When we saw Kaz grown up and capable, it was a not so subtle a signal for us viewers. Things were most likely going to get serious soon, Star Wars: Resistance hinted to us. Welp, buckle up for more troubles and more hard tests on the way. You won’t be disappointed.
And at least in my case, I really was not. I was actually quite pleased with how the series chose to jump into real action. Which was, they went from a place of the series’ core: characters’ interactions and feelings.
Recap: Synara Makes a Choice and It Backfires Badly
As an image above not so subtly shows, Captain Doza is made to face a simple yet excruciating dilemma: he can either have his power over The Colossus and its inhabitants more or less free, or have his heart in peace knowing his dear daughter is safe. I won’t rush to judge him for any choice he makes in this situation, as I am myself not sure what would I do if I were him.
But to put Captain Doza in a dilemma, the First Order has to make a demonstration. They need Doza not to ponder an abstract problem but to live through it. So they promise the pirates they use for their racketeering scheme a triple profit if they catch Torra. And when they succeed, Major Vonreg comes and “saves” the girl nobody else had time to save, though both Aces and Kaz himself were almost there to help. At the same time, if the plan goes less smoothly than expected and both Kaz and Aces were almost there, it’s because Synara had made her choice too. Not because Kaz has an obvious crush on her. Not because she likes being a salvager (though she really likes it). Because being a sweet girl who desperately wants for social interaction, for friends to talk and play with, Torra has just yesterday invited her in the High Tower. Called her a friend. Trusted her.
Being a pirate, Synara has no problem with shooting and bombing the station. But she has a problem with kidnapping an innocent girl who was so nice to her. So she alarms Kaz, and Kaz alarms everyone else.
And now she’s the first to pay a price…both for her right and her wrong. The First Order blockades The Colossus and shuts down interplanetary transport. Also, they send their troops to patrol the station—to catch a spy, no less. And while people first see them as help and security, they soon start to experience the brutal indifference stormtroopers are taught to display towards ordinary people. Still, they are viewed in a mostly positive light.
Kaz barely escapes trouble when he tries to shield a fat Rodian guy from harm when he has trouble finding his ID. His save comes from Neeku honestly believing Kaz is just a fan of First Order who can’t stop following all news about his main interest. Still, the stormtroopers are interested in him—and he can’t even contact the Resistance or else he’ll be outed as a spy. But as he’s able to stop himself from trying to contact the Resistance, he can’t stop himself from helping Synara.
This leads to some quality action both with stormtroopers and with the sea monsters, as well as to some stealthing. But in the end Synara says goodbye (for now, at least) and goes on away from those eager to catch her. And Kaz stays behind contemplating a completely different view of the world where it’s not only good (Resistance) and bad (First Order), but also a vast area with all shades of gray that the absolute majority of the Galaxy live in.
Review: Relationships as a Main Theme
Talking about relationships, I can’t miss the nuance I found the most fun and exciting: all meaningful relationships that propel those two episodes forward are positive interactions between three women of different age and race. Torra may be a privileged Human teen, Tam a hardworking mechanic, and Synara a non-Human pirate turned salvager, but they have enough to chat about and have no problem spending time together.
And it’s their time together (not Kaz and his naive attempts to woo Synara) that make her go on her own and alarm the station about the kidnapping. Also, while Kaz is the one who wants to spend time with Synara the most, she herself is more interested in spending time with Tam…to the point I really want some quality SyTam fanfiction to read.
Of course, Kaz is also her friend. If his feelings are not reciprocated, his good will and his readiness to help, to save, and to cheer certainly are. While she is still uncomfortable in his presence—in anyone’s presence, really, even Tam’s—she respects his constant effort to make her life on The Colossus brighter and easier. Being a hero in her own story, she certainly lets Kaz to be a hero’s friend (doubling as a comic relief, but still).
He was the first to offer her some unconditional help and acceptance, after all.
Moments, Thoughts, Theory Fuel
- Was this sea monster Bibo’s momma? Or even Bibo themselves, grown up and ready?
- Will Synara return in any way both to the show and to the station? What will she do now, when she sees pirate life for what it is?
- Kaz and his metaphors: Let’s talk about…food. You know, imagine someone–not me–found there is some food in the storage that can make everyone sick, but he likes that food…
- A cargo ship bound to Takodana was a nice tie-in moment.
- Synara elbowing Kaz because he came from behind unnoticed was, while fairly common trope, well-executed. Synara immediately feeling guilty both signaled her new mental disposition and reminded me of Connie from Steven Universe.
