"Rebel Assault" marks the ninth installment of the fourth season of Star Wars Rebels, the animated television show. Viewers first saw this episode on November 13, 2017 via Disney XD. Notably, it is also the sixty-eighth episode in the entire series.
Aboard an Arquitens-class cruiser orbiting the planet Lothal, which is part of the Imperial blockade, an officer informs the cruiser's captain about a detected emergence from hyperspace. Subsequently, a squadron of T-65B X-wing starfighters materializes, led by General Hera Syndulla, accompanied by her astromech droid Chopper. Hera instructs her pilots to maintain formation with their wingmates, emphasizing the need to protect the slower Y-wings. Cleat acknowledges the Imperials' numerical advantage but asserts their superior skill, a sentiment echoed by Mart Mattin, who claims it applies even more to him. Chopper's beeping suggests it's triple for him, which causes Hera to sigh. She then commands her squadron to engage their S-foils in attack configuration. On the bridge of the Star Destroyer Chimaera, Grand Admiral Thrawn, upon entering, declares that the rebels have finally arrived at Lothal. Commander Woldar reports a count of 24 rebel ships to the Grand Admiral. Thrawn orders the launch of fighters, instructing his top pilot, Vult Skerris, to prevent the Rebels from reaching the planet's surface. As the TIE fighters deploy, Hera urges her pilots to accelerate to attack speed, initiating the battle.
Below, amidst wailing sirens, the Spectres – Ezra Bridger, Sabine Wren, Garazeb Orrelios, and Kanan Jarrus – are placing explosives on the turrets of the air defenses designed to safeguard the Imperial Armory Complex. Zeb questions the explosives' potency, and Sabine assures him they are sufficient, though he notes the towers' imposing size up close. As the Rebels conceal themselves from a watchful stormtrooper, Ezra contacts Ryder Azadi, who confirms his team's explosive placement and arranges a rendezvous. Ezra replies that they have one tower remaining and concludes the communication. Sabine points out that Hera is expected to arrive imminently.
Above, X-wings are actively destroying many TIE fighters. Hera directs Mart, Phoenix Two, to engage a wingman, resulting in another TIE crashing into a light cruiser. She praises his shot before instructing Phoenix Four and Five, Cleat and Duke, to diminish the Imperial forces. Cleat acknowledges the orders before she and her wingmate launch an attack. She urges Duke to keep pace, to which he responds that he's trying. As the two pilots shoot down TIEs, Vult Skerris joins the battle in his gold-striped TIE/D Defender Elite. He orders his wingmen to stay close and positions himself behind Duke. Cleat warns him of three additional fighters, but Duke is quickly shot down by Skerris. He then targets Cleat, damaging one of her engines. She reports a loss of control, and Hera advises her to scissor right to create an opening. As Phoenix Four attempts to escape, Skerris shoots her down, prompting Hera to attack him, eliminating both of his wingmen. As she passes by, Skerris recognizes her piloting skill and begins pursuit.
The turrets on Lothal begin to fire, just as Zeb finishes placing the last explosives on the tower. Ezra, Sabine, and Kanan mount speeder bikes, and upon receiving confirmation that Zeb is done, Ezra tells him to get on. Zeb retorts that that's not how it works, before pulling Ezra from the driver's seat, placing him on the back, and taking the seat himself. The Rebels escape, and Sabine activates a detonator, triggering the explosives and causing the towers to collapse neatly. Governor Arihnda Pryce informs Thrawn via hologram that her air defenses have been destroyed, to which he responds that it's an impressive but anticipated level of coordination. Pryce notes the factory's vulnerability, but Thrawn remains unconcerned, asserting that none of the Rebel ships will breach his blockade.
In the midst of the space battle, Skerris pursues Hera but fails to score a hit. She laments his speed before devising a plan and instructing Chopper to hold on tight. Hera guides the Imperial ace toward the Chimaera, prompting Skerris to question her destination. Thrawn is alerted to an X-wing approaching on an attack vector and orders Skerris to disengage. He refuses, stating that he almost has Hera in his sights. Thrawn remarks that it's unfortunate before ordering his gunners to open fire. A subordinate expresses concern about Skerris, and Thrawn explains that the Commander is playing into Hera's strategy before reiterating the order. The Chimaera's guns fire, bringing down both Hera and Skerris' shields. Hera tells Chopper to tighten his bolts before heading in. Thrawn approaches the windows and watches Hera and Skerris fly past. Hera targets the Chimaera's scanning array, creating a cloud of smoke, and she closes her attack foils and flies through. Skerris loses sight of her in the smoke and, due to his fighter's larger profile, is forced to navigate around the scanning array. Hera reverses her fighter, and when Skerris reappears, she fires upon him, catching him off guard, and destroys two of his Elite's wings. Skerris spirals out of control, screaming, and his fighter crashes into a light cruiser. Mart, observing, is impressed and congratulates Hera. The cruiser's magazine is damaged by the impact, causing it to explode and veer out of control. It collides with a Star Destroyer, shearing off the bridge superstructure. Hera orders her fighters to head for the opening, and the Rebels race toward Lothal.
