In the year 4 BBY, a scheme was orchestrated by ISB agent Kallus within the confines of the Lothal City Capitol Building. The purpose of this trap was the capture of the rebels operating on Lothal. The Empire's plan involved using the deceptive rebel Senator Gall Trayvis to draw the rebels into the Senate Building. Nevertheless, the rebels successfully evaded the trap. This was due to early intelligence provided by Imperial cadet Zare Leonis, coupled with the rebels' own cautious measures. During a chase within the sewers, Trayvis attempted to ensnare the rebels, but was thwarted by captain Hera Syndulla, who quickly discerned his treachery, and knocked him down.
Following a Force vision experienced by Ezra Bridger, in which the dissenting Senator Gall Trayvis praised his parents Ephraim and Mira for their courage, the Spectres received information that the exiled Senator would personally visit Lothal to deliver a speech at the Lothal City Capitol Building. Trayvis enjoyed popularity among the rebels because of his frequent broadcasts criticizing the policies of the Galactic Empire. While Ezra was convinced that this event was connected to his vision, Kanan remained skeptical, suspecting an Imperial trap.
As Kanan had anticipated, Trayvis's visit to Lothal was merely a deception designed to capture the rebels. In an attempt to eliminate the Lothal rebel cell once and for all, Agent Kallus of the Imperial Security Bureau had been gathering stormtroopers for a large-scale operation at the Senate Building. Unbeknownst to the rebels, Trayvis was, in reality, an Imperial double agent secretly working to undermine resistance against the Galactic Empire. This operation was a component of a broader crackdown on sedition and dissent across the planet, initiated by Governor Arihnda Pryce.
Due to suspicions of an Imperial trap, Garazeb Orrelios reached out to Merei Spanjaf, the girlfriend of Imperial cadet Zare Leonis, who had previously assisted Ezra in acquiring an Imperial decoder from Kallus's office. However, Merei, preoccupied with her own issues, was unable to provide assistance. Similarly, Zare was unable to contact them directly because the Empire was monitoring all communications from the Imperial Academy. Instead, Merei advised them to dispatch the astromech droid Chopper to establish contact with Leonis at the Academy.
Disguised as an Imperial droid, Chopper successfully located Leonis at the Academy and delivered a handwritten note from "Dev Morgan," instructing him to meet outside the Academy that evening. As arranged, Leonis met with Bridger outside the Academy and verified that the Empire was assembling forces for a major operation at the Lothal City Capitol Building. Ezra quickly deduced that the Empire was plotting to trap Senator Trayvis. During their brief encounter, Bridger also discovered that Leonis had been transferred to the officers' academy on Arkanis. Before Ezra could reveal his true identity to Leonis, they were interrupted by several stormtroopers, forcing Ezra to flee.
Ezra successfully evaded the Imperials and alerted his fellow rebels to the trap at the Lothal City Capitol Building. Upon scouting the Building, the rebels observed that it was heavily guarded by numerous stormtroopers. Believing that the Empire intended to capture Trayvis, the rebels devised a plan to infiltrate the complex through the sewers. While Chopper remained behind to guard the manhole, the rebels entered the sewers and divided into two groups. Ezra accompanied Hera Syndulla and Kanan, while Sabine and Zeb took a different route.
Eventually, Ezra, Hera, and Kanan reached the top of the Senate Building, where they encountered Senator Trayvis and two of his RQ protocol droids. The three rebels attempted to warn Trayvis about the Imperial trap but were quickly surrounded by Agent Kallus, Minister Maketh Tua, and several stormtroopers. Kallus demanded the rebels' surrender, and Trayvis urged them to cooperate with the authorities. However, Zeb and Sabine deployed smoke grenades, allowing the rebels and Travyis to escape into the sewers below.
The Spectres and Senator Trayvis separated into smaller groups as they fled into the sewers. Travyis accompanied Ezra and Hera, while Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb escaped in another direction. During their escape, Trayvis intentionally slowed down, hindering the rebels' progress. He claimed to be overwhelmed by the foul odor of the sewers. When Ezra inquired whether he had ever had to flee from the authorities before, the Senator asserted that this was the first time he had nearly been apprehended. However, Hera, who was listening to Travyis's account, suspected something was amiss with the Senator.
As the rebels ventured deeper into the sewers, they encountered a sizable turbo fan. To assess Travyis's loyalty, Hera entrusted him with her unloaded blaster pistol to maintain watch while she and Ezra attempted to disable the fan. Travyis seized the opportunity to take the rebels prisoner at gunpoint. He promptly revealed himself as an Imperial agent who had deceived rebels into emerging from hiding so that the authorities could eliminate them. When Bridger questioned him about his broadcasts, the Senator informed the young rebel that his parents were foolish for defying the Empire. Hera responded that Bridger's parents' disappearance was not in vain as long as others continued the fight.
Trayvis then attempted to shoot Hera, only to discover that the pistol was unloaded. Hera then capitalized on the opportunity to punch the Imperial agent in the face, causing him to fall to the ground. After Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb arrived, Hera disclosed that Trayvis was a traitor. Ezra and Kanan then employed the Force to suspend the turbo fans, enabling the rebels to cross to the other side. By the time Kallus arrived with reinforcements, the rebels had successfully fled back to the Ghost with Chopper.
Following the unsuccessful attempt to trap the Spectres, Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin traveled to Lothal to address the insurgency there. He publicly rebuked Agent Kallus and Minister Tua in front of their troops for their failure to contain the Spectres. Simultaneously, Senator Trayvis reaffirmed his allegiance to the Empire during a HoloNet News interview with Alton Kastle. Adhering to the Imperial propaganda line, Travyis asserted that the rebels were violent fanatics who had hijacked his peaceful message.
The Empire's control over news in Lothal prompted Kanan to devise a plan to hijack the Imperial Communications Center at Jalath to broadcast their own counter-propaganda. However, Tarkin, in collusion with Kallus and the Grand Inquisitor, decided to set a trap at the Jalath communications tower. This operation resulted in Kanan's capture, but the other rebels managed to escape and seize control of the communications tower. In response to Ezra's broadcast, Tarkin ordered the destruction of the communications tower to prevent the public from hearing the rebels. After Kanan's capture, the rebels launched a mission to rescue Kanan.
The trap in the Old Republic Senate Building was first portrayed in the Star Wars Rebels episode "Vision of Hope," which premiered on January 26, 2015.