Spectres

Description

The Spectres were a small group of rebels, based on the planet Lothal, who primarily launched assaults against the Galactic Empire's operations there. Initially, the group consisted of five members, each with a specific role. Kanan Jarrus, a Jedi who had survived Order 66, served as the team's leader, while Hera Syndulla owned and piloted the Ghost, which served as their mobile headquarters. Garazeb Orrelios, a former member of the Lasan High Honor Guard and one of the few remaining Lasat, provided the team's physical strength.

Sabine Wren, a Mandalorian warrior and explosives expert, was also a graffiti artist. She would leave behind her signature starbird symbol after attacks on the Empire, claiming responsibility. The crew also included a droid, C1-10P, known as "Chopper." Five years prior to the Battle of Yavin, Ezra Bridger, a street orphan from Lothal, joined the team, becoming Jarrus's apprentice in the Force.

History

Origins

The Spectres' origins trace back to Hera Syndulla, who followed in the path of her father, Cham Syndulla, a resistance fighter who led the Twi'lek Resistance against the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars and later opposed the Empire. During an intelligence-gathering mission on Gorse, she encountered Kanan Jarrus and discovered that he was a Jedi who had survived the fall of the Jedi Order and the Galactic Republic. After collaborating to save Gorse and its moon, Cynda, from Count Denetrius Vidian and the Empire, Jarrus joined Syndulla's cause.

Age of the Empire

Harrying the Empire

Over the next few years, the Ghost's crew expanded to include Sabine Wren, Garazeb Orrelios, and Chopper. They initiated a campaign to seize Imperial supply ships, with the intention of distributing the stolen goods to other rebel groups. Following a successful raid on Ryloth, Jarrus proposed targeting a convoy heading to the crystalline planet Christophsis. The Ghost crew achieved another victory. Soon after, Hera Syndulla intercepted an Imperial message, directing the rebels to their next target: the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk. After another successful operation, the Ghost crew turned their attention to Toydaria, where another Imperial convoy was headed. After leaving Toydaria, Sabine Wren suggested a stop at Lothal, a remote planet in the Outer Rim, to restock the Ghost.

They launched several attacks on Imperial operations in and around Lothal, including raiding an Imperial supply convoy, destroying TIE/ln space superiority starfighters on a landing platform, and engaging stormtroopers in Capital City. These actions caught the attention of Agent Kallus of the Imperial Security Bureau, who sought to eliminate the rebels before they could inspire a larger rebellion.

The rebels sometimes undertook assignments for Cikatro Vizago, a Devaronian crime boss who controlled the Broken Horn Syndicate on Lothal. One such task was the heist of weapons for Vizago, as well as supplies for the residents of Lothal re-settlement camp 43, known as "Tarkintown." During this mission, they were joined by Ezra Bridger, who initially intended to steal the supplies for himself, but was later taught the importance of helping others. These events led to the rebels rescuing a group of Wookiees, who were enslaved by the Empire in the spice mines of Kessel. Consequently, the Wookiees became allies of the rebels. Their activities on Kessel attracted the attention of the Grand Inquisitor, a Jedi hunter determined to capture and kill Jarrus and Bridger, who had become Jarrus's Jedi apprentice after demonstrating an aptitude for the Force.

Running low on funds and resources, the Ghost crew accepted another job from Vizago: stealing an Imperial shipment of T-7 ion disruptor rifles on the nearby planet Garel. During their mission, the rebels encountered the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO, who had been dispatched by Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan to prevent the weapons from falling into Imperial hands. This encounter led to contact with Senator Organa, who provided Kanan with sufficient credits to cover their expenses. Organa became a key figure in establishing a larger rebel organization, the Alliance to Restore the Republic, in which the Spectres played a role.

Ezra initially struggled to adapt to life on the Ghost and had a strained relationship with Zeb and Chopper. Following a prank on Chopper, Ezra and Zeb got into an argument. As punishment, Hera tasked them with buying groceries. While trying to steal a crate of meiloorun fruits, Ezra and Zeb became involved with Imperials and stole a TIE fighter. After escaping the Lothalian town of Kathol, the two rebels freed several farmers who had been arrested by Imperial forces. They also managed to steal a crate of meiloorun fruits. Before returning to the Ghost, they hid their stolen fighter, which would be used in a future mission.

After receiving information that Jedi Master Luminara Unduli was imprisoned at the Spire prison, the Ghost crew traveled to Stygeon Prime to rescue her. Kanan, who had not completed his Jedi training, was unsure about his ability to train Ezra and hoped Master Luminara could assist. However, they were lured into a trap set by the Grand Inquisitor, who fought Kanan and Ezra. After a brief battle, the rebels escaped on the Phantom. As a result of their adventure, Ezra developed a greater appreciation for his master Kanan and agreed to continue his Jedi training.

During a mission to destroy an Imperial shipment of kyber crystal, Ezra infiltrated the Lothal Imperial Academy as an Imperial cadet to steal a decoder containing the shipment's coordinates. While Hera and Kanan waited on the Ghost, Sabine, Chopper, and Zeb remained on standby to extract Ezra. At the Academy, Ezra encountered Zare Leonis, a rebel sympathizer who had infiltrated the Academy to locate his missing sister Dhara Leonis, a star cadet who had disappeared the previous year. After collaborating to steal the decoder, Chopper passed it to his rebel colleagues, who intercepted the kyber shipment. The rebels then gave the decoder to Merei Spanjaf, Zare's girlfriend and a skilled slicer attempting to infiltrate the Imperial data network on Lothal. Using the decoder, Merei discovered that Dhara had been forcibly recruited into Project Harvester, a secret program for screening Force-sensitive Academy cadets. As a result of the kyber crystal mission, the Spectres gained new allies.

The stakes heighten

Throughout their missions against the Empire, the Ghost crew received information on Imperial targets from a mysterious individual known as "Fulcrum." During a supply run to Fort Anaxes, Sabine confided in Hera about her trust issues, as Hera had not revealed that the rebels were part of a larger network. However, Hera managed to reassure Sabine that their struggle was worthwhile. After being ambushed by fyrnocks, they were rescued by their fellow crew, who picked them up along with the Phantom, which had been grounded due to a fuel leak.

Later, the Spectres disrupted the Empire Day celebrations in Lothal's Capital City and fled the planet with the Rodian fugitive Tseebo, an Imperial Information Office employee with classified information about the Empire. Pursued by the Grand Inquisitor, Kanan and Ezra detached the Phantom above Fort Anaxes while the rest of the Ghost crew transported Tseebo to a rendezvous point with "Fulcrum," who would escort the fugitive to safety. Following a second confrontation with the Grand Inquisitor, Kanan decided that Ezra was ready for his Jedi Trials. The Master and his apprentice then traveled to a hidden Jedi Temple on Lothal, where Ezra passed his trials with the help of Jedi Master Yoda and obtained a kyber crystal, which he used to construct his lightsaber.

Running low on funds and having accidentally bet on Chopper during a sabacc game, Kanan and Hera reluctantly accepted a job from the "galactic entrepreneur" Lando Calrissian to help him steal a puffer pig from the crime lord Azmorigan. After escaping Azmorigan, the Ghost struggled to break through the Imperial blockade above Lothal after Ezra and Zeb accidentally released the puffer pig. After evading their TIE pursuers, the Ghost crew dropped Calrissian at his farm estate on Lothal, where they fought off Azmorigan and his henchmen. As payment for their services, the rebels took Calrissian's fuel tanks.

