Hello there!
I’m back with another episode review for Star Wars Resistance. This is the second and final season of the third animated show in canon, focusing on Kazuda Xiono and his friends on the Colossus as they attempt to get away from the First Order and find the Resistance. These will take a very similar format to previously: an overview of the plot (so it goes without saying, there will be spoilers!), my thoughts on the episode and a few Moments in Canon – things I picked up on that linked to other stories or the larger galaxy as a whole. Today, I will be looking at the double-length series finale: “The Escape”
Plot Summary
Tam and Rucklin are in their dormitory on Pyre’s Star Destroyer discussing why they have been working so much. Rucklin says that the rumour is that a big mission is coming up and the First Order will need all hands on deck as there are pockets of resistance all over the system. A klaxon goes off and the pair rush to a viewport to see that the Star Destroyer has returned to Aeos Prime. More Star Destroyers emerge and the fleet begin an orbital bombardment of the area containing the village of Aeosians who helped the Colossus. Tam is horrified at the loss of innocent lives, but Rucklin feels that the “subversives” got what they deserved for harbouring criminals. Tam runs away to her bunk, where she comes across a mouse droid, 5-L, whose systems she works on with the intention of using 5-L to help her escape.
Pyre and Tierny contact Hux via holoprojector to inform him that the Aeos system has been suppressed. They say that all Resistance presence in the sector has been dealt with, but Hux is replaced by Kylo Ren, who reminds them that the Colossus is still out there. Using the Force to make the pair draw their blasters and aim them at each other, Kylo warns them that if they are not capable of dealing with the Colossus, he will find someone else who can.
“Oh no!”
“Incredible!”
After Pyre and Tierny leave Tierny’s office, Tam sneaks in with 5-L and manages to retrieve her comlink, getting out without being spotted by Tierny, who returns to her office but is engrossed in her datapad. Tam returns to her bunk and uses 5-L to broadcast a message away from the Star Destroyer.
Kaz, Neeku, Bucket and Yeager are working together on the Fireball when Kaz’s comlink begins to beep. Neeku recognises it as a code that he and Tam created to discuss Kaz’s lack of mechanical skills without him realising. Realising that it is a code from Tam, Neeku translates it to be arranging a meeting in 3 cycles at the place where Bibo lives. Kaz guesses that Tam intends to leave the First Order and wants to meet them on Castilon. Aware there is a possibility that it could be a trap, Kaz intends to go alone but Yeager insists on going with him. When asked for permission, Captain Doza is initially against the plan, but relents and tells the pair to take the First Order shuttle and keep their comms open on a secure frequency.
Tam tries to prepare her TIE, but when Rucklin and Tierny find her, she has to say that she is preparing a training session. Tierny orders Rucklin to go with her. Tam and Rucklin fly in 1 special forces TIE, with 2 other TIEs accompanying them. Tam tells them that they are going to the Tashtor sector, which Rucklin recognises as Castilon, prompting him to ask if the mission is authorised. On the Star Destroyer bridge, Tierny and Pyre are informed that Tam’s squad have jumped to another system, which long-range sensors indicate is Castilon. Tierny goes to her office and finds the comlink missing.
“Well… it seems your new squadron leader is feeling homesick.”
Kaz, Yeager and CB-23 arrive on Castilon and wait for Tam near one of the old racing rings. The 3 TIEs arrive and Tam orders them not to engage, but Rucklin orders them to fire when he spots Kaz and Yeager, leading Tam to knock him out and shoot down the other TIEs. Tam joins Yeager and Kaz on the ring and they welcome her back, though there is still some disagreement between her and Yeager over him keeping her in the dark. Not willing to leave the unconscious Rucklin behind, Tam has Kaz bring him on the shuttle. Pyre’s Star Destroyer arrives and starts shooting at them. The group try to escape on the shuttle while Kaz contacts the Colossus, however their transmission is quickly blocked and the shuttle caught in the Star Destroyer’s tractor beam. With everyone else in the shuttle’s cockpit, Rucklin comes around and uses a computer to find that the Colossus is in the Barabesh system, quickly feigning unconsciousness again before the others return to the hold.
