Line #71 Recap/StarWarsRebelsTheSiegeOfLothal


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rebels_the_siege_of_lothal.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:You can hear [[VaderBreath him breathing]], right?]]
3	->''"If the rebels have left, then we must draw them back. And if they are here, we must draw them out. We will squeeze Lothal until someone reveals the whereabouts of these traitors."''
4	-->-- '''Darth Vader'''
5
6	The ''Ghost'' crew assists the Rebel cell led by Commander Sato and Ahsoka Tano, but set off on a solo mission when they receive a transmission from Maketh Tua, who intends to defect from the Empire. Meanwhile, Darth Vader and Agent Kallus crack down on all insurgency on the planet Lothal.
7
8	----
9	!!Tropes:
10	* AbandonShip: Commander Sato and the crew of the ''Phoenix Home'' after Vader thoroughly trashes them.
11	* AcePilot:
12	** Vader takes on four corvettes, the frigate ''Phoenix Home'', the ''Ghost'', and an entire squadron of A-Wings. End result? The frigate and most of Phoenix Squadron are destroyed, while Vader isn't even scratched.
13	** Hera isn't too shabby, either; she out-maneuvers Vader himself and escapes, leaving Vader ensnared in his own tractor beam trap.
14	* ActionPrologue: Phoenix Squadron attacking an Imperial convoy to steal cargo.
15	* AllAccordingToPlan: Happens constantly as each HopeSpot is followed by the reveal that Vader is only letting the rebels run so he can track down the rebel fleet.
16	* ArmorIsUseless: Averted. Sabine's Mando armor saves her life when Vader deflects her blaster shots right back at her head and center of mass. Likewise, Kanan owes still having two arms thanks to his [[FashionableAsymmetry lone pauldron]] he wears.
17	* BadBoss: It's implied that Admiral Konstantine will blame the officer operating the tractor beam for catching Vader's ship instead of the ''Ghost'', even though it was in no way his fault.
18	* TheBadGuyWins: Vader, with the help of Kallus, manages to destroy ''everything'' the crew had accomplished on Lothal: the planet is further oppressed, the rebels suffer heavy losses, and the crew is literally chased off Lothal.
19	* BatmanGambit: Vader wins because he is aware of each and every move the ''Ghost'' crew will do and plans accordingly. He also knows that showing up personally and scaring the living shit out of Minister Tua will drive her to defect, which is what lures the Specters in the first place.
20	* TheBigBoard: ''Phoenix Home'' has a transparent one, showing Vader's attack on Phoenix Squadron.
21	* BigDamnHeroes: Sabine saves Kanan and Ezra from Darth Vader, which allows the Jedi to escape with their lives.
22	* BigNo: Ahsoka, upon learning that [[AwfulTruth Darth Vader is her former teacher, Anakin Skywalker]], screams this in horror.
23	* BothSidesHaveAPoint: Kanan is right that starting a war may cause unimaginable death and destruction, which he knows from personal experience. But Hera and Ezra are also correct that if they don't fight the Empire head-on, nothing will change and people they could have saved will simply continue to suffer.
24	* BreakTheCutie: Ahsoka is '''devastated''' when she learns the truth about Darth Vader and literally faints from the simple shock of it.
25	* CallBack:
26	** Back in [[Recap/StarWarsRebelsSparkOfRebellion the pilot]], Ezra complained about Zeb's smell. Apparently, Zeb agrees.
27	** Darth Vader's appearance before the rebels is very similar to Darth Maul's in ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'', complete with a simultaneous blaster shootout and two-on-one lightsaber duel.
28	* CallForward:
29	** Sabine saving Kanan and Ezra from Vader by dropping two [=AT-STs=] on him is almost identical to Leia doing the same with an AT-AT in [[ComicBook/StarWars the comic]], complete with the Dark Lord [[NoSell rising from the wreckage unscathed]].
30	** This isn't the [[Film/ANewHope last time]] Vader will use a TrickAndFollowPloy on a group of rebels.
31	** After snaring Vader's TIE instead of the ''Ghost'' with his ship's tractor beam (thus allowing the rebels to escape), Konstantine [[FalseReassurance reassures]] his subordinate that it wasn't his fault (Konstantine himself gave the order to activate the tractor beam), but [[YouHaveFailedMe Vader]] won't know that. This is exactly the opposite of what [[TakeMeInstead Captain Needa]] does in ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack''.
32	** The communication between Vader and Emperor Palpatine is an almost shot for shot remake of their conversation in ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack''. Their lines are almost identical to theirs in ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'', only with the references to Luke replaced with Ahsoka.
