Warhead (episode)

A previously unseen droid makes its way to the rebel station, but its true nature is deceptive...

The episode commences with a pair of Imperial Star Destroyers launching escape pods into hyperspace. One of these pods makes impact on the surface of Atollon, in proximity to the coral mesa that houses Chopper Base. An E-XD-series infiltrator droid emerges from the pod. After moving a short distance, it spots a departing rebel spacecraft and identifies it as a potential target. It then begins an investigation, only to be confronted by a pair of krykna.

At Chopper Base, Hera Syndulla urges Wedge Antilles and Hobbie to accelerate their pace, noting their tardiness for a training session. Ezra Bridger and Garazeb Orrelios exchange a fist-bump as the two pilots rush off. Zeb expresses his disappointment at being excluded, but Hera explains that his role as chief of security necessitates his presence at the base. Despite Zeb's plea to avoid boredom, Hera assures him that Chopper and AP-5 will provide company. Kanan Jarrus promises a swift return, while Ezra and Sabine Wren encourage Zeb to remain positive. The Ghost then takes off, en route to the training exercise.

AP-5 informs Zeb of his surprise at the security chief appointment, having previously regarded Zeb as merely a heavy-lifting laborer. When AP-5 inquires about Zeb's duties with Chopper, the astromech droid beeps, implying they have never quite understood his role, provoking Zeb's anger. Upon Zeb's inquiry about his function, the RA-7 protocol droid states that he intends to conduct a comprehensive inventory of the base's munitions depot. AP-5 requests assistance, but Chopper declines. Zeb complains about being confined with Chopper, with whom he has a strained relationship.

When Zeb comments that counting crates is not his idea of enjoyment, AP-5 sarcastically offers to teach him counting skills. Annoyed, Zeb pushes AP-5 aside and proceeds to the command center to engage in some "commanding." There, a communications officer informs the Lasat about the tracking of multiple meteors impacting the surface near Chopper Base. One of these impacts has disabled a perimeter sensor in Sector 6. The officer seeks guidance on whether to dispatch a unit, but Zeb decides to investigate personally. Zeb instructs Chopper to accompany him, but the droid is hesitant. However, Chopper reconsiders when AP-5 requests his assistance with the inventory lists.

Zeb and Chopper journey to Sector 6 in a landspeeder, where they discover a damaged sensor beacon. Zeb attributes the damage to krykna, and soon finds a protocol droid wedged between two deceased krykna. Zeb expresses surprise at the droid's presence and notes its non-Imperial appearance. He suggests bringing it back to base for repairs, while Chopper argues for its disposal. Unaware of the infiltrator droid's true nature, Zeb disagrees and carries the droid on his shoulders back to the landspeeder. Zeb also reminds Chopper that Hera put him in charge. As Zeb carries the droids body back to the speeder chopper makes a sound similarly to "I have a bad feeling about this" before the scene finishes.

Simultaneously, on the bridge of a Star Destroyer, Agent Kallus is notified by a fellow officer about the loss of contact with an Infiltrator Droid. Upon Kallus's inquiry about the droid's last known location, the officer replies that the droid never transmitted its coordinates and suggests alerting Imperial High Command. Kallus dismisses the idea, stating that pursuing every temporary communication failure would be unproductive. He instructs the officer to await further communication from the droid before taking any action.

Back at Chopper Base, AP-5 bemoans the depot's disarray, remarking that the Empire was at least more organized. Shortly thereafter, Zeb arrives with the infiltrator droid and asks for its model identification. AP-5 identifies the droid as an outdated protocol droid and initiates its charging process. The emergency restart causes the protocol droid to revive rapidly. When Zeb asks the droid for its identity and origin, the droid claims to have no memory, leading AP-5 to believe its systems are damaged. However, the droid begins scanning the munitions depot and identifying its contents.

Zeb expresses amazement at the protocol droid's swift scan and inventory of the entire area, joking that it could outperform AP-5. AP-5 disagrees but welcomes the logistics droid as a valuable assistant. Zeb deems the droid harmless and suggests taking in another "stray." The droid then scans Zeb, identifying him as a Lasat and "military-type." Subsequently, the droid identifies Chopper as an obsolete C1-series astromech droid that is no longer manufactured. Chopper protests, but Zeb jokes that he will get along with the newbie because they both dislike Chopper.

