The Essential Star Wars Rebels Stories Every Fan Should Watch

The Essential Star Wars Rebels Stories Every Fan Should Watch
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It is a dark time for the galaxy. Ended, world between worlds. You can check out the series over at Disney+.

Kanan reveals himself to the Empire.
Kanan reveals himself to the Empire.

Season 1

Spark of Rebellion (Episodes 1-2) — Ezra Bridger, a young boy on the planet Lothal, crosses paths with a group of operatives fighting back against the Galactic Empire until one of the cell, Kanan Jarrus, reveals they share a bond in the Force that ties the galaxy together.

Rise of the Old Masters (Episode 5) — As Kanan and Ezra butt heads over their newfound master-and-apprentice relationship, the Ghost crew finds an opportunity to rescue a Jedi Master held captive by the Empire.

Empire Day and Gathering Forces (Episodes 8-9) — Missing his parents, Ezra discovers the truth about why they disappeared while the team goes on a mission to spoil the Empire’s anniversary celebration of its founding.

Path of the Jedi (Episode 10) — After the stress of uncovering what happened to his parents pushes him on a dark path, Kanan takes Ezra to Lothal’s abandoned Jedi Temple to train him.

Fire Across the Galaxy (Episode 15) — With Kanan captured by the Empire, the Ghost team hatches a plan to liberate him, leading to a final confrontation with the Grand Inquisitor and a meeting with the wider Rebellion and Agent Fulcrum…better known to you and me as Ahsoka Tano.

Ahsoka and Anakin reunite for a duel of the fates.
Ahsoka and Anakin reunite for a duel of the fates.

Season 2

The Siege of Lothal (Episodes 1-2) — With Darth Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin personally overseeing the Empire’s tightened grip on Lothal, the Ghost crew is torn between wanting to stay out of the Rebellion’s larger plans and fighting back against the Empire’s renewed assaults.

The Lost Commanders and Relics of the Old Republic (Episodes 3-4) — On Ahsoka’s advice, the team heads to the Seelos system to recruit some of her old friends to the cause: former Clone Troopers freed of the chips that made their brothers execute Order 66. And they’re lead by none other than another familiar face, Captain Rex!

Wings of the Master (Episode 7) — With the Rebels struggling to break Imperial blockades, Hera decides it’s time to seek out a new ship to aid their fledgling fleet: the Blade Wing, or B-Wing for short.

The Future of the Force (Episode 10) — As Ahsoka continues her investigation into Darth Vader, Zeb, Kanan, and Ezra try to disrupt the Inquisition’s plans to steal away Force-sensitive children.

Legacy (Episode 11) — Haunted by Force visions of his parents, Ezra learns the truth of their fate, and a valuable lesson in the process.

A Princess on Lothal (Episode 12) — Senator Bail Organa gives the Ghost a new mission to acquire three hammerhead cruisers for the Rebellion. But they won’t be working with him on the mission; he’s leaving that to his daughter, Leia.

Legends of the Lasat (Episode 14) — After the crew rescues two Lasat from Imperial captivity, Zeb uncovers some surprising revelations about his people.

The Call (Episode 15) — While on a fuel resupply mission, the team encounters the mysterious purrgil: a race of whale-like beings who can naturally travel at faster-than-light speeds.

Homecoming (Episode 16) — As the Rebellion’s fighter wings grow, an attempt to find a ship to store them on sends Hera on a journey home to Ryloth. There she meets with her father and legend of the Twi’lek resistance, Cham Syndulla.

The Honorable Ones (Episode 17) — When the Ghost is ambushed by the Imperial Security Bureau, a mission gone wrong sees Zeb and Agent Kallus forced to work together to survive, coming to terms with each other’s roles in the seeming extermination of the Lasat.

Shroud of Darkness (Episode 18) — Challenged by the growing threat of the Inquisition and Ahsoka’s acceptance about Darth Vader’s true identity, Ahsoka, Kanan, and Ezra return to Lothal’s Jedi Temple to find answers. They’re given one: destiny awaits on the planet Malachor.

Twilight of the Apprentice (Episodes 21-22) — Heading to Malachor, Ezra and Kanan get more than they bargained for when Darth Maul makes his presence known to the Jedi and the Inquisition alike. Meanwhile, within the planet’s Sith temple, Ahsoka is reunited with her former master in a clash of the ages.

Maul tempts Ezra with a dark blade that holds a long legacy.
Maul tempts Ezra with a dark blade that holds a long legacy.

Season 3

Steps Into Shadow (Episodes 1-2) — Still recovering from his blinding on Malachor, Kanan reaches out to the mysterious Bendu, who calls the Rebel’s new base on Atollon home, for a lesson in the depth of the Force. Meanwhile, Ezra, himself growing stronger in his abilities, teams up with ne’er-do-well pirate Hondo Ohnaka to steal some former Republic Y-Wings for the Rebellion. The growing Rebellion has also led to the Empire calling in a calculating strategist to lead its campaigns against resistance: Grand Admiral Thrawn.

The Holocrons of Fate (Episode 3) — Darth Maul makes his move, goading Ezra into a trap: hand over the Sith and Jedi Holocrons in his and Kanan’s possession, or the Ghost crew dies. When the young boy is forced to comply, he and Maul receive mysterious, fateful visions of a planet with twin suns.

