S01.E06: Part Six - Far, Far Away

[formerlyfreedom]

Quote

The search for Grand Admiral Thrawn reaches beyond the limits of the galaxy.

Dropping Tuesday, September 19, 2023, at 9pm EDT/8pm CDT/7pm MDT/6pm PDT.

[Fool to cry]

I know their reunion would have hit more if this was still animated but damn it I still love it. The actor playing Ezra is perfect.

I know folks are going to complain about the tone when they tell you right at the beginning it's going to be a fairy tale.

 

Edited September 20, 2023 by Fool to cry

[magdalene]

Awesome episode! So much Baylan and Shin and very interesting conversations betweeen those 2. I have some hope there may be a heel turn coming with both of them.

So this is Thrawn. So far he doesn't seem mustache twirling. He looks very different from the animated images I have seen.

First impression of Ezra - I like him. I can totally understand why Sabine was so eager to be reunited with him.

[AimingforYoko]

8 minutes ago, magdalene said:

I have some hope there may be a heel turn coming with both of them.

I think you mean face turn. And while I wouldn't go that far, I'd say Baylan's goal is independent of the goals of Thrawn and Morgan.

[dwmarch]

Baylan said he's after some great power that he can feel. Okay sure, you do you but at the same time, have you considered that the Night Sisters and Thrawn are no slouches and they are in a hurry to leave? Baylan hasn't been villainous enough for Ahsoka to have to kill him so I have a feeling he's going to find this great power, try to harness it and get his face melted off in the process.

I wonder if the Night Sisters realized what a compliment they were giving Sabine in saying she "reeked of Jedi". I thought her Jedi odor would be characterized as more of a kitten fart at this point.

The ring around the planet being a cloud of Purgill bones is a haunting image. That is a lot of dead space whales right there.

I liked that the turtle people live in homes that look like turtle shells. I also liked that one of them was up on the roof trying to fix his TV antenna. Some things really are universal!

Thrawn's Jank-class Star Destroyer is very cool. I also love his Stormtroopers with the armor that has been repaired with gold. His one lieutenant with the custom mask is haunting.

[IntrovertRed]

I loved it!  I loved Thrawn (still terrifying and how does he keep his uniform clean) and even better, Ezra!  I was worried he might end up being Thrawn's captain with the gold face, however, once I saw the turtles, I knew they were Ezra's friends. The night troopers looked cool, but the Star Destroyer has seen better days for sure. 

Ezra and Sabine reuniting was awesome, curious to see if they’ll remain “siblings” or if they will be a romance. Don’t really care, but can't wait til Hera sees her other “son”.  And seeing if Chopper is still cranky to Ezra, oh and you know, where is ZEB?!  Not to mention Ezra learning of Jacen (and hopefully training him).

Shin certainly looks worried about staying on the planet, will she ditch Baylan Skoll or sacrifice him if he won’t let her go.  I’m surprised the witches thought Sabine reeked of Jedi even though she doesn’t have power, so I guess she will soon.

I really hope the whales aren't cutting their lives short by helping Ahsoka. Can they do an immediate round trip and help our Rebels return to warn the New Republic.

So what was the deal that Thrawn made with the Night Sisters, something that Morgan Elsbeth had to bring or take back?   

What would be even greater is hearing Kanan somehow communicate with Ezra once they get back home. 

Edited September 20, 2023 by IntrovertRed

[paigow]

Filoni is doing all kinds of references...

300...

Gladiator... 

Shrek... 

Sabine failing again.

Helpful Exposition delayed☑️

Give Ezra false sense of security☑️

Remove urgency☑️

 

48 minutes ago, dwmarch said:

Baylan said he's after some great power that he can feel.

Maybe there is another of those Moose-like creatures that talked to Kanan... but yeah... it could be the Ark Of Coruscant or Holocron Grail that kills Baylan

Edited September 20, 2023 by paigow

[Nacos for Rufus]

Still laughing at the idea of Sabine “reeking” of Jedi. Clearly, they haven’t been around a proper Jedi in awhile.

Ezra looks so much like pics of his dad!

Thrawn is kinda disappointing. He was scarier to me in Rebels. Anyone know how old he’s supposed to be?

[thuganomics85]

The Rebels gang is almost reunited!