After hearing a broadcast from the dissident Senator Gall Trayvis inviting them to meet at the Lothal City Capitol Building in Lothal's Capital City, the rebels decided to attend the Senator's meeting. Suspecting an Imperial trap, Zeb attempted to contact Zare Leonis' girlfriend, Merei Spanjaf, to consult Zare. Merei instead told them to send Chopper to contact Zare, who arranged to meet with Ezra in the marketplace. There, Leonis revealed that the Empire was planning a major operation at the Senate Building. The rebels rescued Senator Trayvis and managed to evade their Imperial pursuers. However, Trayvis quickly revealed himself as an Imperial spy and attempted to capture Hera and Ezra. After subduing Trayvis, the rebels retreated into hiding.

The rebel's actions on Lothal, coupled with the local Imperial authorities' failure to capture them, prompted Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin, the Governor of the Outer Rim Territories, to visit the planet and eliminate the rebel cell. Under Tarkin's direction, Agent Kallus and the Grand Inquisitor devised a plan to trap the rebels at the Imperial Communications Center near Jalath. The Spectres wanted to broadcast a message to counter Imperial propaganda on HoloNet. During the mission, Kanan was captured by the Imperials, but Ezra succeeded in delivering his broadcast, which reached Lothal and several neighboring systems. In response, the Empire destroyed the main communications tower to prevent further broadcasts.

Despite Fulcrum's orders, the Ghost crew refused to abandon Kanan and formulated a plan to rescue him. After Chopper infiltrated an Imperial communications cruiser and accessed the Imperial database, the rebels discovered that Kanan had been transferred to the Mustafar system. The Imperials intended to interrogate Kanan about his knowledge of Fulcrum and the rebel network. Using a stolen Imperial freighter, the rebels infiltrated Tarkin's flagship Sovereign, rescued Kanan, and killed the Grand Inquisitor. After escaping the doomed warship, the rebels were picked up by Fulcrum and several members of Phoenix Squadron. Following the rescue mission, the Spectres learned that they were part of a larger rebel network and that Fulcrum was Ahsoka Tano, a survivor of the Great Jedi Purge. In response, the Emperor dispatched Darth Vader to eliminate the rebels.

At some later point, the Ghost crew assisted in transporting the slicer Merei, her family, the Leonis family, and the fugitive poet Holshef to a safe haven on Garel. Unable to travel to Lothal, the Spectres arranged for Old Jho, an Ithorian tavern owner, to transport the Spanjafs and Leonises to the edge of the Garel system, where the Ghost would pick them up. After sheltering the Lothalian fugitives, Zeb, Sabine, Ezra, along with Merei and her mother Jessa, borrowed the Ghost and participated in an unauthorized mission to rescue Zare, who had been exposed as a traitor and was scheduled for execution on Arkanis. Following a battle at Area Null, the rebels successfully rescued both Zare and his sister Dhara.

A greater struggle

Following the successful rescue of Kanan, the Ghost's crew became part of the Phoenix Cell, integrated within a larger network of rebels. On one occasion, the team assisted Phoenix Squadron members in acquiring shield generators from an Imperial convoy. While Hera and other rebels were pleased to contribute to a broader fight, Kanan was hesitant to fully commit to the rebel network, still deeply affected by the Clone Wars. Not long after, the rebels journeyed back to Lothal to save the Imperial Minister Maketh Tua, who intended to defect from the Empire. Tragically, Tua perished in an explosion during their escape attempt, a tragedy for which the Ghost's crew was wrongly blamed.

The Spectres then infiltrated the Imperial Complex in Capital City, only to be ambushed by Darth Vader, who engaged Kanan and Ezra in a lightsaber duel. The rebels managed to escape Vader using a stolen shuttle, but an Imperial blockade prevented their departure from the planet. Discovering that Imperial forces had destroyed Tarkintown as retribution for the inhabitants' assistance to the rebels, they decided to avoid returning to Lothal to protect the local population. With the help of Calrissian's droid W1-LE, the Spectres successfully fled the Lothal system by deploying sensor buoys that mirrored the shuttle's signal, confusing Imperial trackers.

Unbeknownst to the rebels, Darth Vader had attached a homing beacon to their shuttle, intending to locate the Phoenix rebel fleet. The Spectres rejoined Phoenix, but Darth Vader soon followed in his TIE Advanced starfighter. Vader's TIE fighter decimated the Phoenix A-wing starfighters and destroyed the Phoenix flagship, the Phoenix Home. During the battle, Ahsoka accompanied the Ghost's crew and managed to probe the mysterious TIE pilot, discovering it was her former master, Anakin Skywalker. Despite the arrival of Imperial reinforcements, the Ghost's crew successfully escaped into hyperspace with the surviving Phoenix forces.

Following the destruction of the Phoenix Home, the rebels found themselves on the run. As they deliberated their next course of action, Ahsoka directed the Ghost's crew to seek out an old acquaintance on the desert planet Seelos. This old friend was revealed to be the former Clone Captain Rex, who resided with two other Clone veterans, Gregor and Wolffe, inside an antiquated AT-TE walker. Despite initial friction, Rex agreed to provide the rebels with a list of abandoned Republic bases and facilities in the Outer Rim in exchange for their participation in a joopa hunt. Their mission was complicated by the arrival of an Imperial attack force of AT-AT walkers led by Agent Kallus, a recurring adversary of the Ghost's crew. With the clones' assistance, the rebels defeated the Imperials, and Rex then accompanied the rebels back to the Phoenix fleet.

With Rex's assistance, the rebel network gained access to information regarding abandoned Republic bases and facilities. Sabine, Zeb, Chopper, and Ezra journeyed on the Phantom to an abandoned Republic medical station to recover medical supplies. During their mission, they encountered two Inquisitors known as the Seventh Sister and the Fifth Brother, who ambushed them. After a struggle, the four rebels managed to escape and alert their fellow rebels to the existence of more Inquisitors.

Later, the Ghost's crew participated in a mission to gather fuel cells to aid the people of the frigid planet Rinn, which was experiencing an energy crisis. While most of the rebels explored the streets of Garel City, Ezra and Chopper remained aboard the Ghost to clean and repair the ship. Soon after, they received a distress signal from the crime lord Cikatro Vizago's starship, the Broken Horn. Ezra and Chopper abandoned their tasks and traveled on the Phantom to rescue Vizago. Upon reaching the Broken Horn, they encountered Hondo Ohnaka, who claimed to have won the Broken Horn in a sabacc game with Vizago.

The two rebels agreed to assist Hondo in delivering a shipment of five power generators to an unknown client, who turned out to be the crime lord Azmorigan, a long-time enemy of the Ghost's crew. Following a skirmish with Azmorigan, Ezra, Chopper, and Hondo returned to Garel. During the journey, they discovered and freed the captured Vizago, who forced Hondo off his ship. Hondo escaped on the Phantom with the power generators. Furious at losing his cargo, Vizago sent Ezra and Chopper back to Garel in an escape pod. Fortunately for them, the Phantom had been programmed to return to the Ghost. Vizago agreed to surrender the power generators to the Ghost's crew in exchange for keeping the profits from his sale to Azmorigan.

