Thanks to Lucasfilm and Disney, I was fortunate enough to attend a special press screening of the two new “Star Wars Rebels” episodes premiering on October 14^th, as well as a Q&A session with Dave Filoni and the cast!

The entire event was lots of fun, and really made me, and I’m sure everyone else in attendance, even more excited for season two. Not just because of the two episodes we saw, but because of how excited Dave Filoni and the cast are for the upcoming season. Dave even said before the screening started that this season will be some of the best work he’s ever done in animation.

The two episodes shown were “The Lost Commanders” and “Relics of the Old Republic ,” and of course were the episodes that featured the return of Capatain Rex, Commander Wolffe, and Greggor! I won’t go into spoiler details for both episodes, but as someone who was beyond ecstatic when Rex’s voice was heard in the season two trailer at Celebration Anaheim, these episodes did not disappoint!

Ever since “Attack of the Clones” I’ve been a huge fan of the Clone Troopers, but the “Clone Wars” TV series established them as one of my favorite aspects of all “Star Wars,” and these episodes just added to that. What was great about their introduction in “Star Wars Rebels” was that we got some gaps filled as to what happened to the Clones post “Clone Wars” and “Revenge of the Sith,” but at the same time there were plenty of questions raised about what exactly Rex and company did once the war was over. Dave said that we will learn more of what happened to Rex during that time period, and I can’t wait to find out.

But in the meantime, what we did get in these two episodes was some great interaction between Kanan and the Clones. We knew going into these episodes that Kanan would have trouble with the idea of working with Clones, and Freddie Prinze Jr. did a fantastic job bringing out Kanan’s mistrust of them in some great scenes. It’s also an added bonus if you’re currently reading the Kanan comic series, as knowing what happens from that story just adds more weight to Kanan’s uneasiness towards the Clones.

These two episodes also delivered on the action front. Seeing the Clones in battle again was just awesome! The battle sequence between the AT-TE and several AT-AT’s was just as epic as you’d hope it would be after we saw a glimpse of it in the trailer. And seeing the Clones be reminded of their glory days as they did battle with the Empire had me geeking out on so many levels!

But the highlight of both episodes for me was the very last scene. I won’t go into much detail about it, but I know that die hard “Clone Wars” fans like myself are just going love it. I can’t wait for everyone to check out these episodes once they air on October 14^th.

After the screening there was a Q&A Session with Dave Filoni, Dee Bradly Baker, Freddie Prinze Jr, Vanessa Marshall and Ashley Eckstien. During the Q&A Dave got the most questions as he usually does, and while there were questions that ranged from how long it takes to make an episode, and how he had to wait to bring Ahsoka and Rex back until their stories fit nicely with the Ghost crew’s overall story, he did reveal some interesting details about this upcoming season.

First off, Dave revealed that we will be getting a new a new trailer for season 2 next week! While a date wasn’t revealed, it’s probably safe to assume that it will debut at New York Comic Con. But the big thing about the trailer announcement, was that Dave said there would be a major moment in the trailer that focuses on Sabine, and her homeworld of Mandalore. Dave said that fans of the “Clone Wars” will pick up on that big moment right away, and it will make us say, “Whoa. That changes a lot!”

They also discussed how in this season we’ll see episodes that shed more light on the backstories of the whole Ghost crew. Dave talked about how Hera will have two episodes that focus on her, one about her as a pilot, and the other about her family, and why she is no longer with her father Cham Syndulla on the Ryloth, which got a lot of us there excited.

Sabine fans will also have a lot to look forward to as the series moves forward, as Dave revealed that Sabine’s role to the overall story will come to be every bit as important as Ezra’s in the future. He mentioned that they really want to focus on how the young characters are dealing with this war with the Empire in some upcoming episodes. And yes, even Chopper will get his own backstory episode, and will even get a droid friend! One who Freddie Prinze Jr. said would not get pushed out of the airlock of a flying ship!

The last highlight of the panel for me was something that wasn’t a big reveal, but rather it was just hearing Dave show his support of the prequels like he always does. He acknowledged that they still get a lot of flak, but I loved how he just said he doesn’t care and still loves them, and will continue to treat them as a very important part of “Star Wars,” and that he has to serve the story and characters of “Star Wars” first, rather than serve what some fans may want to see.

So those were some of the highlights of the Q&A session for me. Some cool new stuff was revealed, and hearing Dave Filoni talk “Star Wars” is always a treat, as he gets what makes “Star Wars” so great like no one else does.

Thanks again to Lucasfilm for inviting us to attend this special press screening for “Star Wars Rebels” season two. It was a great time. The two episodes and Q&A session were great, and it was lots of fun hanging out and watching some new “Star Wars” with fellow fans and podcasters!

Be sure not miss the new two episodes “The Lost Commanders” and “Relics of the Old Republic” when they premiere on Disney XD Wednesday, October 14^th!