At long last, we get Thrawn in the flesh (and CGI) and it ends up being another case where they decided "why mess with perfection?" when it comes to the casting, and just gets Lars Mikkelsen to reprise the role.  Hey, I have no complaints: he's good at it (really, the Mikkelsens in general seem to know how to play those baddies!)  Right now, he doesn't come off quite as intimidating as he did in the animated series, but I continue to love how he is less mustache-twirling villainy, and is more logically sociopathic.  He doesn't seem to enjoy causing harm to others, but..... lets just say he really doesn't give a shit who dies or what is destroyed as long as things go his way.  In some ways, that is almost scarier because I feel like there are more people like that in the real world compared to the normal villains we see on television.  Can't wait to see more of them in these next few episodes.

I'm guessing that Captain Enoch will  (potential casting spoiler) 

Spoiler

end up being who Wes Chatham is playing, since I know he is suppose to be in the series.

Curious to see if he'll end up being a major factor or just another Merrick, heh.

Speaking of casting, I thought one of the Night Sisters looked familiar and it turns out that was Claudia Black!  I'm all for her appearing in every sci-fi show ever because Aeryn Sun (Farscape) will always be one of my favorites!

Definitely think they are setting up Baylan's quest to be his downfall due to it not being what he thinks it is and it blowing up in his face.  I'm hoping that is the case, because as fascinating as I find him to be, I hope his character arc will be finished since Ray Stevenson is no longer with us.  I also suspect that Shin Haiti will; if not betray him; go her own way once this is done since you already see her questioning him.  Not sure if she'll end up being a possible new ally or maybe even a bigger villain.

Finally, Ezra is alive and well!  Currently chilling with some talking, alien turtles that sadly aren't Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles due to the lack of pizza and cowabungas, but still pretty cool none the less (and more merchandise for good old Disney!)  Glad he and Sabine are reunited, but we will see what the cost will end up being.  Actor did a good job.

 

Meanwhile, in the David Tennent-verse

Huyang: "Man, traveling in a space whale is nuts!"

Ten:  "Amateur!  This probably wouldn't even make the top twenty of crazy shit the TARDIS and I have stumbled onto!" 

 

Did find it a little funny that there was so little Ahsoka in a show called Ahsoka, but it makes sense since she was feature heavily last week and this episode was about catching back up with everyone else.  Plus, nothing will ever top the time The Book of Boba Fett was all "To hell with this!" about its lead character and just became The Mandalorian 2.5 for two episodes (understandable, if I'm being honest.)

[Anduin]

19 minutes ago, thuganomics85 said:

Speaking of casting, I thought one of the Night Sisters looked familiar and it turns out that was Claudia Black!  I'm all for her appearing in every sci-fi show ever because Aeryn Sun (Farscape) will always be one of my favorites!

I was watching Farscape just last night! I should have seen it, but I didn't. Bad Scaper, I know. However, I maintain that Wayne Pygram should have been Thrawn. Yeah, he was in five seconds of ROTS as Tarkin, but he could make a great Thrawn. On the subject of Farscape, I wonder if the Purrgils ever visit the Milky Way, and emerge in different forms. Leviathans. Space whales have also popped up in Trek.

Ultimately I liked it, though this new extragalactic planet feels like it could be in any remote corner of the outer rim. But that wouldn't need a specially constructed and powered ship to reach.

Of all the influences Filoni works into Star Wars, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is toward the bottom of the list in what I expected.

Much love for the horse-dog-wolf thing. That was fun.

[paigow]

4 hours ago, AimingforYoko said:

I think you mean face turn. 

Chuck Rhoades & Triple H are experts

[Chyromaniac]

1 hour ago, Anduin said:

Ultimately I liked it, though this new extragalactic planet feels like it could be in any remote corner of the outer rim. But that wouldn't need a specially constructed and powered ship to reach.

This was my big gripe with the episode as well.  If it’s a different galaxy, I was hoping for something that didn’t feel like yet another Star Wars planet.  I won’t lie- I also thought there was a very slight possibility that they’d end up at Earth.  Regardless, it just kind of felt like a missed opportunity to do something really outside the box for the franchise.

Otherwise, the nice aliens were fun- I get where people see turtles, but to me they’re more bug-like.  Also, the wargs were very on brand for Filoni.  And, this is the most genuinely intimidating crop of Stormtroopers in quite a while.

But, the highlight of the episode is getting Ezra back.  My only hope is that this doesn’t mean they’re dropping the idea of Sabine as a Jedi apprentice.  Like, I don’t want her to just hand him the lightsaber (even though it’s technically his).  I’d still like to see her prove herself to Ahsoka, regardless of how Ezra fits into the narrative.