The shuttle is pulled into the Star Destroyer’s hangar and stormtroopers surround the exit. Tam and Rucklin exit the shuttle and both are arrested, despite Rucklin’s protestations that only Tam is the traitor and divulging where the Colossus is. Yeager, Kaz and CB-23 use their arrest as a distraction while they sneak out the ship through the landing gear. Tierny expresses disappointment in Tam’s treason, but Tam says that she is not afraid anymore. Tierny calls forward 2 stormtrooper executioners and Pyre orders the prisoners be escorted away. A stormtrooper investigating the shuttle realises that it is rigged to blow and the majority of the stormtroopers, Pyre and Tierny manage to escape the blast. Tierny spots Kaz, Yeager and CB, leading to 2 troopers chasing after CB, while a number of others chase and enter into a firefight with Kaz and Yeager. Pyre orders the ship to set a course for the Barabesh system.
While they are escorted through the corridors, Rucklin continues to plead his innocence, leading to one of the stormtroopers striking him. The group is distracted by seeing Kaz getting chased, which allows Yeager to get behind them and shoot the stormtroopers. They are quickly joined by Kaz and shoot the stormtroopers pursuing him. As they are about to leave, Rucklin tells them that he has told them where the Colossus is and that they have already lost, leading to Tam knocking him unconscious. Tam confirms to the others that what Rucklin said is true. The group are chased by more stormtroopers, but CB opens up a turbolift that had been shut down. Realising that they need to warn the Colossus, they all make their way to engineering, where CB will be able to reroute a subspace frequency, which can be used to warn the Colossus.
“You need to get as far away as you can, now!”
On the command bridge of the Colossus, Torra is getting worried at the lack of contact from Kaz and Yeager since their message was cut off and wants to go to Castilon. Doza decides to go with her, but due to the risk has everyone on board meet in Aunt Z’s Tavern. In the tavern, Doza gives a speech saying that he understands how difficult it has been running from the First Order, but that if it wasn’t for Kaz they would all be working in prison camps or worse. He explains that Kaz and Yeager went to rescue one of their own Tam, but have not been heard from. He asks the Colossus residents to help, but a number of them refuse when they hear that Doza believes they are on a Star Destroyer. At this point, Kaz and Tam manage to get their transmission through to the Colossus while Yeager holds off a group of stormtroopers. Kaz informs the residents that the First Order is coming from them and that they need to get away. Tam apologises for making a terrible mistake and putting everyone at risk, imploring the Colossus to escape before the First Order arrives. With the transmission continuing, the residents see the pair come under fire and being forced to retreat with Yeager and CB, which convinces them of the need to fight back and help their friends.
Tam leads the group into a maintenance hatch, through which they make their way to the hangar. However, Pyre had predicted this and ambushes them with his troops as they emerge, catching all but CB and taking them to the bridge. On the bridge, Tierny asks Tam how did she fail her as she gave her a purpose and everything she wanted, to which Tam responds that Yeager gave her a family. When the ship leaves hyperspace, Kaz is horrified to see that the Colossus is still there. Pyre orders the canons to open fire and all fighters launched, along with a boarding party.
The Aces and Jade Squadron fly out against the Star Destroyer, targeting the engines on Venisa’s orders, however they cannot get through the shields. CB-23 accesses a network terminal and deactivates the shields. The Colossus picks up the deactivation of the shields and the Aces and Jade Squadron launch another assault on the engines. Yeager, Tam and Kaz use the opportunity to break free and escape to the hangar. Pyre is in the hangar and receives a report from Tierny that the shields have been compromised and the the prisoners have escaped. He sees the group trying to escape and opens fire along with his troopers. Yeager shoots a crane, which results in it dropping its cargo on Pyre’s troopers. The cargo explodes, sending Pyre flying.
A group of Atmospheric Assault Landers approach the Colossus. 1 is shot down by the station’s turbolasers but the other 2 manager to land their troops in the marketplace. A firefight ensues, but the Colossus residents are quickly pushed back deeper into the station while the security droids are destroyed. The residents begin to use their knowledge of the station to ambush the troopers and shoot them.
“Alright Aces, remember what I said: one Ace is worth at least a dozen TIEs!”
Pyre comes around and pursues Kaz, Yeager, Tam and CB. He shoots a box of munitions, which explode, leaving Kaz pinned down under a box, with the Laser ax he has been using just out of reach. Pyre advances on him with his own ax and is poised to strike, but CB distracts him with her grappling cable. Pyre hits her with the ax, causing her to short circuit, however this has given Kaz the time to free himself and he knocks Pyre down with his own ax. Kaz carries CB and they reunite with Tam and Yeager. The group escape on an Atmospheric Assault Lander, Kaz contacting Torra to tell her not to fire on them.