The Antilles Extraction (Episode 4) — Battered by the Empire, the Rebellion risks running out of people to actually fly their fighters. Leaning on her old connections to the Imperial Academy, Sabine infiltrates Skystriker Academy to recruit some potential defectors…lead by a young man named Wedge Antilles.

The Last Battle (Episode 6) — Rex takes the Ghost crew on a mission to recover salvage from an old Clone Wars battlefield only to find more than just memories of the conflict have survived there.

Imperial Supercommandos (Episode 7) — After failing to convince the Mandalorians of Concord Dawn to join the Rebellion, Sabine crosses paths (and jetpacks) with Mandalore’s Imperial Viceroy, Gar Saxon, and the elite commando squad he now leads in her people’s name for the Empire.

An Inside Man (Episode 10) — Infiltrating an Imperial research facility to steal information about a new starfighter Thrawn is developing, Kanan and Ezra learn that Agent Kallus has become a Fulcrum agent…and Thrawn learns a spy is in his midst.

Visions and Voices (Episode 11) — Once again haunted by Maul, Ezra is coerced into working with the dark sider to make sense of their visions from the Holocrons, heading to the planet Dathomir to reveal their purpose. They find out Maul’s vengeance and the key to defeating the Empire glimpsed in their visions are one on the same: Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Ghosts of Geonosis (Episodes 12-13) — The crew is tasked with locating a missing Rebel cell on Geonosis lead by Rogue One’s future disgruntled partisan Saw Gerrera — only to learn that not all of the Rebellion wants to play by the same rules, and that the Empire is trying to build a weapon of unimaginable power.

Trials of the Darksaber and Legacy of Mandalore (Episode 15-16) — Having taken the Darksaber from Maul’s clutches on Dathomir, Sabine is told by Fenn Rau and his protectors of its importance to the Mandalorian people, sparking in her the need to train how to wield it so she can help liberate her people from the Empire’s rule. Heading home, Sabine not only has to face the family she left behind, but Gar Saxon himself.

Secret Cargo (Episode 18) — The Ghost is tasked with recovering cargo vital to the Rebellion, only to discover the cargo isn’t goods, but a person: Senator Mon Mothma, on the run from the Empire for publicly speaking out against the Empire.

Twin Suns (Episode 20) — A vision tells Ezra that it’s finally time to head to Tatooine to save Obi-Wan Kenobi from Maul’s wrath. Turns out Sith Lords, former or otherwise, remain Old Ben’s specialty.

Zero Hour (Episodes 21-22) — With Mon Mothma’s call to arms uniting various Rebel cells into a fledgling alliance, the call is made to bring the fleet to bear on a quest to siege Lothal. But Thrawn has other plans, making his move to try and bring about the end of the Rebellion once and for all. With both sides taking heavy casualties, the Rebellion emerges as survivors, but without a base to call home…until Mon Mothma calls them to Yavin IV to see what she’s really been helping to build.

Ezra and the Loth-Wolves stand ready to defend his home.
Ezra and the Loth-Wolves stand ready to defend his home.

Season 4

Heroes of Mandalore (Episodes 1-2) — Having spent time with her family on Mandalore laying plans for rebellion, Sabine reaches out to her friends from the Ghost: the time has come for the Darksaber to be raised once more as an image of Mandalorian resistance.

In the Name of the Rebellion (Episodes 3-4) — As the crew is reunited on Yavin, Saw Gerrera and his partisans reach out to mock Mon Mothma’s inability to do what needs to be done to fight the Empire. Trying to convince Ezra and Sabine of the almighty weapon he’s certain the Imperials are working on, Saw gets the two to join him on a mission to liberate imprisoned engineers being sent to the planet Jedha for a strange Imperial project.

Flight of the Defender and Kindred (Episodes 6-7) — On a mission to disrupt test flights of Thrawn’s deadly new TIE Defender, Ezra encounters a rare, mysterious Loth-Wolf, who leads him on a path to discover a second, secret Jedi temple on Lothal.

Rebel Assault and Jedi Night (Episode 8-9) — Commanding the Rebellion’s new squadron of X-Wing fighters on an attack mission, Hera is shot down over Lothal. When the Ghost goes to rescue both her and what remains of her squad, they’re faced with paying a tragic price.

Wolves and a Door and A World Between Worlds (Episodes 12-13) — Acting on the Loth-Wolf’s mysterious message, Ezra, Sabine, and Zeb discover the Imperials are close to uncovering the secret Jedi Temple on Lothal. But when Ezra manages to get inside it himself, he discovers something much more powerful, much more peculiar, and quite unlike anything he — or us — has ever seen when it comes to the Force. Something the Emperor himself would like to get his hands on!

Family Reunion and Farewell (Episodes 15-16) — The stage is set for the Rebel Alliance to launch its attack on Lothal’s capital to free the planet from Imperial rule once and for all. The crew calls in all the favours it can to help carry the day for their Rebel friends, facing sacrifices and struggles along the way…and setting the path for new adventures for heroes of the Galactic Civil War to go down.

All four seasons of Star Wars Rebels are streaming on Disney+ now. Subscribe up here.


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At Gizmodo, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.