Line #42 Recap/StarWarsRebelsS3E06IronSquadron


1	On a mission to evacuate the rebel dissidents of Mykapo, Ezra and Sabine work together to tame a stubborn young pilot ace and his crew who are foolishly risking their lives to defend their home. It's a race against time to fix their hyperdrive and escape the system, before the Empire arrives in full-force.
2
3	----
4	!!Tropes in this episode:
5
6	* AcePilot: The captain of the Iron Squadron, Mart. Or at least that's what he thinks of himself.
7	* BaitAndSwitch: Thrawn's dialogue at the beginning implies he's looking for more information on the ''Ghost'' crew. The ending reveals that the mission was actually to gain more information on Sato, who has family on the planet.
8	* BigDamnHeroes: Sato shows up with reinforcements to help Mart escape, [[YouAreNotAlone refusing to let him be alone]], since they're the only family they have left.
9	* BlatantLies: When Thrawn calls Konstantine after his WoundedGazelleGambit has backfired spectacularly, Konstantine lamely tries to claim that the Rebels were driven off. Thrawn immediately corrects his obvious lie, and admits that he only sent Konstantine to test how Commander Sato would react.
10	* BreatherEpisode: Despite the presence of Thrawn (who doesn't show up that much in this episode anyway), this episode is relatively calmer than previous episodes.
11	* CallBack:
12	** The new Fulcrum is brought up once again, having informed the rebels about how the Empire is locking down the world of Mykapo.
13	** Ezra explains how he had to leave his world and home behind once the Empire came in force.
14	* CanonImmigrant:
15	** The Iron Squadron has a YT-2400 freighter, the same model as the ''Outrider'' from ''Literature/ShadowsOfTheEmpire''. However, this is subverted in that the YT-2400 was originally created as a background ship for the Special Edition of ''Film/ANewHope'', and the ''Outrider'' was an EarlyBirdCameo for the model.
16	** Grand Admiral Thrawn's Star Destroyer, the ''Chimaera'', makes its on-screen debut here.
17	* ChildSoldier: The Iron Squadron is actually made up of three kids and their astromech, and they have no idea what they're in for.
18	* ExcessiveSteamSyndrome: Mart's ship has steam venting everywhere, to show just how haphazard their repairs are.
19	* {{Foil}}: The Iron Squadron crew are [[{{Expy}} expies]] of Ezra and Sabine pre-Season 3, being young and having potential, but inexperienced.
20	-->'''Kanan:''' It sounds like a kid!\
21	'''Zeb:''' [[LampshadeHanging More like a ship full of Ezras.]]
22	* HoistByHisOwnPetard: The mine Konstantine attaches to Mart's ship is repurposed to take out Konstantine's light cruiser by attaching it to one of Mart's exploding cargo containers.
23	* HopeSpot:
24	** It seems that Sabine's got the Iron Squadron's ship up and running... and then the engines and lights flicker off again, because power is being rerouted to the guns and the shields.
25	** InUniverse, Mart thinks his explosive cargo trick worked on Konstantine's light cruiser... but when the smoke clears, there isn't even a scratch thanks to its shields. The audience is well aware that his attack failed due to seeing the vast majority (if not all) of the containers destroyed due to point defense systems.
26	* IChooseToStay: Mart detaches the ''Phantom II'' and stays on his ship. It ends up being in vain, as his attack run does nothing and the others are forced to leave without him when his ship is disabled.
27	* IShallReturn: Ezra promises they'll come back for Mart when they have no hope of staging an immediate rescue.
28	* InUniverseFactoidFailure: Mart and co mistake the light transport they fight at the beginning of the episode for a Star Destroyer, and Sabine has to correct them. When Konstantine arrives on his light cruiser, they then mistake ''that'' for a Star Destroyer, and Sabine has to correct them a second time. Only when Thrawn arrives at the end of the episode do they realise what a Star Destroyer ''actually'' looks like.
29	* JerkassHasAPoint: When trying to persuade Iron Squadron to leave, Hera says that they would have been screwed had the ''Ghost'' and Phoenix Squadron not shown up, though Mart points out that they actually handled that situation fine on their own (though [[NotHelpingYourCase it doesn't help his argument when he mistakes the transport for a Star Destroyer]] right after). The rebels didn't really do anything besides shoot down the [=TIEs=].
30	* LeeroyJenkins: Iron Squadron fights the Empire in a single freighter loaded with exploding cargo containers, confident that they can handle themselves. Mart's comrades start to lose faith when Konstantine's light cruiser shows up, though Mart himself only realizes his folly when his bombing run fails to damage to the tougher cruiser.
31	* MeaningfulName: "Iron" sure fits for the stubborn-headed Iron Squadron.
32	* MoodWhiplash: In the ending, as Iron Squadron celebrates, it appears that the episode is about to end there, but Chopper suddenly slaps R3 and there's an audible clang a second before the title card fanfare plays.
