Summary
- Rebels season 3, episode 18 showcases the pivotal moment when Mon Mothma denounces the Empire on an intergalactic scale, marking the birth of the Rebellion.
- Andor season 2 is expected to delve deeper into Mon Mothma's journey, exploring her struggles leading up to her defection from the Empire.
- Andor takes place during the same time as Rebels, meaning Mothma's Ghorman speech could be seen in live-action.
Despite Star Wars Rebels having finished over five years ago, the series is more relevant to the Star Wars franchise than ever before. At first, many who saw Rebels believed it could never live up to The Clone Wars because Disney shied away from showing any real violence on-screen. Had any other director been in charge, Disney’s tone for Rebels may have held the show back. Nevertheless, Dave Filoni was able to infuse Rebels with realistic themes that both children and adults can empathize with. Furthermore, a lot of Rebels takes place in the most pivotal moment of the Star Wars timeline.
In particular, the latter seasons of Rebels tend to lean more toward drama than comedy. In Rebels season 3, episode 18, Hera Syndulla and the crew of the Ghost are tasked with escorting Senator Mon Mothma—the future leader of the Rebellion—away from the Empire. Mothma seeks solace on Dantooine, where she hopes to establish the first Rebel base. Mothma goes from the upstanding Senator we see in Andor to being a priority target for the Empire. And if the crew of the Ghost fails to protect the Senator, then the Rebellion would be over long before it ever began.
Mon Mothma Denounced The Empire In 2 BBY Seen in Star Wars Rebels season 3, episode 18 Close In 2 BBY, Mon Mothma publicly denounced the Empire and the Emperor for their atrocities against the Ghorman people. A portion of Mothma’s speech on the Ghorman massacre can be heard at the beginning of Rebels season 3, episode 18, where she makes a point to call Palpatine out as their “self-appointed Emperor.” Not only did this cause the Empire to seek her capture, but it also marked one of the first instances where someone was brave enough to speak out against the Empire on an intergalactic scale. Mothma’s position in the Senate allowed her comments to spread across the galaxy.
While Mothma’s speech about the Ghorman’s did not outright discuss the Rebellion, she did call on the galaxy to stand against the Emperor’s tyranny. By the end of Rebels season 3, episode 18, the crew of the Ghost manage to successfully get Mothma to Dantooine. Once there, Mothma calls out to the scattered Rebels cells, urging them to unite and stand against the Empire as one Rebellion. In many ways, Mothma’s speech marked the true birth of the Rebellion, as it gave others the courage to stand up against the Empire.
Andor Season 2 Will Cover This Time Period Andor Season 2 is expected to place around 4-1 BBY While Star Wars Rebels merely showed a portion of Mothma’s tipping point, Andor season 2 is also set in 2 BBY, and is likely to show more of what led Mothma to publicly denounce the Empire. Genevieve O’Reilly has already teased a darker journey for Mothma in Andor season 2. Andor season 1 was merely setting up the problems Mothma faced, not only in the Senate, but also in her own home. Meanwhile, Andor season 2 will explore the ramifications of Mothma’s family twists in the season 1 finale.