The Ghost's crew later assisted the Phoenix cell in delivering supplies to the famine-stricken planet Ibaar, which was under an Imperial blockade. After the initial blockade run failed, Hera, along with Sabine and Zeb, traveled to the planet Shantipole where they contacted the Mon Calamari engineer Quarrie, who had designed a prototype Blade Wing starfighter. Following a test flight, Hera agreed to pilot the prototype starfighter, which proved vital during the Phoenix rebels' second attempt to breach the Imperial blockade. During the second blockade run, Kanan, Ezra, and Chopper piloted the Ghost, successfully delivering the supplies to the Ibaarians. Meanwhile, Hera successfully demonstrated the Blade Wing's combat capabilities by destroying an Arquitens-class command cruiser. Due to the mission's success, Hera was promoted to Phoenix Leader, further integrating the Ghost's crew into the rebel network. Additionally, the Phoenix Squadron agreed to produce more B-wing starfighters. The rebels also received an unexpected upgrade when Quarrie installed a hyperdrive in the Phantom.

As Phoenix Leader, Hera assumed greater responsibilities within the Phoenix Squadron. She dispatched Sabine, with Ezra and Chopper as backup, on a mission to retrieve a courier who would respond to the phrase: "It's a long way to Alderaan." This courier was revealed to be a GNK-series power droid named EG-86. Before the rebels could complete their mission, they were cornered by the bounty hunter Ketsu Onyo, a former friend of Sabine who had abandoned her and joined the Black Sun crime syndicate. Following a conflict in Garel's spaceport and in space, the rebels and Ketsu were forced to cooperate to escape an Imperial light cruiser. They evaded the Imperials by detonating a stolen passenger shuttle and escaping into hyperspace in Ketsu's ship, the Shadow Caster. With Ketsu's assistance, Sabine successfully delivered EG-86 to other members of the rebel network.

Following the disappearance of a rebel patrol in the Del Zennis system, Ezra and Commander Sato traveled there to investigate. They were quickly captured by a new Imperial warship known as the Imperial Interdictor, which was equipped with four Gravity well projectors capable of pulling ships out of hyperspace. In response, Hera devised a rescue plan involving Kanan and Rex (disguised as stormtroopers) and Chopper (disguised as an Imperial astromech droid) infiltrating the warship. This rescue mission was successful, and the rebels not only rescued their comrades but also destroyed the Imperial Interdictor and two Imperial light cruisers.

Later, Kanan, Ezra, Chopper, and Zeb agreed to assist the former Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano, who had been tracking the Inquisitors. She discovered that the Inquisitors were also kidnapping Force-sensitive children and sent the Ghost's crew to investigate coordinates on the planet Takobo's Hammertown. The four rebels rescued two infants named Alora and Pypey from the Fifth Brother and the Seventh Sister but were unable to defeat the two Inquisitors in combat. Ahsoka arrived and defeated the two Inquisitors. Together with Ahsoka, the Ghost's crew escaped Takobo before Imperial reinforcements arrived.

Evading the Empire

Following an Imperial assault on the planet Garel, the Ghost's crew and the rest of the Phoenix rebels were forced to flee and hide. After evading their Imperial pursuers, the rebels split into two groups. Hera, Sabine, and Zeb joined the rest of the Phoenix fleet, while Ezra, Kanan, and Chopper returned to Lothal. Ezra had experienced a Force vision of his parents, Ephraim and Mira Bridger, which coincided with a prison break-out on that planet. Upon arriving, Ezra and his companions located a former prison inmate known as "Prisoner X-10," who was the former Governor Ryder Azadi. From Azadi, Ezra and his companions learned that his parents had heard his passionate broadcast, inspiring them to stage a break-out. Tragically, they were killed during the escape attempt. Learning about his parents' fate allowed Ezra to find peace with his past.

The Spectres then participated in a mission to acquire ships for the Rebellion. Senator Bail Organa, having heard of the Phoenix rebels' losses on Garel, sent his adopted daughter, Princess Leia Organa, to deliver three Sphyrna-class Hammerhead corvettes to the rebels. Because the Alderaanians could not be seen directly supporting the rebels, Princess Leia arranged for the corvettes to be delivered to Lothal, where they would be stolen by the rebels. Hera relayed these instructions to Kanan and Ezra, who infiltrated the Imperial depot where Leia was scheduled to arrive. The two rebels, disguised in Imperial uniforms, successfully contacted Princess Leia.

However, their problems were complicated when the Imperial lieutenant Yogar Lyste attached gravity locks to the ships. After reuniting in Lothal's wilderness, the Ghost's crew rescued Ryder Azadi, who had been detained by an Imperial patrol, and pretended to "kidnap" Princess Leia. With the help of Leia and Azadi, the rebels devised a plan to infiltrate the Imperial depot and steal the three corvettes. While Leia, Kanan, and Ezra entered the base under the pretense of having escaped the rebels, Chopper, Sabine, Kanan, and Azadi disabled the gravity locks on the corvettes. During the ensuing raid, Hera and Zeb provided air support, using the Ghost to harass the Imperial garrison. The mission was successful, and the rebels delivered all three Hammerhead corvettes to the Phoenix Group.

Hera and Sabine later led a mission to negotiate safe passage through the Concord Dawn system with Fenn Rau, the leader of a Mandalorian faction known as the Mandalorian Protectors. With the Empire in pursuit, the rebellion needed a shortcut into the Lothal sector. However, the rebel mission was attacked by Rau's Fang fighters, and Hera was severely wounded. Rau had aligned the Protectors with the Empire and represented the Empire on Concord Dawn. Following the attack, Sabine, Kanan, and Chopper participated in a mission to destroy the Protectors' Fang fighters. After a second failed round of talks with Rau, the rebels destroyed the remaining Fang fighters and kidnapped Rau, who agreed to grant the rebels safe passage through the system in exchange for keeping his capture a secret from the Empire.

After Ezra received a tip from his former business partner Hondo Ohnaka, the Ghost's crew rescued two Lasat named Gron and Chava the Wise from Nixus Hub 218. The two Lasat were on a quest to find Lira San, a legendary safe haven for the Lasat species. Zeb reluctantly agreed to assist his compatriots in their quest by fulfilling an ancient Lasat prophecy. Using his bo-rifle to interact with the Force, Zeb guided the Ghost through a collapsed star cluster that led them to Lira San. There, Zeb and the other Lasat discovered that Lira San was the original Lasat homeworld, already populated by millions of Lasat. Due to his role in the rediscovery of Lira San, Zeb gained a greater sense of destiny and confidence. The Ghost's crew then returned to the known galaxy.

Running low on fuel, the rebels raided a Mining Guild Asteroid Belt Gas Refinery to secure more fuel for the Ghost and the Phoenix Squadron. En route, they encountered a herd of purrgil, large space-dwelling creatures capable of traveling through hyperspace. While Hera and Zeb piloted the ship, Kanan, Sabine, Chopper, and Ezra raided the facility, battling Mining Guild security forces under Boss Yushyn. With the help of the purrgil, the rebels successfully stole the fuel canisters and powered up the Ghost, then traveled into hyperspace with the purrgil.

Later, the Spectres participated in a mission to steal an Imperial Quasar Fire-class cruiser-carrier orbiting the Twi'lek homeworld of Ryloth. Phoenix Squadron had lost a starfighter during a mission and needed a place to land their remaining vessels. Commander Sato suggested stealing the Imperial fighter carrier. Hera and the Ghost's crew contacted the Twi'lek Resistance and their leader, Cham Syndulla, her father. Together, they devised a plan to steal the carrier. However, Cham's own agenda to destroy the carrier complicated the mission. After a struggle with both Cham's resistance fighters and Imperial reinforcements, the Ghost's crew managed to capture the fighter carrier for the rebellion.

