THE CLONE WARS: TO REPEL HOSTILE BOARDERS!

The fearless Ahsoka Tano must save the Jedi Younglings under her charge from the ruthless arrival of Hondo Ohnaka and his space pirates, out to steal their unique and priceless Kyber Crystals, in this exciting moment from The Clone Wars Animated Series Season Five episode, A Test of Strength.

THE CLONE WARS: LIVING THE DREAM!

Within his pirate base on Florrum, that Weequay scoundrel Hondo Ohnaka is enjoying the fruits of being a pirate leader, before Ahsoka and her young Jedi padawans come along to cause chaos, in The Clone Wars Season Five love-it-or-hate-it episode, Bound for Rescue.

With the recent acclaimed live-action debuts of the Inquisitors and Cad Bane, let's hope its not too long before the lovable rogue is active anew somewhere in the Disney+ series pipeline.

'SOLO': NO TURNING BACK...

SPOILER ALERT!

Trust no one! Words to live by for the former scrum rat Qi'ra, after being separated from her young boyfriend Han Solo on Corellia, to face an ever harsher and punishing life ahead over the next three years, before their eventual, co-incidental reuniting. Ultimately, though, even the charms and admirable strength of Han's reckless personality and his enduring love for Qi'ra can't make or persuade her to abandon the old life she has endured, and erase her notorious past for a new journey that will surely prove just as precarious, if not more so. And especially not now that there's a wide hole in the leadership powerbase of the criminal organisation Crimson Dawn- a hole which she helped see-in with the death of her former employer, the harsh Dryden Vos. And a galactic power base that she can finally seize for herself...

Here's hoping that Emilia Clarke's unique 'femme fatale' of conflicted emotions returns for a future Star Wars film somewhere down the line, perhaps in the darker flavoured Benioff/Weiss film trilogy beginning its planning stages next year.

Qi'ra makes her first appearance in animated form for the new Forces of Destiny short:
https://www.starwars.com/news/5-highlights-from-star-wars-forces-of-destiny-triplecross

AFICIONADO REVIEW: 'STAR WARS REBELS - THE COMPLETE SEASON TWO' (BLU-RAY)

The coming of Vader. STAR WARS REBELS Season Two, out now on UK Blu-ray and DVD. Images: DISNEY/LUCASFILM.

Their early battles against the tyrannical Empire, staged via the terrorised and resources plundered world of Lothal, may have been a success, but now the small motley band of irregular heroes led by former Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus have been noticed, in the sights of the cruel Emperor Palpatine's war machine, now intensified in its ambition to eradicate the growing Rebel uprising, and soon dispatching their ultimate servant for intimidation, chaos and destruction - the black-masked, black-hearted Darth Vader - to fulfil that mission statement, as the harder-edged second season of STAR WARS REBELS, now in an expanded twenty-two episode run, arrives on Blu-ray HD and standard definition DVD, from Lucasfilm/DISNEY.

Darth Vader uses the power of the Dark Side to the fullest!

Star Wars Rebels Season Two Trailer (Official) - YouTube
Star Wars Rebels Season Two - Mid-Season Trailer (Official) - YouTube

New beginnings for our heroes, now allied with Rebel veteran Commander Sato.

The Ghost, parked with Sato's small Rebel squad.

The close-knit crew of the adaptable freighter Ghost are indeed part of a larger universe, and no longer confined to one planet - a situation that some more than others are ready to accept since they first encountered orphan maverick Ezra Bridger on Lothal, to the rescue of Kanan, and the battle to escape the fiery realms of Mustafar and Imperial Governor Tarkin, which prior closed Season One, bringing with it lots of surprises and new story directions. REBELS Season Two certainly gets off to a flying start, with no time wasted, launching the series revised format, as our heroes fight alongside a spirited Rebel cell led by Commander Sato, which, though small in numbers, has some ultra-cool and very nifty A-Wing fighter support (a nice reference to the live-action RETURN OF THE JEDI, and a building of the Rebel Alliance that will be seen with standalone tale ROGUE ONE).

Our Rebel heroes caught between enemy lines.

