Recap: STAR WARS Resistance Episode 11 a Disappointment

Star Wars Resistance, the third Disney foray in the animated galaxy far, far away, got off to an admittedly slow start. Things were starting to pick up before the mid-season break, however. Episode 10, Station Theta Black, saw show protagonist Kaz and Poe Dameron discover a First Order weapons making facility and nearly die in the process. Then we got the mid-season trailer, chocked full of First Order encounters and other enticing previews. Fans looked forward to an exciting beginning to the second half of the season. Instead, we got Resistance episode 11.

[Editor’s note: many sites are reporting that this is Resistance episode 12. They’re wrong. The series premier was a two-parter, not two episodes. The official episode listing can be found HERE.]

Rather than building off the momentum of episode 10 and the midseason trailer, Resistance episode 11, entitled “Bibo”, conversely took a big step backwards in the storytelling. The episode basically ignores the overall First Order narrative and focusses to the contrary on Neeku and his adoption of an orphaned sea creature.

The Pointlessness of Resistance Episode 11

Resistance episode 11, and its departure from the overall story arc, was both unnecessary and pointless. Worse, it utilized the utterly clichéd plot of “angry mother [enter generic creature type here] wreaks havoc until her offspring is returned”. Neeku realizes the creature he’s come to love so much must go back home, he releases it, the station is saved…. *YAWN*

If ever there was evidence that Dave Filoni was taking a hands-off approach to this new series, Resistance episode 11 is it. With the series proceeding in fits and starts, the producers and directors clearly haven’t learned enough from Master Filoni. Similarly, “Bibo” proves that there is no longer any question that Resistance is squarely geared towards a younger audience.

To say that Resistance episode 11 was a disappointment is an understatement. That’s especially true after the tease of action and intrigue in the midiseason trailer. There were only two, main plot connections the episode offered. One was the pirate/spy Synara learning that Kaz is, in fact, a Resistance pilot. The other was Tam discovering the children Kel and Eila (who is Force-sensitive) hiding from the First Order in engineering.

Even though Disney ordered the show up for a second season, it has a long way to go before fans will be enticed to keep watching. The rest of the second half of the season needs to make a major leap forward. Resistance episode 11 isn’t going to cut it.

Star Wars Resistance airs Sundays at 10:00 pm on the Disney Channel.