The rebels later traveled to Geonosis with Rex to investigate an Imperial construction module. However, they quickly fell into a trap set by Agent Kallus. Following a struggle, the rebels, except for Zeb, escaped back to the Ghost and fled into space. Zeb escaped in an escape pod but was followed by Kallus. Together, they landed on the icy moon of Bahryn, where they formed an unlikely friendship to survive the cold and fend off several bonzami predators. Meanwhile, the other members of the Ghost's crew launched a search-and-rescue mission for Zeb. After a frantic search, Zeb activated his transponder, enabling his fellow rebels to locate and rescue him on Bahryn.

Several months later, Kanan, Chopper, and Ezra scouted the planet Oosalon as a potential site for a rebel base. However, Kanan and Ezra were ambushed by two Inquisitors, the Fifth Brother and the Seventh Sister. Despite escaping, Kanan realized that he and Ezra could not help the rebellion while the Inquisitors were hunting them. Together with Ahsoka, Kanan, Ezra, and Chopper left their comrades on the Ghost and traveled on the Phantom to the Jedi Temple on Lothal to seek guidance from Master Yoda on how to deal with the Inquisitor threat. On Lothal, Kanan passed his Jedi trials and became a Jedi Knight, while Ezra met with Yoda. The Jedi and Chopper managed to escape before the Inquisitors and Darth Vader arrived.

Establishing a New Base

Later, the Ghost's crew participated in a mission to steal fuel from the Imperial depot at Horizon Base. The Phoenix rebels had identified Berzite's moon in the Yost system as a potential location for a rebel base, but the fleet's fighter carrier lacked sufficient fuel to travel there. While Kanan, Hera, Ezra, Zeb, and Sabine carried out the heist, Chopper was assigned to guard the ship. However, the droid neglected his duties, becoming distracted by a droid leg being sold. Despite stealing the fuel, the other rebels were forced to leave Chopper behind when he could not be found. While the other rebels returned to the Phoenix fleet, Chopper fled aboard an Imperial cargo ship and befriended a maltreated Imperial inventory droid named AP-5. Joining forces, they seized control of the ship, driving out most of the Imperial crew except for the captain.

Meanwhile, Hera and the other rebels returned to the fleet, only to find it under attack by Imperial forces under Admiral Kassius Konstantine. With some difficulty, they docked in the rebel fighter carrier and delivered the necessary fuel supplies. Chopper and AP-5 then informed Hera that the Empire had set a trap in the Yost system. Despite being attacked by the Imperial captain, AP-5, with Chopper's help, relayed the coordinates for Atollon to Hera and Commander Sato. Using this information, the rebel fleet escaped to Atollon. Chopper and AP-5 rejoined them there with their stolen cargo ship. Sabine repaired AP-5, who had been badly damaged by the Imperial captain, using parts from Chopper's stolen droid leg.

The Spectres assisted the Phoenix Squadron in establishing a base on Atollon. In honor of Chopper's efforts to find the planet, the base was named Chopper Base. While delivering supplies to Chopper Base, tensions arose between Hera and Kanan regarding Kanan and Ezra's plans to travel with the former Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano on a quest to the planet Malachor. Hera wished to accompany Kanan and Ezra, but Kanan insisted that it was a journey for the Jedi alone. After the disappearance of Lieutenant Dicer, the Ghost's crew and Rex became involved in a confrontation with a nest of spider-like creatures called krykna. After a struggle, the Ghost's crew managed to escape the Krykna. Later, Kanan promised Hera to return safely before departing with Ezra and Ahsoka for Malachor.

While Hera, Sabine, and Zeb remained on Atollon, Kanan, Ezra, and Chopper accompanied Ahsoka on a mission to seek knowledge on defeating the Sith from the Malachor Sith Temple. During their mission, the Jedi and Ahsoka encountered an Inquisitor known as the Eighth Brother. During the conflict, Ezra was separated and encountered the former Sith apprentice known as Maul, who sought to tempt Ezra to the dark side of the Force. Together, Ezra and Maul worked to obtain a Sith holocron that Maul claimed held the knowledge needed to defeat the Sith. Meanwhile, Kanan and Ahsoka captured the Eighth Brother with Chopper's help, but they were later ambushed by the Fifth Brother and the Seventh Sister.

With Maul's help, the Jedi and Ahsoka drove the Inquisitors away. As the Inquisitors had alerted Darth Vader to their presence, Maul convinced the Jedi and Ahsoka to work with him to place the holocron in the temple's obelisk. Maul killed the Inquisitors but then blinded Kanan and attacked Ahsoka. Despite being blinded, Kanan used his Force powers and senses to push Maul into a chasm. Meanwhile, Ezra placed the holocron in the temple's obelisk, discovering that the Sith temple was a battle station capable of destroying all life.

The rebels' predicament was worsened by the arrival of Darth Vader, who defeated Ezra and destroyed his lightsaber. Working together, Ezra and Kanan removed the Sith holocron, causing the temple to implode. Ezra and Kanan escaped with Chopper aboard the Ghost, but Ahsoka stayed behind to confront her former mentor. The Sith temple imploded, and Ezra and Kanan presumed Ahsoka dead. Upon returning to Chopper Base, the Spectres had to come to terms with Kanan's blindness and Ahsoka's presumed death. The events on Malachor increased Ezra's interest in the dark side, and he secretly opened the Sith holocron.

The Shadow of Thrawn and Maul

Due to his loss of sight, Kanan moved away from direct combat, choosing instead to meditate and connect with the Force. Two years prior to the pivotal Battle of Yavin, his padawan Ezra stepped forward, assuming a more significant position of command within the growing rebellion. Ezra spearheaded the Spectres on a rescue operation, aiming to liberate the Weequay pirate Hondo Ohnaka from the Imperial detention facility located on Naraka. Although Ezra's proficiency with the Force and his combat abilities had improved considerably, his reliance on the Sith holocron created tension in his relationship with Kanan. Following Hondo's successful extraction, the rebels received intelligence indicating that the Empire was in the process of dismantling obsolete Y-wing fighters at Reklam Station, which was situated within the gaseous atmosphere of the planet Yarma.

As Ezra and his team embarked on a reconnaissance mission to Reklam Station, Kanan encountered a powerful Force entity known as the Bendu. The Bendu guided Kanan in confronting his inner fears, enabling him to provide crucial support for Ezra. Simultaneously, Ezra defied explicit orders, unilaterally deciding to commandeer the Y-wings without seeking approval from Hera and Commander Sato. Even though they managed to free the Ugnaught laborers and acquire the starfighters, Ezra's actions resulted in the complete destruction of the Imperial junkyard and attracted the attention of the formidable Grand Admiral Thrawn. The team narrowly escaped with assistance from the Phoenix rebels, Hera, and Kanan, but the Phantom was lost in the process. As a consequence of his insubordination, Ezra was temporarily relieved of his rank as Lieutenant Commander.

Subsequently, Maul abducted Hera, Zeb, Chopper, and Sabine, coercing Kanan and Ezra into retrieving both the Sith holocron from Malachor and Kanan Jarrus' holocron for him. Maul's intention was to merge the power contained within the two artifacts. After enduring a series of trials, Ezra and Kanan successfully reclaimed the Sith holocron from a krykna-infested cave situated near the Bendu's territory. In the meantime, the remaining rebels attempted to subdue Maul but were outmatched by the former Sith apprentice. Ezra and Kanan eventually met up with Maul at an abandoned Mandalorian outpost. Maul manipulated Ezra into assisting him in fusing the two holocrons, hoping to gain glimpses into the future. Concurrently, Kanan liberated the other rebels. Despite rescuing Ezra and recovering both holocrons, they were unable to prevent Maul from escaping.