[revbfc]

I want to know how those turtle people put on their shirts.

My best guess is that the shells have to be removable, but that baby also had a shell, so maybe those shirts are just aprons.

I’m also a little disappointed by this other galaxy not looking too alien to the existing SW galaxy, but I’ll accept it.  Even if I don’t buy the witches speaking Galactic Basic.

Edited September 20, 2023 by revbfc

[johntfs]

1 hour ago, revbfc said:

I want to know how those turtle people put on their shirts.

My best guess is that the shells have to be removable, but that baby also had a shell, so maybe those shirts are just aprons.

I’m also a little disappointed by the this other galaxy not looking too alien to the existing SW galaxy, but I’ll accept it.  Even if I don’t buy the witches speaking Galactic Basic.

Presumably Thrawn doesn't speak Night Witch.  What do you want from the galaxy?  It's just a place in the Star Wars universe.  Unless Cylons, Daleks or Vulcans start showing up, it's pretty much going to look like a Star Wars galaxy because it is one.

As for Thrawn being less intimidating, in the animated series he had the full power of the Galactic Empire behind with it's loads of replacement troops, repair yards other Star Destroyers, etc.  Here's he's got the one ship and he's been stuck out there for probably a good decade or so.

[baldryanr]

Ezra seems to be chilling pretty close to the main base - did Thrawn never feel the need to track him down?   While he does seem the type to not let petty things like revenge drive him, he'll likely regret not capturing him when he had the chance.

[johntfs]

34 minutes ago, baldryanr said:

Ezra seems to be chilling pretty close to the main base - did Thrawn never feel the need to track him down?   While he does seem the type to not let petty things like revenge drive him, he'll likely regret not capturing him when he had the chance.

Thrawn has always been the Erwin Rommel in an Empire of Herman Gorings.  He can be (and often is) ruthless, but he's not cartoonishly evil.  He treats his subordinates well and with respect.  When he makes a promise he can usually be expected to keep it.  If he has to conquer/pacify a planet and he can do it with either a full planetary invasion or by returning some lost idol to the planet's people, he'll do the latter.  Thrawn is fine with just winning.  His ego doesn't require others to lose as well.

Keeping Ezra prisoner might be satisfying in a vengeful way, but there's no really good reason to antagonize the person who might be able to call the whales back and get them all home.  Thrawn is all about the cost-benefit analysis.  Being "evil" is usually more costly than it's worth.  That said, if your life is the cost of some benefit he wants, then yeah, you're shit out of luck.

[Sakura12]

So we finally get to Ezra and Thrawn in a galaxy far far away on a planet that looks like every other planet. The home planet of the Night Sisters.

I had to watch it again to hear Claudia Black's voice. So are they trying to bring back the night sisters? Is that what those pod things are that they are loading on to Thrawn's ship.

I'm happy to see Ezra again, although I don't know how he'll feel how Sabine got to him. At least until Ahsoka shows up. He sacrificed himself to stop Thrawn's rise and Sabine gave it back to him. 

I wonder if the power Baylon seeks is the Mortis gods. This being Ahsoka's show and she has a connection to the daughter mortis God. 

 

[Anduin]

5 hours ago, Chyromaniac said:

This was my big gripe with the episode as well.  If it’s a different galaxy, I was hoping for something that didn’t feel like yet another Star Wars planet.  I won’t lie- I also thought there was a very slight possibility that they’d end up at Earth.  Regardless, it just kind of felt like a missed opportunity to do something really outside the box for the franchise.

Going back to ROTS again, we saw some really interesting planets. Not just Utapau, but ones like Felucia or the hanging city. Sure, they don't want to mess with stuff like air or gravity, but you can do something really weird on a budget. Farscape was always good at that.

[MissLucas]

11 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

Speaking of casting, I thought one of the Night Sisters looked familiar and it turns out that was Claudia Black! 

Damn, I missed her - must rewatch!!!

8 hours ago, revbfc said:

I want to know how those turtle people put on their shirts.

He! That was my first question too! Well, after I had realized the thingy was wearing clothes. I spent some time wondering why Sabine kept trying to communicate with yet another animal.

4 hours ago, Sakura12 said:

Is that what those pod things are that they are loading on to Thrawn's ship.

They looked like caskets so me and since Thrawn talked about his losses I assumed he wants to bring his fallen Troopers back home. Dude has style - evil style but still style.

