Wings of the Master

With the rebels in desperate need of a ship with heavy weaponry, Hera seeks out a master engineer who has built a powerful new starfighter prototype.

Traveling through hyperspace, Phoenix Squadron is on its way to Ibaar to help the people who are in distress. The Empire has doubled their work quotas and cut their rations, and unless the rebels are able to get any food supplies to the Ibaarian people, the weakest among them will starve. They soon arrive at Ibaar and discover an Imperial blockade, led by Agent Kallus, is waiting for them. Agent Kallus threatens to destroy them unless they surrender, but the rebels proceed with their mission and prepare for battle. A-wing fighters are deployed and assume attack formation. TIE fighters are also deployed and move in on Phoenix Squadron. Hera Syndulla instructs Phoenix Leader to keep the TIEs occupied while the rest of them proceed with the mission in getting their supplies to the surface. The TIEs are the first to open fire, and the fight to get through the blockade begins. The blockade opens fire as well, and the transport ship carrying the supplies takes a heavy beating. Syndulla instructs the crew to maintain course. Agent Kallus orders all ships to focus fire on the transport, determined not to let the rebels pass. The transport loses its forward shields, and just when the rebels think they can get through, the transport is destroyed. Defeated, the rebels are forced to retreat via hyperspace and return to the fleet, losing Phoenix Leader in the process.

Upon returning, the rebels attempt to build a new strategy to get the supplies through the Imperial blockade. Everyone agrees they need to complete the mission, but they also know they won't stand a chance against the blockade, even with the power of the entire rebel fleet. However, Rex steps forward with an alternative, telling them about an engineer named Quarrie with whom he has been in contact. He claims Quarrie, who has no love for the Empire, has built a prototype heavy assault starfighter. However, Rex also says that Quarrie will only discuss his ship in person on the planet Shantipole, much to the shock of all the pilots, who all know Shantipole to be a death trap from which ships never returned. Kanan Jarrus volunteers to send Syndulla, but she declines, insisting that she remain with the fleet to lead the next run on the blockade. Jarrus insists that the new ship could make all the difference in breaking the blockade, as it has better firepower and the best pilot at the controls.

After coming to a final agreement, the Spectres head for Shantipole. Upon arriving, Syndulla reluctantly takes the Phantom down to the surface with Garazeb Orrelios and Sabine Wren, while Jarrus, Ezra Bridger, and Chopper pick up the remaining supplies for the people of Ibaar. Upon entering the atmosphere, Syndulla explains why landing on Shantipole is so difficult: when flying in the upper atmosphere, the ships cannot maintain power, resulting in disastrous consequences. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning strikes them, damaging the Phantoms systems. Falling fast, they come out of the clouds and find themselves over a canyon of rock formations. Syndulla struggles to navigate the crippled the Phantom through the pillar forest, and they soon spot a landing field where Quarrie is said to live. Damaged but all in one piece, they make it with a bumpy landing.

They nearly fly off the edge of the platform but are saved by Quarrie, who is expecting them. He greets them warmly and compliments Hera's landing. Despite knowing how dangerous Shantipole is for ships, Quarrie describes it as the perfect place to test them because it is the last place the Empire will look. Quarrie brings them to the main hangar and shows them his Starfighter, the Blade Wing, prototype of the A/SF-01 B-wing starfighter. Despite judging its appearance, Quarrie assures them that his ship is one of his most advanced designs, ensuring it has speed and masters great firepower. Syndulla is delighted and looks forward to taking it for a spin, but much to her disappointment, Quarrie won't let her, saying he will only allow the right pilot to fly his ship. However, he does offer to help them fix the Phantom.

