The latest addition to the Star Wars universe – the live-action series, Ahsoka – is set to premiere in August, and already people are formulating thoughts on what to expect.
As a continuation (perhaps even a final chapter) of Ahsoka Tano’s story carrying over from The Clone Wars and Rebels, there’s a good chance the series will cater most directly towards longtime fans of Dave Filoni and his previous shows. After all, it’s already been announced that fan-favorite characters from Rebels – including Hera, Sabine, Ezra, and Thrawn – will appear in Ahsoka, fueling speculation that the show will act as a final epilogue for Ahsoka and the former crew of the Ghost.
With that in mind, there might be certain pieces of information those unfamiliar with The Clone Wars and Rebels should know ahead of Ahsoka’s premiere, such as who Hera, Sabine, and Ezra are, along with their past role in Star Wars canon.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Ghost crew from Star Wars Rebels.
What Is The Ghost?
As depicted on Star Wars Rebels, the Ghost is a heavily-customized VCX-100 light freighter owned by Hera Syndulla and used as the mobile of operations for Lothal’s Rebellion branch. As a crew, the Rebels operating the Ghost are collectively known as the “Spectres.” Initially introduced as a ragtag crew of petty criminals, the Spectres’ anti-Imperial activities ultimately led them to become an insurgency.
Eventually joining the larger, more organized Rebel Alliance, the Spectres became a driving force in the Alliance, dedicated to undermining the Empire’s influence in the Outer Rim and helping liberate Lothal during the Galactic Civil War.
Given their emphasized role in Rebels, the Spectres are essentially the main characters of the series, their anti-authoratian operations and growth as a group being the primary focus of the show.
As a group, the Spectres serve as a major proponent of the fledgling Rebellion, participating in the Siege of Lothal, the Rebel attack on Scarif, the assault on Endor, and the conclusive battle of Jakku.
Formerly, the Ghost crew disbanded following the destruction of the Death Star II, each Spectre going their separate ways to assist the New Republic and continuing to hunt down Imperial fugitives (like the Grand Admiral Thrawn, the de facto leader of the Empire after the Emperor’s death).
While all of this answers what the Ghost is as a group, it’s also helpful to know more specific information about the ship’s respective crew mates, as well as where they left off at the end of Rebels.
Kanan Jarrus
Hera Syndulla may be the captain of the Ghost, but it’s Kanan Jarrus who acts as the crew’s spiritual leader. Interestingly, Kanan is one of the few characters in Rebels whose story is covered throughout Filoni’s other series, chronologically beginning with Clone Wars, continuing in part with The Bad Batch, and technically ending with Rebels.
In the continuity of Star Wars, Kanan was once a young Jedi Padawan named Caleb Dume at the time of the Clone Wars. Forming an emotional bond to Jedi High Council member Depa Billaba, Caleb becomes Billaba’s padawan once the latter is able to take to the field again after her near-disastrous duel with General Grievous. Just as Chancellor Palpatine secretly orders Order 66 to begin, Caleb and Billaba lead the Republic’s assault on Kaller. With Clone troopers bearing down on them, Billaba sacrifices herself to bide time for Caleb to escape.
Fleeing from the Clones, Caleb adopts the new identity of Kanan Jarrus, cutting himself off from the Force and going into hiding as the Republic transitions into the Empire.
Meeting and falling in love with the Twi'lek Hera, Kanan leads the Ghost crew in minor skirmishes against the Empire. Upon encountering Ezra Bridger, Kanan reluctantly taps back into the Force, eventually agreeing to become Ezra’s teacher in the Jedi arts. As he oversees his pupil’s training, Kanan also dedicates himself to becoming a full-fledged Jedi Knight – a feat he’s able to accomplish halfway through the series.
Partway through the fourth and final season of Rebels, Kanan sacrifices his life to save his fellow Spectres, using the Force to hold off an explosion until the Ghost is able to get safely away. Though killed by the blast, Kanan’s legacy was carried on by his and Hera’s child, Jacen, his spirit continuing to live on in the Force (even managing to communicate to Rey in The Rise of Skywalker).
Hera Syndulla
The captain of the Ghost, Hera acts as Kanan’s second-in-command onboard the vessel, becoming the group’s leader in the wake of Kanan’s death. A strong and capable Twi'lek, Hera also provides emotional support and warmth for the Spectres, acting almost as a maternal figure to the crew – especially regarding junior members like Sabine and Ezra.
A gung-ho soldier, Hera takes an active part in defying Imperial operations on Lothal, eventually becoming a skilled commander in the Rebel Alliance during the Galactic Civil War. Evidence of her undeniable talent as a pilot and leader can be found through her ascension in the Rebellion’s ranks, rising from a mere captain to Phoenix Squadron’s commander, before finally earning the rank of general by the battle of Endor.
Following the Empire’s defeat and the Emperor’s death, Hera continues to serve the Rebel Alliance as it transforms into the New Republic. Now a widow, she also cares for her and Kanan Jarrus’s infant son, Jacen, the latest addition to the Ghost’s crew.