All of the series main characters get their own unique share of the limelight across the season: ORDER 66 survivor Kanan takes young apprentice Ezra Bridger ever more under his wing, their friendship and abilities together in the Force explored and strengthened across numerous episodes featuring the latter's Jedi training, though the all too easy influences of the Dark Side and its incredible power are starting to impress themselves on the boy, who wants to do more in the battle against evil. That Mandalorian fighter with the artistic bent, Sabine Wren, encounters an old friend in bounty hunter Ketsu Onyo, then discovers her race working for the Empire; bulky but loveable grouch Zeb Orrelios gets to pleasurably bash a lot more Stormtrooper skulls together, is reunited with some rare surviving members of his species and help them find a home, during a mysterious and uplifting episode, then gets himself trapped on a deadly moon, forced to survive alongside old enemy Agent Kallus (David Oyelowo) in an enjoyable new spin on the standard enemies trapped together idea. Ace pilot and caring matriarch figure Hera Syndulla ends up in a family feud with her resistance fighter father, Cham, then uses her piloting skills to the fullest with a new prototype B-Wing fighter, for the genuinely terrific episode, Wings of the Master. Finally, as squat and full of attitude as ever, Chopper the droid gets a new friend with Imperial inventory buddy AP-5, whom I hope we get to see again at some point - a more bizarre, cantankerous and oddball couple even than Threepio and Artoo!

Padawan no more! Ahsoka Tano joins the STAR WARS REBELS family with Season Two.

With some subtle foreshadowings to the upcoming live-action ROGUE ONE (notably the Death Star), and unfinished mythology business from THE CLONE WARS animated series, cut three seasons short of its run, needing to be sorted out, Supervising Animation Director Dave Filoni skilfully address the unresolved timeline questions by bringing back many Prequel era animated fan favourites, developing them further in their new, older in years perspective, nearly nineteen years on from the slaughter initiated by the newly arrived Emperor Palpatine. Top of Filoni's list is former Jedi Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, last seen leaving the Jedi Order in Season Five and getting caught up in a whole load of separate adventures currently being revealed in novel form. Having had her character's voice disguised on and off previously, the identity of Hera's secret ally in "Fulcrum" was finally out of the bag, in a return, along with the voicing of Ashley Eckstein, that couldn't have been more appreciated by her worldwide fan base. Mature, confident and at one with the Force mentally and physically, skilfully brandishing her new white lightsaber blades, Ahsoka has an imperative to unravel the mysterious identity of Darth Vader, her suspicions of him awakened after their first ship-to-ship confrontation during part two of the lively season opener, The Siege of Lothal, then in the eagerly anticipated, epic and highly satisfying duel that brings the year to an exciting close and a tense cliffhanger for the heroine and her ultimate destiny, keeping fans on tenterhooks all over again! You're a very naughty man, Filoni!

Captain Rex with Gregor and Wolffe in The Lost Commanders.

Additionally crowd pleasing from the second story onwards is via the continuing battle contributions and confidence provided by her old friend and war comrade in former Clone Captain Rex (now looking like the STAR WARS version of Montgomery Scott from the STAR TREK series, what with his bigger girth and fluffy beard) as he too heads back into action of a whole new kind against the Empire, having previously disobeyed the ORDER 66 initiative (along with two of his colleagues) and endured previous self-exile in the Outer Rim. His vocal creator Dee Bradley Baker had never been away from the animated STAR WARS universe, but this is the character for which he'll always be fondly celebrated. Being honest, though, there's a few moments here and there when I felt the returning characters were a little bit shoe-horned into proceedings, plus the odd thought that their introductions could have been done after a little bit later in the series span, with more time for the Ghost crew themselves to have their mettle tested. Still, there's no doubt that fans are overall very, very happy to see their favourites back.

Princess Leia Organa comes to help in A Princess on Lothal.

A new look for Master Yoda, finally making a visual appearance in Season Two.

Republic or Empire, it's all good business for Hondo Ohnaka, back in animated humour.

