Crawler Commandeers

The rebels are in need of a transmitter with extended range and aim to infiltrate one of the Empire's enormous ore crawlers.

The Lothal resistance group establishes its base of operations inside the caves they recently uncovered. Sabine Wren is shown working on an old transmitter, which she informs Ezra Bridger and Ryder Azadi is the best one they managed to salvage. Despite her most valiant efforts, she is unable to get the device to transmit over a great distance, and she points out that the Galactic Empire is preventing any transmissions that are not Imperial. Kanan Jarrus mentions the necessity of contacting Hera Syndulla. Ezra concurs, stating that they must be prepared to offer assistance should an attack occur. Ryder emphasizes the rebels' concealment in a few caves with a limited supply of blasters, to which Ezra responds that they have accomplished more with less. Just then, Sabine detects a nearby signal on the transmitter, prompting the rebels to investigate.

Hera is present at a briefing in the Great Temple on Yavin 4 with Mon Mothma, General Jan Dodonna, Erskin Semaj, and Bail Organa, who is participating through a hologram. Dodonna clarifies that after analyzing the flight data recorder from the TIE Defender Elite, the Rebel Alliance now possesses a clearer understanding of the fighter's capabilities. He declares that they have not yet identified any vulnerabilities in its design. When Organa inquires about whether their ships can compete with it, Dodonna responds that the Alliance's fighters will be at a disadvantage in individual starfighter combat. Hera asserts that if this is the situation, the Rebels must prevent its production in the first place, which necessitates attacking Lothal's factories. She continues by saying that she has a team on the ground prepared to lend a hand. Mothma agrees with Hera's argument and requests that she and Chopper wait outside while the Alliance leaders deliberate.

The Rebels, who are traveling on a landspeeder, come across a Mining Guild ore crawler back on Lothal. Sabine points out that it is used to extract valuable resources from planetary surfaces to power the Empire's factories. Ezra mentions that he witnessed them burning the plains in the north and expresses concern that the crawlers have advanced halfway across the planet. Zeb proposes hijacking the vehicle to contact Hera. Sabine, after scanning it, informs him that he might be more accurate than he realizes because it has a long-range transmitter.

Ryder positions the Spectres behind the crawler on the speeder, and Sabine ascends using her jetpack. She notices a security droid and notifies the others before landing. Sabine sneaks up behind the droid, strikes it with a paralyzing dart, and throws it over the guardrail. Ryder brings the speeder alongside the crawler, and Ezra, Zeb, and Kanan board it. As Ryder departs, Sabine observes another droid emerging from the crawler's interior and shoots it in the head before flying to the top of the vehicle to await the others, who are climbing a ladder.

Upon entering the cockpit, they discover Crawler 413-24's captain, Seevor, who is unaware of his surroundings while listening to music with headphones. The rebels approach and encircle him, and Zeb removes one of the earpieces, informing the Trandoshan that he also appreciates that song. Seevor is taken from his chair and becomes enraged by what he believes are pirates. While being restrained by Zeb, the captain presses a button on his wrist, triggering an alarm and halting the crawler. Kanan instructs Sabine to turn it off, and she rushes to the controls. As she works, Ezra removes the device from Seevor's wrist and crushes it under his foot. Seevor exclaims that the "pirates" are unaware of what they are dealing with as he struggles in Zeb's grip. Mining Guild headquarters contacts the vehicle, inquiring as to why the alarm was activated. Sabine attempts to determine how to respond, while Kanan cautions her that they are running out of time, and Seevor taunts them. Ezra is called to the comms and delivers a convincing imitation of the Trandoshan, claiming that the crawler is experiencing mechanical issues. Seevor is offended by the impersonation of his voice, and Zeb slaps him. As Ezra attempts to persuade the Guild headquarters that sending a repair team is unnecessary because the crew can handle the repairs themselves, Seevor yells in the background, attempting to be heard over the comm channel. Zeb knocks him unconscious as the comms are cut off.

Sabine realizes that the transmitter is older than she had initially thought, and she works to supply it with sufficient power. She detects a signal originating from the back, specifically in the reactor room, prompting Kanan and Zeb to investigate. Zeb drops the unconscious Seevor on the floor, and Kanan instructs Ezra and Sabine to watch him while they leave. Kanan and Zeb proceed to the processing room, where Kanan directs Zeb to inspect the upper level while he searches below, and then jumps down. Kanan senses presences in the smoke and steam emanating from the machinery and reaches for his blaster. However, he quickly realizes that they are slaves and retracts his hands from his weapons, assuring them that he is not there to harm them. As the slaves approach, dropping their makeshift weapons, Cikatro Vizago emerges, much to Kanan's astonishment.

The Devaronian crime lord proudly proclaims that he informed the other slaves that the rebels would arrive to rescue them and that the foreman is no match for a Jedi. Kanan is surprised by the mention of a foreman, at which point the individual in question, a large, powerfully built Trandoshan, appears and attacks the Jedi Knight with an electro-whip. He draws his lightsaber, and as the whip wraps around the blade, Kanan tells Vizago that he hopes so. The foreman pulls with sufficient force that Kanan loses his grip on his weapon, which clatters to the floor. In his second attack, the foreman strikes Kanan with the whip, rendering him unconscious. Before he can do anything further, Zeb points his bo-rifle at the Trandoshan, growling at him to remain still.