33	* OhCrap:
34	** Konstantine has a bit of trouble taking in what Thrawn just ordered him to do, which was to go confront the ''[[TheDreaded Ghost]]'' crew ''without any reinforcements''.
35	** Mart's crew freaks out when a light cruiser with two transports and some [=TIEs=] show up, even as Mart gets excited, once again mistaking the light cruiser for a Star Destroyer. He still insists on fighting it, though, while his crew wisely understand that they're outmatched.
36	** Mart looks like he's about to shrink in his seat when he sees what a Star Destroyer ''really'' looks like.
37	--->'''Sabine:''' Now ''that'' is a Star Destroyer.\
38	'''Mart:''' Okay, then. Let's get outta here.
39	* PercussiveMaintenance: Ezra promises Hera that Chopper and Sabine can get the hyperdrive working on Mart's ship. Cut to Chopper whacking it with a pipe, which actually works.
40	* TheReveal: Commander Sato has family; his brother was also a military man killed in action, and he lost communication with his nephew after that.
41	* RunningGag: Mart not knowing what a Star Destroyer looks like, so he mistakes every lead ship for one. He learns the [[RuleOfThree third time]].
42	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Zeb doesn't want to bother with a "ship full of Ezras", so he joins Kanan to help Rex and Phoenix Squadron evacuate the locals.
43	* SecretTestOfCharacter:
44	** Just like his plan in [[Recap/StarWarsRebelsS3E03HerasHeroes "Hera's Heroes"]] was about figuring out Hera and seeing what makes her tick, this time Thrawn is trying to learn more about Jun Sato. And like the battle on Ryloth, Thrawn does it by threatening his homeworld and surviving family.
45	--->'''Thrawn:''' Commander Jun Sato. I wondered what it would take to motivate your return to Mykapo.
46	--->'''Sato:''' And now you know, admiral. Until we meet again.
47	** It's implied he was also testing Admiral Konstantine, seeing how the admiral handled himself in a combat situation with fewer resources than usual (a light cruiser and a pair of transports, rather than a squadron of Star Destoyers). Unlike Sato and the rebels, Konstantine botches the mission badly.
48	* SummonBiggerFish: Mart is convinced that the transport they took out was a Star Destroyer. He mistakes a light cruiser for a Star Destroyer later, then he almost shrinks in his seat when he sees what a Star Destroyer ''really'' looks like, and that's not a mistake he'll make again any time soon.
49	* ThoseWereOnlyTheirScouts: In ascending order of ship size that Iron Squadron goes up against includes a ''Gozanti''-Class Carrier, and an ''Arquitens II''-Class Light-Cruiser; both times were they thinking that they were the much-dreaded ''Star Destroyers''.
50	* TrapIsTheOnlyOption: Konstantine's trap is transparent to everyone, but Sato isn't about to abandon his nephew so they attempt it anyway. Ezra essentially points out that knowing it's a trap only makes them more prepared.
51	* UnderestimatingBadassery:
52	** When Konstantine arrives at Mykapo, he sees the lone ship of the Iron Squadron and says that Thrawn underestimated them (keep in mind both of them already know that [[TheDreaded the]] ''[[TheDreaded Ghost]]'' [[TheDreaded crew]] was seen over Mykapo, so Konstantine shouldn't have made the assumption that the Iron Squadron was still alone by this point)... [[{{Hypocrite}} after he already shown discomfort at going to Mykapo]] to confront the ''Ghost'', Iron Squadron, and other rebels with only a light cruiser. He's underestimating Thrawn's deduction skills and the competent fighting skills of the rebels.
53	** Mart likewise has no idea how outmatched he is by a Light Cruiser, having only fought transports previously.
54	* UnwittingPawn: Thrawn never intended for Konstantine to succeed in the mission. He just wanted the situation to get bad enough for Sato to pull a rescue and confirm a theory he had about his weak points.
55	* WoundedGazelleGambit: Konstantine has a mine attached to Mart's ship and allows him to broadcast a partial distress signal, reasoning that the Rebels will attempt a rescue. When they do, he'll detonate the mine and take out both Mart and whoever tries to rescue him. It fails to work out since it's an obvious trap and the Rebels act accordingly.
56	* YouAreNotAlone: Sato in his BigDamnHeroes moment reassures Mart of this word for word.
57	* YouKeepUsingThatWord: Mart constantly refers to anything bigger than a TIE Fighter as a "Star Destroyer", ranging from military transports to light cruisers, much to the ''Ghost'' crew's annoyance. Fortunately, he got the habit thoroughly scared out of him when Grand Admiral Thrawn showed up in an ''actual'' Star Destroyer, dwarfing Sato's own carrier.
58

Context Recap / StarWarsRebelsS3E06IronSquadron