33	* TheCameo:
34	** Lando Calrissian helps the ''Ghost'' crew escape Lothal in exchange for shield generators.
35	** Emperor Palpatine shows up at the end of the episode when Darth Vader consults with him.
36	* CasualDangerDialogue: Plenty of it during the ActionPrologue.
37	* CharacterCheck: Much like his appearance in ''Film/RogueOneAStarWarsStory'' would later do, Darth Vader's appearance here undoes years of VillainDecay in ''Legends'' continuity and reestablishes him as a chillingly unstoppable force of evil.
38	* TheChessmaster: Darth Vader is a step ahead of the Rebels almost the entire way. He uses Tua's desire to defect to lure and trap them on Lothal, arranges for the only available ship off to be one he's tagged with a transponder, and nearly corners the Rebels when he tracks them back to their command ship.
39	* {{Cliffhanger}}: Part 1 ends with a hell of a one as [[TheDreaded Vader]] approaches our heroes.
40	* CrazyEnoughToWork: Kanan's plan to infiltrate the Imperial complex to steal a shuttle and escape, as he reasons the Imperials will be so busy searching the city that their own spaceport will be lightly guarded. He's right, but Vader is in fact counting on this and has prepared accordingly.
41	* CurbStompBattle: Darth Vader makes short work of Kanan and Ezra and is clearly toying with them the whole time, passing up several openings in favour of drawing out the fight. After all, he cares more about taking out the fleet than just taking out the crew of the ''Ghost''. Then he manages to take on and destroy a large portion of Phoenix Squadron ''before'' calling in help.
42	* DarkerAndEdgier: This is easily the bleakest episode of ''Rebels'' yet, with a very clear Imperial victory taking place with a complete loss for the Rebels. Also, Vader's back and literally keeps the status quo alive on Lothal.
43	* DeadlyEuphemism: Tua is more than aware of what a meeting with Tarkin means after the incident with Aresko and Grint.
44	* DoomedHometown: The Empire's grip on Lothal becomes too much for the Rebels to handle, and they need to leave lest the Empire starts destroying more towns to lure them out.
45	* DownerEnding:
46	** The ''Ghost'' crew and the Rebels suffer their greatest defeat yet. They lose an ally and the information she could have brought to their cause, a village of innocent homeless people is burned to the ground, Ezra's home is destroyed, the idea of a freed Lothal becomes a lost cause, the ''Ghost'' crew is indirectly responsible for the deaths of a large portion of Phoenix Squadron, and Ahsoka Tano is shaken by learning the truth about her master. On top of all of that, new Inquisitors are being sent after the ''Ghost'' crew, with the explicit goal of apprehending Ahsoka Tano (who the Empire plans on using to find and kill other Jedi). The only consolation is that the ''Ghost'' crew (along with Ahsoka, the remnants of Phoenix Squadron, and the Rebel Network as a whole) live to fight another day.
47	** The destruction of Tarkintown gives a delayed DownerEnding to the short story ''Literature/RebelBluff'', which featured the residents of the refugee camp arming themselves and beginning to form a resistance group against the Empire under the direction of Ria Clarr, who had been inspired by Ezra's broadcast the previous season.
48	* TheDreaded: Darth Vader, and the Sith in general. Kanan and Ezra are lucky to escape, and it's made clear that fighting him is not an option.
49	-->'''Ezra:''' Was that another Inquisitor?\
50	'''Kanan:''' No, something much worse.
51	* DressingAsTheEnemy: Kanan "befriends" a Stormtrooper and makes off with his armor.
52	* EvilIsDeathlyCold: Darth Vader's Force presence is described as such.
53	-->'''Ezra:''' Do you feel that?\
54	'''Kanan:''' The cold... ''[they turn around to see Vader standing in the open blast doors, who then ignites his lightsaber]''
55	* EvilPlan: Maketh Tua indicates that the Empire's presence on Lothal is part of this. Part of the information she is willing to hand over includes revealing the Empire's ''true'' purpose on Lothal, a plan known only to a handful and ''personally'' approved by the Emperor himself. Unfortunately, she is killed [[DeadlyDeferredConversation before she can reveal what that is]].
56	* FalseFlagOperation: When Minister Tua tries to defect, Kallus bombs her escape shuttle then blames it on the rebels, giving the Empire the pretext to crack down with more brutal measures.
57	* FascistsBedTime: The Imperials impose a curfew on Lothal, leading to the streets being even more empty.
58	* FighterLaunchingSequence: Phoenix Squadron has one when Vader shows up.