Well, I loved it. The visuals of the Whale cemetery were breathtaking! The first shot of the landscape with the Howlers silhouettes on a hill were exciting - I thought they were wolves so Ezra should be okay. And it's great for the show to finally get out of the Volume for a while.

Thrawn's entrance... was quite something. I love the battered look of his Troopers. The three Fates Night Mothers are creepy AF although I had to giggle the 'reeking of Jedi' thing. I was also hoping Enoch would not turn out to be Ezra - that would have been weak writing *phew* But with that look and that not-ominous-at-all name I'm sure he turns out to be someone important - or he turns into another smoke-monster.

Speaking of looks: it took me way too long to realize that they styled Shin Hati as space Joan of Arc *sheesh* I wonder if it was done just to match her to Baylan's dark knight look or if there's more to that desiciosn. This was a good episode for Shin. She looked taken aback at Baylan breaking his word to Sabine - sure he found a way to justify his actions but I'm not sure she was completely convinced.

Love the little comic relief with the crestfallen Howler. And Sabine taking care of the bandits in a fusion of Mandalorian and Jedi style was cool even though there was no Force nor helmet involved.

My theory is that Baylan suspects the Night Sisters of manipulating/corrupting some massive source of the Force for their own agenda/dark magick. So, obviously he's looking for that source himself although I'm still not clear on his plans. 

I got a little teary-eyed when the Noti pointed at Sabine's pauldron. I mean it was pretty clear where the plot was heading but it was still moving. And Ezra!!! The reunion was all I wanted it to be. The exact mix of emotions and snark that defined their relationship. But yeah, Ezra will have thoughts on the price Sabine paid for the ticket to Peridea.

Hopefully the episode also helped folks to better understand Sabine's actions.

[Shanna Marie]

I have to say, I was pretty impressed with live-action Ezra. This actor did a good job of picking up on the vocal inflections and body language of the animated version, which is particularly impressive, given that the animated movements were kind of weird, like stop-motion using action figures, so he managed to translate that to the way a human version would act. I'll admit, Ezra was never my favorite character, but I think that was mostly because he was initially treated as the series's kid appeal element, the cool, rebellious teen young viewers were supposed to identify with. Now that he's an adult (should be around 30 now, right?) and is in a series that's not trying to pander to what they think young viewers like, maybe he'll be more tolerable.

I liked the Space Hobbits (that's the vibe I got)/turtle/pill bug creatures. The moment when Sabine was walking through their village just felt very Star Wars to me, the wonder of meeting a new society.

I enjoyed the stuff with Sabine and the wolf/dog/horse thing, but was getting frustrated with her when she was trying to send it away, given that all her supplies were on it. I guess she knew it wouldn't go and she was working the guilt trip, but when you're on a world where supplies don't seem to be handy, you don't want to risk scaring off the thing carrying your food, water, and blankets.

The battered, patched-up Stormtroopers were seriously creepy.

[tv-talk]

So that was the witches "real" home planet ie different from the planet they were on in Clone Wars?

As someone who never watched Rebels- what is the big deal with Thrawn as far as why everyone is bowing to him? Couldnt any of the witches, Morgan, Baylin, and his apprentice all just kill him outright in a second if they wanted to? As in does he have any force or different powers, or is he simply a leftover general in a hooptie ship? Dont get me wrong, I like how he's portrayed and looking forward to more of the character, just wondering why he gets to talk like everyone else is his servant.

So Ezra has been living for 10yrs about a 5mile walk from the Witches Tower and Thrawn wants him dead- but not enough to just go kill him? Is there a reason he told Baylin to kill Ezra and Sabine rather than just...killing Sabine and then killing Ezra?

Yes I should probably watch Rebels I suppose!

[johntfs]

1 hour ago, tv-talk said:

So that was the witches "real" home planet ie different from the planet they were on in Clone Wars?

As someone who never watched Rebels- what is the big deal with Thrawn as far as why everyone is bowing to him? Couldnt any of the witches, Morgan, Baylin, and his apprentice all just kill him outright in a second if they wanted to? As in does he have any force or different powers, or is he simply a leftover general in a hooptie ship? Dont get me wrong, I like how he's portrayed and looking forward to more of the character, just wondering why he gets to talk like everyone else is his servant.