Following their encounter with Maul, the Spectres participated in the rebel response to an Imperial attack targeting a rebel food convoy in the vicinity of Teralov. Hera assigned Sabine to an undercover operation with the objective of extracting several defecting cadets from the prestigious Skystrike Academy. Ezra, Kanan, and Chopper were stationed aboard a rebel CR90 corvette, tasked with providing extraction for Sabine and the defecting cadets. Despite facing challenges, Sabine and two Imperial cadets, Wedge Antilles and Hobbie, successfully defected with assistance from Agent Kallus, who revealed to Sabine that he and Zeb had settled their differences. At the same time, Hera and Zeb escorted a second food convoy to Teralov. Later, the Spectres joined their comrades in welcoming Wedge and Hobbie into the ranks of the rebellion.

The Spectres later engaged in a supply mission to the planet Ryloth, which was under an Imperial blockade. After rescuing Hera's father, Cham Syndulla, and fellow Ryloth freedom fighter Numa from an Imperial patrol, the Spectres gained insights into the strategic advancements made by Grand Admiral Thrawn. Prompted by Hera, the Spectres joined Cham's rebels in a mission to recover the Syndulla Kalikori, a cherished family heirloom that had belonged to Hera's deceased mother. While Hera, Ezra, and Chopper infiltrated the former Syndulla residence, the other Spectres and Cham's rebels launched a diversionary attack in the Tulara Ravine. Hera and Ezra were captured by Thrawn and failed to retrieve the Kalikori. However, they managed to escape when Chopper used explosives to disrupt Captain Slavin's attempted prisoner exchange. Subsequently, both rebel cells retreated into the plains of Ryloth.

The Spectres and Rex subsequently undertook a mission to salvage proton bombs from a deactivated Separatist supply vessel located on Agamar. While Hera and Sabine remained aboard the Ghost, the other rebels explored the supply ship, only to be captured by the Separatist super tactical droid Kalani. Rex, Ezra, and Kanan reluctantly agreed to participate in a simulated battle to secure Zeb's release. Meanwhile, Chopper evaded capture and transmitted a distress signal to Imperial forces commanded by Governor Arihnda Pryce. While Hera and Sabine evaded a TIE patrol, the other Spectres and Rex joined forces with Kalani to escape the pursuing Imperial forces. During the operation, the rebels also acquired a new shuttle known as the Phantom II.

After the rebellion lost contact with the Protectors, Hera dispatched Sabine, Ezra, and Chopper to accompany Fenn Rau on a mission to investigate the situation on the third moon of Concord Dawn. Meanwhile, Kanan and Zeb remained aboard a rebel CR90 corvette with Hera. Upon arriving at the third moon, the rebels and Rau discovered that the Imperial Viceroy of Mandalore, Gar Saxon, had decimated the Protectors. Sabine, Ezra, and Chopper managed to escape Saxon following a brief skirmish, aided by Rau. Impressed by Sabine's bravery and dedication, he decided to align himself with the rebellion.

The Spectres later collaborated with Phoenix Squadron to evacuate rebel sympathizers from Mykapo. Their vessel, the Ghost, was involved in a minor engagement above Mykapo with an advance Imperial patrol and a local rebel group called the Iron Squadron. After eliminating the Imperial forces, Hera sent Kanan and Zeb down on the Phantom II to provide assistance with the evacuation efforts, while she, Ezra, Sabine, and Chopper proceeded to meet with the Iron Squadron. Despite initially failing to persuade the Squadron to evacuate Mykapo with them, Ezra and Sabine persevered and successfully convinced the squadron, with the exception of Captain Mart Mattin, to join them. The Spectres and Mattin's comrades subsequently participated in a successful operation to rescue Mattin from Imperial forces led by Admiral Konstantine.

Driven by Ezra's initiative, the crew of the Ghost forged an alliance with the pirate Hondo and the crime lord Azmorigan to recover valuable cargo from an Imperial cargo ship trapped within the upper atmosphere of the planet Wynkahthu. Hondo successfully convinced the Spectres to participate by highlighting the presence of proton bombs aboard the ship, a valuable resource sought after by the rebellion. Assisted by the former Imperial inventory droid AP-5, the rebels devised a successful strategy to extract the bombs and other treasures. Despite encountering armed DT-series sentry droids, the rebels and their allies successfully accomplished their objectives before the cargo ship was destroyed by a vortex.

Subsequently, Ezra, accompanied by Kanan and Chopper, undertook a covert mission to infiltrate the Imperial Armory Complex located on the planet Lothal. Phoenix Squadron had received intelligence from an informant indicating that the Empire was developing a new weapon and intended to sabotage the facility. After establishing communication with Ryder Azadi's local rebel cell, Ezra and his team infiltrated the factory with assistance from the former farmer Morad Sumar. Despite Sumar's death, they managed to evade a lockdown initiated by Grand Admiral Thrawn and steal the plans with the help of Agent Kallus, who identified himself as Fulcrum. Upon returning to Ryder's base, the rebels discovered that Thrawn was developing a new prototype starfighter equipped with deflector shields. Meanwhile, Thrawn became increasingly interested in the rebel cell's connection to Lothal.

Following Ezra and his team's mission, Hera began planning a reconnaissance operation at the Lothal Imperial factory. She intended to deploy her crew and a small contingent of Phoenix Squadron. Ezra was tasked with conducting reconnaissance on Imperial military movements. However, Ezra was relieved of his duties after succumbing to dark side influences from the former Sith Maul. While Hera and the rest of the team proceeded with their mission, Ezra, Kanan, and Sabine remained behind to confront Maul. They tracked Maul to the planet Dathomir. After battling the spirits of fallen Nightsisters, Ezra and his friends learned that Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi possessed the key to destroying the Sith. They resolved to locate him, hoping to obtain this knowledge in order to defeat Vader and the Emperor, thereby winning the Galactic Civil War against the Empire, and to persuade him to join the Rebellion.

Later, the Spectres and Rex embarked on a mission on behalf of Senator Organa to locate the rebel operative Saw Gerrera, who had traveled to Geonosis to investigate the apparent disappearance of the Geonosian species. After linking up with Saw, the rebels encountered the Geonosian Klik-Klak and obtained a deflector core. During the mission, the rebels learned that Klik-Klak was the guardian of a Geonosian queen's egg and that the Empire had committed genocide against the species. Despite a strained relationship with Saw, the rebels managed to cooperate to escape an Arquitens-class command cruiser commanded by Captain Brunson.

While Hera, Kanan, Ezra, and Sabine joined the Phoenix rebels on a training exercise, Zeb was appointed Chief of Security and remained behind to safeguard Chopper Base. Chopper and the former Imperial inventory droid AP-5 also stayed behind to keep him company. The three rebels played a crucial role in neutralizing the Imperial E-XD-series infiltrator droid EXD-9 which had infiltrated the base. Working together, they reprogrammed EXD-9 into an improvised bomb, which destroyed an Imperial Star Destroyer. After Zeb reported the incident, Hera and the other Spectres returned to the base in time to receive a recorded message from Fulcrum, commending them for their ingenuity in neutralizing the infiltrator droid.

Encouraged by Fenn Rau and the other Spectres, Sabine Wren agreed to learn how to wield the Darksaber, an ancient Mandalorian symbol of power and leadership. Hera and Fenn hoped that Sabine would unite the Mandalorians and bring them into the rebellion. After overcoming her doubts and fears, Sabine mastered the Darksaber under the guidance of Kanan and Ezra. Putting her skills and training into practice, Sabine, along with Ezra, Kanan, Chopper, and Fenn, journeyed to the Clan Wren stronghold on Krownest with the intention of securing her family's support for the rebellion. While Ursa Wren was initially hesitant to break with the Empire, she reconsidered after Viceroy Gar Saxon attempted to exterminate her family. After Sabine defeated Saxon and Ursa killed the Viceroy, Sabine remained behind with Fenn to assist her family in reunifying the Mandalorians. Kanan, Ezra, and Chopper rejoined the rebellion.