Other notable visits from the ever binding Classic, Prequel and Clone Wars eras include Princess Leia Organa (young and feisty as ever in the lead-up to event of the original film, well voiced by Julie Dolan), and, previously seen in Season One, that charming rogue and adept freelance businessman Lando Calrissian, as delivered by the still super smooth Billy Dee Williams. Heard but not seen previously, Frank Oz's Yoda also makes a worthy visual appearance in a Season Two episode, finally communing with young Ezra Bridger whilst he, Ahsoka and Kanan investigate a discarded Jedi Temple on Lothal. And how could we forget the return of Hondo Ohnaka, the Weequay pirate boss who'd sell his own mother-in-law (if he had one!) for profit, making his first appearance in the new animated incarnation and a welcome bit of light relief.

Classic confrontation. Kanan and Vader meet in The Siege of Lothal.

But if anything, this is the season which everyone will remember for the return of Darth Vader, tasked with eliminating the building and alarming Rebel influence on Lothal, whilst concurrently discovering the truth about his former Padawan. After his two special cameos during Season One, Vader's amazing presence is much welcome in REBELS, of which great care has clearly been taken with the way he participates in the storytelling- his powers and overwhelming talents sparingly used in the best ways, whilst his visual realisation is superb (love the thin red lightsaber blade created by Joel Aron, and a mask that has lots of deliberate echoes to the Ralph McQuarrie design for the character on his 1976 book jacket for the original STAR WARS). Its nice to see the iron lung warrior back in action before his live-action lead-up return with ROGUE ONE, once more nostalgically accompanied by the wonderful and commanding voice of James Earl Jones.

The Seventh Sister-playful and deadly!

With his spooky Season One Grand Inquisitor henchman committing suicide, after having been beaten in action by Kanan, the remaining Inquisitors now vie for their once leader's power and Vader's respect, working across the universe to help their Lord find and destroy any and all potential Jedi threats. Their competitiveness in hunting and killing knows no bounds, including deadlier than the male Seventh Sister (Sarah Michelle Gellar, clearly having a great time in the recording booth) and Philip Anthony-Rodriguez as the crushing Fifth Brother (created from an unused character concept for THE FORCE AWAKENS), all thirsty for action and proving unique, fearsome opponents for our heroes on and off the season.

Darth Maul is back to cause more chaos.

Despite this clever mixing of old and new villainy, I remain in two minds about the resurrected Darth Maul (voiced by Sam Witwer), who ultimately escaped the electro punishment of his former master Darth Sidious and is still out for revenge against the Sith for abandoning him- a quest and thirst for power that seems unending, just as cunning and unpredictable as ever, returning for the last two episodes of the season and now trying to convert Ezra to his own purposes with the rediscovery of the lost Sith world of Moriband. I personally felt that the character, despite his clear potential, should have stayed dead, cut in half in the Naboo reactor room years earlier.

Our heroes take on Imperial Wakers in Relics of the Old Republic.

Always best seen in HD Blu-ray, where the ground and aerial battles, lightsaber duels and sound design truly come to life, REBELS, though full of innovative action and adventure, clearly has its emphasis rooted towards the smaller scale, more personal level stories that DISNEY like, and this show overall definitely feels in that style. To their credit, the animation this season is much improved too, though it all still feels a little basic when compared to the overall sophistication of THE CLONE WARS later seasons, that animated epic saga told by George Lucas with Dave Filoni, whose benchmark remains unbeatable.

The Dark Side clouds everything...

Special Features wise, we get all the online accompanying Rebels Recon episodes, hosted by the ever gleeful it hurts Lucasfilm staffer Andi Gutierrez, talking to the series enthused main cast and crew about the continuing story developments whilst giving us weekly tasters of what that rogue droid Chopper is up to within the confines of the Lucasfilm premises. Plus an all too brief look (literally less than five minutes, and with a narrator literally speed racing through it all) at the special Easter Eggs and references linking the STAR WARS films and media universe to REBELS - there were at least three or four things I hadn't noticed before in Season Two, whilst also reminding us that the Lucasfilm Story Group are earning their weekly pay check. Finally, and again all too short, there's a Blu-ray exclusive five-minute featurette in which Dave Filoni, co-creator of Ahsoka Tano with Lucas, talks about the long-in-gestation plans, ideas and personal conceptual art for her to meet and fight against her former friend and mentor Anakin Skywalker, now Darth Vader, in an encounter originally planned for the Clone Wars but now making its way into REBELS during its impressive season finale, Twilight of the Apprentice.