On the bridge, Tierny receives a transmission from Kylo Ren. She tells Kylo that she has the Colossus in her grasp but needs reinforcements. Kylo tells her that she has failed and that the First Order does not tolerate the weak, before beginning to Force choke her. The Aces and Jade Squadron make another pass on the engines, which explode, causing a chain reaction throughout the Star Destroyer.
Kaz, Yeager and Tam arrive back in Yeager’s garage, where Tam is reunited with Venisa, Torra and Neeku, who forgive her and welcome her back. Team Fireball go to Aunt Z’s Tavern for a drink, where they are joined by the Dozas, Aces and Jade Squadron. Aunt Z serves them all drinks and they share a toast for “Team Colossus“.
Review
This was a lovely episode and a fitting season finale, but as an end to the series, I found myself a little disappointed, which I think was due more to the first half of the season leaving us short of time to tie everything up.
I thought that all of the characters were really good in this episode, however I was a bit surprised that Rucklin’s jealousy from the last episode went nowhere and how shocked Tierny appeared to be by Tam’s betrayal after spending half of the season suggesting that she was planning to use Tam to find the Colossus. Pyre was also a little disappointing in how his role remained diminished.
“Tam is sending us a message? Why?”
I really liked the opening scene with the First Order going back to attack the Aeosians as this was an unexpected dark moment in the series. I’m glad that we finally saw another slaughter of innocents make Tam realise that she was fighting for the wrong side, but I still don’t quite get how she was able to willingly fight for a side that had blown up an entire system just before she joined them – I can’t believe that she never found out about this!
The combat in this episode was really good – both on the ground and in space – and I liked how our heroes were actually shooting to kill rather than using stun shots. The dogfight was great and I loved seeing the Aces and Jade Squadron working together in a huge battle and overcoming the odds – as is always the way with smaller Rebel/Resistance forces in climactic battles. I must admit however that I think someone should have been killed during the dogfight to increase the stakes for the group – everybody surviving seems a little too convenient, though I do understand that as this is a kids show, they were limited as to what they could show. I also think that it was a real shame that the battle droids had been wasted in an earlier episode as it would have been great to see them fighting the First Order.
A few weeks ago, I mentioned about the theme of family among the Colossus residents, so I was really happy to see this have such a role in the finale. However, I think that this focus on family ended up being too much of a focus for the series finale as it meant that there was no tie-in to the wider conflict, such as the group going to meet the rest of the Resistance or to join the fleet going to Exegol.
I also wish that we had actually had the chance to see the fates of some of our villains this episode. Was Tierny choked to death or killed in the explosion? It’s safe to assume that her, Pyre and Rucklin are dead, but a shot showing them coming around from unconsciousness as explosions raced towards them would have made things feel that bit more final.
“It’s Tam!”
“And company.”
On the whole, I think season 2 is something that I will look back on as a missed opportunity. The first half of the season was so slow and inconsequential that I wonder if they were done before a decision was made to make season 2 the final season. I was expecting to see a return for Nena from “The Engineer”, but that never happened, while I thought that Kaz helping Flix and Orka in “From Beneath” would lead to something. Similarly, the arrival of Mika Grey and suggestions that Eila was Force-sensitive went absolutely nowhere, while Synara went from being one of the most interesting characters in season 1 to being almost completely sidelined in season 2.
Did I love the show? No, but I certainly didn’t hate it. It’s not something that I will be going back to as regular as The Clone Wars or Rebels, and it’s probably one where I will actually skip episodes, but there are still some good moments and characters that make the show worth a watch, and hopefully we will see some of these characters appear in future shows and other stories.
“May the Force be with you both.”
A few final thoughts from the episode:
- I love seeing how Doza has gone through an arc this season from using the Colossus residents as an excuse for inaction to asking them to join him in taking action against the First Order
- I was disappointed that Torra wasn’t the one to take out Galek last week, so it was great to see her have a heroic moment in this dogfight
- I didn’t understand the need for 5-L in this episode and think that Tam could have done everything just as well on her own
Moments in Canon
- This did not really relate much to the wider canon, but had a number of throwbacks episodes throughout the 2 seasons
What did you think about the episode and the series as a whole?
Thanks for reading. May the Force be with you…
The Canon Padawan 