Well, just as it has been awhile since we’ve seen an episode of Star Wars Rebels, it has also been awhile since I’ve reviewed one. To briefly summarize, I think season three has been getting better since the midseason finale, with the episode “Trials of the Darksaber” being particularly enjoyable for how it moves Sabine Wren’s character forward. In this most-recent episode, “Legacy of Mandalore,” Sabine, now armed with the ancient Darksaber and the basics of how to wield it, travels to her family’s home to make amends and gain their loyalty. But is it as simple as showing people that she has an ancient symbol of Mandalorian power and knows how to wield it? Of course not; the episode wouldn’t be as enjoyable if that were the case. People who enjoy learning about Mandalore and its warriors will enjoy this episode solely because most of the characters in this episode wear the iconic Mandalorian armor. But more than that, “Legacy of Mandalore” continues Sabine’s character progression while also introducing us to her family and the difficulties of navigating Mandalorian culture, and sets the stage for further adventures and stories in that particular neck of the woods.
After learning to use the Darksaber with the help of Kanan Jarrus and Ezra Bridger in the previous episode, Sabine travels with the two Jedi and Fen Rau, another Mandalorian loyal to the rebellion, to her home planet of Krownest, a planet aligned with Mandalore, in order to gain the loyalty of her family, Clan Wren, against the Empire. After a brief but exciting confrontation in which several Mandalorians shoot down the rebels’ ship, Sabine, Ezra, and Kanan are taken to see Sabine’s mother, Ursa Wren, while Fen Rau stays hidden aboard the ship. The tension between Ursa and Sabine is palpable, and you at once can see how Sabine’s mother could be torn between her love of and loyalty to her family and the need to survive under the watchful eye of the Empire, which now controls Mandalore. We are also introduced to Sabine’s brother, Tristan, who is equally torn on where his loyalties lie. From the interactions that we see between mother and daughter, it’s evident that Ursa still loves Sabine despite the latter’s betrayal of the Empire. This may explain why the episode ends with Ursa killing Gar Saxon, the Imperial-installed governor of Mandalore, in order to protect Sabine. I will admit, Ursa’s change of heart was a tad sudden upon first viewing, but when I really thought about it, it did seem to fit.
While there is a good amount of fighting in the beginning and even some lightsaber combat near the end, the middle of this episode is built upon the dynamics forged between members of Clan Wren, specifically Ursa’s relationship with Sabine. A lot of Sabine’s issues with her mother and her brother come forward in the form of dialogue rather than relying on jetpacks and blasters to do the talking. One relationship I’m looking forward to seeing grow and change as this new storyline unfolds is that between Sabine and her brother, Tristan, as Tristan was conscripted into fighting for the Empire in order to make up for Sabine’s mistakes. Now that the entirety of Clan Wren has sided with Sabine against the Empire, I’m curious to see how these two interact with each other.
The one thing that I liked most about this episode was the slight curveball it threw fans: instead of Sabine’s family packing up and coming with the rebels back to their base, Sabine decides to stay behind and fight alongside her clan against the Empire. This is the first time that a main member of the Ghost crew has left, and it’s something that I am very excited about. Sabine is still a main character on the show, so I hope that there will be episodes that will break away from the main band of rebels to check in with Sabine and see how she’s doing. This broadens the reach that Star Wars Rebels has, no longer limiting themselves to simply following the Ghost crew or other members of Phoenix Squadron.
“Legacy of Mandalore” points to an exciting storyline unfolding for Sabine and her family, and I look forward to seeing Clan Wren take the fight to the Imperial occupation of their home. After all, the only thing better than one jetpack-wearing blaster-wielding warrior is a whole family of jetpack-wearing blaster-wielding warriors led by an explosives expert who can fight with a lightsaber.
The Sack Score: 8.5/10