In the cockpit, Sabine, who is still working on the transmitter, suggests to Ezra that he should check on Kanan. Ezra responds that he doesn't need to, just as Seevor regains consciousness. As the captain resumes issuing threats, Sabine asks Ezra if he can silence him. Ezra promptly locks Seevor in a closet, while the captain continues to vehemently protest the hijacking of his crawler.

The foreman quickly ascends to the upper level using his whip and attacks Zeb. The large Trandoshan proves to be a more formidable opponent for the Lasat warrior than the scrawny Seevor. Zeb attempts to strike the foreman with his rifle's electrostaff mode, but it is ineffective. Eventually, the fight moves to the outside catwalk. The foreman eventually seizes Zeb and attempts to throw him off the crawler, but Zeb uses his prehensile feet to pull the foreman over, leaving both combatants dangling from the guardrail. As the fight continues, Kanan, having regained consciousness, runs outside on the lower catwalk, and Zeb informs him that he's up there. Kanan returns inside to go upstairs. Eventually, the foreman wraps his whip around Zeb's wrist and shocks him with it. Zeb endures the shock and eventually dislodges the foreman's grip from the catwalk, leaving him dangling by the handle of his whip, which is attached to Zeb's wrist. The foreman soon loses his grip on the whip handle and falls to his death. As Zeb's one-handed grip on the catwalk begins to slip, Kanan arrives just in time and pulls him up, remarking that the Lasat is very heavy.

Hera is waiting outside the briefing room with Chopper on Yavin 4. Mothma emerges and informs her that they are still debating it, as there is another concerning matter. The Empire has initiated Protocol 13, which involves evacuating all Imperial personnel. Hera responds that this means the Rebels have no more time to spare. She storms into the briefing, as Organa informs her that it is private. Hera tells the Alliance leaders that this is not an issue that they can afford to delay, and that she has a team on Lothal ready and waiting to assist in the attack. She asserts that now is the time to strike a blow against the Empire and remind them that the Rebellion will not surrender or give up. In response to her speech, Mothma agrees and informs Hera that permission for the attack is granted.

Vizago is somewhat disappointed that the Rebels did not come specifically to rescue him. Sabine summons everyone to the cockpit, as she has detected incoming trouble: two Imperial gunships. Ezra quickly suggests that the rebels pretend everything is business as usual, instructing the slaves to go outside and appear to be still working. He has Zeb, who is still in possession of the foreman's whip, put on a spare work helmet and pretend to be the slave driver. Vizago is coerced into impersonating the captain when the Imperials call and claims that the crawler is experiencing mechanical problems, resulting in the loss of all clearance codes. The Imperials respond that they are still coming aboard for an inspection, and the gunships land on the top deck, where Zeb and the slaves are waiting. Several stormtroopers enter the cockpit, forcing Vizago out of the way. As they begin to search, Vizago complains that they are disrupting Mining Guild business. Hiding in the closet with Kanan and Sabine, Ezra whispers that all they have to worry about is the captain betraying them. Upon hearing this, Vizago inadvertently draws the stormtroopers' attention to the closet Seevor is locked in, and they insist on opening it, only to find it empty as the three rebels are hiding in the other closet.

After the Imperials depart, it is revealed that Seevor managed to escape into the ventilation system. The rebels are concerned about what he might do, but Sabine has finally managed to get the transmitter working. However, when she activates it, they discover that power has been diverted away, rendering it inoperable. Seevor, using the crawler's intercom, taunts the rebels, and they quickly deduce that he has gone to the reactor room. Kanan and Zeb attempt to enter, but discover that the door has been locked and magnetically sealed, preventing Kanan from cutting his way in. Sabine suggests that they need someone who can fit into the vents, looking at Ezra. He protests, stating that he hasn't crawled through the vents in a long time, but is forced to go in, coughing at the smoke inside.

When Ezra arrives in the engine room, he discovers that the reactors have indeed been deactivated, and Sabine instructs him to turn them back on. As he approaches the controls, Seevor stalks him from below. Ezra senses the Trandoshan approaching him from behind as he works on the control panel, and at the last second, he turns and slashes at Seevor with his lightsaber. Seevor dodges, and a fight ensues. As Ezra activates the reactors, Seevor attacks him again, causing Ezra to drop his lightsaber on the floor in front of the door to the smelter, which is constantly opening and closing. Ezra is pushed back up to the guardrail, and he awaits Seevor's next attack. However, Seevor, failing to notice Ezra's lightsaber on the floor, slips on it and falls into the smelter. Ezra retrieves his weapon and smiles.

Ryder returns to the crawler in his speeder, and Kanan asks him if he's become a believer. Sabine manages to establish a signal with Rebel Command, and Ezra says they'll have to wait for a response. He also comments that the crawler must now be theirs and expresses relief that some plains have been spared. The freed slaves, when asked, are happy to join the Rebellion, and Vizago decides to appoint himself permanent captain of the crawler. A signal is received, and Hera informs the Rebels that the attack has been approved and that fighters are being prepared. The Rebels are cheered up and prepare to assist in the attack.