Thrawn, upon being informed of the situation by Commander Woldar, acknowledges that it is regrettable but "a testament to Captain Syndulla's skill as a combat pilot". He orders the second wave of TIE fighters to intercept the Rebels. As Hera and her pilots enter the clouds in Lothal's atmosphere, Mart reports detecting enemy fighters. They are soon attacked by a large number of TIEs, already firing their cannons. Outside Lothal City, the Spectres meet with Ryder and Jai Kell, and Ezra anticipates Hera's force's arrival. They observe trails descending on the city, followed by explosions. Zeb inquires about the nature of these trails, as Ezra and Sabine use electrobinoculars to witness the Rebel fighters being shot down and destroyed. Ezra expresses shock, and Sabine confirms the destruction of the entire attack force with horror.
Thrawn learns that the entire attack force was destroyed, but several Rebel fighters managed to crash-land in the city, including that of the Flight Leader, while the factories remain intact. He dispatches his assassin, Rukh, to capture any surviving pilots alive, with a particular focus on Captain Syndulla. On the burned plains, Sabine spots incoming Imperial gunships, and Kanan attempts to contact Hera via his comlink. Ryder urges them to leave before they are detected, and the Rebels reluctantly turn to go. Kanan is the most hesitant, wanting to rescue Hera. Ezra assures him that they will find Hera, and the Rebels leave.
Hera's fighter has crashed in an alleyway and is on fire. Chopper tries to awaken the unconscious Hera, eventually exiting the astromech socket and opening the X-wing's canopy to revive her. She emerges, injured and disoriented. Several civilians approach, and a woman warns Hera about approaching Imperial forces, advising her to navigate through the market and head for the east gate. As gunships approach, the civilians flee, and Hera hides from the spotlights. Once the transports depart, Hera asks Chopper to contact Kanan and Ezra, but his transmitter was damaged in the crash. The two flee into the city.
On the highway, the other Spectres, Ryder, and Jai travel away from the capital on their speeder bikes. Kanan, at the rear, brakes and stops, prompting the others to do the same. He declares his need to return and do what he must. Ezra acknowledges his decision, saying they'll meet him back at base. As Kanan leaves, Sabine expresses her disapproval, suggesting they should also search for Hera, but Ezra believes Kanan will find her. The Rebels proceed to their base.
At the Imperial complex, Governor Pryce greets Rukh, who has captured one Rebel pilot, and offers a cool congratulations. She orders the pilot taken for interrogation and learns that the Rebel Flight Leader's starfighter has been located, but the pilot and astromech are missing. Knowing that Hera is the pilot they seek, Pryce orders the district locked down and searched thoroughly until she is found. In the dark city streets, Hera and Chopper encounter an Imperial blockade. Hera tells Chopper that they can pass through quickly before reinforcements arrive. However, Chopper detects a distress beacon from another astromech. Following it, they discover the crash site of another Rebel starfighter. Stormtroopers confront the pilot, Mart, who is injured and being defended by his droid, R3-A3.
The stormtroopers attempt to capture R3, needing his memory banks, and are instructed to immobilize him. R3 is shot and deactivated, causing Mart distress. Hera, observing, tells Chopper to wait and ambushes the driver of a nearby troop transport. As she drives up, Mart recognizes her, but the troopers are unaware and question the driver's actions. This allows Mart to knock down one of the troopers and seize a blaster, which he uses to shoot another. The third trooper is run over by Hera, who asks Mart if he's okay. He replies that he's mostly unharmed, and Hera inspects R3. The stormtrooper Mart knocked down recovers and attempts to attack, but Chopper neutralizes him from behind. Hera asks Mart for permission to remove the transmitter from the downed R3 to replace Chopper's broken one, as it's their only means of escape. He grants his permission, believing R3 would want to help other Rebels, and Hera begins the task as Mart stands guard.
