Star Wars Rebels.

[Mr Mystery]

The Honourable Ones.

Loving it so far, and it's massively sympathetic to Zeb, the character most in need of development. Still lots of grumpy smash, but better reasoning as to why.

The fleshing out of Kallus is also most welcome!

[Gotthammer]

My feelings on the episode are far, far less charitable. Probably my least favourite episode, and if it weren't for the bits with Chopper at the start and the quality of the voice acting I wouldn't have liked it at all.

[eldargal]

Mine too, **** Kallus.

[Mr Mystery]

Well, I liked it. So nyeah

Hera's episode remains the standout one so far though,

[eldargal]

The episode itself would be fine on its own, the problem is that they are making Kallus a sympathetic villain when they killed off Maketh Tua who would have done it better. Kallus is an ISB Agent, they are supposed to be the really mucky ones knowing all the **** the Empire does more so than regular army officers, its not hat convincing that suddenly he is this honourable soldier, especially when we see him more than happy to murder Maketh Tua without a trial after she was put in an impossible position by Tarkin and made accountable for military failings when she was a civilian.

[Mr Mystery]

There's plenty can be filled in in between, if they give the character the chance.

We know he's apparently in two minds about Lasan. It could be that, along with what was functionally the murder of Maketh Tua that really cemented his doubt.

[Gotthammer]

It's also that, on a meta level, they're making the up until now poster boy for Imperial nastiness sympathetic, but killed off the well meaning if clueless civilian governor. Not bad written like that, but given killing Maketh Tua was wiping out 25% of the recurring female characters in the show, and the only Imperial era woman ever seen on screen (afaik), it's pretty crappy.

Also that in later episodes they introduced the (male) former non-Imperial governor, who if they'd changed a few minor points in the story could have easily been replaced by Maketh Tua. Combined with the fact the show's recently shown lady rebel pilots... and killed them off almost instantly, it's very disappointing.

And to add on further Maketh Tua's death has never been mentioned again. It would have been a perfect thing for Zeb to bring up about Kallus' lack of honour and ethics, or when other characters are having doubts about their ability to save everyone - but she was killed off for shock value and forgotten like so many other female characters.

But Kallus gets to be shown to be not a bad guy like even his trademark weapon which was previously such a point of anger for Zeb was explained away as being ok.

[eldargal]

^Yup. It's just really, really frustrating that a role to show the complexity of the Empire which could have gone to the first female Imperial EVER on screen (still the only Galactic Empire female on screen, some in the First Order in TFA), has gone to a guy who has been shown to be very nasty and also basically kind of incompetent. And Maketh Tua was killed off for shock value and no purpose ultimately. I liked Kallus more as the irredeemable ******* type character, even if he was responsible for Tua's death at least he was owning it. Now that is being sacrificed to make him sympathetic and it pisses me off immensely. Especially with the addition of Clancy Brown in space Ryder, who could have been a great way of reintroducing Tua to the team and giving her some good character development and a redemption arc.

[Mr Mystery]

You've got the Seventh Sister as well for female Imperial presence - but that's largely by-the-by.

There's really valid points above, but for me I think it's all about what they do with Kallus in future episodes. I wouldn't mind some Imperial Reconditioning should he continue to waver, and then inserted as a mole within the Rebellion.

[CoffeeGrunt]

It does seem towards the end that he's noticing the cold, uncaring ways of the Empire. It might be the turning point for his character, it might not. It's interesting to see an agent that deep in black ink start to doubt, and it shows that most of the Empire thinks they Doing What Needs To Be Done for the right reasons, when they aren't.

Granted, it was a shame Tua was killed off so quickly and without any real remorse from the Empire, but would anyone expect Imperials to show remorse towards a traitor? Especially as Kallus and her were driven into a rivalry.

Overall though, Zeb and him are still alright. Hera definitely got the best episode of this season so far.