After discovering that Grand Admiral Thrawn was tracking Agent Kallus' Fulcrum transmissions, Ezra, Chopper, Kanan, Rex, and AP-5 participated in a mission to rescue the rogue ISB agent. This mission involved infiltrating Thrawn's flagship, the Chimaera, and deleting data pertaining to Atollon's location. Kallus managed to avoid detection by implicating Lieutenant Yogar Lyste, while the Spectres and Rex escaped on a stolen Imperial shuttle. However, Thrawn deduced that Kallus was the true rebel spy but decided to use Kallus to uncover Chopper Base's location.

Joining the Alliance

While Kanan volunteered for a resupply operation, Hera and the remaining Spectres undertook a mission to transport the former Imperial Senator Mon Mothma through the perilous Archeon Nebula. Despite being pursued by a prototype TIE Defender and Star Destroyers, the Spectres successfully delivered Mothma to the planet Dantooine, where she delivered a galvanizing speech that resonated throughout the galaxy. Shortly thereafter, they were joined by the rebel fleet, marking the official formation of the Rebel Alliance.

Hera later dispatched Chopper, along with AP-5 and Wedge Antilles, on a mission to acquire a set of clearance codes from the Imperial Security Bureau station on Killun 71. The rebels required these codes for their impending raid on Lothal. Hera entrusted AP-5 with the task of stealing the codes, leveraging his extensive knowledge of the Empire. However, the mission was complicated when Chopper was hijacked by a team of Imperial slicers operating from a Gozanti-class cruiser.

The Imperial-controlled Chopper attempted to expose the other rebels to the vacuum of space and transmit Chopper Base's coordinates to the team's controller, LT-319. However, AP-5 assisted the Spectres in regaining control of their ship and restoring Chopper's programming. In retaliation for tampering with Chopper, Hera transmitted a large volume of data, overloading the Imperial cruiser's systems and causing the ship to explode. The Spectres and Wedge subsequently rescued AP-5 from the void, although the droid expressed his displeasure at having his solitude disrupted.

After Ezra received what appeared to be messages from Kanan's Jedi holocron and the Malachor Sith holocron, indicating that Master Kenobi was in peril from Maul, the Spectres, Rex, and Commander Sato convened to discuss the situation. With Kanan uncertain, Hera advised Ezra to remain on Atollon for the upcoming assault on Lothal. Despite Hera's counsel, Ezra and Chopper embarked on an unauthorized mission to Tatooine to locate Kenobi. After enduring attacks by Tusken Raiders and facing trials in the desert, the two were rescued by Master Kenobi. With Kenobi's assistance, the two returned to Atollon aboard Maul's starship, the Nightbrother, while Kenobi confronted and ultimately defeated Maul.

Later, the Spectres, along with Phoenix Squadron and General Jan Dodonna's Massassi Group, prepared to launch their assault on Lothal. However, Grand Admiral Thrawn anticipated their attack and discovered the location of Chopper Base. He blockaded the Atollon system with his Seventh Fleet, trapping the rebels within the system. With the rebel fleet unable to jump to hyperspace due to an interdictor vessel, Captain Syndulla persuaded the rebels to launch an attack on the blockade, enabling Ezra and Chopper to seek assistance off-world aboard the Nightbrother. Despite suffering heavy casualties, Ezra and Chopper managed to escape into hyperspace after Commander Sato rammed his flagship, the Phoenix Nest, into Admiral Konstantine's interdictor cruiser.

After Mon Mothma was unable to provide assistance, Ezra sought help from Sabine and Clan Wren. While the Spectres and the other rebels prepared for Thrawn's ground assault, Ezra convinced Ursa Wren to dispatch volunteers and starships to Atollon. Meanwhile, Kanan unsuccessfully appealed to the Bendu, but the enigmatic Force-wielder unleashed a storm against both the rebels and Imperials. Thrawn's forces stormed the base, but the Spectres and the remaining rebels managed to escape, aided by the Bendu's intervention. Simultaneously, Ezra and the Mandalorians destroyed Thrawn's second interdictor cruiser. This enabled the surviving rebel forces, including the Spectres, to flee to Yavin 4.

Beyond Atollon

In exchange for Clan Wren's support during the Battle of Atollon, Hera persuaded Mon Mothma to authorize Kanan, Ezra, and Chopper to assist Sabine and Clan Wren's forces on a mission to Mandalore, with the objective of rescuing Sabine's father, Alrich Wren. Following a skirmish at an Imperial prison, the Spectres and their Mandalorian allies successfully rescued Alrich with the help of Lady Bo-Katan Kryze. After Governor Tiber Saxon deployed a devastating energy weapon known as the Duchess, the Spectres undertook a joint mission with their Mandalorian allies to destroy the weapon. This mission held particular significance for Sabine, as she had played a role in its construction. The rebels and their Mandalorian allies destroyed both the Duchess and Tiber Saxon's Star Destroyer.

After Hera's Y-wing squadron survived an Imperial ambush, the Spectres, at Mon Mothma's request, embarked on a mission to plant a spike on the Imperial relay located on the planet Jalindi. The mission required Sabine, Ezra, and Chopper to land on the relay before being extracted by the other Spectres aboard the Ghost. However, the Spectres were detected, and a skirmish ensued with Imperial forces under Commander Brom Titus. The Spectres received unexpected assistance from Saw Gerrera, the leader of the Partisans. Saw destroyed the Jalindi relay and Titus' light cruiser, the Marauder, and then rescued Sabine, Ezra, and Chopper.

Saw subsequently enlisted Sabine, Ezra, and Chopper on a mission to investigate the Empire's motives for sterilizing Geonosis. Their mission involved stowing away on Freighter 2716 at Faos Station and then traveling to the Tonnis sector. Aboard the freighter, they encountered a squad of death troopers and discovered that the freighter was transporting a large kyber crystal and numerous civilians who had been conscripted for an unknown project. While Saw was determined to uncover the Empire's intentions, Sabine and Ezra also insisted on rescuing the civilians.

Instead of reaching the weapon's location, the freighter rendezvoused with Captain Slavin's Star Destroyer in the Tonnis sector. Refusing to concede defeat, Saw sabotaged the ship's hyperdrive, destabilized the kyber crystal, and then escaped in a U-wing with his fellow Partisan, Edrio. After defeating the death trooper commander, DT-F16, and her troops, the three Spectres and the civilians escaped the doomed freighter aboard a Lambda-class shuttle. They narrowly avoided an explosion triggered by the unstable kyber crystal, which destroyed both the freighter and Slavin's Star Destroyer. Sabine and her team were rescued by Hera and Kanan. While the Spectres succeeded in recruiting new rebels, they remained uncertain about the Empire's secret project.

Return to Lothal

Despite their numerous off-world escapades assisting the Rebel Alliance, the Spectres consistently felt a pull back towards Lothal. This pattern prompted Kanan to consider the possibility that Ezra shared a unique bond with the planet. Following intelligence received from their local contact, Ryder Azadi, the Spectres embarked on a mission to gather crucial information about the Empire's latest creation, the TIE Defender starfighter, for the Rebellion. Journeying to Lothal, the Spectres stealthily entered the planet's atmosphere aboard the Broken Horn, a freighter owned by the smuggler Cikatro Vizago. As they descended, Ezra observed that much of Lothal was shrouded in smoke, with its once-lush plains now scarred by fire.

