In the Name of the Rebellion

Saw Gerrera makes a reappearance, driven to reveal an Imperial secret, regardless of the consequences.

The Gauntlet, exiting hyperspace, heads towards Yavin, a planet, and its fourth moon. Sabine Wren, who is onboard, mentions their near arrival. Ezra Bridger is curious about the rebels at Yavin 4, and Kanan Jarrus answers that they are better equipped than Phoenix Cell was. He mentions that Hera Syndulla informed him that every remaining member of the squadron is now part of this unit. Chopper beeps with irritation, and Kanan firmly tells the astromech droid that he will receive an oil bath upon arrival, as per Hera's instructions, whether he approves of it or not.

Upon landing at the Great Temple, they are greeted by Garazeb Orrelios, a fellow Spectres member, who welcomes them to the moon. Sabine playfully questions Zeb about whether he has become weaker in her absence, and he begins to guide the new arrivals around. Kanan inquires about Hera's whereabouts, and Zeb explains that she is on a mission to acquire supplies. Ezra is amazed by the variety of ships present, and Zeb informs him that rebel cells from across the galaxy are gathered there, although he notes pessimistically that it is still insufficient to defeat the Galactic Empire. Ezra responds by saying that helping Ryder Azadi and Lothal would be enough for him. An alarm goes off as they encounter Rex, who greets them. Ezra asks Rex when Hera is expected to return, and Rex, noticing something in the sky, points and tells Ezra that she is currently arriving, approaching rapidly with the remnants of her squadron.

Hera's squadron, consisting of BTL-A4 Y-wing assault starfighter/bombers, rushes towards the base while Rex and various ground personnel converge on the area. She reports that she is preparing for an emergency landing and instructs Wedge Antilles to jettison fuel from his starfighter. All of the Y-wings are emitting smoke, and the other pilots also dump their fuel. Hera deploys her landing gear. After the landing area is cleared, Hera's fighter executes a rough landing, stopping just before reaching the Spectres. A trooper opens the Y-wing's hatch to assist Hera. As she steps onto the ground, Chopper approaches and beeps. Hera, not noticing him at first, replies that her astromech did not survive. Upon realizing Chopper's presence, she embraces him and expresses that she could have used him on that mission. Wedge and two other pilots come over, asking if Hera is unharmed. Hera assures Wedge that the incident was not their fault, reassuring the pilots that the situation would have been worse without their skills. She then instructs the pilots to clean themselves up.

Kanan approaches and comments that he has witnessed worse landings. Hera is pleased to see the other Spectres and expresses surprise that Sabine returned to the Rebellion instead of remaining with her family on Mandalore. Sabine replies that her family here needs her more. The Spectres' joyful reunion is interrupted by Alexsandr Kallus, who is wearing a Rebel officer uniform. He remarks that he finds the reunion "nice," but points out that it is time to resume work, as Mon Mothma has requested their presence.

Inside the main briefing room, Mothma congratulates Hera for her heroic actions in saving her squadron. Hera responds that she only wants to know what went wrong, and Mothma replies that Bail Organa, who is attending the meeting via hologram, might have the answer. Organa displays a hologram of an Imperial base, explaining that it is the Empire's new relay station on Jalindi. General Jan Dodonna admits that Saw Gerrera's intel was accurate. Rex is curious about how Saw's ragtag group possesses better intel than the Massassi Group, and Kallus angrily replies that it is because Gerrera, an extremist, does not care about how he obtains it. Ezra notes that Saw has achieved results, and Mothma sternly replies that the Alliance does not mistreat their prisoners. Ezra then questions how the Rebels are supposed to carry out missions with the relay station operational. Kallus proposes tapping into the station's transmissions to eavesdrop on them, allowing the Rebels to reroute their operations to avoid Imperial fleets. Mothma approves of the plan, and Hera states that her crew is capable of handling the task. When Dodonna asks if her ship can go undetected by the Empire, Hera replies that it is called the Ghost for a reason. Mothma assigns the Spectres the mission.

