“Breakout” Star Wars Resistance S02E13

by Eric Onkenhout

Kaz and Norath devise a plan to rescue their friends, while the First Order and bounty hunter Ax Tagrin are closing in, in Breakout.

This article contains plot points from Star Wars Resistance Breakout.

Breakout is the second part of a two-part episode, which started with The Missing Agent. And as what’s been usual for Star Wars Resistance, a mediocre episode providing a predictable set of adventures. Every conflict is solved as expected mostly because the plans are verbalized before they are executed, then they are executed without much tension and very few obstacles. Granted, this is a result of the target age range of the series.

As with most episodes of Star Wars Resistance, Breakout wasn’t bad per se, just so uninspired. The only part that came as a surprise was when Kaz stunned Commander Pyre. And even then nothing became of it. It’s such a sudden event and very unlike Kaz, which is why it was the highlight of the episode.

Shocking Commander Pyre

Star Wars Resistance Breakout

When it comes down to it, the villains of Resistance have either become too evil or too soft. It would’ve been more exciting to see Pyre react to being stunned. It had to have hurt his ego in some way, and having him not doing anything about it was a missed opportunity.

And what about Agent Tierney? From her first appearance in season one, Tierney came across as smarter than the average First Order officer. However, she’s still failed to turn Tam entirely over to the First Order, and now her idea is to tell Yeager how much Tam hates him (which doesn’t work). And to get information out of CB-23, she orders the stormtroopers to keep torturing her until she gives them what she wants. Where is her master manipulation? What sort of skillset did she possess to become an ISB Agent?

CB-23 the Real Hero

Star Wars Resistance Breakout

CB breaks out by extending her cable to touch the trooper (and why is there only one trooper in the room with CB?) and shocks him. After that, she swings from the ceiling and takes out Tierney by knocking the wind out of her. So much for Tierney being a threat. Why would the First Order keep Yeager and Synara in the same interrogation room? That way they could conspire for a plan of escape. It’s all very convenient.

Never underestimate a droid, and CB-23 is no exception. She escaped from being tortured while retaining all of the information the First Order was attempting to extract. Then she pilots the shuttle takes out Ax and rescues the group. Kaz, on the other hand, has literally no purpose. His goofiness has outstayed its welcome long ago. His loyalties towards his friends, and doing the right thing is admirable, but without his friends, Kaz would not have survived this long.

In Stormtrooper Disguise

Star Wars Resistance Breakout

Norath is a foil to Kaz. He is what Kaz could be if he would grow up for lack of a better term. Norath has a sense of purpose, and that is to help the resistance. While Kaz is loyal to his friends aboard the Colossus, he doesn’t possess any skills that come in handy during any mission. Yes, he’s a great pilot, but even that is rarely needed. Kaz’s age-old idea of disguising as a stormtrooper worked again. By now, the First Order should have a way to defend against that.

Kaz and Norath spend the majority of Breakout sneaking around. At one point, Norath makes a comment that sneaking around is all they’re doing (perhaps he’d prefer a straight fight). This is the second time Kaz has used the stormtrooper disguise to fool the First Order, and it’s getting old. And for the First Order to not immediately recognize a couple of screwball soldiers wearing ill-fitting armor is eye-rolling, but it’s par for the course.

The Pirate and the Collaborator

Star Wars Resistance Breakout

The confrontation between Ax Tagrin and Commander Pyre was entertaining. Ax turned over Synara and Yeager to Pyre, but Pyre isn’t interested in a pirate and a collaborator. Pyre warns Ax that he brings him the two spies, or he gets nothing. Resistance needs more of this. It wouldn’t hurt the show if the silliness was reduced or dropped altogether. In fact, it would improve the series dramatically. Keep the target age, but tell a good story, and the kids will watch. And having neat ships always helps.

Much of the dialogue in Breakout is cookie-cutter. When a pair stormtroopers walk by Kaz and Norath in disguise, they scoff, “Rookies.” No! Where in the First Order ranks would they ever look like two kids that couldn’t dress themselves? That would never happen. Under Pyre’s watch or anyone’s. Not under a regime that enforces order.

Torra Comes Through

Star Wars Resistance Breakout

The rescue mission towards the end of the episode is compelling in that it was going to have a happy ending, but how wasn’t exactly clear. Torra convinces her father to jump to hyperspace to escape a First Order destroyer, but the Ace’s stay behind to fend off the TIE fighters. When the Colossus returns moments later, all of the Ace’s and the shuttle board and they escape once again. Norath offers a place for Kaz in the resistance but he decides to stay with his family on the Colossus. So what’s the point of the show then? Isn’t the point of the mission to find the resistance and regroup? Neeku brings up what has become a joke within the Star Wars universe that stormtrooper armor is virtually useless. He says, “I have never seen stormtrooper armor protect anyone from anything.” So true.

Conclusion

Breakout is another episode of Star Wars Resistance. That is to say, it’s not terrible, but also not essential to the overall story. Completists will watch for the little extra details, but there isn’t much else to offer other than some minor side characters. Star Wars Resistance mercifully, has six episodes left. Thank the maker!

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