Star Wars Rebels: S2E21 Twilight of the Apprentice

What a phenomenal episode! The eriness of Malachor was portrayed so well with the Sith temple hidden beneath a layer of ice in a enormous crater. Rebels does an excellent job of designing planets that pay homage to Ralph McQuarie and his art work! The area surrounding the Sith Temple was frightening with all the charred bodies, it totally reminded me of that famous playground scene in Terminator 2. As predicted Ezra was separated from Kanaan and Ahsoka and thats when he meets the Old Master!

I loved how Ezra's initial meeting with Maul complimented Luke's initial meeting with Yoda on Dagobah! Which is interesting because I was quite unhappy how the TFA was so littered with homages to the OT. Maul played the feeble old hermit (cane and all) stuck on Malachor to young Ezra but when the inquisitors arrived he shed his feeble facade and demonstrated he was more than just a shadow... clearly a nod to the 2001 novel by Michael Reaves, Darth Maul Shadow Hunter.
I LOVE this character and I know I'm not alone and I know LFL now realize the mistake they made by "killing" him off in TPM.


As Ezra and Maul traverse the temple to retrieve the Sith Holocron, Maul ever so non nonchalantly shares little gems of knowledge to the naive boy from Lothol, which in actuality is the Sith's code. As I predicted Maul is planting the seeds of doubt in Ezra's mind, and it's apparent Ezra is much too impatient and is already on the same path Anakin was at the same age.
The dialog between Ahsoka,  Kanan and Maul was hilarious as the're scaling the Sith Temple, like on the elevator platform... Maul to Kanan..."ohhh sorry only 2, no more no less"...
Kanan pulls Maul off the platform and goes on with his padawan, "Ahsoka you're with gramps"
Then later while Ahsoka is fighting Maul and she tries to run to Ezra, "Running away.....again Lady Tano?"
And this brings us to the crescendo of the Season Finale Darth Vader arrives on Malachor!
Now I'm fully aware this confrontation has many similarities to Luke Vs Vader in RotJ and I may come across as a hypocrite with my frustrations with TFA but this scene was absolutely incredible and I got the feels when you hear the Anakin/Vader voice overlay calling to Ahsoka. OMG!

Now I understand my level of enjoyment for this scene is due in some part to watching The Clone Wars Series and seeing Anakin and his Padawan grow together.
I mentioned before the similarities with RotJ this scene had, also just as Return of the Jedi has multiple meanings, Twilight of the Apprentice does as well! Are we talking about Ahsoka? Ezra? or even Maul? or all of them!




Just like watching The Talking Dead after TWD I love watching Rebels Recon right after SWR and I cannot wait to hear what Dave Filoni was hinting at regarding a major announcement at Celebration 2016 in London in 103 days!
I hope it's what myself and many others think....a certain Grand Admiral who happens to be a connoisseur of fine art!