So Ezra has been living for 10yrs about a 5mile walk from the Witches Tower and Thrawn wants him dead- but not enough to just go kill him? Is there a reason he told Baylin to kill Ezra and Sabine rather than just...killing Sabine and then killing Ezra?

Yes I should probably watch Rebels I suppose!

Full disclosure, I haven't seen the full episode yet, but I can probably still take a shot at answering your questions.  Could Morgan, Baylan or Shin kill Thrawn with their cool Force powerz?  Sure.  Easily.  But what happens to them next after they've killed the person those scary-ass, desperate storm-troopers who looked at like a living god? No specific guesses but I'll go with something messy, painful and fatal.  Thrawn's "power" is that it's his hand that holds the leash holding back the terrifying, vicious monster that is the collective might of those troopers, and, y'know, the Imperial Star Destroyer that they're on.

If nothing else you should watch the series finale of the show which set all this up.  But I'm pretty sure that's been covered so hopefully this next bit won't be real spoilers.  I'll still hide it just in case.

Ezra

Spoiler

used his Force connection to the Space Whales to summon them when Thrawn launched his final attack on Lothal.  The whales came, grabbed Thrawn and his ship (with Ezra aboard) and dragged them away where they ended up on "Witch World."  That's a big reason Thrawn didn't kill him.  If Ezra had the whales bring them there, then he could potentially call them to bring them back home.  But not if he's dead.

What's changed is that Morgan and her friends/lackeys brought that big-ass ring ship that could get Thrawn and his people home.  Unless Ezra phones his whale friends and gets them to knock that plan into a cocked hat. 

Thrawn's fought Ezra, Sabine and the Rebels before.  He respects their abilities.  Some, he even admires.  So unlike most asshat Imperial who underestimate their opponents, Thrawn respects Ezra and Sabine to tell Baylan to kill the shit of them to make damned sure they can't fuck up the "Go Home" plan.

Edited September 20, 2023 by johntfs

[Guest]

There was so much apprehension wrapped in this episode I need to rewatch it to catch the details. They nailed the calm menacing nature of Thrawn’s demeanor. Keeping the same actor was really the smart choice. I am impressed that they found someone to play Ezra’s who could capture his mannerisms and sound. Without that this grownup and nomadic version of Ezra would have felt more disconnected from the animated version. 

Mainly, I’m just happy we get two more episodes with both characters and they didn’t have Ezra working with Thrawn. 

11 hours ago, baldryanr said:

Ezra seems to be chilling pretty close to the main base - did Thrawn never feel the need to track him down?

I did roll my eyes at setup for finding the hard to find thing just for it be found in a couple of hours but it seemed like they were moving around frequently. 

Plus one of Ezra’s strengths is escaping. They’ve been trapped for a decade so they have probably had a lot of interactions. 

[Sakura12]

1 hour ago, tv-talk said:

As someone who never watched Rebels- what is the big deal with Thrawn as far as why everyone is bowing to him? Couldnt any of the witches, Morgan, Baylin, and his apprentice all just kill him outright in a second if they wanted to? As in does he have any force or different powers, or is he simply a leftover general in a hooptie ship? Dont get me wrong, I like how he's portrayed and looking forward to more of the character, just wondering why he gets to talk like everyone else is his servant.

Thrawn is basically evil Sherlock Holmes. He's patient and calm. He watches and learns everything about his enemies. Although its interesting he doesn't know Anakin trained Ahsoka. He's not a mustache twirling villian. If you pose no threat he'll leave you alive. Ezra on his own probably posed no real threat and he had no way off the galaxy. Ezra with Sabine and a way to leave. Now they are a threat and could stop him. 

He had a slight pause when he heard about Ahsoka being on her way. But now he'll learn what he can about her and make plans that include her trying to mess them up.  

I'm glad Ezra didn't join Thrawn. He has grown. Younger Ezra probably would've. 

[Morrigan2575]

20 hours ago, Fool to cry said:

The actor playing Ezra is perfect.

We only got a glimpse but, so far I really like him and can see a grown up Ezra. 

I really enjoyed Baylan and Shin. There interactions and discussions were interesting,  I'd love more of Baylan but, sadly that's impossible now. 

Love the Mothers, would be cool if we got more Nightsisters. I hated that they were decimated in TCW.

 

[magdalene]

7 minutes ago, Morrigan2575 said:

I'd love more of Baylan but, sadly that's impossible now. 

They could recast, actually it is rumored that they are doing that.  Who could fill those shoes?

