The eleventh episode of the animated television program Star Wars Rebels and the winter season's concluding episode is titled "Visions and Voices". It also serves as the series' forty-eighth episode in totality. It was broadcast on December 10, 2016, via the Disney XD channel.
At Chopper Base situated on the planet Atollon, Hera Syndulla briefs the Spectres, Rex, together with members of Phoenix Cell on a blustery day. Hera outlines a reconnaissance mission to prepare for their planned assault on the Imperial factories located on Lothal. A small team will suffice; the entire squadron isn't needed. Ezra Bridger is present, listening to the briefing, when he perceives Maul whispering his name and spots him standing in the distance behind a pair of Rebel troopers.
Hera notices Ezra's distraction and reminds him to focus on the briefing. Ezra mentions seeing something, but Hera emphasizes the importance of his full attention for the mission. Hera clarifies that Ezra's task involves infiltrating the Lothal system to analyze the Galactic Empire's orbital defenses. The rest of the team will wait for a maximum of one day. Ezra's objective is to gather intelligence on the positioning of Star Destroyers, patrol routes of TIE fighters, and transport movements. As Hera speaks, Ezra observes Maul moving amidst a group of rebel soldiers.
Sensing his apprentice's unease, Kanan Jarrus inquires if something is amiss. Ezra insists he's fine but admits to seeing something. Hera then informs Ezra that the recon team will depart as soon as they're loaded up. When Hera asks if there are questions, Sabine Wren wonders if Thrawn is present on Lothal. Hera acknowledges an increase in capital ships but confirms no information on Thrawn's presence. At that moment, Ezra hears Maul's voice growing louder and sees Maul walking behind a pilot.
When Kanan questions Ezra about what's wrong, Ezra sees Maul sneaking past Rex. When Garazeb Orrelios notices Ezra's distress, Ezra sees Maul walking past the Lasat and points in that direction. Zeb turns, sees nothing, and asks Ezra what he's looking at. Hera and Kanan remark that Ezra appears unwell. When Kanan asks Ezra what he sees, the boy hears Maul calling his name and turns to find the darksider directly behind him. Startled, Ezra faints, collapsing onto the conference table. Kanan and Zeb rush to his aid. When Hera asks Kanan what the matter is, he admits he is unsure.
Later, Ezra awakens in Zeb's bunk within their cabin on the Ghost. He's startled by Kanan, who reassures him of his safety. When Hera asks Ezra to clarify the situation, the boy explains that he saw Maul among them. Sabine is puzzled, asking if he saw Maul at the briefing. Ezra remembers Maul uttering his name and standing directly behind him. Zeb states that he was standing right beside Ezra and saw no one else. While Hera suspects a Force vision, Zeb suggests Ezra is overworked.
When Chopper jokingly tells Ezra to rise, Hera scolds the astromech droid. Ezra agrees with Chopper, stating that naptime is over and it's time to return to work. When Hera questions Ezra's well-being, he insists he's fine but is unsure of what troubled him. Ezra insists on preparing for his mission, asking Sabine to accompany him. After Ezra and Sabine depart, Kanan and Hera confer privately. Kanan believes Ezra is still affected by their previous encounter with Maul and that the issue is unresolved.
Later, the inventory droid AP-5 exits the Ghost. He prevents Sabine from loading a shipment of explosives onto the ship, arguing that they have sufficient supplies. Sabine counters that, as the weapons expert, she believes they require two more crates of proton torpedoes. AP-5 grumbles about the changes to the supply schedule but follows her instructions. When Sabine remarks on the similarities between AP-5 and Chopper, Chopper hoots that Sabine requires an attitude adjustment.
While Sabine and Chopper bicker, Ezra spots Maul walking among the rebel troops and rushes to confront him. Sabine tells him to stop and orders Chopper to fetch Kanan. Ezra runs past several Phoenix Squadron members, pushing some aside, as he searches the starship landing pad for Maul. He continues to hear the darksider's cackling laughter. Spotting Maul's feet on the other side of a starfighter, Ezra leaps over it and attacks a rebel trooper, mistaking him for Maul. Before Ezra can harm the false "Maul," Sabine and Kanan intervene and pull him away. Ezra attempts to strike Maul with his green lightsaber, but Kanan uses the Force to restrain Ezra's arms. Ezra demands release, but the older Jedi snaps at Ezra to look, as it's not Maul. The terrified trooper exclaims that Ezra is out of his mind before fleeing, as Ezra attempts to apologize. A distressed Ezra wonders what is happening to him.
Outside the Ghost, Hera and Kanan meet to discuss Ezra's predicament. Hera suggests postponing the mission and staying with Ezra. Kanan assures her that he has a plan and that Ezra will recover. Hera decides to proceed with the mission without Ezra, departing aboard the Ghost. Sabine expresses surprise at Hera's quick departure, and Kanan explains that he assured Hera that he had a plan. Leading Sabine to the Phantom II, Kanan retrieves Ezra's wrist comm from the shuttle and hands it to Sabine, requesting that she place a tracker on it without Ezra's knowledge.