As the briefing concludes, Ezra asks when they will assist Lothal, as his people were promised support. Hera tells him that now is not the right time, and Mothma takes Ezra aside to speak with him. She explains that she understands his feelings, as her homeworld of Chandrila is also suffering under the Empire's rule. Mothma states that thousands of planets are suffering under the Empire's rule, and the Alliance must consider the bigger picture. She reminds Ezra that Thrawn's recent attack demonstrated that the rebels are not yet prepared to wage open warfare against the Empire. Ezra reluctantly accepts her point.

Later that night, Ezra finds Kanan meditating outside the temple. As he goes outside, a white-and-green astromech droid briefly follows him. Kanan asks Ezra what is troubling him, and Ezra explains that he believed coming to the Rebellion's main base would expedite assistance for his planet, but it now seems more distant than ever. Kanan tells Ezra to sit down and find his center. After a while, Ezra tells Kanan that although he acknowledges Saw's extremism, it seems to him that Saw is the only rebel leader who disregards politics, based on what happened on Geonosis. Kanan reminds Ezra that the manner in which they fight is more important than what they fight for. Ezra understands and suggests that they might be fighting in the wrong way.

Just then, the white-and-green astromech projects a large image of Saw, who addresses the Rebel Alliance members. He states that the rebels are aware of the threat posed by the Jalindi relay and portrays the Alliance leaders as cowards who are unwilling to do what is necessary to win. A technician asks Mothma, who is approaching, if he should terminate the transmission, but she declines, wanting to speak with Saw. Upon seeing her, Saw tells Mothma that her Rebellion lacks the will to defeat the Empire. Mothma states that she will not accept lectures on military strategy from a criminal, which Saw dismisses, pointing out that the Empire views them both as criminals. Mothma retorts that the Partisans target civilians, kill surrendering enemies, and violate every rule of engagement, which lowers them to the Empire's level. Saw acknowledges Mothma's passion, stating that this is the leader the Rebellion needs and questioning where this was earlier. He tells her that when the Rebellion is destroyed and the Empire's reign across the galaxy is unchallenged, she can be content knowing that she adhered to the rules. Mothma orders the technician to end the transmission and instructs the audience to return to their duties. As everyone else departs, Ezra remains standing alone, deep in thought.

Aboard the Ghost as it travels through hyperspace, Hera and Kanan outline the plan: the ship will fly high above the relay while Ezra, Sabine, and Chopper descend onto the dish, delaying the use of their rockets to avoid detection. After installing a spike to tap into the dish's transmissions, the Ghost will approach to pick them up. When she asks if there are any questions, Ezra notes that the operation will not significantly harm the Empire. Sabine points out to Ezra that it was a comment, not a question, but she agrees with his point. Hera responds that if they destroy the relay, the Empire will simply build another one. Ezra protests the mission again, and she sharply rebukes him, stating that their orders are not up for debate. Hera, sitting alone in the cockpit, is approached by Kanan, who asks her what is on her mind. She admits that she agrees with Ezra, and after what happened to her squadron, she only wants to hurt the Empire in the same way they hurt the Rebels. Kanan responds that it is Gerrera speaking, not her, and he is confident she will do the right thing. Hera says that she is no longer certain what the right thing is. The Ghost exits hyperspace above Jalindi, and Kanan reminds Hera to scramble the ship's signature to avoid Imperial detection.

In the cargo hold, Ezra responds to Chopper's beeping by saying that he enjoys wearing a jetpack, even if he doesn't need one. Sabine reminds Ezra that he must not activate his rocket too early, or they will be detected by the station. When Ezra asks about activating his rocket too late, Sabine quips that she appreciates abstract art but has no desire to become it, before jumping out. Ezra lowers his helmet's visor and jumps out as well, followed by the grumbling Chopper. The trio freefall towards the relay, with Sabine counting down the meters as they descend. Zeb is concerned about them, and Kanan reminds him that they must move quickly to avoid detection. Ezra, Sabine, and Chopper activate their jets after passing the five-hundred-meter mark, but they are still falling rapidly, and Ezra worries that they will crash. Sabine and Ezra land near the edge of the dish and continue sliding towards the center. Inside the relay station, the officer monitoring communications notices a brief disruption in the signal, caused by the impact of the rebels landing on the dish. Instructed to grab onto something, Ezra grabs one of the smaller antennae and catches Sabine as she slides past. They then quickly dodge Chopper as he tumbles past, before the astromech droid face-plants into the main antenna and falls backward onto the deck, causing another disruption in the signal. Ezra and Sabine run over to check on him, and after being righted, Chopper begins to complain, prompting Sabine to state that he is fine.

