I don’t think this episode makes up for the problems with this season overall, but there’s a lot to like with this episode as well.
I really loved the cyberpunk vibes from the initial scenes on Coruscant. There was a great shot of the Imperial probe droid looming over Kane. Haven’t been impressed with the cinematography much this season but I really liked the look and feel of that scene.
The nerdy lore-loving part of me really enjoyed the Shadow Council scene. It presents a really intriguing concept, and while the acting from the warlords was a little campy here and there, it fits for Star Wars. I feel like Pellaeon was pulled right out of the pages of the Thrawn Trilogy. Looks just as I imagined him, and I liked the actors performance. He had this slightly dramatic way he moved his hands as he spoke, which I thought played into how Gideon called him out with always speaking with authority. You kind of get this vibe that he is trying to project more authority to persuade the other warlords to listen to him and wait for Thrawn’s return. But you also get a sense that he is trying to alleviate his own concerns with Thrawn’s long absence.
Again, I did say the other warlords were a little campy, but they set them up nicely I thought. They all have interesting looks, different costumes that set them apart. The few lines we get from them gives us a hint at their personalities. And one moment I enjoyed was when Gideon said, “I account for what goes on in my sector, no more, no less. The same can be said for every member of this council.” And the other warlords immediately chime in with, “Yes”, “Of course”. BUT, you can tell, just like Gideon, they all have their own ulterior motives that they’re also hiding. It definitely adds dimension to this concept of a Shadow Council. These warlords have an uneasy alliance with each other. I get the feeling that Brendol Hux and Pallaeon’s factions have more resources than the other warlords, and they use that as leverage to keep them quiet, and fall in line with their plans.
You can definitely argue they are trying to retroactively make the run and gun of the sequel trilogy work better, but I do appreciate the effort. I’m not saying it is brilliant storytelling, I’ve been pretty disappointed in it, but one thing I have liked about this season is that it has given some interesting tidbits of world building for this post-ROTJ era (7 years after the Battle of Endor I think?). The New Republic rangers, the Mandalorian reunification, and the Imperial Shadow Council, all make for interesting concepts that would be fun for a Star Wars tabletop game or something like that.