Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures (2023) (Series Review)

  Good old “Star Wars”, it’s without question one of the most time-tested franchises, as it’s a series that seems to find new life, and new fans with each decade. Among its many strengths, I think one of the main appeals of “Star Wars” is that it’s typically universal for all ages. It’s one of those unique franchises that connects just as much to little kids as it does adults, and I think that’s one of the main reasons why it continues to grow, and thrive over the years. In some cases, it’s quiet literal, as aside from the movies, there are various TV shows that aim for specific age demographics, some for adults, and others aimed at little kids. In 2023, we got “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures”, which is squarely aimed at the Pre-School demographic ... so it's not going to reach as wide an audience as other "Star Wars" media, nor will it rank as high among my favorites ... but for its intended audience ... this is still a perfectly good show, and worth putting a small spot-light on.

  The show follows a group of three young Jedi students, who are learning the ways of the Force on a far-off planet. Their lesions typically escalate into small-sale adventures, and culminate into a valuable lesson on either compassion, patience, self-discipline, and above all else … teamwork. It’s all very straight forward, simple, and accessible to little kids. Complimenting the simplicity of the narrative, is a colorful, kid friendly visual design, which is still detailed, and appealing to look at. 

This is also one of the rare instalments to be set in the High Republic era, hundreds of years before the events of the movies, and a very smart move on part of the righters … that way kids can watch the shows young heroes, without thinking about any inevitable outcomes that happen in the continuity of the films. With all that established, lets go through our heroes and villains ...

 

The Characters

Jamaal Avery Jr. as Kai Brightstar 

In traditional “Star Wars” fashion, our lead hero is a spirited youth, who dreams to become a great warrior in the vein of his elder idle Jedi Knights … master Yoda being is biggest inspiration. While he doesn’t stand out much from other leading child characters, he plays his part just fine, and has his shining moments. He’s also the very first leading hero in the franchise to be African American, which is a nice detail. 

 

Juliet Donenfeld as Lys Solay

Arguably the cutest member of the team, Lys is a female Pantoran, and is obsessed with different alien animals. Her biggest passion, is learning about a wide assortment of creatures, and bring the knowledge of them to the galaxy. Aside from an adorable design, spirited performance, and bubbly personality, I actually fond this character surprisingly identifiable. Back when I was a little kid, I was obsessed with collecting insects, and looking for reptiles or other forest animals, so I can picture a number of kids connecting with her.

 

Emma Berman as Nash Durango 

The only non-Jedi of the team, she’s a young pilot who bonded with the Jedi, serves as their means of going off on adventures, and is passionate about discovering all the wonders that the galaxy has to offer. Just like with the other characters, she hits all the marks of a likable child character, and it’s nice seeing her relation develop with her Jedi comrades. 

 

Dee Bradley Baker as Nubs 

Basically the cute mascot of the team, who doesn’t speak much, yet conveys a lot of personality through his actions, and sounds. Dee Bradly Baker is a regular “Star Wars” talent, voicing an assortment of creatures, and Clone Troopers in other series, like “Rebels”, “The Bad Batch”, and obviously “The Clone Wars”. As such, he’s always a welcome presence, and lends his talents to giving Nubs some character through his distinct animal sounds.   

 

Piotr Michael as Yoda 

The only hold-over character from the expanded franchise and movies, but this time voiced by a new talent. Piotr Michael manages to capture the spirt of his predecessors, and fills the role of trainer to the young students. Sense Yoda is hundreds of years old in the movies, it makes sense he’d be present here to. There’s also a secondary teacher named Zia, who likewise is a decent character.  

 

Trey Diaz Murphy as Taborr

Rounding up the characters is the shows main reoccurring villain, a young pirate, who along with his own team of crones, cause problems for our young Jedi heroes, and their planet at large. Taborr has a decent design, and makes for an enjoyable reoccurring foil for our heroes.

 

With our main players established, lets quickly run through the series. Every episode runs for about ten minutes in length, and are all presented as a two-part package deal. There are thirty-two short episodes all together, spread over one season, and a series of shorts. To keep things simple, here’s a quick run-down of my own personal Top seven favorite episodes.

 

My Top 10 Episodes

#10 “Nash's Race Day” 

Our young Jedi join their piolet friend Nash for a special Skiff Race on the river. However, Nash is also competing against a long standing rival named Raena who she's never beaten, as she frequently cheats her way to victory. For once, her cheating goes too far, and both teams find themselves having to work together after a nasty crash. Ever sense "The Phantom Menace" introduced sporting events, I've wanted to see variations of races in the "Star Wars" universe, and this was a fitting opportunity for this show to do just that. Both the outcome and moral are predictable, but good for kids getting their first exposure to the concept.    

#9 “Yoda's Mission” 

After settling into their new home, Yoda sends Kai Brightstar and his friends on a mission to retrieve seeds for a special local Spring Festival. Along the way, Taborr and his gang of pirates steal the seeds, forcing our heroes to set-out and retrieve them. As the mission unfolds, Brightstar’s leadership and loyalty is tested, when he has to choose between his lightsaber, or the safety of his friend Nubs. Naturally, he proves his selflessness, by thinking of others over his own possessions, and is rewarded with a new Green Lightsaber. It’s an episode that sets the tone of the show moving forward, highlighting the high marks of the characters, and with a decent message for kids to look out for others.

#8 “Lys and the Snowy Mountain Rescue” 

Set on a snowy planet, we see our heroes observing a migration of seal-like creatures called Wellagrins, which have the distinct ability to swim through snow … which is simple, yet still very creative. A freak avalanche separates the team, and they have to utilize both their skills and training to battle the cold weather. This episode really highlights Lys, and her love of unique alien animals, as she not only finds a way to connect with the beasts, but also uses them as a means to traverse the snowy terrain. It’s a simple, yet upbeat little outing, with decent creatures, and great focus on one of the shows most likable characters.    