Elsewhere, Rukh, searching through the city, picks up a scent and follows it. At the crash site, Hera, having finished replacing Chopper's transmitter, asks if it works. He attempts to send a signal, but the Empire is jamming everything. Hera tells him to try again once they leave the city. At that moment, the Rebel trio is fired upon by Rukh. Hera tells Mart and Chopper to flee before returning fire, and the three Rebels escape with the assassin in pursuit. Mart asks Hera where they're going, and she directs Chopper to scan for the nearest sewer hatch. Once he finds the direction, Chopper leads them through the city streets. Rukh pursues them over the rooftops. In a narrow street, Mart spots the assassin on the roofs and shoots at him. Rukh swiftly descends to street level and attacks, quickly disarming Mart and kicking him into Hera. The assassin then engages Hera in hand-to-hand combat, and she manages to disarm him of his electrostaff. He knocks her to the ground shortly after, just as Mart recovers. Rukh reclaims his staff, activates it, and raises it over Hera, only to be shocked by Chopper from behind. As Mart shoots at him, Rukh retreats to the rooftop. Mart helps Hera up, and the Rebels continue their escape.
Kanan, riding his speeder bike, approaches Lothal City on the highway at high speed. Approaching the city, he senses a Loth-wolf standing in the road, forcing him to brake, only for the creature to disappear. Kanan is thrown off his bike, tumbling before stopping. As he stands, the lights along the road go out. Angered, Kanan shouts for the wolf, demanding its location, and stating that he doesn't have time for diversions. He says if the wolves want to help, that's fine, but as he grabs the handlebars of his bike, he demands they otherwise stay out of his way. Kanan turns to find the wolf sitting in front of him and releases his bike, startled, as the creature growls. He asks what it wants, and the wolf says "Dume"—Kanan's original name—as two other wolves approach from behind. Kanan, removing his visor, says he understands and asks what he must do.
In Lothal City, Hera and Mart follow Chopper through the streets. Hera asks the droid for the sewer hatch's location, and Chopper discovers it is guarded by stormtroopers and an AT-DP. The walker is positioned directly on the hatch, causing Hera to express frustration sarcastically. Mart asks if they have other options, and Hera replies that there is no time as Imperial forces are closing in. She decides they must move the walker and spots a landspeeder parked in the street. Hera asks Mart if he's good at distractions, and when he seems confused, she declares that he is now.
Mart, armed with his stolen blaster, walks into view of the stormtroopers guarding the hatch. He announces that they're looking for Rebel pilots and that they've found one. A trooper orders him not to move, and Mart shoots one of the troopers. As the Imperials return fire, Mart shoots back while running for cover. The other stormtrooper, LS-757, reports the rebel activity before he and the AT-DP give chase. Hera, in a nearby street, orders Chopper to open the hatch. The droid flies down from the roof and plugs into the port at the sewer hatch, as Hera takes control of the parked landspeeder. Mart hides among large crates as the walker passes, and the stormtrooper looks behind them. When he's not looking, Mart jumps him and neutralizes him after a brief struggle. The walker begins to turn around, and Mart shoots at it. Simultaneously, Hera approaches in the speeder and rams the walker, knocking it over.
The speeder is destroyed by the collapsing walker, and Hera climbs on top of it. As the walker's hatch opens, Hera tells Mart to go, promising to catch up. When the AT-DP's driver emerges, Hera stuns him. As Mart arrives at the sewer hatch, Chopper opens it, and Mart climbs in. Hera runs toward the hatch, but Rukh approaches across the rooftops. The assassin jumps down and approaches Hera from behind, and Mart shouts a warning. Rukh jumps Hera and knocks her down, but she kicks him off. The two fight, and Hera is knocked down. Mart, watching, prepares to intervene, but two hovertanks arrive, cutting off Hera from the hatch. Hera sees the tanks' arrival and orders Mart and Chopper to go. Mart salutes and heads down the ladder, but Chopper is reluctant, hovering in the opening. A gunship arrives, and Hera retrieves her blaster from the ground, yelling at Chopper to leave before shooting the astromech socket controlling the hatch. Chopper is forced to descend before the door closes, as stormtroopers approach.
Rukh disarms Hera, shoves her to her knees, and holds his electrostaff to her back. A gunship arrives, and Governor Pryce disembarks. Hera stands and tells Pryce that she's wanted to meet her. Pryce disdainfully comments on Hera's "small victory" before stunning her, and Hera falls unconscious. In the sewers, Mart and Chopper follow the starbirds to a hatch, and Mart bangs on it, hoping it's unlocked. The hatch opens to reveal Kanan, who helps Mart and Chopper out. Chopper beeps, and Kanan responds that he knows she did. Mart apologizes to Kanan for not saving Hera. Kanan tells Mart that there was nothing else he could have done to help Hera, but that there is something Kanan can do. The three Rebels leave on Kanan's speeder bike, and a Loth-wolf watches them go.