59	* TheForceIsStrongWithThisOne: Kanan and Ezra don't so much as enter Lothal's orbit before they can sense Darth Vader's presence. Later, when Vader ambushes Phoenix Squadron in his custom TIE Fighter, Ahsoka, not yet realising who it is, says the trope name almost verbatim.
60	* {{Foreshadowing}}:
61	** Tua, asking the rebels for help to defect, tells them that the Empire's true purpose on Lothal is something known only to a few and personally ordered by the Emperor...
62	** Just before he [[MuggedForDisguise steals]] a Stormtrooper's uniform, Kanan sarcastically addresses Hera as "General".
63	* GeorgeLucasAlteredVersion: The version of the episode available for viewing on Creator/DisneyPlus, launched in 2019, replaces Creator/SamWitwer with Creator/IanMcDiarmid as the voice of the Emperor. [=McDiarmid=] recorded his version of the scene while recording his part in the final episodes of the series.
64	* GetOut: Vader dismisses Admiral Konstantine and Agent Kallus so he can have a private chat with Palpatine.
65	* HeelFaceDoorSlam: Maketh Tua's attempt to defect from the Empire ends with her death, which is spun as being orchestrated by the Rebels.
66	* HeroicBSOD:
67	** Kanan is extremely unnerved after the encounter with Vader. Ezra, meanwhile, is scared out of his wits.
68	** When Ahsoka wakes up after falling unconscious from her Force commune, she is shaken by learning the truth about Darth Vader, and she lies to the ''Ghost'' crew about whether she knows his identity.
69	** To a lesser extent, Ezra after discovering the Empire [[EvilIsPetty burnt down Tarkintown]].
70	* HopeSpot: A really shitty one for the naval officer manning the tractor beam that catches Vader's ship. His commander says it's not his fault, and he wipes sweat off his hat in relief, [[BaitAndSwitchComment only for his commander to say]] "But Lord Vader won't know that."
71	* InternalReveal: Ahsoka Tano learns that Darth Vader is Anakin Skywalker, and Darth Vader learns that his old apprentice survived. The audience knows both of these things, or at least the first depending on whether or not they are familiar with ''[[WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars The Clone Wars]]''.
72	* ItsAllMyFault: Ezra gets a big dose of this throughout the mission on Lothal, as the Empire's devastation was instigated by the team's actions. Especially when he sees the burnt remains of Tarkintown (which was Vader's intent).
73	* IWantThemAlive: Vader says this regarding the crew of the ''Ghost''.
74	* JediMindTrick: Ezra attempts one on an uncooperative Stormtrooper, but fails. Kanan then takes over and succeeds.
75	* TheJuggernaut: Vader, both in single combat and in his ship, [[CurbstompBattle absolutely wrecks the Rebels.]]
76	* JustToyingWithThem: Vader could have killed the ''Ghost'' crew easily during his run-in with them, but let them escape as part of his plans.
77	* KnightOfCerebus: If you thought Tarkin was bad, Darth Vader is somehow worse in every way possible. He very nearly kills Kanan and Ezra in combat, nearly kills Sabine when she tries to shoot him (lucky she has that armor), and cripples Phoenix Squadron [[OneManArmy on his own]].
78	* MickeyMousing: The battle between Vader and Ezra/Kanan in the ActionPrologue has a touch of this, hinting at how he's JustToyingWithThem. Things get more serious after the title card.
79	* AMindIsATerribleThingToRead: When Ahsoka realises that the pilot of the lone [=TIE=] is a Force-sensitive, she and Kanan use the Force together to try and probe him. She's so thoroughly horrified when she and Vader mutually recognise each other that she faints.
80	-->'''Vader:''' The apprentice lives.\
81	'''Ahsoka:''' [[BigNo NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!]] ''([[FaintingSeer faints]])''
82	* MinionWithAnFInEvil: Minister Tua frankly admits that she lacks the stomach for the brutal oppression that Vader has in mind. Unfortunately that means YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness as far as the Sith Lord is concerned.
83	* MuggedForDisguise: Kanan knocks out a Stormtrooper commander and takes his armor.
84	* MythologyGag:
85	** Kanan and Hera's argument in the hall has a lot of allusions to [[Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack Han and Leia's argument]], including the crewmember that walks in between them.
86	** The Ghost crew's clearance code is 121815, which converted to MMDDYY format is the release date for ''Film/TheForceAwakens''.
87	** One of the pilots yells out [[Film/RevengeOfTheSith "They're all over me!"]] in the opening dogfight.
88	** Recurring lines "A presence I have not felt" and "IWantThemAlive", both from ''Film/ANewHope'', get an appearance.