After landing in Capital City, the Spectres cleverly evaded a stormtrooper patrol by using puffer pigs as a diversion. Subsequently, Ezra and Sabine ventured to Jho's bar, hoping to connect with the rebel contact, only to discover that Jho had been executed by the Empire. The Imperial TIE pilot Baron Valen Rudor had seized control of Old Jho's Pit Stop. With the assistance of Jai Kell, a Force-sensitive cadet whom Ezra had previously helped escape from the Lothal Imperial Academy, Ezra and Sabine narrowly avoided capture. Simultaneously, Hera and Kanan shared a brief, intimate moment. Despite relentless pursuit by Imperial forces, the Spectres managed to escape through the sewers and rendezvous with Ryder Azadi and his local insurgent group.

Following their reunion with Ryder's group, the two rebel factions traveled to a secluded Imperial testing facility situated in Lothal's wilderness, where the Empire intended to conduct tests on their advanced TIE Defender Elite. Sabine formulated a plan for her and Ezra to steal the fighter's flight data recorder. The rebels' mission faced complications with the arrival of their longtime adversaries, Grand Admiral Thrawn and Governor Pryce. Before the designated test pilot Vult Skerris could take the TIE Defender airborne, Ezra and Sabine commandeered the starfighter and made their escape. The two rebels successfully neutralized three TIE Interceptors before crash-landing the fighter in a remote area. After recovering the flight data recorder, they concealed the fighter's hyperdrive, as Ryder's U-wing lacked one. During their escape, Ezra and Sabine encountered a mythical loth-wolf, which guided them back to their fellow rebels. Ezra later recounted this encounter to Kanan, who concluded that "all paths were coming together."

On the subsequent day, Ezra, accompanied by Zeb and Jai Kell, embarked on a mission to locate the TIE Defender's hyperdrive, while the remaining rebels awaited their return at the Lothal resistance camp. The Spectres' efforts to retrieve the hyperdrive were complicated by the arrival of the Noghri Rukh, dispatched by Thrawn to hunt down the rebels. Despite being pursued by Rukh and Imperial reinforcements, the Spectres and the Lothal resistance managed to recover the TIE Defender's hyperdrive and install it on Ryder's U-wing. Hera and Chopper departed Lothal aboard the U-wing with the flight data recorder, heading towards Yavin 4 with the vital information. Meanwhile, Kanan, Ezra, Sabine, and Zeb remained behind with Ryder. Hera and Chopper successfully evaded the Imperial orbital blockade and reached Yavin 4 with the data. Concurrently, Kanan and the others escaped through a network of tunnels and caves into Lothal's southern hemisphere, aided by a pack of loth-wolves. Kanan came to the realization that the loth-wolves were connected to the Force and possessed a unique affinity for Lothal.

While Hera worked to persuade the Alliance leadership to authorize an attack on the Imperial factories located on Lothal, the other Spectres and Ryder encountered the Mining Guild ore crawler Crawler 413-24 in Lothal's plains. This ore crawler was systematically stripping the planet's surface of its mineral resources to fuel Lothal's factories, resulting in the devastation of the planet's plains. The rebels engaged in combat with and killed two Trandoshan Mining Guild overseers, Seevor and Proach, and liberated the slaves aboard the crawler, including Vizago, who had previously assisted in smuggling them onto Lothal. The Spectres also narrowly avoided capture by an Imperial patrol. By freeing the slaves, the Spectres gained new recruits for the Rebellion. Hera later informed her comrades that the Alliance leadership had approved a strike on Lothal.

Leading a squadron of T-65B X-wing starfighters and accompanied by Chopper, Hera initiated a mission to raid the Lothal Imperial factories. Simultaneously, the remaining Spectres planted explosives on the turrets of the air defenses positioned outside the Imperial Armory Complex. Although Hera and Chopper successfully eliminated the Imperial ace pilot Vult Skerris and a light cruiser, Thrawn's fleet and TIE fighters decimated a significant portion of the rebel strike force. Hera and several pilots, including Mart Mattin and his astromech droid R3-A3, managed to crash-land in Capital City. With the strike team severely weakened, the rebels on the ground retreated from the city. Kanan also encountered a loth-wolf that addressed him by his birth name, Caleb. Chopper, along with Matt, managed to escape into the sewers, but Rukh captured Hera and handed her over to Governor Pryce.

Kanan's death

Following the unsuccessful assault on the Imperial Armory Complex, the remaining Spectres regrouped at the Lothal cliff dwelling. They initiated a rescue mission, which involved the construction of three Loth-bat gliders. While Zeb and Chopper assisted with the launch, Kanan, Ezra, and Sabine traveled on the loth-bat gliders to the "Dome," the center of Imperial power on Lothal. Meanwhile, Hera resisted Governor Pryce's interrogation long enough for Kanan to rescue her. Despite being pursued by Rukh, Hera and Kanan managed to escape to the Lothal City fuel depot, where they were joined by Ezra and Sabine, who had stolen two patrol transports.

That evening, Hera expressed her love for Kanan. However, Governor Pryce, determined to eliminate the Spectres once and for all, pursued them with a phalanx of AT-AT walkers and bombarded the fuel depot. Kanan, using the Force, held back the resulting explosive wave long enough for his rebel comrades to escape on the patrol transport. Kanan was killed in the subsequent explosion. His death deeply affected his fellow Spectres, particularly his lover, Hera Syndulla. Ezra was devastated by the loss of his mentor. Sabine and Zeb sought revenge against the Empire, and even Chopper displayed sorrow.

While surveying Capital City, Sabine and Zeb discovered that Kanan's death had not been in vain. The destruction of the fuel depot had eliminated the Empire's fuel supply on Lothal and damaged Thrawn's TIE Defender factory, disrupting TIE Defender production. Sabine and Zeb also defeated Rukh in combat but chose to spare his life. Meanwhile, a pack of loth-wolves, led by a white alpha male known as "Dume," kidnapped Ezra. From "Dume," Ezra learned that the Empire was threatening the Lothal Jedi temple. Back at the Lothal cliff dwelling, Chopper convinced Hera to honor Kanan's sacrifice by adding a piece of his Jedi holocron to her Kalikori, which Kanan had recovered from Thrawn's office. With this act of adding a new piece to the Kalikori, Hera symbolically made Kanan an official honorary member of the Syndulla family. Having made peace with Kanan's passage, the rebels then proceeded on a mission to save the Lothal Jedi Temple.

Return to the Lothal Jedi Temple

Guided by Ezra's connection to the Force, the Spectres rode a pack of loth-wolves to the Lothal Jedi Temple, situated in the planet's northern hemisphere. They discovered that the Empire and Mining Guild had begun excavating the temple in order to harness its power. While Hera, Zeb, and Chopper monitored the outskirts of the Imperial excavation site, Ezra and Sabine infiltrated the camp disguised as scout troopers. Using the Lothal Jedi Temple key stone provided by the loth-wolves, Ezra began to unlock the painting of the Mortis gods.

Although Sabine was captured by the Imperial Minister Veris Hydan, Ezra successfully unlocked the portal and entered the World Between Worlds, a mystical dimension of the Force that connected all of space and time. There, he discovered a portal leading to the time of the Mission to Malachor and rescued Ahsoka Tano before Darth Vader could deliver the final blow. After Tano convinced Ezra to honor his fallen master's sacrifice, the two escaped Darth Sidious, who attempted to capture them. Meanwhile, Zeb, Hera, and Chopper aided Sabine in escaping from Hydan's command center.