At the end of the day, this set's Special Features are satisfactory in being designed for the general audience market, but devoted and truly dedicated fans of the series deserve something more substantial, especially with regards to audio commentaries on episodes, deleted scenes, character creation details and conceptual art.

Her final battle? Ahsoka clashes with Darth Vader, in Twilight of the Apprentice.

AFICIONADO RATING: The Lucas legacy proudly continues through Dave Filoni and his Team STAR WARS generation - though there's still lots more potential to be mined - within a much improved show run that will delight fans of all ages and keep them happy in the build-up to the next live-action film.

Overall Episodes: 8 out of 10. Special Features: 6 out of 10.

Get the Blu-ray here: Star Wars Rebels Season 2 [Blu-ray] [Region Free]: Amazon.co.uk: DVD & Blu-ray

STAR WARS REBELS continues its exclusive all-new Season Three screenings on DISNEY XD worldwide.

ALL-NEW 'STAR WARS REBELS' - BACK ON UK TV THIS OCTOBER!

A strike back for our STAR WARS REBELS. Images: DISNEY UK.

New villains, new worlds, new adventures, and special surprises await our bold and seasoned heroes from the Rebel ship Ghost, as the action-packed third year of the eagerly awaited STAR WARS REBELS comes to the UK's DISNEY XD channel from October 1st, 2016 (9am), following on from today's noteworthy US launch. With the extended season opener, Steps into Shadow, an opportunity to steal a batch of old but space worthy Y-wing fighters becomes an imperative, helped on by the wily return of money grabbing old favourite Hondo Ohnaka.

Season Three trailers: Star Wars Rebels Season Three Trailer (Official) - YouTube

Rebels Recon: The Star Wars Rebels Cast Looks Ahead to Season Three | Star Wars Rebels - YouTube

Clips: Star Wars Rebels Season 3 Trailer - Ezra and the Sith Holocron [Dash Star] - YouTube
Face to Face with Thrawn | Star Wars Rebels - YouTube
Meet Bendu - Steps Into Shadow Preview | Star Wars Rebels - YouTube

Darth Maul returns and Grand Admiral Thrawn debuts in Season Three.

Other STAR WARS REBELS news: 

New Star Wars Rebels: Season Three Clip Revealed On The Star Wars Show | The Star Wars Underworld
New Star Wars Rebels: Season Three Clip Revealed On The Star Wars Show | The Star Wars Underworld
Super-Fan Vanessa Marshall Teases 'Star Wars Rebels' Season 3 Secrets | Moviefone.com
New Star Wars Rebels: Season Three Clip Revealed On The Star Wars Show | The Star Wars Underworld

OFFICIAL SITE: Disney XD - The Official Home of Disney XD in the UK

DARK TIMES, BOLD HEROES! 'STAR WARS REBELS' SEASON TWO IS HERE!

Battle beyond the stars! Darth Vader seeks the STAR WARS REBELS. All images: © 2015 & TM Lucasfilm Ltd.

Note: This feature contains potential SPOILERS...

The iconic return of big baddie Darth Vader and animated favourite heroine Ahsoka Tano looks set to be just a small part of the overall grand dessert for fans that is the all-new second season of STAR WARS REBELS, debuting on the DISNEY XD platform this week (from the 14th October in the US, and Saturday 17th, at 9am, in the UK). Prepare for the out of the wilderness, old but certainly not obsolete Captain Rex, alongside two of his loyal former Clone Troopers, coming back to sprightly action, plus that wily and scheming pirate Hondo Ohnaka, soon taking a liking to former rascal and young Jedi-to-be Ezra Bridger. On planets beyond Lothal, there's battles with Imperial Walkers, the testing of a protoype B-wing, and the emergence of two unique new power-vying Inquisitors dispatched by Vader and the Empire to find and destroy our brotherhood of the brave: the playfully deadly Seventh Sister (voiced by BUFFY's Sarah Michelle Gellar) and the formidable Fifth Brother. All this and much, much more in this longer-run season.

Kanan and his dedicated crew return.

Out of hiding! In a sure crowd-pleasing moment, Ahsoka Tano returns to battle!

Ezra meets the older, ORDER 66 conflicted Captain Rex.