Kanan and Ezra travel by speeder bike into the wilderness to consult with the Bendu. The Bendu anticipates their arrival, commenting that they are not quiet creatures. Kanan instructs Ezra to explain the situation. Ezra recounts that the darksider who sought to merge the holocrons has reappeared on Atollon. Bendu replies that he warned Ezra that merging the holocrons would bring both great wisdom and danger. Ezra concedes that he understood the price of this power and mentions that the vision was incomplete because he released the connection before the holocrons could reveal all their secrets. Ezra adds that the holocrons were destroyed by the blast.
The Bendu expresses concern. When Kanan asks for clarification, the Bendu responds by asking Ezra what he desires. Ezra wishes to stop seeing Maul. The Bendu cautions them not to turn around. Kanan and Ezra turn to find Maul standing atop a hill, observing them. As Maul descends, Kanan asks the Bendu for guidance, only to find that the Force-wielder has disappeared.
Maul comments on the strangeness of the place, noting that the Empire will struggle to locate them due to Atollon's remoteness. Ezra and Kanan activate their lightsabers, and Maul states that he came not to fight but to speak with "his" apprentice. When Kanan emphasizes that Ezra is not his apprentice, Maul replies, "Not yet." Ezra asks how Maul found them, and Maul explains that when Ezra severed their connection to the holocrons, both were left with fragments of the other's memories and knowledge, including the location of Chopper Base.
Ezra asserts that he cannot assist Maul with the information he seeks. Maul replies that this is why Ezra must accompany him. When Ezra asks what he would gain from sharing the information, Maul offers to keep the rebel base's location a secret. Kanan, unwilling to negotiate with the darksider, threatens him with his lightsaber. Undaunted, Maul dares Kanan to strike him down, informing him that he has planted a homing beacon nearby. He warns Kanan that the beacon will alert the Empire to their rebel base should he die.
Maul then tells Ezra that he possesses knowledge that rightfully belongs to him and offers to trade knowledge that will enable Ezra to destroy the Sith. Kanan and Ezra discuss Maul's offer. Kanan advises Ezra to reject the darksider's offer, but Ezra points out that Maul will reveal Chopper Base's location if they refuse. When Kanan suggests finding another base, Ezra reassures his master that Maul will not harm him because he needs him. Ezra adds that this may be their last opportunity to learn how to defeat the Sith. Despite disagreeing with Ezra's plan, Kanan reluctantly agrees because they have no alternative.
Ezra departs with Maul in his Gauntlet fighter Nightbrother. Kanan then rides his speeder bike back to Chopper Base, where he finds Sabine working on the Phantom II. Sabine reports that she has been tracking Ezra's signal and that Maul's ship has jumped into hyperspace. Kanan and Sabine leave Atollon on the Phantom II.
Meanwhile, the Nightbrother arrives above the planet Dathomir, which Maul identifies as his homeworld to Ezra. Maul's ship lands on the grounds of the ruined Nightsister lair. When Ezra asks about his family and people, Maul responds that he is the last survivor and that his family were killed. Maul describes the Nightsisters as skilled witches who posed a threat to the Empire. The two walk among the ruins.
When Ezra asks if these witches used the Force, Maul explains that the Nightsisters' power originated from their connection to Dathomir and that they had to perform old magick. Ezra refuses to follow Maul into a nearby cave until he explains how it works. Maul clarifies that the only way to obtain the knowledge they seek is to merge their minds. Maul urges Ezra to trust him, asserting that he only wants the answers he deserves and nothing more. Maul leads Ezra into a room filled with objects that Maul has collected to help him recover his old memories.
Ezra remarks that it appears to be junk, and Maul warns him not to touch anything. He explains that these are artifacts from the past, when his power was almost absolute. Ezra notices a defaced portrait of a woman, with what appears to be a lightsaber placed beneath it, resembling an altar. Ezra is about to touch the weapon when Maul tells him to step away. When Ezra asks if the weapon is a lightsaber, Maul confirms it but states that it is of a kind unfamiliar to Ezra and that his Mandalorian friend could provide a better explanation if she were present. He then hands Ezra a pair of goblets. Meanwhile, the Phantom II arrives above Dathomir. When Sabine asks Kanan why Ezra is willing to trust Maul repeatedly, Kanan replies that he doesn't believe Ezra trusts him but is taking a significant risk for their sake.
Back in the cave, Maul informs Ezra that he has studied the ways of the Nightsisters and devised a spell that suits their needs. This spell involves mixing magick water that focuses their power on an altar and pouring the potion into the goblets. Maul explains that they must drink the potion to access this knowledge. Ezra insists that Maul go first. Maul complies, telling Ezra that he must drink all of the magick water for the potion to be effective.
The water causes Ezra and Maul's eyes to glow a bright green. Meanwhile, Kanan and Sabine land the Phantom II outside the cave. Sabine informs Kanan that Ezra is inside the cave, and the two rush in. Back in the cave, Ezra and Maul's eyes emit radiant green beams of light. Maul asks where "he" is, while Ezra requests the knowledge to destroy the Sith. The beams of light coalesce into a green cloud. Maul declares that he now understands, while Ezra sees a familiar figure but cannot recall his name. The magick cloud briefly takes the shape of a planet with two suns. The visions cease, and Ezra and Maul collapse from their efforts.
