Star Wars Rebels: Wolves And A Door S04E12 Review

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Ezra must unlock the secrets of the Jedi Temple on Lothal! Star Wars lore ties together in Wolves and a Door.

Playing right off the events from last week, Wolves and a Door picks up with Ezra telling the rest of the crew what he encountered out in the wilds of Lothal and just what the Wolves have been trying to tell him. The way forward is now clear; they are to go to the Jedi Temple on Lothal to protect it from destruction or desecration by the Empire.

However they are quite some distance away from the Temple in the North. Ezra enlists the help of the Loth-Wolves who again, as seen previously, are able to use the Force to travel through Hyperspace. Making travel between locations on the planet much faster. After a brief journey they leave the Wolves and make the final approach on foot. The site of the Temple is on lockdown and heavily guarded; overseen by Imperial Minister Varis Hydan. He has been tasked by the Emperor himself to gather valuable artifacts from the Temple and to unlock its secrets.

Disguising themselves as Scout Troopers, Ezra and Sabine infiltrate the site to get a closer look at the engravings on the Temple wall. A depiction of the Mortis Gods; The Father, The Son and The Daughter.

Searching deep within himself and relying on lessons imparted to him by his fallen Master Kanan, Ezra unlocks the glyphs’ secret. This is also due to Sabine revealing herself to the Imperials as a distraction. Ezra follows the painting of the Wolves who are guiding him to a spot on the stone exterior. What he discovers is that it is a hidden doorway that he can use to enter the Temple. Tipped off by Hydan, the Imperials soon corner Ezra at the wall but he escapes by diving through the doorway. As the Stormtroopers attempt to follow him through, they collide with the now solid wall. Leaving Ezra on the other side.

Alone.

The Gods Of Mortis

For several episodes now Dave Filoni and team having been laying down the clues that will tie Star Wars Rebels into specific plot threads laid down way back in The Clone Wars. In Wolves and a Door it is finally starting to pay off.

Using the stone given to him by the Loth-Wolves in the previous episode, DUME, Sabine and Ezra decipher some meaning out of the hand engravings on it that match the depiction they see on the Temple’s surface. That of The Father, The Son and The Daughter. In The Clone Wars Mortis arc these beings were Force users of a sort not seen before. Extremely powerful and ancient; they represented the balance in the Force that fans have debated since the very beginning. Taking the Prophecy of the Chosen One quite literally they had hoped that Anakin Skywalker would join them there at their temple.

Forever.

Here on Lothal, there appearance could mean any number of things. Guardians of a Temple obviously, but what link does it have with the Temple on Mortis if any?

Speaking with the Emperor on Coruscant, Minister Hydan, voiced by Malcom McDowell, informs him of what they have been able to glean from their dig so far. The Emperor is very familiar with Mortis and its history it would seem. As one who deals in the Force and Jedi/Sith history he likely has come across this knowledge much earlier. It’s also possible that he learned more after the encounter experienced by Ahsoka, Anakin and Obi-Wan in The Clone Wars.

The 2D animated scene that takes place on the surface of the temple is visually very striking in a 3D animated series. A stark contrast to its traditional style. As the figures move on the wall their voices can be heard in the background bringing call backs from their origianl appearence. It’s a great way to tie the lore together. Although the purpose remains unclear in this episode what is clear is that this is a place of great importance. And great power.

One that the Rebels need to posses or deal with before the Empire can.

By The Emperors Command

The incomparable Ian McDiarmid returns! Once again claiming the mantle of Emperor, or at least the voice of, in Wolves and a Door. Previously voiced by another accomplished actor, Sam Witwer, the true Dark Lord of the Sith is now back in action.

Speaking to Hydan via hologram, he expresses his desire to breach the secrets of the Temple. He also seems to know that it is a conduit between the living and the dead. And although it is not yet known what that means, it’s safe to say that the Rebels would do best to avoid letting it fall into his withering and crooked hands.

Palpatine also admits to the knowledge that the fate of Lothal has been changed. He feels this in a disturbance in the Force. This is due to the recent death, or self-sacrifice, of the Jedi Master Kanan Jarrus. It is a wrench in the workings of this master manipulator and one that even he cannot see. It came across as slightly uncharacteristic of him. This is the same Emperor who orchestrated both sides of the conflict that was the Clone Wars. And the same Emperor who was able to stay multiple steps ahead of the Rebel Alliance in Return of the Jedi.

Everything is proceeding as I have forseen

But then again maybe not. He did not foresee the survival of the Skywalker children and in the end he could not avoid his own death. So perhaps his vision and judgment is clouded as the Force is ever in motion.

Ramping Up

There are only a handful of episodes left and Wolves and a Door is the laying down some of the groundwork for the series finale on March 5th.

Proving again that Sabine’s appreciation for art is more than just aesthetics her knowledge is what guides Ezra into unlocking the passage inside the temple. Using the stone tablet given to him by the Wolves Sabine deciphers that the glyph on the wall represents a star chart of sorts. It’s a good use of something they have built into her character since the very beginning.

In a nod to old Obi-Wan’s mind trick from A New Hope Ezra convinces a Death Trooper that he does not need his clearance codes and to forget that they were there. One would not think that one of these elite troopers could be so weak minded but the effect works and throws the Trooper off.

Another solid sequence is when the Loth-Wolves travel through Hyperspace with the Rebels in tow. Voices and images can be seen and heard during the journey. Kanan and the Inquisitor from Season 1, Ahsoka Tano and even Ezra himself from the past. They are all from moments during the series that could be viewed as relevant to their current mission and possibly where the season is headed in its final episodes. Only time will tell.

The follow up to Wolves and a Door, A World Between Worlds, aired just afterwards and the review for that episode can be found here.