The third episode of Star Wars Rebels Season 3 titled “The Holocrons of Fate” took-off in a big way after the slow-paced double episode last week. Darth Maul returns to Rebels after this introduction during the finale of Season 2 and he is looking for the Sith Holocron but there is a twist at the end that leaves the universe of Star Wars fans excited. There will be some massive spoilers below so please stop reading here if you have not seen this episode. What will follow is some of the main plot points.
The episode begins with Ezra questioning Kanan about the location of the Sith Holocron still yearning to regain the Holocron so he can use its powers to help save his friends. Giving us a glimpse how much Ezra has been seduced by the power of the dark side.
Darth Maul returns to haunt the Ghost Crew by holding Hera, Sabine, Zeb and Chopper for ransom. The price of their freedom? The Sith Holocron that Kanan left with Bendu at the conclusion of first episode … and the Jedi Holocron Kanan uses for his training.
Maul quickly finds the Jedi Holocron on-board the Ghost, using some Kylo Ren-esqe techniques on Hera. However Maul finds out that he is powerless to open it.
To save their friends Kanan and Ezra return to see Bendu and reclaim the Sith Holocron. It was here that the episode has its Empire Strikes Back moments. Such as when Ezra first meets Bendu his first reaction was to say “I don’t believe it” much like Luke Skywalker after he began his training with Yoda.
Ezra is then faced with a challenge to enter the cave of spiders to retrieve the Sith Holocron. Ready to use aggression and weapons to battle his way to the Holocron Kanan takes Ezra’s lightsaber away from him – “Your weapons. You will not need them”. Bendu does not understand why Kanan took his weapons away as he doesn’t understand being a force wielder solely for only light or dark which is an interesting point as
Bendu has really been painted as being a wise master of the force but in reality is willing to use either side to achieve the desired result.
Ezra ultimately fails his test needing Kanan to enter to save him and guide him through the situation. Kanan keeps him focused until they successfully extract the Holocron. While it appears Ezra may have learned the error in his ways it all seems too quick and easy, leaving massive questions over the path Ezra is taking – especially after he snatches at the Sith Holocron.
Bendu highlights the imbalance felt between Kanan and Ezra. Bendu sits in the middle of the light and dark sides of the force so he must be able to sense this imbalance better than most. He does seem unsure (or clouded) about Ezra and Kanan however he does sense things may have been put into balance “perhaps”.
While Bendu was ambiguous about the future of Ezra and Kanan he did bring some clarity to the importance of the holocrons. We discover that when combining the powers of a Sith and Jedi holocron a clarity of vision beyond the normal becomes available to their wielder, empowering them to see future events. With this power any secret, wisdom or destiny can be seen through the force and this knowledge could bring chaos as once a secret is known it cannot be unknown. Bendu then confirms he has seen this before. Palpatine?
Bendu advises Kanan and Ezra that one of them will need to open the Jedi Holocron while Maul Opens the Sith Holocron. Which is not necessarily true as Ezra can open both the Sith and Jedi Holocrons.
Kanan and Ezra return to the Ghost to give the Sith Holocron to Maul and free their friends. It is here where the story turns and twists with some massive story lines that could affect not only this season of Rebels, but also the current movie series.
Maul while talking to Kanan leads him into a trap where he is jettisoned out of an airlock into space forcing Kanan to fight for his life as he struggles to get back to the safety of the ship. Believing Kanan to be dead Maul now sets his focus upon Ezra and the opening of the Holocrons.
It is here where Ezra shows us he is still sliding to darkness, not flinching when Maul describes him as his apprentice, and being all too willing to unlock the power of the holocrons despite just being advised of the extreme dangers of doing so. Obsessed with saving his friends much like Anakin was obsessed with saving Padme. It is only when Kanan again returns to guide Ezra and focus him that he releases his desire to use the holocron.
What did Ezra and Maul see?
Ezra is given a vision of two suns and various other planets, some he recognised, others he did not. The two suns seemingly being a reference to Tatooine and Luke Skywalker.
The other vision revealed was most tantalising for Star Wars fans.
When leaving the ship Maul utters “He lives” which can only be a link to his old nemesis Obi-Wan Kenobi?**
That’s right Obi-Wan on Star Wars Rebels.
Would they tease this and then not deliver? Maul must have surely recognised Tatooine in the vision he has been there before. What seemingly got was the first major connection to A New Hope, which is not surprising as the shows timeline head ever closer towards the events of Episode IV and the Battle of Yavin.
Is Ezra’s destiny to protect Luke and Obi-Wan from Darth Maul, and in doing so, destroy the Sith by letting Luke’s destiny play out to his ultimate triumph in Return of the Jedi?
** The only other link could be two sons linking back to Maul and his brother Savage Opress who was seemingly killed by Darth Sidious on Mandalore in the clone wars. Maul came back why not Savage?