While making repairs, Syndulla asks Quarrie why he can't simply transmit the plans for his ship to Rex rather than require the rebels to risk their lives to come to him. Quarrie says he refuses to hand over his ship to any pilot, and then he asks why she risked her own life to come to his planet. Syndulla begins to tell him about her childhood during the Clone Wars on Ryloth. Although her mother hid them below ground, she loved to watch the Republic ships fly overhead as they fought to liberate her world, dreaming of nothing more than to fly alongside them. Syndulla explains that freedom demands difficult choices, which, in her case, had required her to leave her family behind to learn to fly. With this ability, she says she chose to help others in need. Syndulla describes her insatiable need to be up in the sky where, even surrounded by explosions, she feels she is at her best. Touched by her words, Quarrie allows Syndulla to fly his ship.

Meanwhile, Jarrus, Bridger, and Chopper arrive at a transport ship and pick up the remaining supplies for the Ibaarians. Jarrus reveals to Bridger that, unless Syndulla gets back in time, they are going to transport the supplies themselves with the Ghost. Bridger is concerned, knowing the Empire will make them their primary target. Despite the dangers, Jarrus knows the people of Ibaar are counting on them, and he is unwilling to let them down.

Back on Shantipole, Syndulla prepares the Blade Wing for take-off. When Wren and Orrelios learn from Quarrie that this will be the Blade Wing's maiden flight and there are chances it would not fly, they panic, but it is too late to warn Syndulla, who takes off and suddenly goes down after the engines cut out. After a brief moment, she emerges and takes to the sky. Syndulla flies the Blade Wing through the canyon without any further problems, climbing high into the skies and taking a dive into the pillar forest. After passing Wren, Orrelios, and Quarrie, she begins testing the weaponry. Using a wrecked ship as a target, she fires the wing guns, which don't cause much damage, despite being told it masters great firepower. Quarrie instructs Syndulla to pull the lever on her right, which activates the Blade Wing's multi-cannon. She turns and fires a large blast of energy, destroying the wrecked ship in one shot. The Blade Wing passes a successful test flight, and Syndulla flies it back to the landing field.

They receive a transmission from Jarrus, and Syndulla tells him the good news as he tells her his plan to commence the second attack on the blockade, insisting the people of Ibaar were becoming more desperate. Syndulla is urgent to move, but Wren informs her that, although the Blade wing still has the power to fight, the energy drain from the multi-cannon's firing system has killed the hyperdrive, leaving it unable to travel at lightspeed. Quarrie admits there are a few problems with the ship, but Syndulla insists they are out of time for more repairs. When Quarrie reveals that he upgraded the Phantom with a hyperdrive, Syndulla is delighted, while everyone else remains puzzled.

Meanwhile, the rebel fleet arrives back at Ibaar and commences their second attack on the blockade. The Imperials discover the Ibaarians' supplies are aboard the Ghost and commence their counterattack. Through heavy fire, the rebels notice the cruisers are closing their path. They find themselves cut off, and Jarrus is about to swing around and make another pass when Syndulla, Orrelios, Wren, and Quarrie emerge from hyperspace with the Blade Wing attached to the Phantom. The Blade Wing detaches and joins the fight, with Syndulla at the controls. The Imperials detect the new vessel, but Agent Kallus disregards it. The rebels allow Syndulla and Wren to fly ahead, and once in sight of a target, they fire the Blade Wing's multi-cannon, instantly destroying one of the Arquitens-class command cruisers. Agent Kallus is left speechless as the rebels successfully pass through the blockade and drop off their supplies for the people of Ibaar. With the mission completed, the rebels depart from the planet, leaving Kallus defeated once again.

Later, Commander Jun Sato compliments Quarrie's ship, telling Quarrie that Senator Bail Organa has found a shipworks willing to manufacture more of his B-wings in secret. Quarrie accepts under the condition that it be under his supervision. Syndulla also thanks Quarrie for all his help in saving the Ibaarians, but he points out that it is actually her victory, as she was the one who actually flew the ship. Due to a recommendation from Jarrus, Commander Sato praises Syndulla's heroics and promotes her to Phoenix Leader.