“Shadows and Dust”

Well, that was the best intro to a Star Wars animated series ever. I am pleasantly surprised at how interesting and relatable the characters were. None seemed like throwaways. Even with the short introductions, I still wanted to learn more about them. We were offered a real depth to a lot of the cast with just a few words, or even a photo on a desk. It was really fantastic storytelling. And I found myself rooting for everyone at times, even for a little Aleena syndicate leader.

Now, I knew the visuals would be good, but I was unprepared for how amazing it looked. I kept look all around the screen, just soaking it in. It captured a Blade Runner and/or Cyberpunk 2077 vibe flawlessly. Many of the faces featured a lot of detail, even a little asymmetry, which isn't common in animated shows. I really loved the fire, explosion, and smoke effects. You could see smoke/fog all over Janix, which really added to the atmosphere. I was most amazed by the windows. You could see lights reflecting off of Lawson's speeder, as well as water beading on the Pyke ship's glass after it landed. Those were short shots, but packed a ton of detail. Even the rug, yes a rug, looked incredible.

Bad Batch and Rebels set pretty high bars for close-knit, character-driven series, so I am cautiously looking forward to how this one progresses. In the meantime, I want some speeder truck models.