Idiot’s Array
In this episode, the Spectres get more than they bargained for when Zeb loses at cards to none other than the slimy (but stylish!) Lando Calrissian. Here are some things I love about it.
In this episode, the Spectres get more than they bargained for when Zeb loses at cards to none other than the slimy (but stylish!) Lando Calrissian. Here are some things I love about it.
- It’s no secret to anyone looking through the D+ menus or the previews that Lando has a guest appearance in this episode, but even so, I decided to play this one close to the chest when I showed it to Mindy for the first time. They don’t take long to introduce Calrissian but the way they build a bit of anticipation and wait to fully reveal him is masterful.
- Lando’s design is surprisingly workable, considering that Rebels didn’t have the budget for any swishy capes that he’s famous for wearing.
- Billy Dee Williams sounds as great as ever. You would never guess that he’s aged 30 years since his appearance in Return of the Jedi.
- The way that Kanan recoils when Hera shouts in his face. She’s kind of scary when she’s pissed.
- Ezra’s 180 when Lando starts giving Sabine creepy compliments and insulting him.
- Azmorigan is based on early concept art for Jabba the Hutt, so he’s just as disgusting as you’d expect. James Hong also delivers a delightfully repulsive voiceover performance that makes my skin crawl.
- Hera batting away Lando’s hand when he tries to invade her boundaries, and punching him in the groin when she gets back on the Ghost. Also the venom in her voice and the fire of hatred in her eyes. Great work all around by Vanessa Marshall and the animation team.
- Lando has spent the majority of the episode dividing the crew, but Zeb and Ezra accomplish this in a very literal sense by inflating the puffer pig in the hall. This scene also forcefully illustrates Lando’s intended alliance structure: the girls (and Chopper) one his side, with Kanan, Ezra, and Zeb isolated from them. His great blunder was that he overestimated his ability to charm Hera and underestimated the force of her personality, and she’s not shy about putting her foot down.
- The stun blaster built into Ezra’s lightsaber is a genius way of keeping the stakes low and making it more plausible to not (yet) draw the attention of the most powerful figures in the Empire.