CREDIT: LUCASFILM
Ezra Bridger (Taylor Gray) and Kanan Jarrus (Freddie Prinze Jr.) lead the cast of the surprisingly good Star Wars: Rebels.

When it was announced in 2012 that the Walt Disney Company was purchasing Lucasfilm and the rights to the entirety of the Star Wars universe, fans worldwide experienced a collective fear. Would the franchise be whitewashed into something far more childish than what was desired by the generation that has grown into adulthood with these stories?

While the trailer for Episode VII blew the minds of fans over and quelled many of the concerns, one other project was kicking off in the background to much less fanfare.

Star Wars: Rebels is an animated series that is set prior to the events of the original film and details the early days of the Rebel Alliance. It is animated in a similar style to the recently ended Clone Wars series, which despite rocky starts, grew into a truly entertaining and often grimly dark series of war stories.

Off the bat, producers were clear that Rebels would be a more light hearted affair and detailed the crew that would make up the primary cast. Right away it seemed as if the producers had checked off a box of clichés. There was a street-smart kid, a teenage graffiti artist, a gruff alien, a pilot, a silly R2-D2-esque droid and a ponytailed space cowboy. It didn’t inspire a lot of confidence in the older demographic who was keeping an eye on where this kid’s series was going to take the franchise.

Being a diligent Star Wars fan, I decided to give it a shot, and though it took a few episodes, by the conclusion of season one I found myself pleasantly surprised by what I was seeing.

Kicking off with the Aladdin-like escapades of Ezra Bridger, he eventually finds himself attached to a crew of Rebels, and after discovering that he is strong in The Force, begins training as a Jedi. His master is the ponytailed Kanan Jarrus, a survivor of the Jedi purge who never quite completed his training and has had to hide his identity for over a decade. The new twist on the Master/ Padawn dynamic is a refreshing idea that hasn’t been fully explored before. There is no elder imparting wisdom and no utter mastery of what it means to be a Jedi. Just two inexperienced individuals in an unconventional new environment. The remainder of the crew has yet to be fully fleshed out, although the musclebound Zeb has a tragic history that has been hinted at, and the droid Chopper provides some great comic relief, despite some eye-rolling moments early in the series.

Where the series truly shines is in two other aspects, the villains and the callbacks to the greater Star Wars universe. The primary antagonist, The Inquisitor, is an engaging villain made more successful by a sinister vocal performance from Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter’s Lucius Malfoy). His ominous presence and tricked out lightsaber make him an excellent threat to the heroes and Kanan in particular, who finds himself woefully over-matched when they meet.

The series is at its best when it ties in to the events of past series and what is due to occur in the future, which has been done in a smart and far less obnoxious way than it could have been. Vocal appearances from the original Yoda, C3-P0, and a return to the role of Lando Calrissian from the effortlessly cool Bill Dee Williams are just some of the highlights.

It won’t be for everyone, but under the colourful exterior, Star Wars: Rebels seems to be a worth addition to the universe as a whole and a sign of positive progress under Disney.