Star Wars Resistance: Senators and war profiteering

Earlier this week, we found out how some senators are profiting from the creation of First Order weapons, but what if Kaz’s own father is involved in the war profiteering business?

In “Station Theta Black,” Kaz and Poe discover how the First Order has been using a mining facility to acquire dedlanite, a raw mineral used to manufacture blasters. While the facility was destroyed, BB-8 extracted the intel necessary to use as proof of the First Order’s nefarious activities.

Kaz, however, doesn’t believe this information will make a difference. He tells Leia, “If the other senators are anything like my father, there is no way they’re going to believe the First Order is a threat just because of this intel.”

Leia doesn’t argue with him because she knows from experience. She says, “You’re right, Kazuda, considering so many of them are profiting from the creation of these weapons.”

This immediately sets off alarm bells because what if Hamato Xiono is one of those senators? Granted, we don’t know much about him and his background, but it’s not that far-fetched of a thought.

While Kaz is borderline poor while working as a mechanic on the Colossus, he actually comes from a wealthy family. He grew up with money and was given everything he ever wanted. Sure, Kaz’s father probably earned that living through hard work and legitimate means, but no one is immune to corruption. After all, greed is a terrible thing. Access to easy money-making ways can lead anyone astray.

There’s even a whole city dedicated to the galaxy’s ultra-rich: Canto Bight. In Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Finn starts to realize (with the help of DJ) that some people with this opulent background have been selling weapons to the bad guys and the good guys.

While earning money through the production and selling of these weapons is one approach, there are other war profiteering methods, including controlling resources, smuggling goods, and charging high prices. What if Hamato and the other senators are also letting these activities happen while they get paid the big credits to look the other way?

As long as it upholds their lavished lifestyles, everything else is out of sight and out of mind. Sadly, it’s one of the reasons why the Senate wouldn’t have done anything had the survivors of Tehar showed up at their front steps. That’s why Leia went ahead and created her own underground movement.

Speaking of which, we know Hamato didn’t like the idea of Kaz joining the Resistance because he thinks of them as extremists, but what if he also didn’t like the idea because he himself knows what the First Order has been up to and he doesn’t want his son anywhere near the frontlines?

Has Hamato tried to get in touch with Kaz in some way to warn him? Our guess is he hasn’t. If he had, he would have contacted Leia and Leia would have passed along the message to Kaz in this latest episode. Instead, things remain silent between Kaz and Hamato.

It would be a shocking revelation to Kaz if he found out his father was involved in illegal activities pertaining to the First Order. It would only help push them further and further apart from each other. And no reason would be good enough to explain Hamato’s actions. After all, the ends don’t justify the means.

For now, we’ll give Hamato the benefit of the doubt. We do, however, want to learn more about him. The abrupt conversation between them in the series premiere continues to plague us, so here’s hoping we get to hear from him again during the second half of the season.

Star Wars Resistance will return with new episodes in January 2019 on Disney Channel and DisneyNOW.