89	** When Kanan and Vader first cross blades, it's an accurate recreation of the Ralph [=McQuarrie=] concept art panel that helped define Vader's look in the first place (as well as informed his appearance in the show proper).
90	* NiceJobBreakingItHero:
91	** In the process of Ahsoka identifying Vader as the TIE pilot, she gives herself away to Vader, and now the Emperor knows there's another living Jedi (or ex-Jedi in her case).
92	** As noted elsewhere on the page, the good that the Spectres have done on Lothal has brought crushing oppression onto the planet in retaliation.
93	* NoPeripheralVision: Two Stormtroopers talking about the search for the rebels walk right into Zeb, who's standing in the middle of the hallway making no attempt to hide. Guess those helmets obstruct vision more than you'd think.
94	* NotWhatISignedUpFor: How Kanan feels about being part of a full-fledged rebellion, as opposed to going it alone with the ''Ghost''. His personal history as a victim of Order 66 is flaring up.
95	* OffhandBackhand: Vader does one to Ezra during their duel.
96	* OffWithHisHead: Vader attempts to perform this on Ezra, using the Force and Ezra's ''own'' lightsaber.
97	* OhCrap:
98	** Minister Tua's reaction to learning that she has a meeting with Governor Tarkin, who's still pissed about losing his Star Destroyer because of the rebels.
99	** Kanan and Ezra after witnessing Vader lift two walkers off himself with the Force. Basically, their entire encounter with Vader is a series of these moments.
100	** Ahsoka ''screams and passes out'' upon realizing that Darth Vader is actually her former master Anakin Skywalker.
101	** Admiral Kassius Konstantine has this reaction when he finds out his tractor beam grabbed Vader's TIE instead of the ''Ghost''. He promptly scapegoats his tractor beam operator.
102	* OneManArmy: Vader is one man in one ship but absolutely decimates Phoenix Squadron.
103	-->'''Sato:''' How can one fighter best our entire squadron?
104	* OutOfCharacterAlert: The episode makes it look like Konstantine will be the next Imperial officer forced choked to death for letting the rebels escape. He's astonished when [[AllAccordingToPlan Vader's only response is to order his fighter prepared]].
105	* OutOfTheInferno: Vader gets ''two'' burning [=AT-DP=]s toppled on top of him by the ''Ghost'' crew. Just as they're about to leave, he almost casually lifts them off himself.
106	-->'''Ezra:''' If that doesn't kill him, what will?\
107	'''Kanan:''' Not us! ''Run!''
108	* PardonMyKlingon: Zeb's favorite curse word has clearly rubbed off on Ezra. Karabast!
109	* PreMortemOneLiner: Vader says this to Ezra while [[PsychicAssistedSuicide attempting to decapitate him with his own lightsaber]]. Fortunately, Kanan intervenes before Vader can make the kill.
110	-->'''Darth Vader:''' Your master has deceived you into believing you can become a Jedi!
111	* PsychicAssistedSuicide: Vader uses telekinesis to try and force Ezra to decapitate himself with his own lightsaber, and is only stopped when he has to fight off Kanan attacking him from behind.
112	* PutTheirHeadsTogether: Zeb takes out two Stormtroopers this way.
113	* RedshirtArmy: Phoenix Squadron is reduced to this against Vader.
114	* RightForTheWrongReasons: The crew is right that Tua's defection is a trap, [[UnwittingPawn just not one that]] [[YouHaveFailedMe she is privy to.]]
115	* RunOrDie: Against an opponent as powerful as Darth Vader, running like hell is the only way to not get killed, both for Kanan and Ezra and then for Phoenix Squadron's HyperspeedEscape.
116	* SacrificialLion: Farewell, Maketh Tua.
117	* TheScapegoat: When Vader gets snagged by the Imperials' tractor beam, Konstantine makes it clear that he won't take the fall for that one.
118	-->'''Konstantine:''' ''(to tractor beam operator)'' It's not your fault, officer... but Lord Vader won't know that.
119	* ShaggyDogStory: The part about liberating Lothal, which was the subject of much of the first season, gets completely screwed over for the foreseeable future after Darth Vader and the Empire make the planet '''more''' oppressed than it already was.
120	* SheKnowsTooMuch: Maketh Tua is killed before she can reveal to the Rebels why the Empire is on Lothal.
121	* ShellShockedVeteran: Part of Kanan's resistance to joining the Rebel war effort is that he is still haunted by the tragic consequences of the Clone War.
122	* SmugSmiler: Agent Kallus spends the entire episode with an evil smirk. Presumably he's impressed by witnessing the work of a master.
123	* SortingAlgorithmOfEvil: To think, last season the Spectres used to think of the likes of the Grand Inquisitor and Tarkin as serious threats. Not anymore.
