Star Wars Rebels Season 3 Episode 6 Review: “The Last Battle”

Well, it’s official; the Clone Wars are finally over. I know, you thought they were all wrapped up following the events in Episode III: Revenge of the Sith… but you’d be wrong. Nope, the battle between The Republic and Trade Federation came to its conclusion during Star Wars Rebels Season 3 Episode 6: “The Last Battle.”

“The Last Battle” was a fun trip back to Rebels predecessor The Clone Wars. There were battle droids (who still can’t shoot straight), references to Commander Cody, and Jedi and Clone Troopers fighting side by side. It was a fantastic episode that finally answered the following question: who actually won the Clone Wars?

– Rex’s Last Stand

This episode centered around the character who was right in the middle of the Clone Wars action. Captain Rex was responsible for leading a salvage mission with Kanan, Ezra, Zeb and Chopper. The goal? To check out a former Trade Federation command shuttle and grab as many weapons as they could. Now, it wouldn’t be a Rebels episode without something going wrong. When an old Super Tactical Droid called Kalani refused to accept defeat, he made a deal with the crew of The Ghost: one last battle to decide a winner of The Clone Wars.

“The Last Battle” worked its way around dealing with PTSD. After seeing plenty of action years ago, Rex returned to his former self, barking orders and making sure everyone would come out of this battle alive. His lively ex-Clone Trooper personality vanished and was replaced by a grizzled war hero. And it wasn’t just Rex reliving the past; Kalani was also haunted by the past, and refused to live in a universe where the results of the war were undecided.

– So, Who Won The Clone Wars?

The most unsatisfying answer… no one. After completing the droid’s test, Rex, Kanan and Ezra approached their machine adversary to claim their prize (a captive Zeb). However, still in the midst of a flash-back rage, Rex was ready to blow the Tactical Droid’s head off and claim victory for the Republic. However, there was no Republic anymore. Or even a Trade Federation. Both Rex and Kalani were leftovers from a previous era. In the end, both sides lost, and in their failure emerged the true victor, the newly established Empire.

The positive spin placed on Rex and Kalani’s awareness of defeat? Well, they were quick to team up and fight invading Empire forces together. Moments after The Clone Wars came to an official end, two former enemies buried the hatchet and joined forces (you know, enemy of my enemy stuff). A quick skirmish against some AT-ATs, and both The Ghost Crew and Droids escaped on separate shuttles. Will we see the Droid General and his battalion of Battle Droids again? Hopefully. It would be great if Rebels worked in Rex leading a legion of droids. The irony alone is worthy of its own episode.

So, “The Last Battle” was another terrific episode in a season that’s really finding its stride. The show has returned to its roots by offering single episode adventures that all tie into the larger story incorporating The Rebellion vs The Empire. And, regardless of the grand, expansive conflict, each character gets their own moment in the spotlight. Today was Rex’s turn, and while he may have experienced his last battle for the grand Republic, his mission appears to be far from over!