Maul remarks that it concludes where it began: the desert planet with twin suns. Ezra finds it unbelievable that the person is still alive. Suddenly, the cave plunges into darkness, and Maul explains that it is time to repay their debt. The altar glows green, and the spirits of two fallen Nightsisters emerge. Maul reveals that the spirits demand their flesh and blood as payment for their services, a detail he neglected to mention to Ezra earlier. Ezra is shocked by the cost.
At this moment, Kanan and Sabine enter the room and encounter the spirits. Despite Ezra's warning to stay back, the two fire their blasters at the spirits, who overpower and possess them. Sabine and then Kanan kneel before the altar and rise to confront Ezra and Maul. Maul warns Ezra to stay back, but the boy approaches Kanan, who removes his visor. Ezra sees that his eyes are glowing green. The Nightsister spirits possessing Kanan and Sabine attack Maul and Ezra with a lightsaber and blaster, respectively. Ezra deflects Sabine's blaster bolts with his lightsaber and tries to reason with her.
The possessed Kanan and Sabine force Maul and Ezra into a corner, and Ezra warns Maul not to harm Kanan. Unable to defeat the Nightsister spirits, Maul tells Ezra to follow him, claiming to know how to save his friends. Maul and Ezra flee to the cave entrance, pursued by the possessed Kanan and Sabine. Ezra and the possessed Kanan engage in a brief lightsaber duel, and Ezra is knocked to the ground. Once Ezra and Maul exit the cave, Ezra asks why the possessed Kanan and Sabine aren't following them. Maul explains that the spirits cannot leave the cave because the altar is the source of their power. Maul apologizes for the condition of Ezra's friends but asserts that this is an opportunity to embrace his destiny as his apprentice.
Ezra rejects Maul's offer, prompting an enraged Maul to tell Ezra to forget the past, his memories, and his attachments. He tells Ezra that their futures converge on a place with twin suns and that they can walk that path together as friends and brothers. Ezra retorts that his friends are trapped inside the cave because of their actions and refuses to abandon Kanan and Sabine. Maul dismisses Ezra as a "disappointment" and departs in his ship.
Ezra returns to the cave, hoping to rescue his friends. A possessed Sabine creeps up on him, warning him against entering their sanctuary. Sabine attacks Ezra with the Darksaber, and he deflects her blows with his lightsaber. Ezra tells the spirit that the blade does not belong to her. The spirit dares him to take it from her. Ezra leads the possessed Sabine towards the entrance, but the spirit leaps after him and throws him to the ground. Ezra uses the Force to push Sabine out of the cave. As the spirit is exorcised from Sabine's body, she taunts Ezra that he will not defeat them. Ezra then tends to Sabine and picks up the Darksaber. She remarks that she hopes what he gained from Maul is worth all the trouble they've encountered. Ezra warns her not to enter the cave because the spirits will possess her again and runs back into the cave. When Sabine shouts after Ezra, asking if the spirits won't possess him too, Ezra replies that he's counting on it.
Ezra charges into the cave to find Kanan kneeling on the altar, surrounded by green mist. The possessed Kanan tells Ezra that Maul promised them flesh and blood so that they can rebuild the Great Clan of the Nightsisters. Ezra replies that it is his debt as well and offers himself if the spirits release his friend Kanan. The spirit possessing Kanan accepts Ezra's offer, provided that he can prove he is stronger than Kanan in combat. Ezra and the possessed Kanan engage in a lightsaber duel.
Ezra tells Kanan he knows he is in there and vows not to lose his master. The spirit insists that the debt must be paid. Ezra manages to use the Force to push Kanan to the ground. He then offers himself up, and the spirit exits Kanan's body. The spirits then rise from the altar as Ezra helps Kanan up and tells him to get out of the cave. The spirits demand that Ezra honor his pledge to surrender his flesh and blood. Instead, Ezra tells them he'll have to owe them one and uses the Darksaber and his own lightsaber to destroy the altar. This destroys the Nightsisters' power, and Ezra is knocked back by a shockwave as the spirits vanish, screaming.
Ezra recovers, picking up Kanan's visor where it had fallen, before running to check on his master. Kanan insists that this is the last time they ever work with Maul, and Sabine, approaching, adds that she hopes so. When Ezra tells Sabine that he told her to stay outside, she responds that she never listened to him before, so why would she start now. When Kanan asks Ezra if it was worth it, Ezra tells him yes because Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi holds the key to destroying the Sith. Kanan asks Ezra if he thinks Kenobi is still alive. Ezra says that he must be and warns Kanan that Maul is also looking for him.
When Kanan asks where he is, Ezra explains the holocrons told him that Kenobi was hiding on a planet with two suns. Sabine remarks that hardly narrows it down. Kanan knew they have to figure it out because if they do not find Master Kenobi before Maul they are going to lose their chance of learning how to destroy the Sith again but this time it will be for good and the Galactic Civil War will be lost. The three rebels then leave the Nightsisters' cave. Before departing, Sabine discovers the Darksaber, a symbol of Mandalorian leadership, and takes it with her.