For those of us who love The Expanse I saw in the credits that the golden masked one is played by "I am that guy" Wes Chatham.

[Tachi Rocinante]

Guess I'm in the minority, but that was underwhelming. I enjoyed it as a means to further this part of the Star Wars story, but not nearly as much as everyone else.

Thrawn's reveal was just basic.

[Anduin]

46 minutes ago, magdalene said:

They could recast, actually it is rumored that they are doing that.  Who could fill those shoes?

For those of us who love The Expanse I saw in the credits that the golden masked one is played by "I am that guy" Wes Chatham.

I hope he takes the helmet off at some point. He's a name actor with a fanbase, surely they want to show him off.

[Shanna Marie]

2 hours ago, Dani said:

I did roll my eyes at setup for finding the hard to find thing just for it be found in a couple of hours but it seemed like they were moving around frequently. 

There were also steps to finding him. Since Sabine's gizmo got destroyed, we don't know how easily she would have found Ezra using the info Thrawn gave her. She ended up finding him through her wolfhorse finding the turtle guys, who knew Ezra. And then they stay on the move, so Ezra hasn't been chilling long-term in a nearby spot. Sabine got lucky. I guess you could maybe say the Force guided her or the various creatures.

We also don't know exactly how long it took. It's always hard to mark the passage of time in Star Wars because most of the characters wear the same clothes (or a uniform) all the time and we seldom see anyone going to bed or waking up so we never know if it's a different day. It could all be taking place in one day or it could span weeks, and we have no way of telling. I think this was meant to be all in one day, but it could be a whole day, and finding a person living a nomadic existence within a day of travel would be challenging.

I get this weird emotional whiplash around Thrawn. I read the original Thrawn trilogy as they were published, and then there was his role in Rebels, where he's a bad guy, but I recently read the first book in the series about Thrawn's origins, where he's the protagonist and a good guy, and you're on his side as he outwits the villains, and he has reasons to have sided with the Empire (as I recall, he initially made contact with Anakin, who got him in touch with Palpatine in order to help his people, and he ended up sticking with Palpatine when the Empire formed.). So now he's even more complicated.

[Morrigan2575]

52 minutes ago, magdalene said:

They could recast, actually it is rumored that they are doing that.  Who could fill those shoes?

Didn't think about it but, you're right they could.  OK, my vote for recast is another Black Sails cast mate, Toby Stephens

[tv-talk]

26 minutes ago, Morrigan2575 said:

OK, my vote for recast is another Black Sails cast mate, Toby Stephens

It's been so long I didnt even realize Ray Stevens was Blackbeard! And yes, Toby Stephens could absolutely play the part perfectly, that would be great. I am sure they were friends, would be so fitting and Stephens would be terrific.

[paigow]

Thrawn liked Sabine for her artistic talent... he even kept pieces of her anti imperial wall paintings... 

[DoctorAtomic]

I still think Ahsoka is being much for dumping on Sabine. And it still strikes me as a little hypocritical. Robot Ten was right when he checked her. 

Did we know the night sisters came from another galaxy from the Clones Wars and Rebels? Or is this new? 

You'd think that if traveling to another galaxy only required a bunch of hypercores, someone would have tried it already. I mean, they built two Death Stars in about a decade and a half, and that was way more engineering. 

I am unspoiled and just speculating, but Sabine has way more beef with Shin than Baylan. I still think Baylan, Ahsoka and Sabine are going to be on the same side against the night sister, but I hope Sabine takes her out. 

Sounds like Baylan is talking about us (Jedi, Sith, over and over). 

I'm surprised that Sabine didn't trash talk Thrawn. 'How's it feel to know Ezra outsmarted you, Grand Admiral?' I also might have been interested in asking about what happened when him and Ezra actually arrived. 

I was hoping there would be a twist that Ezra was working with Thrawn instead of living with turtles this whole time. He should have a bunch of turtle padawans!

20 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

Speaking of casting, I thought one of the Night Sisters looked familiar and it turns out that was Claudia Black!  I'm all for her appearing in every sci-fi show ever because Aeryn Sun (Farscape) will always be one of my favorites!

It was the hat. 

14 hours ago, johntfs said:

Thrawn has always been the Erwin Rommel in an Empire of Herman Gorings.  He can be (and often is) ruthless, but he's not cartoonishly evil.

