest place to keep it. I’m gonna assume it might’ve been in his jacket. His boots I figure are a bit small for the standard hilt length. Just throwing out some possibilities here, anyway. So glad he didn’t leave home base without it!
“Anybody know what that thing is?!” “No, but let’s blow it up anyway!” Sounds good to me XD
But seriously. It’s kind of disgusting to think that someone would build a machine so utterly deadly, so completely merciless and cruel, to hunt down a child. A CHILD! It’s hard to tell whether Sidious wants him alive or dead, which just makes it all the scarier. *Shudders* They might look like small plastic people but the danger is all kinds of real. Once M-OC threw out that net I was horrified, certain that Rowan would soon find himself at the feet of the Emperor. But “NEVER TELL ME THE ODDS! Mostly because I don’t understand how they work.” Hehe that might be my favorite line this episode 😀 I getcha Ro, math is hard. Granted I’ve always been pretty good at statistics but… oh never mind. We’re getting off-track here. Family wins the day and it is beautiful!
But M-OC’s not so easily defeated. Watching him walk out of the fire, missing limbs but still as threatening as ever, his voice a bit more disturbingly distorted than before… CHILLS. MANY CHILLS. THEY GOT LUCKY YOU GUYS. OR NOT LUCKY SO MUCH AS THE FORCE WAS WITH THEM BUT… AHHHH!! He’s gonna give them a real run for their credits this season. As Rowan fills in his family on the walking death machine’s identity and purpose, his voice is so quiet and small it about tears me apart. Things have gotten very very real. But hope is still very very real, too. Rowan has a master now, of a different sort than he’s had briefly with Luke and JEK-14, but one who will surely help him grow in many ways.
He also has a dream, an image of a beautiful ship with a heart of kyber, a powerful shield, and all the hope in the galaxy. A ship he calls the Arrowhead.
Wow yes that was so fantastic! And so fun to write on! It feels good being back with the Freemakers! See you on the next episode next week!
Keep The Peace,
– Twilight
Padawanline 