New baddies on the block: the Fifth Brother and the Seventh Sister!

Star Wars Rebels Season Two NYCC 2015 Trailer (Official) - YouTube
Star Wars Rebels Season Two Trailer (Official) - YouTube
The Might of the Empire Grows and Fan Favorites Debut in New Episodes of Star Wars Rebels Season 2 | StarWars.com
This Season on Star Wars Rebels - Star Wars Rebels Season 2 Trailer - YouTube
Star Wars Rebels - Ashley Eckstein Season 2 Interview - NYCC 2015 - YouTube
Star Wars: Rebels Season 1: Director Talks Season 2 Blu-ray/DVD Bonus Feature - YouTube
Sarah Michelle Gellar's 'Star Wars Rebels' Character Revealed! | The Star Wars Underworld
http://buzzfeed-video1.s3.amazonaws.com/video/2015/10/01/SarahMichelleGellar_CharacterReveal_H264-624x350.mp4
Star Wars Rebels Season Two Preview at New York Comic Con - UPDATED! | StarWars.com
12345 - YouTube
Rumor: 'Star Wars Rebels' Season Two Episode Names & Descriptions Revealed | The Star Wars Underworld
Star Wars Rebels Magazine Reveals New Inquisitors | The Star Wars Underworld
NYCC: 'Star Wars Rebels' Cast & Co-Creator Look to Season 2 & Beyond - Spinoff Online - TV, Film, and Entertainment News DailySpinoff Online – TV, Film, and Entertainment News Daily

A striking new Imperial warship: the Immobilizer!

David and Goliath, but with Imperial Walkers!

Hera tests a new hope for the Rebels: a B-Wing Fighter!

Oh, and by season's end, don't be too surprised at seeing a certain young, very young, plucky Alderaanian senator and future Rebel Alliance veteran becoming linked to the team...

OFFICIAL UK SITE:  Star Wars Rebels | Home | Official Disney UK

Also available on DVD.

STAR WARS REBELS Season One is out now on Blu-ray and DVD. Get it here:
Star Wars Rebels [Blu-ray] [Region Free]: Amazon.co.uk: DVD & Blu-ray

Review: STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: OUT NOW ON BLU-RAY AND DVD: 'STAR WARS REBELS - COMPLETE SEASON ONE'

THE CLONE WARS SEASON FIVE. AFICIONADO's TOP FIVE EPISODES. NUMBER FOUR: 'A NECESSARY BOND'

Ahsoka and the Jedi younglings celebrate the end of their adventure in A Necessary Bond. Images: LUCASFILM ANIMATION.

STAR WARS AFICIONADO's Top Five countdown continues, celebrating the release of THE CLONE WARS Season Five on Blu-ray and DVD from WARNER BROTHERS. Episodes like Darth Maul's bloodthirsty Revival, and the conclusion of the Astro Droid mission in Point of No Return, were firm candidates, but ultimately position four went to A Necessary Bond, the concluding episode of the overall enjoyable Jedi Younglings storyline by Christian Taylor-the last genuine family feel-good episode of the season before things turn very dark on Mandalore and Coruscant.

And here's five reasons why it made the grade...

1. High speed chases. First there's Ahsoka and her Younglings escape from Hondo's camp, as heroic Artoo and elderly statesman Jedi protocol droid Huyang (a solid performance from former DOCTOR WHO David Tennant, capturing and channelling the spirit of Anthony Daniels portrayal) try a mid-air rescue attempt, followed by a spirited chase through the winding desert canyons of Florrum, as our heroes now have to outpace General Grievous, atop a very cool new speeder bike vehicle (surely out in toy stores very soon!), and his gaining forces- the need for speed in the STAR WARS SAGA, with some exciting and visually accomplished sequences well handled by director Danny Keller.

Note: An extended, part animatic version of the Grievous Gorge chase can be found on the Blu-ray release.

General Grievous proves impatient to kill Jedi...

2. General Grievous crashes the party. He's already brought carnage and destruction to Obi-Wan Kenobi's space fleet, and now that wheezing metal shape of hate has been dispatched by a vendetta fuelled Count Dooku to Florrum: the Serenno Overlord wanting payback for his previous capture by Hondo's band of scum from Season One, ordering the enthusiastic General, with the yearning for more lightsabers to add to his collection, to convert the Weequay Boss's unique enterprise to scrap metal!

