Second mission to Ryloth

Following their collaborative effort to commandeer an Imperial Quasar Fire-class cruiser-carrier, Hera Syndulla successfully mended her relationship with her father, Cham Syndulla, who was the leading figure of the Free Ryloth Movement. This reconciliation led to closer collaboration between the Free Ryloth movement and the broader rebellion, particularly with Hera's rebel group, the Spectres. In 2 BBY, the Galactic Empire deployed a new commander, Grand Admiral Thrawn, with the mission to suppress the Free Ryloth movement. By immersing himself in the study of Twi'lek culture, art, history, and philosophy, Thrawn formulated effective strategies that culminated in the capture of Tann Province, the ancestral home of the Syndulla clan. Previous assaults, led by Captain Slavin, had lacked this sophistication and were largely unsuccessful.

Consequently, the Free Ryloth movement suffered significant losses, compelling Cham to evacuate from his family home. In his hasty departure, he was unable to salvage many possessions, including a cherished Kalikori artifact that had belonged to his late wife. During an attempt to rendezvous with Hera's starship, the Ghost, for a crucial supply acquisition, Cham and Numa found themselves pursued by Imperial scout troopers riding 614-AvA speeder bikes, as well as an Imperial Troop Transport. The rebels, mounted on blurrgs, skillfully evaded their pursuers long enough for the Ghost to obliterate the transport and disperse the scout troopers. Cham and Numa then boarded the Ghost on their blurrgs, closely followed by one remaining scout trooper. This scout trooper was swiftly subdued by the Lasat rebel Garazeb Orrelios, while Ezra Bridger appropriated the scout trooper's armor.

Once safely aboard the Ghost, Cham was reunited with his daughter, to whom he recounted the recent tumultuous events on Ryloth. Cham confessed that he had underestimated the new Imperial commander, noting that previous attacks had been clumsy and ineffective. Upon learning of the loss of the Kalikori, Hera pledged to recover the heirloom as a tribute to her deceased mother's memory. Despite her initial intention to undertake the mission alone, Cham, Numa, Gobi Glie, and the rest of the Spectres volunteered to assist. The devised plan involved Hera, accompanied by Chopper and Ezra, disguised as a scout trooper, infiltrating the Syndulla residence to retrieve the artifact. Concurrently, Cham and the other rebels would stage a diversionary attack against Imperial forces stationed in the Tulara Ravine.

Executing their strategy, the two rebel groups launched an assault on a Troop Transport and an AT-DP within the Tulara Ravine. Hera and Ezra then capitalized on the chaos to slip away on a 614-AvA speeder bike. Upon reaching the outskirts of the settlement, Ezra successfully bluffed his way past Imperial security by posing as a scout trooper escorting a captured Twi'lek rebel. They then arrived at the Syndulla residence, where they met up with Chopper, who was disguised as an Imperial astromech droid.

The pair then infiltrated Cham's former office, where they recovered the desired object. However, as they prepared to discreetly exit through the front entrance, they observed Grand Admiral Thrawn entering the building, accompanied by Captain Slavin and two stormtroopers. The Imperials were discussing the recent rebel assault in the Tulara Ravine. Thrawn quickly surmised that the attack was a diversion intended to facilitate the rebels' entry into the former Syndulla residence. Hera and Ezra attempted to escape through the basement, only to discover that the Imperials had established a command center there.

Aided by Chopper, Hera and Ezra attempted to escape through the main entrance. While Chopper engaged the stormtrooper sentries in conversation, Hera attempted to slip past them unnoticed. Ezra concealed himself behind a wall separator, prepared to provide backup if needed. However, Hera unexpectedly encountered Slavin and Thrawn. Slavin mistakenly assumed Hera was a servant and reprimanded her for neglecting her duties in the kitchen. Thrawn, however, expressed interest in questioning the Twi'lek about her perspective on the Imperial occupation and the Kalikori. Hera attempted to feign poverty, claiming she was a servant attempting to sell the Kalikori to provide for her family. However, Thrawn recognized the cultural significance of the Kalikori and deduced that the servant was none other than Hera, the daughter of the rebel leader Cham. When Ezra attempted to intervene, Thrawn stunned the youth and took both Hera and Ezra as prisoners.

Thrawn then added the Kalikori to his personal collection of art before delegating command to Captain Slavin. Meanwhile, Cham and the other rebels attempted to evade their Imperial pursuers but were pursued by a second AT-DP walker. Despite Gobi's efforts to slow down the walker by dislodging rocks with a rocket launcher, they were unable to halt its advance. Following a prolonged exchange of gunfire, Slavin utilized a hologram transmitter to issue an ultimatum to Cham. He threatened to execute Hera and Ezra unless Cham surrendered by dawn. Driven by his love for his daughter, Cham resolved to surrender himself to save her life. When Gobi protested, Cham designated Hera as his successor.

However, Thrawn and Captain Slavin failed to apprehend the third rebel infiltrator, Chopper. Disguised as an Imperial astromech droid, Chopper informed Hera and Ezra of the recent developments. Hera then formulated an escape plan that would also rescue her father. She instructed Chopper to steal explosives from the Imperial armory and strategically place them throughout the Syndulla residence. She intended to comply with the exchange but planned to seize victory from her Imperial captors. Meanwhile, Slavin ordered his troops to position themselves around the hangar. His intention was to betray the Ryloth and Spectres, luring them into a trap to cripple both rebel groups.

At dawn, Slavin escorted Hera and Ezra to meet Cham. Cham arrived promptly aboard the Ghost and disembarked. Slavin agreed to a simultaneous exchange and ordered his captives to walk forward. As Hera approached Cham, she apologized for her imminent destruction of their home. At that moment, Chopper emerged and detonated the explosives. The resulting shock wave reverberated throughout the house, knocking the Imperials off their feet. The rebels then seized the opportunity to escape aboard the Ghost. Kanan Jarrus also employed the Force to redirect a rocket fired by a stormtrooper at an AT-DP walker, causing it to crash to the ground.

Slavin then contacted Thrawn, who was observing the skirmish from the bridge of his Arquitens-class command cruiser. However, Thrawn instructed the gunnery officer not to fire, stating that Cham and the rebels had earned their victory. When a disheartened Slavin contacted his superior officer to report the rebels' escape, Thrawn responded that he should not be concerned, as he found the "experiment" enlightening.

Following their escape from the former Syndulla residence, the two rebel groups landed the Ghost on the plains of Ryloth. Cham praised his daughter for her ingenuity, while Hera reaffirmed her love for her father, Kanan, and her crew, whom she considered her new family and home. Hera admitted that she had been wrong to jeopardize the lives of her crew to retrieve the Kalikori. Hera concluded that she did not need the Kalikori because she retained cherished memories of her late mother.

The second mission to Ryloth was first depicted in the Star Wars Rebels episode "Hera's Heroes," which premiered on Disney XD on October 15, 2016.