Star Wars Resistance review: Kaz and BB-8 sneak around Doza Tower

Things start to pick up for Kaz and BB-8 as the First Order pays a mysterious visit to the Colossus. This latest episode also gives us a glimpse into Tam Ryvora and Hype Fazon’s past.

In “The High Tower,” an unfortunate lack of power to the station leads to an opportunity for Kaz. This is the moment he and the audience have been waiting for, since his primary objective is to gather intel on the First Order for the Resistance. The thing is he hasn’t had much luck until now.

Kaz’s eavesdropping helps answer some questions, but it raises others in the process. And if that isn’t enough, we also discover a connection between Tam and Hype. Without a doubt, this episode has the perfect mix of humor, action, and intrigue.

Power outages

Since Tam, Kaz, and Neeku can’t work due to the lack of power, they decide to grab a few drinks at Aunt Z’s tavern. There, Kaz gets into a conversation with Aunt Z herself. She believes Captain Doza is working with the First Order.

It’s funny how Kaz’s opportunities come to him when he least expects them. It’s because of the power outages and Aunt Z’s willingness to talk that he learns about the First Order connection with Captain Doza. All he initially wants is to get a drink, but this unfortunate situation turns into a win for him.

This episode also has a great balance of screen time for each main character. Neeku, in particular, has more than a handful of great and hilarious moments. One of our favorites appears right at the beginning when he uses his new comlink to contact Kaz, even though Kaz is only a few feet away.

Enter Hype Fazon

Hype Fazon, the leading ace pilot of the Colossus, visits the tavern. Kaz introduces himself and discovers the other ace pilots are escorting a shipment from the First Order. He and BB-8 are determined to get into the tower to find answers.

One of the most fascinating parts of this episode features Tam and how she used to be close friends with Hype. It never occurred to us that the aces had once been in Tam’s position and worked their way up to where they are now.

Tam’s story about having a friend who abandoned her makes her an even more relatable character because most of us have experienced that at one point or another. This new detail also makes us rethink Hype as a character and how he’s a jerk for leaving a friend behind in favor of fame and glory.

It’s also interesting how Hype wants nothing to do with the First Order. We’re curious to find out why he asked for this special arrangement with Doza. Bo Keevil, another non-human ace pilot, seems to be okay handling the First Order shipments, so it must be something more personal.

Visiting Doza Tower

Luckily for Kaz and BB-8, Hype invites them and Tam up to the tower. Kaz spots the First Order and sneaks away to eavesdrop on the closed-door meeting with Captain Doza. There, he learns it’s only a matter of time before Doza strikes a deal with the First Order.

This part of the episode tosses our fuel theory out the window. It turns out the Colossus doesn’t produce fuel, even though it’s a refueling platform. Instead, it imports fuel. Even more interesting, the fuel comes from the First Order.

Again, it begs the question, why does the First Order want the Colossus? We originally imagined the platform was going to provide much-needed fuel to the First Order’s fleet. That’s not the case, so why are they trying to force Captain Doza into an alliance?

We love how the plot isn’t as predictable as we initially thought. It’s keeping us on our toes and only revealing the right amount of details to keep us guessing. That’s good storytelling.

Escaping the First Order

Of course, things don’t go smoothly for Kaz. He’s discovered and makes a run for it with stormtroopers following close behind. He stumbles into Torra’s room, where he has to escape through the window. He eventually dodges the troopers completely and makes his way back to Yeager’s garage.

The whole chasing scene between Kaz and the stormtroopers is pure gold. Kaz is truly one of us because he was legitimately freaking out and screaming the entire time. If we were in his boots, we’d react the same way. Not only that, but Aunt Z made a betting pool on whether he’d fall or not. That just made it all the more hilarious!

We knew Kaz wasn’t going to fall off the ledge and die, but it was still suspenseful. The personal stakes are there because there is a real possibility of him getting caught and blowing his entire mission.

While he wasn’t apprehended by the First Order, he now has to worry about Captain Doza. Kaz was supposed to keep a low profile, but now that he’s caught Doza’s attention, things will undoubtedly get more complicated for him, Yeager, and the others.

We know we’re only five episodes in, but this is the best, by far. Writer Stephany Folsom did a fantastic job at combining intriguing conversations with hold-your-breath moments and laugh-out-loud situations. We can’t wait to see where the story goes next!

Lingering thoughts

• Where was Yeager the entire time? It seemed odd not to have him around, especially when the power outages were affecting the work in his garage.
• Neeku has the most adorable laugh.
• Do Tam and Hype have feelings for each other? We got that vibe off of them, especially in Aunt Z’s tavern.
• Torra’s room is simply the best. She has cute stuffed toys and a poster of Sabine Wren’s starbird symbol from Star Wars Rebels. Does she know Sabine? Is Sabine a famous artist at this time? We have so many questions.

What were your thoughts on this episode? Why do you think the First Order is coercing Doza into making an alliance with them? Did this episode change the way you see Hype Fazon?

Star Wars Resistance airs Sundays on the Disney Channel at 10 p.m. ET/PT and DisneyNOW.