The other week I finally got around to finishing the Star Wars Rebels third season. If you’re a fan of this show, you know that this third season has been an amazing journey into the interim story that ties into Rogue One. The plot of Rogue One has had a subtle influence on what’s gone on in this season, as our band of rebels are getting closer and closer to meeting up with that timeline. Frankly, I’m looking forward to Rebels coming to a conclusion, hopefully next season, and tying directly into the start of Rogue One.

There were a few things in Season 3 I wanted to address, but in case you haven’t gotten there yet, here’s a big spoiler warning for you.

First, I need to say that I liked the conclusion of the Darth Maul storyline. I know some people felt it was tacked on, but I was getting tired of Maul showing up again and again and being a major pain. I appreciated that we were able to wrap up his story where it started, with his death at Obi-Wan’s hands. I also appreciated seeing how fiercely Obi-Wan was protecting Luke, ensuring that no harm came to the child.

Second, I liked that our merry band got a bit disrupted by Sabine’s departure. I enjoyed most of the Mandalorian storylines and would love to see an entire series dedicated to Mandalorian history. I think going back in time to tell the history of the clans would be fascinating and cool.  Having Sabine take her place among her people seems like a good way to wrap up her tale.

Finally, it was refreshing to see the Rebels lose the battle at Atollon. The entire point of Rogue One was to bring you to that lowest point of despair before launching into A New Hope. Star Wars Rebels can’t end on a happy note. The Rebellion is in it’s infancy and trying to portray them as this powerful force doesn’t work with the rest of the movies. You have to see them at their lowest, and most desperate point to realize how crucial the events of Episode 4 are. This is about overcoming evil with good, and the hope that something better can arise. As our heroes head towards Yavin you know that the dawn of hope will soon be there, but it’s not quite there yet.