Check out our review of Star Wars Rebels S2E19: “The Forgotten Droid”!

ghostwritten by Harry

 

It’s all about the Chop!

Every now and again, Star Wars Rebels puts out a really good episode and in my opinion this was one of them. While this easily could have been a rehash of “The Honorable Ones” episode where Zeb and Kallaus are stranded, this one was lighter-hearted. Sometimes it’s not easy doing an episode where your character is not understandable but that didn’t limit this story at all. Chopper is the main focus and his selfishness gets him into trouble!

No Droid Left behind…maybe.

The setup was pretty, while the Ghost crew goes raiding an Imperial fuel depot, Chopper who was supposed to be on guard, decides to abandon post to try and buy a leg to properly replace the one he has.  What’s funny about the sequence is as he is haggling with the vendor who is an Ugnaught and speaks very good Basic (HEY!!! THEY NEVER SPOKE IN ESB!!!), the rest of the Ghost crew is fighting in the background as Chopper is unaware that the crew barely escapes and leaves him. Worse is that he decides to steal the leg. As much as a polarizing character Chopper can be, this episode really highlights how slapped together he is as a droid. Being that he has been around since the Clone Wars, part of his personality quirks are probably because he didn’t get regular memory wipes and updates. Reminds me of another astromech droid we all know.

…meanwhile back at the Imperial fuel dump

We get to meet AP-5, a droid who was also involved in the Clone Wars before being relegated by the Empire as an inventory droid. As someone else pointed out to me and maybe you all noticed, but AP-5’s mannerisms were reminiscent of Alan Rickman. AP-5 is full of disdain and dry wit but worst of all is the abuse he suffers at the captain of the station. Eventually the two droids crosses paths, some droid on droid violence ensues and that’s when we learn more.

The Droidmance begins!

This was the make it or break it point of the episode. Anyone watching was going to either be soured by the character development of these droids or not. One thing Star Wars was always good for was at least giving back story to its supporting characters and this time it’s no different. We find out that both droids are vets from the Ryloth campaign and this is how we learned that Chopper was rescued by Hera from a downed Y-Wing. AP-5 was a tactical droid until his commander was killed.  With these droids’ prior military service it makes me wonder if droids could collect vet benefits…o well. Also a part of the reason why AP-5  won’t shake his Stockholm-like  thinking is because of the restraining bolt he has attached in which Chopper mercifully dislodges.

Get to tha’ Choppah!!

Once both droids agree to get out of Dodge, there is a fun sequence to see them bicker about who will fly the ship they procure to make their way out.  Just as a side note, while you are watching this episode, make note of how many times that Choppers purloined leg is used as a bludgeoning instrument! The droids make their way back to the Rebel fleet but then there is a new complication as AP-5 informs the fleet that the system they plan to escape to is occupied by Imperials so as we see the battle enfold with the Rebels fighting off a Star Destroyer as well as the droids fight the Imperial captain, it’s up to AP-5 to not only decide if he will help the Rebel Fleet escape but where will he send them.

Droid down, droid down!!!  Pimp finger up!!

Of course, you can’t have drama like this unfold without a cliffhanger moment. Just as soon as AP-5 helps the Rebel fleet he is badly damaged by the Imperial captain, who gets the dog snot tased out of him by Chopper. Just before he goes offline, he is able to transmit the coordinates to the Rebel fleet the coordinates they need to help them escape. Things looks grim for AP-5 as he shuts down maybe permanently.

But wait…droids ARE recyclable!

If learning about Chopper’s prior vet service didn’t impress you, then the final moments of this show won’t as we find out that AP-5 may have been down but not out. Chopper, despite his selfish nature, sacrifices his stolen replacement leg to help get Ap-5 back online and as AP-5 lashes out at Chopper for doing such an act, we start to see shades of another droid duo who act pretty much the same way.

Will AP-5 be back? We will see. I know I would like to see more of those 2 together especially with Zeb in the mix.

4 stolen legs out of 5