MovieChat Forums > Star Wars Rebels (2014) Discussion > Not a bad cartoon, but definitely for ki...

Not a bad cartoon, but definitely for kids. What is it with Maul?

posted 8 years ago by gss2
11 replies | jump to latest

As an adult viewer, I like this show. However, I have to suspend some disbelief to avoid being turned off by certain plot points/story arcs because some of these episodes are pretty pointless. I guess this works for kids, who are the target audience. That said, other things about this show are wonderful and very well done for a cartoon.

I actually think that Jarrus, Callus, the Grand Inquisitor, and the old clone trooper are actually some of the better characters in the whole Star Wars universe. I didn't like the Inquisitor concept at first, but Jason Issacs' voice work was one of the better things about the first season. I wouldn't mind seeing any of these four turn up on the big screen someday, in some form.

Zeb and Hera are OK but not as interesting to watch as the others, so I guess we'll probably see further development of those characters as time goes on (as we will with the other girl character who I'm assuming is a future love interest for Ezra because I don't really understand her necessity otherwise). Ezra probably annoys some people but, if you stop to think about it, he's really not anymore annoying than the young Luke Skywalker was in the 1977 film.

Season two was a big a big improvement over season one, and it really went out with a bang. The series is starting to get a lot better with the inclusion of Vader, Thrawn, and Tarkin as regular secondary characters. I hope that future teleplays do justice to the source material with regard to these three classic characters and also to their respective writers and actors. Bendu, Tom Baker's character, shows promise as well.

One thing I don't get: is Maul suppose to be batty? He seems a little off to me as he simultaneously tries to recruit Ezra as an apprentice while openly attempting to kill his friends. I can't figure out if the character is suppose to be slightly mad, or if the writing is just simplistic for sake of the young audience?

Anyway, this is one of the better animated serials to air on American TV. It's not perfect, and some episodes definitely seem like filler material. However the pros outweigh the cons, and it is one of the few kids shows that I could watch with my younger relatives (or alone) without getting a headache. I hope that Disney takes advantage of all the potential the animated format brings to sci-fi/fantasy TV because, save for a small number of classic famous franchises, this genre is full of live action bombs.

[–] AgentSparkyX 8 years ago

I think you were being too generous in your review. This cartoon is too silly and childish for my taste and has tarnished the good Star Wars name.

[–] gss2 8 years ago

I see what you're saying, but I disagree. After Jar Jar Binks, there was nowhere to go but up. Return of the Jedi wasn't that great either, IMHO.

[–] monstermayhem32 8 years ago

I think it is a decent show. While return of the jedi has its flaws but it is still enjoyable.

[–] Zippy B 8 years ago

The first season was very much aimed at children but it has grown since then and found a reasonable balance between youth targeted and adult tolerable. Definitely found the later seasons far more interesting particularly as they have started integrating with the movies more and not just stories set in the Star Wars universe.

[–] gss2 8 years ago

I agree. I am a person who absolutely cannot watch 90% of modern children's programming because the characters are too loud or obnoxious and the teleplays almost always lack a coherent plot structure. It's like they're designed to make kids ADHD so that somebody can sell their parents Ritalin in the future (that's a joke BTW). I can deal with Rebels.

[–] s-e-jones23 8 years ago

Yeah, Maul's been a little off his rocker ever since Clone Wars, but it's punched up a notch in Rebels. Sam Witwer (Maul's voice actor) talked about how he wanted Maul to be even more unhinged in Rebels, compared to his calm demeanor in Clone Wars.

[–] gss2 8 years ago

That makes sense. I couldn't figure out if Maul was supposed to be crazy or he just sounded crazy due to simplistic writing. Now I know.

[–] magnus166 8 years ago

Well he's be harboring a lot of grudges for a very long time. He's definitely a little nutty at this point.

[–] Max_cinefilo89 8 years ago

Have you seen The Clone Wars?

Maul's insanity was first hinted at in that show, so yes, he's meant to be a bit mad.

[–] magnus166 8 years ago

As far as killing his friends, he needs them out of the way. Ezra's connection to them keeps drawing him back to them. If they're gone, Maul probably hopes Ezra would see Maul as his only friend, his only hope. If Kanan can't teach him the ways of the force, Maul can.

[–] Pete8680 8 years ago

Really in short Maul needs TO DIE. Like last season. His death is overdue because we'll never c him in live action again.