As the trio prepares to work on the dish, Zeb informs Kanan and Hera that an Imperial light cruiser has arrived. Ezra, Sabine, and Chopper quickly hide on the other side of the antenna to avoid the cruiser's line of sight, and Ezra reports that he does not think the cruiser saw them. Sabine opens a panel, and she and Chopper begin working. She instructs the droid to tap into the secondary comm relay, and they install the spike. They are then interrupted by a transmission from the commander of the cruiser, the Marauder, requesting docking clearance. Sabine realizes that they have accidentally tapped into the main comm channel and orders Chopper to connect the ship to the station so the Imperials do not suspect anything. Ezra has a different idea and asks Chopper to connect him. Adopting an accent, Ezra claims to be the commander of the station and tells the Marauder that they were not expected for another rotation and that their early arrival is causing problems, suggesting they return tomorrow. The Marauder's captain demands to know who he is speaking to, and Ezra claims to be Commander Brom Titus. In response, the officer incredulously asks if it is a joke, as he is Brom Titus. Ezra quips that it is typical of their luck, just as the dish begins to tilt. As Ezra yells for Chopper to fix it, he and Sabine slide into view of the Marauder's bridge, where Titus wonders what he is seeing. Handed a pair of electrobinoculars, Titus is angered to see Ezra waving sheepishly at him, recognizing the boy from their previous encounters, and demands that someone bring him the station's commander.

Sabine contacts Hera for a pickup, explaining that they have been spotted. She gives Ezra some detonators so the rebels can salvage something from the mission. Stormtroopers appear on the dish, and Ezra and Sabine fight them. Ezra tells Sabine to plant the detonators while he fights the troopers. As Sabine ducks on the deck to avoid blaster bolts, Ezra orders Chopper to realign the dish, causing the troopers to lose their balance and slide backward. Aboard the Marauder, Titus is informed of a small ship approaching and orders the ship's weapons to be prepared and their new fighters launched. As the Ghost approaches, Zeb reports with alarm that two TIE Defenders are being launched from the cruiser, forcing Hera to break off her approach. She orders Zeb into the turret. On the dish, Ezra orders Chopper to tilt it again, and Ezra and Sabine slide towards the edge, followed by the stormtroopers. Sabine grabs a handhold on the strut supporting one of the small secondary dishes and catches Ezra before he slides off the edge, while the stormtroopers fall past.

Meanwhile, the Ghost flies through the red rock pillars, pursued by the Defenders. Zeb helpfully points out that they are not normal TIEs, but "the nasty ones." Hera tells him to concentrate his fire, as their shields will not last forever, and Zeb retorts that she should tell them that. In response, Hera points out that she is still the better pilot. Kanan asks her if she wants to test that, and when Hera asks him what he is thinking, he tells her to fly into the fog. Zeb asks how Hera is supposed to see down there, and Kanan responds that she does not need to, because he will. Hera says that she must really trust Kanan to go through with this, and he responds that he knows she does. The Ghost dives into the fog, and Kanan begins to guide Hera through the pillars. One of the Defenders soon crashes, unable to navigate.

On the Marauder, an officer reports that another ship has arrived and is moving into attack position. The ship, a Partisan U-wing, fires upon the cruiser, taking down its deflector shields and causing heavy damage to its aft quarter. Titus retorts that they still have weapons and orders the cruiser to turn around to deal with the new attacker. Sabine wonders who it is, and Ezra responds that he does not know, but they are his new favorite. The ship pulls up as Ezra and Sabine run towards it, and a door opens to reveal Saw Gerrera, surprising Ezra and Sabine. He gives them a heads up and drops three bundles of proton bombs out the door onto the dish, warning that he has set the bombs on a short fuse. Ezra and Sabine shrug and accept Saw's offer of a lift, with Ezra contacting Chopper to tell him to come along. The trio board Saw's U-wing, which flies away. The stormtroopers on the dish see the explosives, and one orders the others to run for it. Titus, on his cruiser, orders his crew to pursue the fleeing rebel transport, but it is too late as the bombs explode, destroying the Jalindi relay. The Marauder, positioned directly above the point of detonation, is caught in the shockwave and explodes as well, killing Titus.

