Tarkin: Now, Kanan Jarrus, how many lights do you see?
The Rebels attempt to strike back against the Empire after Kanan had been captured.
Tropes:
- Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: Kanan's criminal record includes serious crimes such as theft and assault, and then caps it off with "piloting without a license".
- Call-Back: To "Rise of the Old Masters" where something thrown from the Ghost hits a loth-cat. Here the hapless Imperial droid nearly hits a pair of loth-cats, though they don't take offense.
- Cassandra Truth: Ezra tells Vizago that Kanan is a Jedi. Vizago simply stares at him... and then starts laughing in disbelief at the idea. As he laughs, Ezra lifts a crate above his head with the Force; proving he's telling the truth.
- Cacophony Cover Up: Chopper 'accidentally' overloads the internal comm; the noise and the fact that Hera is busy shouting at the droid distracts her from the flashing light and buzzer indicating that the others have stolen the Phantom for a rescue mission that Hera hasn't authorized.
- Central Theme: To the Star Wars franchise as a whole. Fulcrum is disappointed because the Phoenix Squad drew attention to themselves when they were supposed to fly under the radar, but Kanan wanted to give people hope.
- Cold-Blooded Torture: Kanan gets the full package from Kallus, Tarkin, and the Inquisitor — torture droid, electric shocks, and a forceful Jedi Mind Trick.
- Comedic Sociopathy: Yet another droid ends up a victim of Chopper, though it surprisingly survived the fall.
- Continuity Nod: Kanan is being shipped off to Mustafar, a place described as "where Jedi go to die". Mustafar was where Anakin metaphorically died, being replaced by the armored cyborg Darth Vader, in Revenge of the Sith. In addition, as shown in Rogue One, Vader's castle is on Mustafar. Presumably, any Jedi delivered there would be dealt with by him personally.
- Cutting the Knot: In order to keep the Rebels from hacking their network, the Imperials simply shut the entire thing down. It's lampshaded that this same all-or-nothing reasoning comes from the guy who blew up their own comm tower rather than let the Rebels use it for however long it would take to undo their sabotage.
- Deadfoot Leadfoot: After the captured AT-ST blows up, the legs somehow stumble along by themselves into the other AT-ST, knocking it over.
- Defiant Captive: Kanan repeatedly snarks at his captors. Downplayed by the end, where he hasn't broken but he's stopped talking.
- Determinator: Lampshaded by Tarkin when he says that Kanan has the will of a Jedi if nothing else.
- Didn't Think This Through: Letting Chopper anywhere near the Imperial courier droid after Zeb had praised it. Even lampshaded by Zeb when the inevitable happens...Zeb: [after Chopper pushes the droid out the cargo bay at altitude] Shoulda seen that comin'.
- Dressing as the Enemy: Chopper is painted as a courier droid so he can infiltrate the Imperial communications ship.
- Exploited Immunity: In his getaway, Chopper spaces himself. While the pursuing stormtroopers helplessly flail about in vacuum, Chopper needs no air to breathe and has a rocket for propulsion.
- Explosive Instrumentation: Seemingly done on purpose by Chopper. After he hacks the Imperial database, the port he was using explodes behind him, keeping the officers from following.
- Foreshadowing: Word of Godnote was that going to Mustafar was a hint that Vader's castle was there, as later shown in Rogue One.
- Freeze-Frame Bonus: Kanan's prisoner information says (if you read Aurebesh) he's wanted for theft of Imperial supplies, resisting arrest, assault of Imperial officers and piloting without a licence.
- Godzilla Threshold: Going to Vizago for a favor is considered this, doubly so when Ezra has to reveal that he and Kanan are Jedi to secure Vizago's cooperation.
- Grievous Harm with a Body: The episode opens with the theft of an AT-ST. Zeb is kind of out-gunned, so Ezra hands him what looks like the glove of one of the stormtroopers piloting it. Turns out, it's the trooper, who Zeb throws at troopers on the ground.
- The Guards Must Be Crazy: After being disguised as a courier droid, Chopper wheels his way onto the transport unescorted. One of the guards wonders where his escort went to, but the other doesn't care as they're running late and it's not their problem.
- Icon of Rebellion: Implied by Fulcrum, who says that Ezra's broadcast had a powerful effect and that Hera should focus on protecting him over saving Kanan.
