When Ahsoka premieres, Hera Syndulla figures to be a key player in the series. But the character actually has a rich history that’s already been established in Star Wars, particularly as one of the main characters of Rebels. For those who haven’t seen that show, or need a reminder, here’s what you should know about Hera before watching Ahsoka.
1. Hera was a young freedom fighter from a famous family on Ryloth
Hera was a Twi’lek from the planet Ryloth, where her father, Cham, was a revolutionary hero during the Clone Wars. Cham led a resistance effort against the Separatist forces during the war (fighting alongside Jedi Generals Mace Windu and Obi-Wan Kenobi at one point), then continued to lead a resistance effort against the Empire after the new government took over. Young Hera got involved in the fight, even being captured by Imperial forces, and from a very young age she dreamed of being a pilot. While Cham was a hero on Ryloth, his relationship with his daughter grew strained, especially after the death of Hera’s mother, Eleni, during one of the fights. In the wake of this tragedy Hera became bitter against her father, who had prioritized the fight for Ryloth’s freedom over his family. Though the strain would eventually soften, it was also fueled by Cham’s disappointment that Hera left to fight the Empire rather than staying on Ryloth to fight for her people.
2. Hera became the leader of an early rebel cell as a part of the Spectres
Hera became a stellar pilot and, along with her trusty droid Chopper, left her homeworld to join in rebellion against the Empire. Before long she met Kanan Jarrus, a Jedi survivor of Order 66 now living in hiding shuttling cargo. The two developed an extremely close relationship, becoming lovers and having a child together, Jacen Syndulla. Hera was eager to fight the Empire while Kanan was disillusioned and wanted to lay low, but their crew eventually grew, adding the Lasat survivor Garazeb Orrelios, the Mandalorian outcast Sabine Wren, and the young Force sensitive kid Ezra Bridger. Together, the six of them were known as the Spectres, with Hera leading them in their strikes against the Empire in an effort to aid those oppressed and hurting.
Under Hera’s leadership the Spectres became connected with a growing rebellion, aligning with Phoenix Squadron and allying with notables like Senator Bail Organa, Senator Mon Mothma, and Jedi-turned-Rebel-agent Ahsoka Tano. Serving in command of Phoenix Squadron, Hera led the group through a harrowing battle against Grand Admiral Thrawn at Atollon, as well as many other conflicts.
3. Hera became a high-ranking General in the Rebellion against the Empire
Her connection to these larger rebel cells only continued to grow. In 2 BBY, Mon Mothma resigned from the Imperial Senate and publicly denounced the Empire’s atrocities, making her public enemy number one. Hera and Phoenix Squadron were called to aid the effort to help her escape, and Hera transported Mothma to safety aboard the Ghost. From the ship, Mothma sent out the message that would officially form the Alliance to Restore the Republic, with the rebel cells organized into a growing opposition force. Hera was soon after promoted to General and was a member of Alliance High Command during the war.
As a General in the Rebellion, Hera was involved in many major battles. She helped to lead an unofficial mission to liberate Lothal alongside Ezra Bridger, then returned to the Alliance to aid in many other battles. Throughout the Civil War Hera fought in the Battle of Scarif (seen in Rogue One, where the rebels steal the Death Star plans), the Battle of the Mako-Ta Space Docks (seen in the comics, where the rebels suffered a major loss in-between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back), and the Battle of Endor (where the Empire suffers decisive defeat in Return of the Jedi), as well as many others.
4. Hera served as a pivotal military leader in the early days of the New Republic
After the victory at Endor, the rebellion was reorganized into the New Republic, with Mon Mothma as its first Chancellor and Hera continuing as a high-ranking General in the New Republic military. She commanded the Barma Battle Group from her flagship, the Lodestar, during the final year of the Civil War. Hera also helped to oversee the Republic’s Project Starhawk at the Nadiri Dockyards – a ship that could change the course of the war with its capability to go head-to-head against an Imperial Star Destroyer thanks to its strong tractor beam. Hera and the rebels were driven away from Nadiri by the Empire, but the Starhawk did come to be produced, and provided aid in the decisive Battle of Jakku. It was there that the Empire was finally defeated, bringing an end to the Civil War, and Hera once again fought at Jakku as she helped to command Republic forces, nearly losing her life in the process.
We don’t know what Hera was up to after the official conclusion of the war, but in Ahsoka, she will once again be in the fight, pleading with Mon Mothma to take seriously the Thrawn threat while partnering with Ahsoka Tano in this crucial task.
5. Hera was a skilled pilot, gifted leader, and good friend
While the rest of this article has probably given a pretty good feel for who Hera is, I think it’s helpful to summarize her character in a way that brings it all together. First, it’s important to know that Hera was a skilled pilot – as good as it gets, actually. She flew the Ghost, one of the best ships in the rebel fleet (in one humorous moment post-Endor, she had a friendly debate with Han Solo over which was the better ship, with Han begrudgingly admitting the Ghost was a better ship than the Millennium Falcon in order to get some needed rations). But Hera also was the one who was tasked with investigating the B-Wing fighter and brought it into the Rebel fleet, and she was also one of the early Rebel pilots to fly an X-Wing, flying the ship during the attack on Lothal. She could fly with the best of them and proved it in many battles. Second, Hera was a gifted leader. She led the Spectres, then was given leadership of Phoenix Squadron, and then became a central leader in the Alliance to Restore the Republic as well as the New Republic. Driven by strong principles and unwavering resolve, Hera endured great personal tragedy (most notably the death of Kanan Jarrus) yet continued to help lead the fight against the Empire. And third, Hera was a good friend. Her newfound family, the Spectres, came to view Hera as a mother-figure who looked out for them and protected them. She was compassionate and kind, driven with convictions, and born to fly.
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For more on what you need to know leading up to Ahsoka, check out these other articles in the series:
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