Lucasfilm/Disney XD

With Star Wars: Episode VII more than a year away, the animated television series Star Wars Rebels gives fans their first glimpse at what Star Wars will look like as a Disney property.

Created by Dave Filoni, the supervising director of the animated Star Wars: Clone Wars series, Rebels is set five years before the events of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope and follows the familiar formula of teacher and apprentice with Kanan (Freddie Prinze Jr.) serving as an initially reluctant Jedi teacher to a hot-headed Ezra (Taylor Gray).

Together with Kanan and Ezra, the motley crew of the starship Ghost traverse the galaxy while giving light to the nascent signs of rebellion rising up against the oppression of the Galactic Empire, setting the stage for the events of Star Wars: Episode IV.

The show further ties back to its Star Wars: Episode IV roots with its art style, which is heavily influenced by the original Star Wars concept art illustrated by Ralph McQuarrie.

See: Original Star Wars Concept Art

Already greenlit for a second season, the franchise is set to premiere with an hour-long television movie debut on Oct. 3 titled Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion on the Disney Channel, while the series itself will kick off on October 13 on Disney XD.

Meet the key players:

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