Tam makes a fateful decision that will change her life forever, while the resistance and First Order battle, in a climactic end of Star Wars Resistance.
The Escape is Star Wars Resistance at its very best. It had X-wings, it had TIE fighters, First Order vs. resistance, it had Supreme Leader Kylo Ren dishing out dark side powers, it had action, drama, and comedy. And just like the rest of Star Wars Resistance fell just shy of delivering on all fronts. But who’s counting? The Escape was a fun and exciting episode that proved a third season was not only deserved but necessary.
Necessary because several because the story feels incomplete. The children, Kel and Eila, were not in the episode until the very end (don’t blink). And maybe they didn’t need to be, but their story was interesting enough to continue. Wasn’t it? Kel and Eila are two siblings, brother, and sister who are at least semi-force sensitive. The last two to survive a First Order attack on their world of Tehar. In an era that has witnessed the deaths of Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Ben Solo (who technically lives inside Rey), and Han Solo (he’s not a Jedi, but he’s someone who has at least a minor affinity for the Force), having two force-sensitive children emerge at a time when Rey is reestablishing what it means to be a Jedi…the stars were aligned, the seeds were planted.
One thing that didn’t make a ton of sense in The Escape was Tam’s escape. Why would Tam think it was okay to meet up with Kaz and Yeager accompanied by two more First Order TIE fighters. What did she think was going to happen? Tam hyperspace jumps to the Tashtor sector (where Castilon and Takodana are located) to lead a training exercise, which obviously raised the alarm for Tierny (she eventually notices Tam’s comlink is missing from her desk drawer). On Castilon, Yeager, and Kaz have a quiet conversation about Tam’s history. When Tam arrived on the Colossus, she was a runaway who wanted nothing more than to be a racer. Yeager said she lost everything. What Yeager means by this is unclear, and he doesn’t elaborate. Did she lose everything in a bet? A tragedy? A story that could be further explored, and maybe it will be in the future.
Anyway, while they’re discussing Tam, she arrives only to be followed by two wingmates. After the decisions she made, Tam needs to understand that the smallest hiccup could destroy the only chance of her returning and the only chance of being accepted back. Tam orders Rucklin and the others not to fire on the found transport, which immediately is disregarded as soon as Rucklin recognizes who is standing on the racing ring. In the ensuing battle, Tam destroys the other TIE’s only for Tierny’s Star Destroyer to arrive.
Backtracking a bit, Kaz and Tam exchange a touching moment as the two friends reunite as if nothing happened. Yeager’s greeting wasn’t quite as warm. Yeager is a complicated man. He speaks of Tam like a daughter when she’s not present; in person, he’s much more stern. The Star Destroyer arrives, which, again, makes Tam’s intentions look suspect. Kaz, Tam, Yeager, and CB-23 escape via transport only to be pulled in by a tractor beam. Yeager unleashes on Tam again, “you got us into this mess, you get us out!” In any event, Tam owns up to her actions and is ready to make amends.
When looking at Star Wars Resistance as a whole, it’s easier to appreciate how Kaz has grown as a young man. When he first arrived on the Colossus, he knew nothing about being a spy or a mechanic and even less about life. Now he’s much more relaxed and confident in his abilities (he can pick out which tool Neeku needs without hesitation). Kaz’s compassion for others is what makes him so likable. He credits Neeku and Tam for showing him the ropes. He puts his friends first, especially those in need. He never lost hope in Tam, even at the darkest moments. In many ways, Christopher Sean, the voice of Kaz, in the real-world embodiment of Kazuda Xiono. His interactions with fans are genuine and always pleasant.
In the end, the members of the Colossus are simple people trying to make their way in the universe. Sure, they were hesitant to help at first, but when it counted, they came together for each other. They’ve become a close family, which makes it even sadder that their stories are ending, at least for now. All of the big baddies met their respective ends, Agent Tierny, Commander Pyre, and Jace Rucklin, who deserved every one of those hits he took, two of which were from Tam. Rucklin is such a snake. He couldn’t wait to toss Tam under the bus to save his skin. Even when he tried to tell Pyre he wasn’t part of the plan, Pyre cuffed him anyway. It didn’t occur to Rucklin that Tam was right about the First Order. He wanted to be on what he thought was the winning side so bad, nothing else mattered.
Star Wars Resistance has come to an end after two seasons. It hasn’t always been a smooth ride, but it’s been entertaining. The animation and the acting remained the standout aspects of the series for the entire run. The Escape was a double-length episode that expertly balanced action and intensity with contemplative moments. And although it didn’t wrap every story arc, the primary story arc saw a satisfying closure. It didn’t touch on Kaz’s family at all, which is fine, but it would have been nice to know where they stand in all this and have Kaz’s relationship with them to be more developed. All in all, Star Wars Resistance is a series about people who were put in a position, and decide: run from evil or stand and face it. And by facing it, they stood together as a family, closer now than ever.
Once upon a time in a town no one’s heard of, there lived a boy who enjoyed Star Wars from the quiet of his bedroom. A time came when a new comlink allowed the boy to hear that there are others like him. Overjoyed, the boy wanted nothing more than to join in the conversation. So he did. The rest is HIStory. Besides Star Wars I also enjoy Marvel and Game of Thrones (I dabble in all sorts of geeky fun). You can find me on the couch watching one of several streaming services, reading or writing. Let’s go, Bruins!