Brian Truitt

USA TODAY

Star Wars is in an Empire state of mind.

The nefarious galactic government that gave us Darth Vader, a couple of Death Stars and a horde of marching AT-ATs in George Lucas' original movie trilogy returns in the new animated series Star Wars Rebels. The cartoon kicks off with a one-hour Disney Channel premiere special on Friday (9 p.m. ET/PT), then begins its first season Oct. 13 on Disney XD.

Rebels takes place before the events of the 1977 Star Wars movie and focuses on the nascent Rebel Alliance — the crew of the Ghost led by the Jedi-trained Kanan (voiced by Freddie Prinze Jr.).

The good guys are cool and all, but "people are just glad the Empire's back," says Dave Filoni, one of Rebels' executive producers along with Simon Kinberg and Greg Weisman.

As seen in Lucas' final prequel, 2005's Revenge of the Sith, the Empire rose and had a decade of military expansion. For many, the public perception is the Empire is a good thing that brings stability and safety. However, the Emperor is building his first Death Star in secret during Rebels as he consolidates power, the Outer Rim of the galaxy is oppressed by Imperial forces, and Vader and his minions are tasked with wiping out any remaining Jedi.

As part of a new generation of Star Wars projects, Rebels will tie in with future stories including next year's Episode VII movie. Yet it also reflects the franchise's past. It shares many aspects of the first Star Wars trilogy, from TIE Fighters and Star Destroyers, to

Stormtroopers who can't shoot straight, and the introduction of the Jedi-hunting Inquisitor (Jason Isaacs) showcases a ruthless throwback to the calm villainy of Vader.

Filoni sees the analytical new bad guy, who brandishes a spinning, double-bladed lightsaber, as an "evil version of Sherlock Holmes."

What makes him really creepy and disturbing for Isaacs is "everybody he encounters is so far beneath his skill level that it doesn't tax him," the actor says. "I wanted him to enjoy the chase and enjoy the hunt. He's not in a panic, nothing's about to blow up. He can take on any number of adversaries and still have time to read the newspaper and get his nails done."

The Empire from the movies offered high-ranking Imperial officers and lowly Stormtroopers as cannon fodder, but not much middle management. That's where Rebels' Agent Kallus (David Oyelowo) comes in, as an enforcer in the Imperial Security Bureau who revels in squashing seeds of rebellion.

Kallus may not command starships but Oyelowo respects his ambition. "He's muscle on the ground," the actor says, "but you can just tell, with every line, with every action he makes, he has his sights set higher."

Also of note: Kallus' awesome sideburns and a penchant for fisticuffs. "I've had to do quite a bit of grunting and groaning from a voice-work point of view," Oyelowo says with a laugh.

There's definitely workplace politics involved in Rebels — the Imperial officers in the Star Wars movies had to put up with Vader and the ways of the Force, and the same goes with the Inquisitor.

"Kallus isn't pleased this guy is around," Filoni says. "He'd rather work without him, but it's procedure. He has to call him and say, 'Hey, I might have a Jedi problem out here. You better come look at this.' "

Kanan and his pals aren't enough of a pain for Kallus to ring Lord Vader yet. Still, Filoni wouldn't mind getting James Earl Jones into a recording studio and bringing him back to the Dark Side.

"We have a nice history of honoring the great legacy characters," Filoni teases. "It would be a shame never to have Darth Vader in the show, I'll say that much."