The funny, exciting and super sweet Star Wars show for the whole family, Star Wars: Adventures of young Jedi is back with a brand new season full of great adventures, tricky challenges and of course all our favorites.
Review of Season 2 of Young Jedi Adventures
At the end of the first season, the Starlight Beacon was dedicated, Yoda imparted his wisdom to the younglings and told them they were destined for greatness, and Taborr was somewhat unmasked. We know he is Prince Cyrus, but the young Jedi don’t. However, he is now friends with Brightstar and the others, meaning he will likely have to choose between villainy and the path of good.
Season 2 picks up right where the last one left off. Kai Brightstar (JeCobi Swain), Lys Solay (Juliet Donenfeld) and Nubs (Dee Bradley Baker) continue their training (including new outfits) and embark on even bigger missions across the galaxy. Master Zia’s (Nasim Pedrad) new Padawan, Wes Vinik (Gunnar Sizemore), and his astromech R0-M1 help the younglings on these missions. As they continue their training and grow in the ways of the Force, the young Jedi will travel to new planets with friends new and old and encounter enemies like the Ganguls, who are growing in their pirate ranks.
Nubs nation, rise up! Young Jedi Adventures is back with new characters, missions, lessons, and fun. Along with the returning cast, fans are introduced to new villains like Captain Blackbolt (Corey Burton), a droid pirate captain who looks and acts like he’s seen Pirates of the Caribbean a few times before. With the returning threat of the Ganguls, Season 2 feels a little more cohesive, with each episode building on the last, but never in a way that would lose the young viewers at home. But most importantly, we felt like our favorite poobian, Nubs, got a lot more screen time, and that’s a win!
Season 2 not only capitalizes on the pirate storyline, but also brings back fan favorites and makes room for even more guest appearances. First off, there’s the younglings’ best friend Nash Durango (Emma Berman), their brave droid RJ-83, and their epic ship, the Crimson Firehawk. When you see Nash on the scene, you know the crew is aiming high. Also returning this season are Bell Zettifar (Marcus Scribner), a name familiar to fans of Star Wars: The High Republic, Huyang (David Tennant), Yoda (Piotr Michael), and the Pirate Queen herself, Maz Kanata (Grey DeLisle). Bulcha the Hutt (the always hilarious Jason Mantzoukas), as well as a few other antagonists, show how our younglings’ abilities slowly grow, allowing them to face tougher opponents.
Because this show is aimed at young children, each episode contains lessons that are important to the crew but also serve as encouragement for viewers. From the importance of communication and understanding others to accepting our mistakes and what it means to be a true hero, Young Jedi Adventures continues to impart Yoda-sized wisdom that can open the door for conversations between parents and their children. And some of those life lessons need to be heard by the adults too — like that it’s OK to ask for help because we know that’s true, but how many of us actually follow through? Yeah, don’t answer that.
It wouldn’t be a Star Wars series without great action sequences, detailed environments, and a little mischief. Standout moments this season include a trip to the Wookiee planet Kashyyyk for Life Day and a return to Black Sire Outpost, which doubles as a play on naming that spot in Galaxy’s Edge. There’s also a Nubs-centric segment where our plucky blue friend does his best to take extra care of a treasure he finds.
Verdict
Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures maintains the fun, excitement, and delightful tone that made Season 1 a hit with families across the galaxy. This season ups the ante just enough to grow with little ones watching at home. The animation and range of movements and emotions also seem a bit crisper and more detailed than the previous season; however, that’s not something your kids are likely to notice. Whether you’re a returning fan or just discovering the series, Young Jedi Adventures is the perfect introduction for your kids to the galaxy far, far away. Even without the Sith or Nightsister or General Grievous types, it continues George Lucas’ mission to teach kids to tell the good guys from the bad and inspire them to bring light into the world.
Season 2 of Young Jedi Adventures is now streaming on Disney+ and is also available on Disney Jr.