124	* SpeakInUnison:
125	-->'''Hera:''' I'm thinking we know the right man to smuggle us off-world.
126	-->'''Ezra and Kanan:''' Not him!
127	* TechnicalPacifist: Kanan voices his discomfort with joining the larger Rebellion. As a Jedi, he believes fighting is fine when helping people on a small-scale but dislikes the idea of being a soldier in a war.
128	* TemptingFate: The city is under LockDown while Imperial Stormtroopers search for our heroes.
129	-->'''Stormtrooper 1:''' You think we'll find them this time?
130	-->'''Stormtrooper 2:''' We better. ''([[NoPeripheralVision bump right into Zeb]])''
131	-->'''Zeb:''' Found me! ''([[PutTheirHeadsTogether bangs their bucketheads together]])''
132	* ThatManIsDead: When discussing Ahsoka Tano's survival with Palpatine, Darth Vader specifically refers to her as "[[ThirdPersonPerson Anakin Skywalker's]] apprentice".
133	* ThisIsGonnaSuck: Ezra has this reaction when Minister Tua arrives at the hanger with company:
134	-->'''Ezra:''' But she's got company.\
135	'''Hera:''' What ''kind'' of company?\
136	'''Ezra:''' ''[looking through macro-binoculars]'' Oh ''fantastic'', Agent Kallus.
137	* TractorBeam: Vader orders Konstantine to snag the ''Ghost'' with one of these after he realizes Ahsoka is onboard, but Hera manages to outmaneuver him and get ''him'' caught in the beam instead.
138	* TrapIsTheOnlyOption: Played with. The rebels don't trust Minister Tua, believing it to be a trap, but accept the risk anyways if it really meant getting more allies and helping their cause. Turns out the trap they ran into wasn't the obvious one; it ''was'' a trap, but was set ''for'' her, not by her, in an effort to ensnare both parties.
139	* TrickAndFollowPloy: Vader lets the rebels steal a shuttle with a TrackingDevice attached so that he can follow it to the fleet.
140	* TheUnreveal: Minister Tua says that the Emperor personally requested a Lothal base, and that there's something about the planet he wants. She's killed before she can reveal what it is. We do find out eventually in the next season, but it's implied that that reason is actually a cover story. The real reason is not revealed until Season 4.
141	* TheVoice: Darth Sidious/Emperor Palpatine is heard, but [[UnrevealAngle the camera angle used in the scene deliberately prevents the audience from seeing his hologram at all]]. Not even [[TheFaceless his iconic shadowy hood]] is shown.
142	* WalkInChimeIn: Vader interjects himself into a conversation between Kallus and Minister Tua about Tarkin's demands for Imperial authorities to come down hard on the rebels.
143	-->'''Minister Tua:''' ''[fuming]'' Agent Kallus, I've exhausted every resource to find information about the rebels, but there is nothing to be found! What more does Governor Tarkin expect?
144	-->'''Agent Kallus:''' He ''expects'' Lothal to be punished, Minister Tua. His own Star Destroyer was demolished by these rebels; he takes that somewhat... ''personally''.
145	-->'''Minister Tua:''' I've doubled patrols, set up checkpoints, established curfews; I honestly don't know what else to do.
146	-->'''Darth Vader:''' ''[standing in the doorway]'' Perhaps ''that'' is the problem. You lack imagination, Minister, when it comes to producing results.
147	* WarIsHell: Having survived the Clone Wars, Kanan does not want to get in another war, and gives this as a reason.
148	* WeHelpTheHelpless: Ezra almost quotes the trope word for word when asked why they should help Minister Tua.
149	* WhamEpisode: Maketh Tua is killed, Ezra's home and Tarkintown are destroyed, Lothal is effectively doomed to be an Imperial stronghold, Phoenix Squadron is in shambles, Ahsoka discovers that Darth Vader is really Anakin Skywalker, Darth Vader knows that Ahsoka is alive, the Emperor plans on using her to find and kill other surviving Jedi, and a new Inquisitor is sent after the ''Ghost'' crew.
150	* WhamLine: Darth Vader's realization about Ahsoka's presence.
151	-->'''Darth Vader:''' The apprentice lives.
152	* WhamShot: Vader strolling in during the rebels' attempted escape with an ignited lightsaber and a squadron of Stormtroopers.
153	* YouCantGoHomeAgain: Lothal is seen as a lost cause for the time being, and the ''Ghost'' crew vow to focus their efforts elsewhere. Ezra's hideout is destroyed to cement this.

Context Recap / StarWarsRebelsTheSiegeOfLothal