By: Kenneth Flores
Photo Courtesy of: Lucasfilm
In a galaxy far, far away, the Star Wars franchise is coming back stronger than ever with a variety of projects releasing this fall. While “The Rise of Skywalker” and “The Mandalorian” are currently in the spotlight, there’s a certain Star Wars show that isn’t getting as much attention.
The animated television series “Star Wars Resistance” began its second season on Oct. 6, 2019, following the first season’s premiere in Oct. 2018. Set slightly before the events of “The Force Awakens” and eventually within the sequel trilogy, it follows a new Resistance recruit named Kazuda “Kaz” Xiono as he spies on First Order activities at the Colossus refueling station for the Resistance. Like the past two animated Star Wars shows—“Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and “Star Wars Rebels”—this series serves as a companion to its respective trilogy. However, “Resistance” differs from the other shows in a variety of ways that make it unique in its appeal.
The most unique aspect of the show is the animation and visuals. In contrast to “The Clone Wars” and “Rebels,” “Resistance” goes for a more anime-like art style that makes it visually distinct. However, one major flaw with the visuals are the body proportions for some of the characters, as certain body parts seem too long in comparison to others. In addition, the art style is an acquired taste as it may seem unappealing at first because of its vastly different designs in comparison to other animated shows, but eventually becomes interesting after watching a few episodes. In terms of the animation itself, the movements of characters and objects are very fluid, allowing for rapid movement during action-oriented scenes and slapstick moments. The characters are also very expressive throughout the show.
The character’s relatability is the show’s strongest element. Kaz is a good-hearted person but also a klutz; despite messing up countless times, he retains an endearing appeal because of his well-meaning motives. Serving as his caretaker and mentor is Jarek Yeager, a reluctant but supportive repair shop owner who previously fought for the Rebel Alliance. Kaz also forms friendships with Yeager’s other employees—Neeku Vozo, a naive assistant who serves as the comic relief and Tamara “Tam” Ryvora, a stern but caring mechanic who aspires to become a pilot. The chemistry among these characters create a sense of family in the ensemble. Their distinct personalities—both strengths and weaknesses—allow for plenty of room to relate to and sympathize with their personal goals.
In comparison to the other Star Wars shows, “Resistance” feels the most grounded and has no direct connection to the Force. While it fits in the Star Wars canon through the occasional aerial or space battle and the appearances of previously established characters, it takes a different approach to expanding the lore by directly viewing the perspective of normal galactic citizens on a day-by-day basis. “Resistance” is also more comedic than other Star Wars projects, but feels more tonally appropriate in other non-comedic scenarios, as it takes a more serious tone in dramatic moments.
A notable rarity for a Star Wars project is exploring the viewpoint of someone who supports the opposing side. This additional perspective frames the conflict of the Resistance vs. First Order under the guise of freedom vs. security. Kaz supports the Resistance because of their fight for freedom and stopping the tyrannic practices of the First Order. On the other side, Tam supports the First Order because of their goal to restore peace and views their restrictive rules as a sacrifice for safety.
Out of the 21 episodes of the first season, the first 13 feel like they serve the purpose of establishing the characters and the environment with relatively simple plots. Entertaining as they may be, they offer a minimal amount of powerful and emotional moments. When the First Order officially starts to intervene with the Colossus, the plot and the conflict become much more engaging as there’s a sense of urgency to stop the First Order from assuming full control. The conflict becomes larger at the end of Season 1, as it ends with the Colossus traveling to space and Tam joining the First Order after being betrayed by Kaz and Yeager.
The Season 2 premiere episode, “Into the Unknown,” falls back to the style of the beginning episodes of Season 1, as it establishes the characters in their new scenarios. Kaz, Neeku and the others are adjusting to space as they attempt to reach the Resistance headquarters of D’Qar while Tam becomes a First Order TIE fighter pilot. While the stakes have yet to surface, the setup has begun and the conflict will become heated when Tam has to confront her former friends.
“Star Wars Resistance” takes the franchise to new heights (figuratively and literally) even if the show has some quirks, it will continue to expand on the sequel trilogy timeline and is on-par with the previous animated Star Wars shows.
