Having narrowly avoided total annihilation thanks to Ezra reaching out to Sabine and the Mandalorians, Phoenix Squadron, for the most part, lives on to fight another day. It's unlikely this is the last we've seen of the strange Force wielder, but for now, his words about Thrawn's future are all that linger. The Rebels use the chaos created by the Bendu's attack to escape, while Thrawn instructs his men to shoot at the center of the storm, bringing the Bendu crashing downВ to the planet's surface.В When the Imperial forces approach the Bendu, now severely weakened, he shares with Thrawn a vision: ' I see your defeat surrounding you like many arms in a cold embrace.' Thrawn, not at all pleased with what the Bendu has to say, shoots him, only for the Bendu to vanish into thin air, perhaps even becoming one with The Force. Not that he actually enters the fray on their side, but having been incensed by Kanan, the Bendu lashes out on all who are still on the planet, transforming into a massive storm and attacking both Imperial and Rebel forces.

It still isn't exactly clear what his purpose is within the grand scheme of Star Wars Rebels, but here in 'Zero Hour', the Bendu works as a last minute saving throw forВ the Rebels of Phoenix Squadron. As he likes to remind Kanan: ' I am the one in the middle. Introduced all the way back in the season 3 premiere, the Bendu is a strange fellow, quite powerful in The Force but neither of the light or dark side. In addition to glory-seeking officers, Thrawn's flawlessly planned attack was also thwarted by something else, something he could never have predicted - the Bendu. Unfortunately for Thrawn, his fellow officers Konstantine and Governor Pryce, aren't nearly as wise or clever, and their underestimating of the lengths at which the Rebels will go for their cause creates opportunity for escape. Again, this is all thanks to Thrawn's insight - he, unlike so many Imperials, doesn't underestimate the Rebels, recognizing that they repeatedly manage to pull a victory out ofВ certain defeat. Thrawn comes closer than anyone to putting an end to the Rebellion, and even though most escape, they are handed a heavy blow. ('Zero Hour' does, however, include a short but spectacular fight between Thrawn and Kallus, with the Grand Admiral having worked out that his ISB agent is the Rebel spy, Fulcrum.)

And while Sato's ramming of one of the Interdictors (killing Admiral Konstantine in the process) is noble as well as tactical, it robs of us of a Thrawn and Sato confrontation - something Rebels had earlier implied by suggesting a shared history between the two characters. There are also causalities, with Commander Sato bravely sacrificing himself and his ship to allow for Ezra to get past the Imperial blockade. Star Wars Rebels doesn't opt for that bleak ending here, but Thrawn's offensive is a success in that it preempts the Rebellion's own planned attack on Lothal. Thrawn's launching of an offensive attack has been slowly building throughout season 3, and though it would have been a rather dark note to leave off on, handing Thrawn a victory at this time seemed plausible.

And when that moment comes in 'Zero Hour', there is a sense that this could be it for the Rebellion - even if we know for a fact it isn't. Thrawn is clearly a patient man, waiting for the opportune moment to strike.

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