While Disney didn’t have much to present at SDCC on the next Star Wars movie, currently in production, Star Wars in general was as prevalent as it usually is.

Frequent Star Wars Weekend host Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka from The Clone Wars) was present in the Exhibit Hall, at the Her Universe booth.

Star Wars cosplayers were out in “Force.”

And there was plenty of merchandise related to both the existing movies, and Disney’s next foray into the Star Wars universe, “Star Wars Rebels.”

Premiering this Fall, the new animated series (which was prominently featured at Disney Hollywood Studios’ Star Wars Weekends this year) takes place directly after the enactment of Order 66, which called for the termination of all Jedi. The story follows Ezra, a 14-year old Aladdin-esque urchin, who joins up with the crew of the Ghost to fight back against the ever-increasing oppression of the new Galactic Empire, and to learn what it means to have a cause larger than yourself.

As a backdrop to his journey, the series will show the grassroots origin of the rebellion from a handful of scattered individuals to the Rebel Alliance seen in Star Wars IV.

At the main Star Wars Rebels panel discussion, Dave Filoni (Executive Producer,) Freddie Prinze Jr. (“Kanan,”) Simon Kinberg (Executive Producer,) Steve Blum (“Zeb,”) Taylor Gray (“Ezra,”) Tiya Sircar (“Sabine,”) and Vanessa Marshall (“Hera”) were in attendance.

Some of the discussed topics:
–Marshall is by far the biggest Star Wars fan of the cast.
–Light saber fights will be infrequent on the show, given that all the remaining Jedi are in hiding.
–“Rebels” will resemble the original trilogy more than Filoni’s last series “Clone Wars.”
–The cast often records as an ensemble, developing a family dynamic similar to that of their characters.
–Art direction is aimed towards the original Ralph McQuarrie designs.
–During SDCC weekend, Marshall and Sircar became honorary members of the costume club “Mandalorian Mercs.”
–The series will begin with the Jedi branded as traitors, and show how the Empire oppression gradually breeds rebellion.
–As the show progresses, each character’s motivation for joining the rebellion will be revealed.
–Prinze Jr. says that Kanan has an adolescent darker side as a result of having his training cut short when Order 66 exterminated over 90% of the Jedi, but learns control by teaching Ezra.
–The ship’s droid “Chopper” is less cooperative than R2-D2.
–Fan expresses doubt that a “girl” like Sircar would be interested in Star Wars, setting genre social equality back another 60 years.

The next day a roundtable discussion with the panelists was held:

Freddie Prinze Jr.

Dave Filoni

Vanessa Marshall and Steve Blum

Tiya Sircar and Taylor Gray

“Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion,” the series premiere, will air September 29 on WATCHDisneyXD.com, the WATCH Disney XD app for smartphones and tablets, and Disney Channel SVOD; October 3 at 9pm ET/PT on the Disney Channel; October 4 on Disney XD VOD, and for purchase through Apple iTunes, Amazon Instant Video and Google Play; and October 6 on Disney XD at 8pm ET/PT.

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