Sabine Wren
If Kanan and Hera act as Ezra’s surrogate father and mother, Sabine Wren can be accurately described as his older sister. A Mandalorian warrior, former bounty hunter, and Imperial Academy dropout, Sabine uses her past cultural knowledge and experience as a Mandalorian to become the Spectres’ weapons expert. Her avid love for art and obvious creative talents also lends itself to the Spectres’ operations, as seen with her predilection for anti-Imperial graffiti art.
Though a capable warrior, Sabine devotes most of her time to creating elaborate pieces of art, using her gifts to aid the Rebellion’s war effort against the Empire. (Most tellingly, she’s the one who comes up with the official insignia for the Rebel Alliance.) However much she might dislike violence, she’s also more than willing to use force to her advantage, demonstrating a deep connection to her cultural Mandalorian heritage.
Like her fellow crew mates, Sabine is dedicated to ending the Empire’s tyrannical rule and restoring her people’s ancient rule over Mandalore, even managing to unite her warring people through ownership of the Darksaber. Aiding the Rebellion in the Civil War, Sabine chooses to remain by Ahsoka’s side after the Empire’s fall from power, searching the galaxy with the former Jedi in the hopes of locating the missing Ezra Bridger.
Zeb Orrellios
A veteran crew member of the Ghost, Garazeb Orrelios (more commonly known as Zeb) is one of the few surviving members of the Lasat species at the off-set of the Civil War. Initially the captain of his planet’s Honor Guard, Zeb’s homeworld of Lasan was devastated by the Empire’s rise to power, with nearly the entirety of his species wiped out in the subsequent fighting and genocide committed by the Empire. As a result, Zeb became a refugee, fleeing the planet and becoming a fierce opponent of the Empire as the faction ceded further control over the galaxy.
Embittered over the loss of Lasan and the scores of his people killed by the Empire, Zeb harbors perhaps the most ardent hate towards Imperial forces, making the Ghost’s battles against ISB Agent Kallus that much more personal (given Kallus’s role in the Lasan genocide). Adopting the ways of Lasat culture, Zeb proves a valuable asset in the Ghost’s operations against the Empire, even forming an unlikely friendship with Kallus that directly contributes to Kallus’s defection from the Empire.
At the close of the Civil War, Zeb opts to leave the Ghost behind, traveling with Kallus to the Lasat’s new planetary safe haven on Lira San to show the former ISB operative that the once-endangered species was well on its way to recovering its former numbers. Judging from Zeb’s brief cameo in The Mandalorian, it seems he’s since joined the New Republic’s Defense Fleet, policing the Outer Rim with what limited resources the fleet has at their disposal.
Chopper
The curmudgeonly astromech charged with the Ghost’s maintenance and upkeep, C1-10P (also known as Chopper) is a long-time companion of Hera even before the start of the Civil War. Originally an astromech droid assigned to the Republic Fleet, Chopper’s Y-Wing crash-landed on Ryloth during the Clone Wars. Rescued and repaired by a young Hera, Chopper’s dismissive attitude towards returning to the Republic led to him staying on Ryloth and entering Hera’s exclusive ownership (although it’s unlikely he would call any person his owner).
With Hera leaving Ryloth during the Empire’s rise, Chopper joined her onboard the Ghost, forming the backbone of the Spectres. Along with his fellow crew members, Chopper takes part in numerous missions against the Empire as the group’s involvement with the Rebellion deepens during the Civil War. Unsurprisingly, the mean-spirited droid chooses to remain by Hera’s side throughout the conflict’s duration, serving with her at Atollon, Scarif, and Endor.
Ezra Bridger
The main protagonist of Star Wars Rebels, Ezra’s growth from a homeless, parentless street urchin into a hero of the Rebellion forms the crux of Rebels. Born just prior to the Empire’s rise, Ezra’s parents were outspoken critics of the Imperial regime. As a result of their anti-Imperial attitude, the Empire captured, imprisoned, and later killed them both during an unsuccessful escape attempt, leaving Ezra an orphan on Lothal.
Without any means to support himself, Ezra soon drifted into contact with the Ghost’s Spectres, joining the ship’s crew and following in his parents’ footsteps as a staunch anti-Imperial activist and freedom fighter. As he aided Lothal’s resistance efforts, Ezra also committed himself to studying the ways of the Jedi under former padawan Kanan Jarrus, becoming his pupil.
As his connection to the Force deepened, Ezra – like his fellow Spectres – takes a more active role in helping liberate Lothal, especially once Grand Admiral Thrawn arrives to crush the Rebel cell. Like his deceased master Kanan, Ezra sacrifices himself by holding Thrawn at bay in the series finale of Rebels, with both Ezra and Thrawn disappearing into hyperspace. Seemingly still missing throughout the rest of the Civil War, Ahsoka and Sabine unite to find and rescue Ezra after the end of the war, setting up the events for Ahsoka.
This post was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
Richard Chachowski is a freelance writer based in New Jersey. He loves reading, his dog Tootsie, and pretty much every movie to ever exist (especially Star Wars).