Thrawn also said that he was low on troops to Morgan. Maybe Ezra escaped in the confusion when they got there, and he searched for him for a little while, but maybe lost some guys due to a new planet and the bandits. Thrawn has the ship, so he can leave. Repairing the ship and getting food and water is more important. 

6 hours ago, tv-talk said:

Dont get me wrong, I like how he's portrayed and looking forward to more of the character, just wondering why he gets to talk like everyone else is his servant.

He hasn't done anything here, but his reputation precedes him. Ahsoka called him 'heir to the Empire'. If you're going to really assemble an Empire remnant to take on the new republic, he's really the only one on the list. Yes, they can kill him, but they can't command forces and run battles like he can. They may think they can use him to their own ends (which seems to be the theme), but they will be mistaken. 

5 hours ago, johntfs said:

Thrawn's fought Ezra, Sabine and the Rebels before.  He respects their abilities.  Some, he even admires.  So unlike most asshat Imperial who underestimate their opponents, Thrawn respects Ezra and Sabine to tell Baylan to kill the shit of them to make damned sure they can't fuck up the "Go Home" plan.

To this point and mine before, Thrawn isn't wasting too many of his troopers to hunt Ezra, but now he's got two 'sith' or whatever at his disposal and another route back to the galaxy. Send them. I don't think he even cares about Sabine beyond her motivation to find Ezra. Another new tool for him. "Sure, go find him. I'll even give you a dog."

I liked how Thrawn doesn't play. "Could it be Tano?" "Impossible." "Bitch, please. It's Tano. Go get ready."

 

[MissLucas]

17 minutes ago, DoctorAtomic said:

Did we know the night sisters came from another galaxy from the Clones Wars and Rebels? Or is this new? 

People far deeper in the lore than me have stated that this is new info. It might even be a mild retcon. 

[DoctorAtomic]

It's not a huge deal for me. I was wondering if it was something I missed from Rebels. 

Please, please, please tell me the great power Baylan senses is the Star Forge. If Thrawn finds out about it, he'll be unstoppable. Perfect motivation for Baylan to join forces with Ahsoka to destroy it. 

[Mr. R0b0t]

57 minutes ago, MissLucas said:

People far deeper in the lore than me have stated that this is new info. It might even be a mild retcon. 

It might be as simple as splitting the hair between ancestral home planet and current home planet

[Anduin]

On a completely different note, I really liked the remote control laser lasso thing the Nightsisters used on Sabine. Very clever idea.

[Tuggy]

15 hours ago, MissLucas said:

Speaking of looks: it took me way too long to realize that they styled Shin Hati as space Joan of Arc

Reading this, I couldn't help thinking about the French drag queen Nicky Doll's version of Joan of Arc : https://www.instagram.com/p/B-QkkFfDmI_/?hl=fr

[tv-talk]

13 hours ago, Mr. R0b0t said:

It might be as simple as splitting the hair between ancestral home planet and current home planet

It seemed like a retcon to me when compared with the Savage Oppress story in Clone Wars. I thought they had made Dathomir the ancient homeland of the Sisters etc etc. What a great name for a Sith btw.

[tennisgurl]

So this is a big one, the return/first live action appearance of both Ezra AND Thrawn! I like the casting for both of them so far, especially this version of Ezra, who I totally buy as an adult version of Rebels Ezra in only his brief scene. Everything is really coming together. 

Thrawn is going to be a really interesting antagonist, like others have said, in an Empire filled with people (especially at the top) who will almost always pick being evil over being practical, he's always going to be practical. He's utterly ruthless when it comes to pursuing his goals, but he lacks the petty cruelty of a lot of Empire officers. He's also scary smart on top of that ruthless efficiency, he's going to hopefully be a real threat going forward. 

I admit that I wanted this planet to have something of a different vibe than most Star Wars planets, considering its in another galaxy, but I did really like some aspects of the planet. The ring being made of space whale bones was chilling, as were those giant creepy witch statues, it did make this place feel eerie and strange. I also loved the wolf rat and the little village, they seemed more like hermit crabs to me but I can also see the turtle look. I love their little suites and the one little guy fixing his antenna, it makes me wonder what shows they get out there. 

I thought the meta bits at the start, with Tennent Bot and Ahsoka talking about stories he used to tell at the temple when she was little were funny, especially when Ahsoka said "the first one was the best" out of the three. Oh yeah, I see you show, I see you. I also sort of felt a meta side to Baylan's speech about how the whole galaxy is in a constant state of war between the Jedi and the Sith and the Republic and the Empire and on and on and on, he really isn't wrong. It feels like every movie and show we get, its more of the same conflict happening again and again, I don't blame him for wanting to change things, even if I don't see it ending well and he's clearly willing to do some very shady things to reach whatever his goal is. 