The Ghost, returning after dealing with the second Defender, witnesses the explosion. Hera is shocked, wondering if Ezra and Sabine were responsible, and contacts them. She is relieved when Ezra reports that they are safe, but her relief is dampened when Saw tells her they are on his ship. As the Ghost and the U-wing flee Jalindi, Hera tells Saw she is coming alongside to pick up her people. Just then, a Star Destroyer exits hyperspace and launches TIE fighters, prompting Saw to respond that there is no time, so they will have to leave. He asks Ezra and Sabine if they are coming along, and Ezra points out that they do not have another option. Saw suggests to Edrio that Ezra and Sabine might enjoy "fighting with a real army for a change." After Saw's U-wing jumps to hyperspace, Kanan asks Hera if she is worried about where Ezra, Sabine, and Chopper are going. She responds that she is not worried about where they are going, but who they are going with, before the Ghost jumps into hyperspace.

While in hyperspace, Saw suggests that Ezra and Sabine should be thankful to him. He questions whether they would prefer to carry out Mon Mothma's errands or engage in something that would genuinely make a difference. Intrigued, Ezra and Sabine express their interest, and Sabine draws a parallel to their recent activities on Mandalore. Saw replies that this is why he requires their assistance. The two are surprised, and Saw explains that since their trip to Geonosis, he has been investigating why the Empire wiped out the entire population of a planet and what they are concealing. He displays a hologram of Faos Station and explains that he has intel indicating that the Empire is covertly transporting cargo through the station. Ezra and Sabine agree to assist with the mission. Chopper expresses his disapproval, but Ezra informs him that he is outvoted.

Upon their arrival, Sabine expresses skepticism that there is anything suspicious occurring at the station, as there is no visible presence of the Empire. Saw counters that the Empire conceals things in plain sight. Noticing the abundance of droids, Sabine suggests that Chopper is due for a paint job. Saw instructs Edrio to bring the U-wing in for landing.

As Saw, Ezra, and Sabine disembark, Chopper is reluctant, disliking his new black-and-yellow disguise paint job. Sabine tells him to stop complaining and remarks that she prefers it to his usual orange. Upon arriving at a cargo bay, Saw identifies Freighter 2716 and informs them that they will board it by hiding in a cargo container, a strategy that Ezra and Sabine are familiar with. The disguised Chopper tows the crate onboard. Once safely inside one of the freighter's cargo holds, the three climb out of the container. Saw contacts Edrio and informs him that his tracker has been activated and to await transmitted coordinates for a pickup. The freighter jumps into hyperspace, and Edrio follows shortly after in the U-wing.

Examining the contents of the cargo hold, Saw discovers a datapad indicating that the crates contain shipbuilding materials, which he notes are used to construct the Imperial Navy. He interprets this as evidence that the Empire is building something. Sabine points out that the materials could have originated from Corellia or any other planet with shipyards, and Saw retorts that they still have more holds to investigate. Ezra asks if the others can hear "singing," and Sabine replies that they do not hear anything. Exiting the hold, they narrowly avoid a couple of stormtroopers, and Sabine remarks that Saw might be onto something after all.

Saw orders Chopper to hack into the ship's manifest, and the droid discovers that there is an Imperial shuttle in hold 12, prompting Ezra to remark that this further confirms that the freighter is not a civilian ship. Chopper also finds that the ship's destination is the remote, empty Tonnis sector, which Saw suspects would be an ideal location to conceal something. Ezra points out that it could simply be a rendezvous point. Chopper reveals that hold 17 is a restricted area, and Saw announces that they will go there. Upon arriving at the door, Ezra warns Saw not to create a commotion to gain entry, as it will attract unwanted attention. When Saw asks if he has a plan, Ezra replies that he has a droid. Inside, the stormtroopers on guard hear banging at the door and open it to find Chopper in the hall. They order him to leave, and Chopper shocks the lead trooper.