- Interrogated for Nothing: Kanan doesn't know anything about Fulcrum or other rebel cells because Hera's been keeping everyone else Locked Out of the Loop, so they wouldn't have gotten anything even if they had managed to break him. The Grand Inquisitor actually suggests that this could be the case.
- In the Hood: Fulcrum appears in an all-concealing cloak in a holo-comm conversation with Hera. Given the revelation of their identity in the next episode, it's likely a holographic avatar.
- I Surrender, Suckers: Kanan pretends to surrender to the Inquisitor to buy time (though he's captured for real later) and Sabine uses the trope to throw a Sticky Bomb onto the Imperial aircraft.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Chopper earns this in spades. Instead of pranking everyone, he insists on staying in the AT-ST to the bitter end hoping for info on Kanan, having to be forcibly removed by Zeb. Then he's despondent on the Ghost, comforted by Ezra, willing to go against Hera's orders to rescue him. Hera, the person he's most devoted to, on the urging of Ezra, the latest addition to the crew.
- Leonine Contract: Vizago insists on a favor from Ezra in exchange for information on Kanan's whereabouts, not giving any indication as to what it may be or when he'll ask.
- Locked Out of the Loop: Enforced by Hera. When concern is expressed that the Imperials might break Kanan, Hera ruefully notes that he has nothing to give up if they do. She's the one running the show. Tarkin and the Inquisitor both genuinely consider the idea that Kanan simply doesn't know of any other cells.
- Look Behind You: Sabine taunts a pair of stormtroopers with this. They don't fall for it, allowing Zeb to sneak up behind them.
- The Needs of the Many: Fulcrum argues that Hera needs to abandon Kanan after their stunt with the comm tower, as security is too tight and any rescue would likely cost the rest of their crew.
- Not Me This Time: Ezra has to clarify to Vizago that they weren't responsible for the destruction of the comm tower.
- Oh, Crap!:
- Zeb and Sabine when they realize that Ezra's going to tell Vizago that Kanan's a Jedi.
- Ezra when he sees an utterly infuriated Hera at Vizago's place.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Chopper is very proactive and is clearly sad that Kanan's gone.
- Plot Armor: When the rebels steal an AT-ST in Return of the Jedi, a couple of blasts is enough to destroy another AT-ST when they come up behind it. Here the captured AT-ST doesn't blow up until our heroes have left, even though there's an AT-ST firing away right behind them.
- Pragmatic Villainy: After a prolonged period of subjecting Kanan to electricity-based torture, Tarkin calls for the Inquisitor to stop, saying there's nothing they can gain from a dead Jedi.
- Robot Buddy: The crew steals an Imperial courier droid and sends Chopper in its place. Ezra sticks it with Zeb because Zeb is intimidating, and Zeb takes a shine to the droid when it puts out a fire. Then Chopper shoves it out the bay doors when it's suggested they keep it.
- So Proud of You: Despite being mad at him for disobeying her, Hera is also proud of Ezra for taking the initiative and getting a lead on Kanan.
- Thrown Out the Airlock: Chopper deliberately does this to himself to escape an Imperial ship he infiltrated, taking a group of stormtroopers with him. He's then able to fly back to the Ghost with his rocket booster.
- Torture Chamber Episode: Kanan spends the episode being tortured by the Grand Inquisitor and Tarkin.
- Vehicular Turnabout: The Ghost crew temporarily hijacks an AT-DP to get coordinates from the Empire.
- Villain Respect: Tarkin and the Inquisitor admit Kanan has the will of a Jedi if nothing else by the end of an episode's worth of torturing him. Tarkin orders Kanan be taken to Mustafar, their definitive torture facility, when Kanan doesn't break. Darth Vader's fortress...
- We Need a Distraction: Chopper messes with the comm system on the bridge so Hera doesn't hear the notification of the Phantom being launched. It works, but Hera quickly realizes what Chopper's up to and catches up.
- What the Hell, Hero?:
- Ezra calls out Hera when she says that rescuing Kanan is a lost cause, noting that he'd rescue her if she were in his position.
- Ezra gets it in turn for disobeying Hera and indebting himself to Vizago for a lead of questionable usefulness. Although Hera then admits that she's also proud of him for taking the initiative in doing what he truly believed to be right.