The comm officer then summons Captain Orrelios to the command center via intercom. Zeb instructs AP-5 to supervise his new acquaintance before departing. The comm officer informs Zeb of an urgent message from Fulcrum, who is actually Agent Kallus. Kallus, now disillusioned with the Empire, is aiding the rebellion. Fulcrum's recorded message cautions the rebels about the Empire's use of infiltrator droids to sweep the Outer Rim Territories for rebel bases, noting their harmless appearance in protocol mode. Examining the schematics, Zeb is shocked to realize the new droid is an infiltrator. Fulcrum also warns that one of the droids has recently failed to report in, and the Empire will investigate if it fails to establish contact.

Returning to the munitions depot, AP-5 is leading the infiltrator droid and Chopper on a tour. He directs the droid to categorize everything and expresses confidence in their harmonious collaboration, stating that they will soon bring the rebel base into perfect order. The infiltrator droid, reacting to AP-5's mention of "rebel base," begins repeating the phrase just as Zeb enters the depot wielding his bo-rifle. Zeb orders AP-5 to distance himself from the droid, revealing it to be an Imperial recon droid. The infiltrator, regaining its memory, identifies itself as EXD-9 and transforms into its attack mode. After identifying AP-5, Zeb, and Chopper as rebels, the droid attacks them with its long grappling arms.

The droid leaps onto an elevated bridge and then onto Zeb, who fires his bo-rifle repeatedly. The infiltrator punches Zeb multiple times, but Zeb manages to repel it with his rifle. The droid then jumps onto a stack of cargo boxes and begins firing with concealed blasters. Chopper electrocutes the infiltrator from behind, but EXD-9 hurls him against several containers. Zeb then shoots off part of EXD-9's left hand. The infiltrator flees, and Zeb helps Chopper up. AP-5 translates Chopper's beeps as "I told you so."

Examining the infiltrator's severed hand, Zeb acknowledges the damage inflicted but emphasizes the urgency of preventing it from reporting their presence to the Empire. When AP-5 suggests alerting Hera, Zeb argues that they lack the time and resolves not to disappoint her. Zeb and his comrades attempt to track down the infiltrator using the leaking fluid, but instead find a wrecked astromech droid. AP-5 explains that the astromech has been drained of its power and its parts scavenged. Zeb deduces that EXD-9 is repairing itself, and asks Chopper to track the droid's energy signature. However, AP-5 informs Zeb that Chopper is unable to track it because the infiltrator droid is low on power and looking for more.

Zeb devises a plan to use Chopper as bait to lure the infiltrator out of hiding so that he can blast it. When AP-5 reminds Zeb that they are in a high-explosive area, Zeb concedes and proposes capturing it to shut it down. AP-5 agrees to assist. Enacting their plan, Chopper searches for the infiltrator. He soon discovers EXD-9 salvaging a GNK-series power droid and calls out to it. Chopper leads EXD-9 on a chase through the munitions depot. Zeb lies in wait on the elevated bridge, and jumps on the infiltrator droid as it passes below. He attempts to knock it out with his bo-rifle, but the infiltrator throws him to the ground.

The infiltrator droid then confronts AP-5 and Chopper, but Zeb strikes it with his activated bo-rifle. The droid grapples with Zeb, and shocks him by redirecting the rifle's energy back at him. EXD-9 then proceeds to choke Zeb and hurls him to the ground. Zeb manages to jump onto the droid's back, and holds onto it as it falls off a crate onto the ground. AP-5 and Chopper attempt to help Zeb and shut the droid down, but the droid kicks Chopper away as Zeb struggles to immobilize it. With considerable effort, AP-5 manages to shut down EXD-9.

After subduing the intruder, Zeb asks AP-5 for the good news. AP-5 reports that he detects no long-range communications, concluding that the droid has been unable to transmit their location to the Empire. When Zeb asks about the bad news, the droid's chest opens to reveal a countdown. AP-5 reveals that the droid has activated its anti-capture failsafe, and states that it probably contains a proton warhead as well, which Zeb points out could vaporize the base. When Zeb asks how much time is left on the countdown, AP-5 tells him it's only twenty seconds. When Zeb, panicked, asks for ideas, Chopper freezes the countdown circuit.

