Hope, There Is: 5 Highlights From 'Star Wars Rebels' Series Finale

When it was revealed that story lines in the fourth and final season of Star Wars Rebels will lead up to events depicted in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, fans of the Disney XD animated series feared that many key characters—if not all—may not be alive by the last episode.

Thankfully, that wasn't the case. Though the series finale had a few heart-wrenching moments, there was also a flicker of hope that we might just see a few Rebels fan favorites starring in future Star Wars adventures.

In a bid to free his home planet Lothal from the Empire, the final episode sees Ezra and the rest of the Ghost crewtaking the fight to the Imperials at the Battle of Lothal. Here are five highlights from "Family Reunion - And Farewell":

1. Ezra's Climatic Showdown With Thrawn

As if losing Kanan Jarrus nee Caleb Dume in Episode 10, "Jedi Night," wasn't bad enough, watching Ezra sacrificing himself in the final episode was also just as heart-wrenching. To ensure his fellow Rebels can fully liberate Lothal, the young Jedi attacks Grand Admiral Thrawn and the Imperial blockade with the help of the Purrgil, those giant whale-like creature pals of his. Having trapped Thrawn in his Star Destroyer, Ezra then made the call to propel into hyperspace with his prisoner in tow...

Did these two key characters actually perish for good? Well, their disappearance would at least explain why they were absent in Rogue One as well as the original trilogy. According to comicbook.com however, Star Wars Rebels producer Dave Filoni confirmed that Thrawn—a fan favorite among fans of the oldStar Wars Legends universe—will (spoiler) survive past events in Rogue One. How about Ezra then? Does he has a chance of being alive? Read on below...

2. Sabine's Quest

The episode's final sequence interestingly fast forwards to a period after the Battle of Lothal and events in Return of the Jedi (asthe Battle of Endor was briefly mentioned). We see Sabine Wren, still clad in colorful armor but sporting a new buzz cut, observing the liberated Capital City having a new lease of life. There was a good piece of narration earlier that stated Lothal was saved without the help of the Rebel Alliance, which helps explain why no Alliance character from the original trilogy gets a look-in in such a landmark win against the Empire.

Most significant in this last scene, though, is when the Mandalorian, standing in front of an impressive mural of the Ghost team, reveals that she finally understood what Ezra's last words to her—"I'm counting on you, Sabine"—meant. She was to find the young Jedi, wherever he may be in the galaxy, and bring him home. Which brings us to...

3. The Return of Ahsoka Tano

Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker's former padawan, has been a huge fan favorite since The Clone Wars. Even though she appeared in Episode 13, "A World Between Worlds," that was an Ahsoka from a past timeline. So it was really good to see Ahsoka, dressed in a hoodie robe not unlike the one Luke Skywalker wore on Ahch-to, meeting up with Sabine to go in search of Ezra in the present timeline. Then again, it made sense as Ezra did tell the Ahsoka from the past to find him after she completes what she has to do at the Sith temple in Malachor.

This team-up offers the greatest hope of future adventures from two of Rebels' most popular fan favorites. It excited many fans who reckoned that the next animated series may just be Sabine & Ahsoka: The Search for Ezra Bridger. This writer, for one, is all for it.

4. Kanan + Hera = Jacen

Kanan and Hera's understated romance was well-presented in the last two seasons of Star Wars Rebels. Thanks to Sabine, we learned that the pair actually had more quality time together as the Ghost crew now has a new member in the form of green-haired Jacen Syndulla (Codename Spector 7) who was "born to fly like his mother" and probably will soon display traits of his Jedi Master father (RIP Kanan).

Besides the fact that Jacen is a rare hybrid species as he is born of a human father and a a Twi'lek mother, it was also a cool touch that Kanan's boy shares the same name as Han Solo's eldest son Jacen Solo as in the Star Wars Legends universe.

Most Rebels fans would know that Hera took part in the Rebel Alliance events in Rogue One, and from Forces of Destiny, Disney's other Star Wars animated series (which is also canon), we also know that the Ghost captain had had dealings with both Princess Leia and Han Solo on Endor. Hence it was also good to receive confirmation that both Hera and Commander Rex—like Ahsoka, another Clone Wars fan favorite—fought in the Battle of Endor, which means both lasted all the way till events depicted in Return of The Jedi. It's fascinating just how well Filoni linked Star Wars Rebels to different cinematic properties in the Star Wars universe.

5. A Great Load Off Kallus' Chest

That Imperial agent Alexsandr Kallus is actually the Alliance informant Fulcrum was one of the most stunning reveals in Star Wars Rebels. Another brief but nonetheless touching moment in the series finale was when Lasat warrior Zeb Orrelios brings Kallus to the planet Lira San, where the latter learnt that he did not exterminate all of Zeb's people to kingdom come. Instead, the surviving Lasat population are thriving in a new home planet where they welcomed Kallus with open arms.

'Star Wars Rebels': A Good Final Season

Truth be told, when it premiered in 2014, Star Wars Rebels didn't grab this writer from the start, but slowly but surely, it got better and better. So much so that I didn't think they needed to end after Season 4. However, Filoni and his creative team have tied up everything quite nicely, without disrupting other story lines in the Star Wars universe (past and present), so kudos to them.

The finale of Rebels was a good ending and best of all, it offers hope that some beloved characters—such as Sabine, Ahsoka, Hera and maybe even Ezra—will have more adventures to come in a Star Wars galaxy far far away. We await with abated breath.

Star Wars Rebels can be seen on Disney XD or various TV streaming services that offer Disney XD.

Read Also:* 4 'Star Wars Rebels' Easter Eggs in 'Rogue One'* How 'Star Wars Rebels' Expanded George Lucas's Lightsaber Mythology for the Darksaber* Rebel Heart: Mon Mothma Finally Rallies the Troops on 'Star Wars Rebels'