In the time of the Galactic Civil War, a dogfight erupted above Concord Dawn, pitting the rebels of Phoenix Cell against the Protectors of that world. The conflict began when the rebels attempted to gain passage through the Concord Dawn system, seeking to establish a new hyperspace route to the planet of Lothal. Fenn Rau, who led the Protectors and was allied with the Empire, launched an attack on Phoenix Squadron alongside his fellow Mandalorian starfighter pilots. The rebels suffered casualties, with several Phoenix pilots killed, and Captain Hera Syndulla sustained serious injuries during their escape. Following this engagement, Kanan Jarrus and [Sabine Wren](/article/sabine_wren] traveled to the Protectors Camp located on the third moon of Concord Dawn, where they eventually managed to secure Fenn Rau's assistance after overcoming initial resistance.
The Imperial assault on Garel forced Phoenix Cell to navigate through the Outer Rim Territories to avoid the Galactic Empire. Because of this, Commander Jun Sato held a meeting with Rex and the Spectres to discuss creating a new route through the Lothal sector. Sabine Wren, a Mandalorian, proposed using the Concord Dawn system, the home of the Mandalorian Protectors.
The Concord Dawn system was not yet under Imperial control. The Protectors were formidable Mandalorian warriors, previously assisting the Old Republic in training clone troopers during the [Clone Wars](/article/clone_wars]. Commander Sato, skeptical of negotiating with Mandalorians, suggested deploying a military force. However, Phoenix Leader Hera Syndulla and the Jedi Kanan Jarrus advised pursuing diplomatic solutions to ensure safe passage and potentially recruit the Protectors. Reluctantly, Sato approved Hera's mission, and Sabine volunteered to accompany her.
Syndulla, as Phoenix Leader, guided Phoenix Squadron to the Concord Dawn system. Upon their arrival, they were intercepted by three Mandalorian Fang fighters, led by Fenn Rau, the leader of the Protectors and the "Protector of Concord Dawn." Fenn demanded an explanation for the rebels' presence, to which Hera responded that they were seeking safe passage. When Rau inquired about their identity, Syndulla stated that they were allies who would stand with Concord Dawn against the Empire.
Rau, having aligned the Protectors with the Empire, immediately saw Phoenix Squadron as a threat and ordered their destruction. Despite Hera's attempts to reason with him, the Fang fighters launched a devastating attack. During the ensuing dogfight, Phoenix Three and Phoenix Four were killed when their fighters were struck by enemy [fire](/article/fire]. With diplomacy no longer viable, Captain Syndulla ordered a retreat, leading Rau on a chase to allow Sabine and the remaining Phoenix pilot to escape into hyperspace.
Before their departure, Hera assured Sabine of her support. Despite her efforts, Hera was unable to evade Fenn's Fang fighter, and her A-wing sustained heavy damage. Although she managed to jump into hyperspace, Hera was severely wounded in the attack. She was rescued by Sabine, Kanan, and the crew of Commander Sato's CR90 corvette, the Liberator. Thanks to prompt medical attention, Hera recovered and continued to lead the rebellion.
The dogfight over Concord Dawn, while a victory for the Protectors, made them enemies of the rebellion. With negotiations now impossible, the Phoenix and Lothal rebel cells considered retaliatory actions. Sabine, infuriated by the Protectors' attack on her comrades, suggested destroying their starfighters at their base on the third moon of Concord Dawn to eliminate the threat they posed.
Kanan, wanting to avoid attracting Imperial attention to Concord Dawn, proposed infiltrating the base and destroying the Fang fighters. Unwilling to risk more lives, he only took Chopper, the astromech droid, on the mission. Despite Kanan's instructions, Sabine secretly boarded the Phantom. After failed further negotiations with Fenn, the rebels destroyed the Protectors' starfighters and abducted Rau.
The dogfight over Concord Dawn was first depicted in the Star Wars Rebels episode "The Protector of Concord Dawn," which premiered on January 27, 2016.