[DoctorAtomic]

15 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

It feels like every movie and show we get, its more of the same conflict happening again and again, I don't blame him for wanting to change things, even if I don't see it ending well and he's clearly willing to do some very shady things to reach whatever his goal is.

Unfortunately, he's going to fail to break the cycle. Maybe he'll just say forget about it and wander around the new galaxy. 

I don't mind if this home planet is a retcon. I just was wondering because I watched Rebels so long ago, and I thought I might have forgotten. 

 

[tv-talk]

50 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

I don't blame him for wanting to change things, even if I don't see it ending well and he's clearly willing to do some very shady things to reach whatever his goal is. 

Yeah I think Baylin sees Thrawn and the Sisters as pawns, is happy to bend the knee while internally working his own goal. I just hope it's not the usual "Annihilate all of existence and start over" that we see in so many sci-fi and fantasy stories. I hope his plan is grounded in a little bit more reality, like for instance negate the Force entirely thus tipping the balance a certain way. I'd prefer that to the Thanos special.

Shin Hati has totally grown on me, like her. Loved when she was kind of like "Uh wtf are we doing here, they may leave in the ship at any second." Hope her fate isnt just Sabine finally becoming a good enough fighter to kill her. 

Edited September 21, 2023 by tv-talk

[Tachi Rocinante]

All I know about Dathomir was learned when I played Fallen Order.

Is that game considered canon?

[paigow]

Baylan Skoll - First of his name, Breaker of Wheels, Father of Nerfs

[norcalgal]

On 9/19/2023 at 10:24 PM, Anduin said:

Much love for the horse-dog-wolf thing

My favorite parts of this episode involved horse/dog/wolf.

On 9/20/2023 at 12:00 AM, Chyromaniac said:

If it’s a different galaxy, I was hoping for something that didn’t feel like yet another Star Wars planet.

 

On 9/20/2023 at 5:59 AM, Anduin said:

Sure, they don't want to mess with stuff like air or gravity,

But why not?  Is it realistic that in *another galaxy* humans/humanoids can breathe the same air and gravity has the exact same effect as on Coruscant/Corellia/etc.?!  In fact, far too many sci-fi/fantasy shows keep doing the lazy thing and presenting other planets/galaxies as almost 100% the same as the characters' home planet(s)/galaxy(ies). 

16 hours ago, DoctorAtomic said:

Did we know the night sisters came from another galaxy from the Clones Wars and Rebels? Or is this new? 

It's been donkey's years since I read The Courtship of Princess Leia, where the Dathomir witches first appear.  I know this book has been relegated to "Legends" category so if the book talked about the origins of the Dathomir witches, maybe this show has retconned it.

[Anduin]

4 hours ago, norcalgal said:

But why not?  Is it realistic that in *another galaxy* humans/humanoids can breathe the same air and gravity has the exact same effect as on Coruscant/Corellia/etc.?!  In fact, far too many sci-fi/fantasy shows keep doing the lazy thing and presenting other planets/galaxies as almost 100% the same as the characters' home planet(s)/galaxy(ies).

What I mean, the producers often don't want to make actors wear masks/helmets or act like the gravity is different. Yeah, it's been done. Avatar, the Expanse. It's a lot easier to go with Earth-normal. But at least there should be a few weird plants around to make the place look more alien.

[johntfs]

When Thrawn walked in was I the only one who flashed to Harold Shand's airport scene from The Long Good Friday?

 

[tv-talk]

3 hours ago, Anduin said:

But at least there should be a few weird plants around to make the place look more alien.

A brutal wasteland that is surprisingly easy to survive in seems to be the Star Wars MO. Like no matter how bad off you are, some adorable looking folks are around somewhere to help you out when things are dire. 

[paigow]

3 hours ago, Anduin said:

But at least there should be a few weird plants around to make the place look more alien.

[DoctorAtomic]

17 minutes ago, tv-talk said:

A brutal wasteland that is surprisingly easy to survive in seems to be the Star Wars MO. Like no matter how bad off you are, some adorable looking folks are around somewhere to help you out when things are dire. 

Or they try to rob you, but if you tell at them, they'll give you a ride.