Star Wars Rebels is getting ready to return for the second half of its third season, and as the show presses on, it is definitely becoming absolutely essential viewing for Star Wars fans. If that wasn't made clear with the Darth Vader action at the end of last season, perhaps an epic rematch between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Maul will do the trick. If that sounds awesome to you, then you're in luck! Because that appears to be on the horizon, as teased by this new trailer for Star Wars Rebels season 3.

The trailer dropped on the official Star Wars YouTube channel today and animated or not, this video is about as exciting as it gets, as far as Star Wars trailers go. The trailer for the second half of Star Wars Rebels season 3 opens with Ezra discovering a choppy hologram message from none other than Obi-Wan Kenobi, who has at this time been in exile on Tatooine. His simple message of "this is a warning" rings loudly throughout the trailer in truly epic fashion, but it seems like the warning should have been sent his way.

At the very end of the video, we see Obi-Wan hanging out doing his peaceful Jedi business on what we can assume is Tatooine when a familiar cloaked figure with a red face and double bladed lightsaber shows up. Yes, Darth Maul has tracked down the Jedi who cut him in half all of those years ago and he is back for revenge. Anyone who has seen any Star Wars movie will know to some degree how that fight will probably turn out, but seeing those two meet back up is something Star Wars fans have wanted for a long time and Star Wars Rebels is going to give it to us.

Round number two of Kenobi vs. Maul is just a small part of what made this trailer for Star Wars Rebels season 3 so great. For one, we got to see some Death Troopers outside of Star Wars: Rogue One, which was pretty cool. Also, there was a nice shot of Grand Moff Tarkin as well as some Mon Mothma action, who is teasing the actual formations of what we know as the Rebel Alliance in this video. There is also some great Ezra and Kanan action, Sabine hanging out with her Mandalorian pals, as well as some brandishing of the Dark Saber. Don't worry, there is also a lot of Grand Admiral Thrawn, who appears to be really cementing his place as a major threat to the Rebellion in a brutal way. He easily has the best line in the trailer.

The events in Star Wars Rebels take place roughly five years prior to the events in Star Wars: A New Hope. So as the show presses forward, we will be getting closer and closer to that familiar territory. Anyone who watches the show and also saw Rogue One: A Star Wars Story probably caught the good handful of Rebels references and Easter Eggs, so it is becoming more and more evident that Star Wars Rebels isn't just some kids show. It is a legitimate and very serious cornerstone of the new Star Wars canon.

Star Wars Rebels season 3 will be returning to Disney XD on Saturday, January 7, with the two-part episode "Ghost of Geonosis." The episodes will be bringing back Saw Gerrera to the animated Star Wars universe, since his character originated on Star Wars: The Clone Wars. What's more is that after playing the character in Star Wars: Rogue One, Forest Whitaker will be voicing Saw in these two new episodes of the series. Be sure to check out the brand new trailer for Star Wars Rebels season 3 for yourself below.