Unlike the previous episode, the background of the character in focus, Hera, actually plays a significant role in the events that take place.  Not only that, but it serves to provide an intriguing look into the mind of one Grand Admiral Thrawn, and the treatment of that character continues to align strongly with his portrayal in the old Expanded Universe (aka “Legends”) line of tie-in novels.    

 

 

Hera is after a family heirloom and a little bit of Imperial sabotage, now that her father is under attack and she learns that her ancestral home is being used as an Imperial base.  And she probably would have gotten away with all of it cleanly, had Thrawn not been there to put the connections together, based on his study of Ryloth culture, particularly art.  Whether in his role as master strategist or interrogator, he comes across as one of the most intelligent Imperial foes yet.  Granted, he is paired with a complete idiot in the form of Captain Slavin, so he looks brilliant in contrast, but he still makes an impression.

 

What is striking is that the Empire has most of the information that Thrawn pieces together at its disposal.  But like so many massive bureaucracies, they don’t know what they collectively ought to know.  Thrawn’s talent is not necessarily pulling off Holmes-level deductions, but rather, seeing the forest instead of the trees.  He recognizes that someone with Hera’s childhood background is more capable and dangerous than she appears, and simply observes that she doesn’t carry herself like a servant or captive earlier in the episode.

 

 

But that’s one of the other reasons the episode works so well: Hera’s backstory is ingrained in everything that happens.  It builds on everything we know about her and her family, giving us more reason to connect to a character that has previously held a great deal about herself secret.  And while Ezra is included in the story as well, as one must expect at this point, he doesn’t overshadow the focus on Hera in the process.  This is another example of Star Wars Rebels picking up the capable storytelling mantle left by the demise of Clone Wars.