 

#7 “Forest Defenders” 

It wouldn’t be a complete children’s program without the mandatory “protect the environment episode”, and this show gives us a passable offering. Upon visiting the forests of planet Federian, the kids discover a new enemy called Raxlo cutting down vast sections of trees, and forcing several local animals from their homes. Our young heroes initially try to open negotiations, but the greedy logger will have none of it … forcing the team to take action. While the message is obvious, it’s still handled well, and respecting nature will always be a valuable lesson for young viewers. This episode also marks an important stepping point for the kids to face bigger challenges, and overcoming more dangerous obstacles in their goals to protect others. 

 

#6 “Get Well Nubs” 

When best friend Nubs comes down with a horrible ailment, Brightstar and Lys set-off on a journey to find the sacred Yara tree leaves, which have special healing properties. Naturally, it’s a very difficult item to acquire, as the kids have to climb great heights and face aggressive territorial creatures in this effort to heal their sick friend. I love stories about young friends looking out for one another, and this kind of set-up for me is always easy to get behind. Our two leads Lys and Brightstar have wonderful chemistry, and make for a sweet pair of friends, who are willing to face, or compromise any obstacle they encounter.

#5 “The Tale of the Short Spire” 

Upon arriving at the city of Batuu, the young Jedi meet-up with a fellow Padawan named Celesta, who’s tasked with getting to know the people of the community, which will soon be her new home. As they get to know the locals, an unscrupulous businessman enters their midst, and aims to disassemble their area, in order to build a shiny new metropolis. While the civilians make it clear, they don’t want their land taken apart, the single-minded suit is determined to force change on everyone, whether they want it or not. Naturally, the Jedi are there to protect the community, and all while trying to convince the suit not to force his change on people. The message is simple, and expected for a show of this sort, but executed very well, with strong supporting players, and passable action for what this program can offer.  

#4 "Off the Rails" 

While on a train mission to transport logs for the construction of new homes, our young Jedi hero's are once again ambushed by their long standing pirate enemy Taborr. In an unexpected turn of events, Kai Brightstar and Taborr are separated from their companions, and have to work together to restore power to their carriage. The two have a rare opportunity to bond, and a once relentless enemy begins questioning his life choices. In the end, Kai reunites with his friends, and begin to ponder the potential of their foe potentially reforming. I'm generally a sucker for this kind of set-up, in which two enemies share an experience together, are able to connect, and potentially change their perspectives on one another.     

#3 “The Jedi and the Thief” 

During a training session, the elder Jedi Master Zia is troubled when she notices Kai Brightstar fighting a droid that he dressed-up to resemble his enemy, the pirate Taborr. Thus, she takes him on a special mission, where they encounter another rival thief who was once a close friend of Master Zia. Through an intense crash, and battle with large predators, the young Brightstar see’s how far trust and hope can go between rivals, and that anyone has the potential to change for the better … maybe even his own enemy some day might change. It’s a tight little episode, packed with excitement, and a wholesome moral for young viewers to take to heart. I remember when I was a kid, I always got caught-up in the excitement of seeing the hero face the heatless villain, so it’s always great when a children’s program reminds its target audience that even enemies are capable of reforming.  

#2 “The Caves of Batuu” 

When it comes to Jedi centered stories, my favorite convention is the spiritual journeys in mystical caves. This show makes the most out of the concept, this time giving Kai Bright star his own cave journey. In his single minded goal to be a perfect Jedi, Kai messes-up a lightsaber stunt, and in the after match enters the cave of Batuu to reflect on his mistakes. After several encounters with visions of his people he’s encountered, including master Yoda and his nemeses the pirate Taborr, Kai excepts that he doesn’t need to be “perfect” … just the best he can be and one who’s always ready to learn more. It’s an episode that hits all the good marks, has the imagination on display, and a thoughtful message at the center. 

 

Before I reveal my #1 favorite, here are some quick honorable mentions …

"The Team Up" 

 “Kai's Bad Day”

"Life Day"

“Taborr's Pirate Showdown”

“Attack of the Training Droids”  

 

#1 “The Prince and the Pirate” 

In the season one finale, the pirate Taborr is revealed to be a young Prince, who’s been forming a little friendship with his young Jedi opponents. During a special Jedi dedication ceremony at Starlight Beacon, Taborr aims for the ultimate theft, to steal the ceremonial dedication plaque. However, two things stand in his way of completing his task … one are our young Jedi hero’s, who are in pursuit … and the other is Taborr’s new found friendship and even respect for his enemies. 

It’s all around a decent character centered episode, which highlights how someone of royal heritage fell into a life of piracy. By this shows standards, it features the best action and animation, as well as loving nods to famous set-pieces from the original movies. We got an exciting escape from a trash-compacter, and Kai’s final battle with Taborr is set in a place that mirrors Luke and Vader’s cloud city battle. In the end, while our antagonist doesn’t directly apologize to our heroes, he still chooses to except the Jedi as his friends, and ponders his options of making a better, more dignified life for himself.    

  In the end, this show isn’t going to leave any kind of memorable impression on me, but it is still a recommendable show for introducing little kids to the “Star Wars” franchise. The characters are sweet, it's bright and colorful, there's decent morals for young viewers, and a great deal of energy. It may not reach new highs for what children can watch and learn from, but like I said, it's still a perfectly good program for its intended audience. While there’s nothing wrong with watching the movies first when the kids come of age, it’s still nice that little kids can have this show as a means … to take their first steps into a larger world.

Thanks for reading my review of the 2023 series “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” … and continue to enjoy the shows you Love!