Ahsoka returned to Malachor, while Ezra exited the portal on Lothal. Before escaping with his rebel comrades, Ezra sealed the portal to the World Between Worlds. This caused the Lothal Jedi Temple to collapse into the ground, taking Hydan with it. The Spectres escaped in a stolen Mining Guild excavation driller. Reflecting on the sunken Lothal Jedi Temple, Ezra and Hera finally came to terms with Kanan's death.

Liberation of Lothal

As part of Ezra's plan to liberate Lothal, Hera traveled back to the planet Seelos with Rex and Kallus to enlist the aid of Gregor and Wolffe, the pirate Hondo Ohnaka, the Ugnaught Melch, and Ketsu Onyo. Back on Lothal, Ezra devised a plan to lure Governor Pryce into a trap using the former Governor Ryder Azadi. Governor Pryce and Rukh led a fleet of patrol transports and stormtroopers to attack the Lothal cliff dwelling. Ezra, Sabine, Zeb, and Chopper participated in the defense of the rebel base.

Despite their efforts, Governor Pryce's forces eventually overwhelmed the Spectres and the Lothal resistance, taking them captive. However, Hera and her reinforcements, having slipped past the Imperial blockade on the Ghost, attacked Pryce's forces. Pryce and her stormtroopers were defeated when Ezra unleashed a pack of loth-wolves on the Imperials. The Spectres captured Pryce and several stormtroopers, but Rukh managed to escape. With Pryce in custody, the rebels proceeded to the next phase of their plan: driving the Empire out of Lothal.

Utilizing the captive Governor Pryce, the Spectres and their rebel allies infiltrated the "Dome." After subduing the guards and seizing control of the command center, the rebels implemented Ryder's plan, which involved using Protocol 13 to order a mass evacuation of Imperial forces on Lothal. According to Protocol 13, the Imperial forces would evacuate aboard the Dome, which was revealed to be a mobile Imperial Planetary Occupation Facility. The plan succeeded, and the Imperial forces returned to the "Dome." However, before the rebels could take off into space, Grand Admiral Thrawn arrived aboard the Chimaera, blocking their path. Thrawn then initiated a bombardment of Capital City. To stop the bombardment, Ezra boarded the Chimaera to negotiate with Thrawn. Meanwhile, Hera divided the rebel forces into two teams, tasking them with restoring the deflector shields. Sabine and Chopper remained with Hera and the captive Pryce in the command center, while Zeb accompanied Kallus and Gregor to the south tower. Aboard the Chimaera, Ezra confronted Thrawn, who led him to a chamber containing a reconstructed section of the Lothal Jedi Temple. The Emperor appeared in a holographic projection and attempted to persuade Ezra to open the portal to the World Between Worlds, offering him the chance to reunite with his parents.

However, Ezra, remembering his late master Kanan's teachings, rejected the Emperor's offer. Enraged, the Emperor ordered several Royal Guards and stormtroopers to kill him, but Ezra collapsed the temple structure on top of them. Simultaneously, the Spectres and their rebel comrades successfully restored the Imperial Complex's shield generators, protecting Capital City from Thrawn's bombardment. Additionally, Ezra arranged for Wolffe, Mart Mattin, and Cikatro Vizago to summon a pod of purrgil, which devastated Thrawn's Seventh Fleet. Using the Force, Ezra commanded the purrgil to take him, Thrawn, and the Chimaera into uncharted space.

Following Ezra's departure, the Spectres and other rebels brought the "Dome" into Lothal's upper atmosphere. After evacuating aboard the Ghost, the rebels detonated the "Dome," with most of the Imperial forces on Lothal, including Governor Pryce, aboard. As a result of their efforts in liberating Lothal, the Spectres and their local allies earned the respect of the local population.

Legacy

After the Liberation of Lothal, the remaining Spectres continued to fight for the Rebellion. Hera and Chopper participated in the Battle of Scarif and the Battle of Endor. Some time after Lothal's liberation, Hera gave birth to a son, Jacen Syndulla, conceived with Jarrus before his death, who inherited his mother's passion for flying. Following the Galactic Civil War, Zeb brought his former adversary Kallus to Lira San. In the aftermath of the Galactic Civil War Wren intended to travel with Tano to find Ezra, who had not surfaced, eventually locating him on the extragalactic planet Peridea, where both he and an Imperial remnant formed under Thrawn were separately stranded.

Members

Hera Syndulla, a Twi'lek female inspired by her father, Cham Syndulla, was the initial member of the crew to rebel against the Empire. Dissatisfied with life under Imperial rule and its treatment of her people, Hera (codename Spectre-2), the owner and pilot of the Ghost, sought out like-minded individuals to form a resistance movement. This search led her to Gorse, where she encountered Kanan Jarrus (codename Spectre-1). Kanan, a human male, had trained as a Jedi under Jedi Master Depa Billaba during the Clone Wars, known then as Caleb Dume. Billaba perished during the execution of Order 66, but Dume survived, receiving a warning message from Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi that the Grand Army of the Republic had turned against the Jedi Order. Heeding Kenobi's message, Dume went into hiding, changed his name to Kanan Jarrus, and spent years as a transient, taking on various jobs before joining Syndulla's cause. The crew also included their own astromech droid, Chopper (codename Spectre-3), whose grumpy demeanor belied his essential role in repairing the ship.

Over the following years, others joined their cause. Garazeb Orrelios (codename Spectre-4), a male Lasat and survivor of his home planet's fall and the near-destruction of his species, served as the group's muscle, using his strength to combat stormtroopers, whom he derisively called "bucketheads." He harbored a deep antipathy for the Empire due to the devastation inflicted upon his species. Another member, Sabine Wren (codename Spectre-5), a human female from Mandalore, was a trained Mandalorian warrior and explosives expert. She was also an artist who added flair to her explosive creations with vibrant colors. She would leave behind her calling card, the starbird, after attacks to let the Empire know that it was the rebels who attacked them.

Five years prior to the Battle of Yavin, Ezra Bridger (codename Spectre-6), a human male orphan who grew up on the streets of Lothal, joined the crew. Unbeknownst to him, Bridger possessed an affinity for the Force, which Jarrus detected. The crew took Bridger in to train him and continue the way of the Jedi, and he joined them on various missions while training with Jarrus. One such mission involved his temporary enrollment in the Imperial Academy on Lothal to steal the decoder containing the location of the kyber crystal. During this mission, he met fellow cadet Zare Leonis, whose sister, Dhara, was a star pupil at the Imperial Academy before she vanished. While the Empire claimed Dhara had run away, Leonis believed she had been taken by the Empire, possibly by the Grand Inquisitor. He remained at the Academy after Bridger left, becoming an ally of the rebels and providing them with information.

By the time of the Battle of Endor, Jacen Syndulla (codename Spectre-7) had joined the crew.

Behind the scenes

The Spectres are the central characters of the animated television series Star Wars Rebels, making their full series debut in the premiere television film Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion.

While various sources have identified Kanan Jarrus as the leader of the Spectres, Star Wars Super Graphic: A Visual Guide to a Galaxy Far, Far Away clarifies that Jarrus' Spectre-1 code name was intentionally assigned to him so that Imperials would mistakenly assume he was the group's leader. The guide states of Hera Syndulla, "Even though she is Spectre-2, this Twi'lek is the pilot and leader of the rebels."