It's always good to have the twisted and dangerous Grievous, as ever voiced by Matthew Wood, in the series, and any scene where he's multi-limbed and ready for lightsaber action always makes an impression. Likewise when he scurries along like a spider- that always creeps me out!

3. Hondo's new day! Having attacked their ship, tried to kill the youngsters and steal their crystals, then capturing Ahsoka, our favourite pirate leader Hondo Ohnaka hasn't been a good boy lately, but, with the arrival of General Grievous and captured, he soon recognises the ultimate danger at hand-his scruples for money and profit sidelined for survival and escape-so why not join forces with the Jedi! Talented actor Jim Cummins gets to have all the best lines and scenes in this episode as the lovable rogue (even getting some slicing swordplay action against the Battle Droids!)- yes, Hondo's dangerous, but there's a glint in his eyes that shows his occasionally compassionate side: the scene where he witnesses youngling Katooni finally building her lightsaber ,then has a briefly kind of parental connection to her, proves a nice touch. And he manages to authoritatively charm luckless Obi-Wan into paying the costs for his services and loss of earnings. So it all worked out alright in the end!

... but this time round, Ahsoka holds her own.

4. Ahsoka and Grievous: the rematch. Once before, Ahsoka had been defeated almost killed by Grievous, and she's learnt her lesson. She knows she can't beat him but that doesn't stop her showing her improved skills and lightsaber abilities briefly but formidably against her old wheezy foe, buying escape time for the younglings to board a certain vessel soon to be re-owned by another certain bounty hunter!

Slave One to the rescue!

5. Slave One blasts back! Making a spectacular return-emerging from the mountain rock face, under the control of present owner Hondo Ohnaka, Slave One's guest appearance must surely have got fandom's faces beaming-all guns blazing at the soon damaged General Grievous, rescued by droid tanks at the last minute. It truly was nice to see the superbly designed and sinister looking Classic Trilogy ship, previously damaged/believed destroyed at the end of Season Two, back in gleaming action- and with a new coat of paint!

Get hold of STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS - THE COMPLETE FIFTH SEASON here:
Star Wars Clone Wars - Season 5 Blu-ray Region Free: Amazon.co.uk: Film & TV

Get hold of STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS - THE COMPLETE SEASONS ONE TO FIVE here: Star Wars Clone Wars - Season 1-5 Blu-ray Region Free: Amazon.co.uk: Film & TV

NEW PROFIT MARGINS! HONDO OHNAKA RETURNS TO 'THE CLONE WARS'

Back to claim the universe: Hondo Ohnaka.

Fans of the Mandalorians and Darth Maul would no doubt have been thrilled by the upcoming epic action scenarios shown in the bootleg trailer for THE CLONE WARS Season Five, which did the worldwide Internet rounds last week, but I was more happy to see the return of another villain-well, more like lovable anti-hero, to the series instead: Hondo Ohnaka, that opportunistic Weequay pirate with the true flying saucer spaceship who's in it for the money and will be in service to goodies and baddies alike as long as the price is right. First introduced at the mid-point of Season One, Ohnaka and his drunk, and often brutishly bumbling, pirate-like buddies were a welcome breath of fresh air from George Lucas's imagination when they were able to capture Count Dooku, and it was great to see the characters, and their pet Kowakian monkey, return for some general baddie-ness/all-round thieving against Anakin and the gang in Lucas SEVEN SAMURAI/Kurosawa inspired episode Bounty Hunters. Heck, an in the past Hondo even managed to tame the wild side of psycho-girl Aurra Sing for a while (no mean feat!), and I loved his classic Season Two finale appearance when, accompanied by her new little pet to groom, Boba Fett, Hondo asked her, "Not mine, I take it?"

Hondo makes new (drugged) drinking buddies of Anakin and Obi-Wan in Dooku Captured.

Hondo fan tribute: Hondo Ohnaka - Discombobulate - YouTube

Glorious stuff. Can't wait to see what he gets up to next!

Weequay Wisdom: The Best Hondo Ohnaka Quotes | StarWars.com