The people of Axum are resistant, and their planetary defenses, either crushed during the Blue Massacre or sabotaged by their own officials, have yet to come online. Despite this, Captain Yorran and the commanders left behind to facilitate the planet's gradual inclusion into the Imperium are certain that they have more than enough forces to deal with a counter-invasion from the "softies" of the Republic. The Adeptus Astartes did their part, and now it was time for the Navy and the Guard to do theirs.
Yet even the normally inexhaustible might of the Emperor's Hammer and his thundering weapons of war may be unprepared for the army of psyker knights which now approach, vengeance burning darkly in the breast of not all, but most. Now is the time for the might of the Republic to show itself... even if it must circumvent the Senate to do it! Today the Republic does not suffer another blow. Today, the Republic Strikes Back!
Tropes in this episode include:
- Accidental Murder: Private Farnus accidentally kills Corporal Turquoise when he picks up a thrown enemy grenade and chucks it away from his squad, causing the grenade to instead land right in front of where Turquoise had been running. Farnus is horrified by this, but Sergeant Kallak tells him to get a grip on himself and quickly snaps him out of it before he can enter a Heroic BSoD.
- Advertised Extra: An Electro-Priest is featured very prominently as one of the only two characters on this episode's thumbnail cover art. In the actual episode itself, the Electro-Priest doesn't show up until the very last scene as part of a cliffhanger ending.
- Call-Back: The conversation between Anakin and Ahsoka references the events of "The Wrong Jedi" a few times.
- When Anakin notices that something seems to be bothering Ahsoka, he immediately suspects Obi-Wan of having said something to upset her, indicating that he still hasn't forgiven his master for not taking Ahsoka's side when the Council wrongfully expelled her from the Order.
- Ahsoka, while confiding her worries to Anakin about the Jedi going down the path of He Who Fights Monsters, reminds him that the whole reason she left the Jedi Order in the first place was because she believed the Jedi Council weren't acting like true Jedi anymore, referencing how the Council threw her under the bus to save face in the Senate after Barriss framed her for murder and terrorism.
- Cliffhanger: Episode 11 has several subplots end on cliffhangers. Rajulia's subplot ends with her about to battle Shaak Ti, Kallak's subplot ends with him and his surviving squad holed up in a Chimera transport under fire from clone troopers while Farnus unsuccessfully tries to get the Chimera to start working, and Rex's subplot ends with him and Ahsoka facing down an Electro-Priest aboard Trench's flagship.
- Continuity Nod: During the battle against the Skitarii aboard Trench's captured flagship, Jesse remarks to Rex how "This is turning into Geonosis all over again" due to the heavy casualties the 501st are taking with Rex's Internal Monologue noting how he thinks this battle is actually much worse.
- Double Take: Shaak Ti does this when Aayla casually mentions how Hondo once tried to sell Ahsoka on the black market.
- Friendship Moment: Anakin and Obi-Wan share one aboard the mobile Verpine asteroid colony right before the Jedi begin their counter-invasion of Axum. Anakin expresses his frustration with Ahsoka to Obi-Wan, who assures Anakin that he trained her well. Anakin replies that he only learned from the best. The two then laugh for a while before squeezing each other's forearms and saying "May the Force be with us all" before parting ways for the counter-invasion.
- Let's Split Up, Gang!: During the 501st Legion's boarding action of Trench's former flagship (now under AdMech control), they split into two groups. Rex and his half of the 501st are assigned to launch a direct assault on the ship's bridge while Ahsoka and her half of the 501st escort Echo to the ship's computer vaults to see if Echo can hack back in and remotely deactivate Trench's planet-cracking bomb (which they wrongly assume is still on Anaxes). Ahsoka and Echo face less resistance from the Skitarii and servitors defending the ship due to the computer vaults having already been stripped clean by the AdMech. Rex's half of the 501st face significantly heavier resistance, taking many losses and get Pinned Down, only being saved by the timely arrival of Ahsoka and her half of the 501st.
- Oh, Crap!: Rex's reaction near the end of the episode when he noticed that Ahsoka was distracted by something, right after he mused that he thought Imperials have something on the caliber of a Jedi that Ahsoka will have to deal with. Ten seconds later, an Electro-Priest with his Skitarii Maniple enters the field.
- Oh, My Gods!: Vastellen sergeant Kallak Norn says "How the Horus should I know?" in response when one of his men ask where their commander is after their base comes under attack by Bly and his contingent of the 327th Star Corps.
- Villain Opening Scene: The episode opens with the perspective of Captain Yorran, an arrogant naval commander in charge of the Imperial Navy's blockade over Axum, as the Jedi begin their counter-invasion of Axum.
