Star Wars Resistance season premiere review: Kaz is way in over his head

After Star Wars Rebels came to an end, we didn’t think we were ready for a new series to start so soon, but Star Wars Resistance is the kind of lighthearted show we need nowadays.

It’s no secret we’re living during harsh and difficult times. Now and then, we need a good mental escape from reality (and from fandom). Star Wars Resistance is a fun option to consider, since it combines everything we love about Star Wars with a good dose of innocent humor.

Resistance also comes in a whole new look and design compared to what we’ve seen before from Lucasfilm Animation. It’s different, it’s vibrant, and it’s Star Wars because Star Wars never settles for being bland and boring.

First Order encounter

In “The Recruit,” Kaz is on his way to deliver important information to the New Republic, but the red First Order TIE fighter pilot on his tail makes it difficult until Poe Dameron arrives with the assist. Poe sees Kaz’s potential and recruits him into the Resistance.

His first mission? Go to the Colossus refueling station on the Outer Rim planet of Castilon — where star pilots across the galaxy hang out, race, and gamble — and figure out who’s loyal to the First Order and who’s not. Simple mission, right? Wrong. It doesn’t take long before things start to fall apart for our main protagonist.

Speaking of which, Kaz has a fascinating background. He’s not an orphaned child with a rough upbringing, like we’ve seen in the past. Kaz comes from a wealthy family with a father who made all of his life choices for him.

At one point Kaz says, “I grew up in the New Republic. It’s my home. It’s everything I know. I want the chance to fight for it.” He could have easily been a rich, snotty person who couldn’t have cared less about the galaxy. Instead, he shares some of the same qualities as Leia Organa, a great leader who once said, “I feel like because I can fight, I have to. For those who cannot.”

Rumor has it

Upon arriving at the Colossus, Kaz talks about how his dream was to be the best pilot in the galaxy. Neeku Vozo, a sweet yet strange Nikto character, overhears this and runs with it. Before Kaz can make it to the local bar, people are already talking about his amazing piloting skills. Not only that, but Neeku enters him in a one-on-one race in order to prove that he’s the best.

While that unfortunate mess is happening, the main thing that sticks out is the diversity of humanoid characters. The immediate response to that is… it’s about time. While the sequel and stand-alone films have expanded to other parts of the galaxy, we haven’t seen many colorful or memorable non-human characters. Resistance is giving us what some of us have been craving in terms of a varied humanoid presence.

One of those colorful characters is Neeku. He’s a complete oddball, but you can’t help but love and treasure this character for his endearing optimism. That said, he does have a big mouth. He says things he shouldn’t be saying, and we wonder if that’s going to play a much bigger role down the line, especially when it comes to Kaz’s mission.

Race to survive

Kaz has no choice but to race against Torra Doza, an expert pilot and the daughter of the man who operates the Colossus. He also has to race against her in the Fireball, a ship known to explode at pretty much everything it does. When the time to race finally arrives, Kaz thinks he can push the ship beyond its limits. He’s told to pull back, but when he finally does, it’s too late.

Kaz crashes into the water and miraculously survives. Afterward, he and Jarek Yeager, the owner of the shop where Kaz will be working, have a heart-to-heart talk. Kaz thanks him for the guidance, but Jarek is honest with him and tells him he wants nothing to do with his undercover mission.

Another great detail about Resistance so far is that Kaz is surrounded by characters with distinct personalities and character motivations. Jarek is an ex-Rebel fighter, and all he wants is a quiet life on this installment in the middle of nowhere. Tam Ryvora, one of Jarek’s mechanics, has a fiery spirit that clashes with Kaz. She wants nothing more than to become a star racer. Meanwhile, Torra is kind, even to her competition, and has a desire to make new friends.

All of these characters feel relatable and convincing because they have common passions and goals. That also makes their individual journeys relatable and all the more meaningful to a young and impressionable audience.

Reporting Back to the First Order

The premiere ends on a foreboding note with the red TIE fighter pilot, Major Vonreg, coming out of hyperspace and giving us a glimpse of Starkiller Base.

Like Star Wars Rebels and Star Wars: The Clone Wars before it, we know how the main story ends (Starkiller Base destroys the New Republic), but we don’t know where the new characters will end up and how they’ll contribute to the fight. That’s the story we want to see and there’s no doubt in our minds that Resistance will answer those questions at a later point in time. For now, we’re happy to be tagging along for the ride.

Lingering Thoughts

• The opening shot of the droid at the start of the series premiere, making you think it was some sort of planet or ship, was clever and genius.
• Poe mentioned the message Kaz and his team were delivering came from a secret source. We’re curious to know whether the identity of this mysterious source of information will come up at some point down the line.
• There’s something about Neeku‘s head gear that reminds us of the cybernetic devices that were once attached to the back of people’s heads during the days of the Empire. We don’t know for sure, but we wonder if it’s playing a role in altering his personality or enhancing his logical side.

What are your thoughts regarding the series premiere? What specifically caught your attention? Which character are you looking forward to following as the season progresses?

The next all-new episode of Star Wars Resistance airs on Sunday, Oct. 14, on the Disney Channel at 10 p.m. ET/PT and DisneyNOW.