The troopers charge into the hall to confront the droid, where they are ambushed by Saw, Sabine, and Ezra, with one emitting a high-pitched shriek before being subdued. The three rebels drag the unconscious troopers back into the cargo bay, and Saw speculates that the cargo container prominently placed in the bay contains what he is looking for. Upon opening it, Sabine instead finds a group of prisoners. Ezra suggests that the prisoners must be what the Empire was guarding, but Saw points out that the Empire has prisoners everywhere. One of the prisoners, Mich Matt, states that he overheard some of the stormtroopers discussing the Jedha system and suspects that the cargo they are searching for likely originated from there. Matt explains that he used to be a technician for Coruscant's central power generator and that the Empire attempted to recruit him away from his job. When he declined the offer, as he did not want to leave his family, the Empire took him anyway. He explains that all of the prisoners are power and reactor technicians.

Ezra declares the necessity of evacuating the prisoners to a secure location, but before action can be taken, Chopper signals an approaching stormtrooper patrol. Ezra directs all prisoners to return to the container while the rebels conceal themselves. A Theelin individual is spotted by the troopers as he re-enters the crate, leading to his forced removal. The troopers demand information regarding the release of the prisoners and the whereabouts of other guards, but are swiftly ambushed and stunned by the rebels, their bodies added to the growing pile inside the crate. Ezra emphasizes the urgency of removing the civilians from danger, and Saw proposes using the shuttle in hold 12 for prisoner evacuation. Sabine counters that it will be heavily guarded. Her suggestion involves using the escape pods, coupled with sabotaging the ship's hyperdrive to force a drop out of hyperspace, allowing for escape. Ezra, Sabine, and Saw depart to execute this plan, while Chopper guides the prisoners to the escape pods. Both groups proceed stealthily through the ship, evading stormtroopers. As the prisoners board two escape pods, the Ithorian expresses his appreciation for Chopper's assistance, calling him a very good droid.

While Sabine and Saw navigate past a doorway, Ezra detects the recurring singing originating from behind it, prompting an investigation. Upon opening the door, Sabine encounters a death trooper, swiftly neutralized by Saw. She deploys smoke bombs, and the rebels launch an assault. Amidst the fog, the rebels begin eliminating the death troopers, but a blaster shot from Saw strikes the bay's mysterious cargo, causing the troopers' commander, DT-F16, to command a retreat. Only she manages to escape, as the rebels defeat the remaining troopers. Ezra voices concern about the escaped death trooper, but Saw dismisses it, believing he has located the cargo he sought. The carbonite freezing the cargo dissipates, revealing a shocking sight: a massive kyber crystal. Ezra recognizes the singing as similar to that of the crystal in his lightsaber when he first found it. Sabine urges everyone to holster their blasters, warning of the crystal's instability due to its size.

DT-F16 informs the ship's captain, Wells, that rebels led by Saw Gerrera have seized the crystal, and instructs him to notify Director Krennic. She commands the captain to dispatch all onboard security personnel and initiate a purge of the escape pods. Chopper detects the jettisoning of the pods, and orders the prisoners to exit them. Confused, they are directed by Chopper to return to the cargo hold where they were initially held. Matt sarcastically questions the effectiveness of the rescue, and Chopper bumps into his leg. Saw insists on allowing the freighter to reach its destination to uncover the Empire's plans for the crystal. He suspects the Empire is attempting to weaponize kyber crystals, evidenced by the captured technicians. Ezra and Sabine argue that the prisoners' safety is paramount, and Ezra requests Saw to guard the crystal while he and Sabine address the hyperdrive. Arriving at the engine room, Ezra and Sabine quickly subdue the guards. As Sabine prepares to disable the ship's hyperspace capabilities, Saw appears and stuns both her and Ezra, declaring that nothing will impede his pursuit of his enemies' plans.