AP-5 believes that this will provide them with sufficient time to relocate it before it detonates. AP-5 adds that this part requires manual labor, which he calls Zeb's specialty. Zeb recalls Fulcrum's warning that the Empire will investigate if the droid fails to report back, and drops EXD-9 on top of AP-5. When AP-5 asks if he proposes returning the droid with its databanks full of secrets, Zeb struggles to find a solution. AP-5 states that this will take a while.

When Zeb asks AP-5 if he can access the droid's programming, AP-5 replies that he cannot memory wipe the infiltrator droid since that would rearm the warhead. When AP-5 remarks that it will be a matter of when it will explode, Zeb points out that it can also be a matter of where. He proposes sending EXD-9 back to the Empire, and asks AP-5 if he can tamper with the warhead and set the countdown to reactivate when it reconnects with the Imperial network. AP-5 thinks that is possible, and asks Zeb what he is planning. Zeb explains that they will send EXD-9 back to the Empire with the data, but set the droid to explode and destroy the other infiltrator units so the Empire won't know which droid blew up.

AP-5 says he can try to do it, and remarks that he is stunned by Zeb's ingenious plan. Chopper giggles and warns that the infiltrator droid might try to kill them. AP-5 replies that he will reset the droid to its disarmed state and activate its "return to base" protocol, so that it will leave Chopper Base peacefully. After Chopper mumbles, AP-5 completes the main system restart, and the three rebels take cover. EXD-9 reverts to its disarmed state and wakes up. The droid leaves the depot, and the rebels follow it back to its ship in a landspeeder.

EXD-9 enters its pod and activates the long-range transmitter. Zeb, watching, shoots and destroys the transmitter dish. With the transmitter disabled, Zeb celebrates that the infiltrator droid will now return home since it can't contact the Empire. AP-5 adds, "If it follows its programming." EXD-9 departs in its pod. When AP-5 fusses that he may not have properly reset the droid, Zeb reassures him that while they may not like each other, he commends AP-5 for doing his job. AP-5 replies that Zeb performed admirably. Zeb says he has had a busy day, and can't deal with the fact that he has befriended AP-5, who agrees.

EXD-9 docks its pod on a Star Destroyer with other Infiltrator units. Two Imperial Navy technicians recognize EXD-9 as the droid they had lost contact with, and begin to plug it into the Imperial system. One of the technicians attempts to alert Imperial command that the droid was damaged but recovered something. However, EXD-9 activates its countdown, and the Star Destroyer goes up in flames. Kallus witnesses the explosion from the bridge of a neighboring Star Destroyer and, surprised, feigns shock and anger as he demands to know what just happened. After an officer informs him that one of the droids' proton nuclear warheads exploded, he secretly smiles.

The following day, the other Spectres come back on the Ghost to Chopper Base and are greeted by Zeb, AP-5, and Chopper. Hera demands that Zeb tell her why she called them back on day one of the exercise. Zeb tells her that they got everything under control, just as they receive an incoming message from Fulcrum. Hera tells Zeb it will have to wait, as they go to hear the message. As they leave, Kanan asks Chopper what he means when he says that he had nothing to do with that. Fulcrum congratulates the rebels for reprogramming the Infiltrator droid he had warned them about, and for setting it to self-destruct. Fulcrum expresses his admiration for them. When Sabine asks what happened, Zeb says that it is a long story, and AP-5 adds he can give the full details. Embarrassed, Zeb swiftly muffles him as the other Spectres watch in bemusement.

Meanwhile, Agent Kallus reports to Grand Admiral Thrawn's command center aboard the Star Destroyer Chimaera. When Thrawn asks how the explosion happened, Kallus responds that he believes that the rebels captured an infiltrator droid and reprogrammed it to self-destruct back at base. Kallus and Thrawn agree that the rebel plan was ingenious. Kallus observes that the Grand Admiral is in good spirits despite the setback. Thrawn explains that despite the loss of the infiltrator droids, it was hardly a setback, because it means that the rebels are almost certainly on one of the systems the droids were sent to, narrowing down the rebel base's possible location to ninety-four worlds from over a thousand.