The Imperial death trooper commander, DT-F16, accompanied by her stormtrooper reinforcements, enters the cargo bay, only to discover the crystal missing. She contacts the captain, who begins to speak, but is interrupted by the commander, who emphasizes the dire consequences for both of them if the crystal is lost. Upon learning that the ship has lost communication with the engine room, she heads in that direction. Inside the engine room, Sabine and Ezra regain consciousness, finding themselves in restraints. Sabine accuses Ezra's "friend" of being responsible, and Ezra questions Saw's motives and the presence of the kyber crystal in the engine room. Saw reveals his belief that the Empire is constructing a superweapon, and that they must uncover its nature. Realizing the ship is about to exit hyperspace, Saw directs Ezra and Sabine to observe the screen, which displays only empty space and a single Star Destroyer.

Saw proclaims his willingness to employ any means necessary to secure victory, citing the loss of everything, including his planet. He activates Ezra's lightsaber and uses it to damage the hyperdrive, before firing upon another section of the drive, causing the crystal to begin absorbing energy. Aboard the Star Destroyer, Captain Slavin is informed of the rebels trapped on the freighter, and orders a boarding party to secure the vessel. Saw's U-wing, piloted by Edrio, arrives, prompting Slavin to initiate fire, but he halts the attack as the transport approaches the cargo ship, deeming it too risky to fire with the crystal on board.

Within the engine room, Ezra and Sabine convince Saw to release them, but decline his offer of a ride. DT-F16 and several stormtroopers arrive, but two troopers are immediately incapacitated by energy discharges from the crystal, causing the commander to order a retreat and abandon ship. Saw bids them farewell, expressing hope for a future encounter, before departing for his transport. Ezra inquires if Sabine can prevent Saw's bomb from detonating, to which she responds negatively, explaining that the crystal will continue to absorb energy until it discharges, which will occur imminently.

Saw and Edrio escape in the U-wing, and a bridge officer informs Slavin that scans indicate the kyber crystal is not on board the rebel ship. Slavin orders the freighter to be secured. As Ezra and Sabine flee through the corridors, Ezra instructs Chopper to contact Hera and evacuate the prisoners to the shuttle, regardless of the guards. In hold 12, Chopper and the prisoners approach the Lambda-class shuttle, and Matt falsely informs the guards that Chopper has been ordered to evacuate them. When one of the stormtroopers states that the shuttle is reserved for the commander, Chopper promptly neutralizes both troopers. The prisoners board the shuttle. At that moment, DT-F16 and her remaining troopers arrive and attempt to reclaim the shuttle. Fortunately, Sabine and Ezra arrive just in time, swiftly eliminating the commander and her soldiers, and escaping on the shuttle with the prisoners.

Ezra informs Sabine of a significant energy reading emanating from the freighter. Sabine realizes that it is too late to escape into hyperspace, and decides to position the Star Destroyer between their shuttle and the kyber crystal. As the shuttle passes the bridge, Slavin recognizes it as the commander's shuttle and questions her destination. He is then informed that the Star Destroyer is detecting a critical event on board the freighter; realizing the imminent danger, Slavin utters a despairing "Oh no." On the freighter, the crystal emits an angry scream as it reaches critical mass and explodes, destroying both the freighter and Slavin's Star Destroyer. On the shuttle, Sabine directs all power to the shields, but the shockwave from the explosion disables the shuttle's engines. Sabine remarks that they are stranded. Ezra leans back in his seat and sighs, but at that moment, the Ghost arrives to rescue them. Witnessing the wreckage, Hera wonders what Ezra and Sabine have done, and Zeb comments that the pair cannot go anywhere without causing an explosion. Ezra sheepishly waves, while Sabine face-palms in embarrassment.

In hyperspace, Hera assures the prisoners that they will be taken home, and Matt informs her of their decision to join her cause. He explains that they believe their skills would be better utilized for the Rebellion, given the Empire's eagerness to exploit them. Hera expresses her gratitude. Kanan is disturbed by the Empire's potential use of the crystals, noting that this is the second time the Spectres have destroyed a giant kyber crystal to prevent it from falling into the Empire's hands. Sabine inquires about the feasibility of weaponizing them, to which Kanan expresses uncertainty. Ezra somberly suggests that the Empire may already be on the verge of winning a war that most of the Rebel Alliance does not yet believe has begun.