Rebel Assault

"Rebel Assault" is the ninth episode of the fourth season of the animated television series Star Wars Rebels. The episode premiered on Disney XD on November 13, 2017. It is also the sixty-eighth episode of the series overall.

Official description
Hera leads a courageous attack against Grand Admiral Thrawn's forces, but when things go awry, her battle to win must become a daring escape if she is to survive.

Strike
On board an Arquitens-class cruiser above the planet Lothal, part of the Imperial blockade in orbit, an officer reports to the cruiser's captain that they have detected something coming out of hyperspace. A squadron of T-65B X-wing starfighters appears, led by General Hera Syndulla and her astromech droid Chopper. Hera orders her pilots to stay with their wingmates, as they need to protect the slower Y-wings. Cleat says that the Imperials have numbers, but they have talent, and Mart Mattin responds that that goes double for him. Chopper beeps that it's triple for him, prompting Hera to sigh in exasperation. She orders her squadron to lock their S-foils in attack position. On the bridge of the Star Destroyer Chimaera, Grand Admiral Thrawn, entering the bridge, states that the Rebels have finally come to Lothal. Commander Wolder informs the Grand Admiral that they are counting 24 ships. Thrawn orders fighters launched, and tells his best pilot, Vult Skerris, that the Rebels must not be allowed to reach the planet's surface.

Down below, the Spectres Ezra Bridger, Sabine Wren, Garazeb Orrelios and Kanan Jarrus plant explosives on the turrets of the air defences installed to protect the Imperial Armory Complex. Zeb asks Sabine if she's sure that the explosives are powerful enough, and when she responds yes, he says that the towers are much larger up close. As the Rebels hide from a watching stormtrooper, Ezra contacts Ryder Azadi, who reports that his team is done planting their explosives, and says he'll meet them at the rendezvous. Ezra responds that they only have one tower left, and they sign off. After they've finished, Ezra tells Zeb to hop onto his speeder bike, and the Lasat responds by pulling Ezra onto the back and claiming the driver's seat for himself. The Rebels escape, and Sabine presses a detonator, setting off the explosives and causing the towers to neatly collapse in on themselves. Governor Arihnda Pryce reports to Thrawn via hologram that due to the destruction of the turrets, the factory is vulnerable. Thrawn is unconcerned, and states that none of the Rebel ships will get through the blockade. Hera orders her pilots to accelerate to attack speed.

During the fighting, as many TIE fighters are shot down by the Rebels, Skerris attacks in his gold-striped TIE Defender Elite. He shoots down two pilots, Duke and Cleat, prompting Hera to attack him. Skerris chases her, recognizing her piloting style. Hera struggles to escape him, but eventually has an idea. She leads the Imperial ace towards the Chimaera, into the sights of the Star Destroyer's turbolasers. Thrawn is alerted to an X-wing approaching at attack speed and, realizing what Hera intends to do, orders Skerris to break off. He refuses, responding that he almost has Hera in his sights. Thrawn orders his gunners to open fire, despite concerns from a subordinate that Skerris is in the line of fire. The Chimaera guns fire, bringing down both Hera and Skerris' shields. Hera flies past the warship's bridge, and fires upon its scanning array, creating a cloud of smoke that she easily slips through, closing her attack foils. Skerris loses track of her in the smoke, and Hera turns her fighter to face his. She fires upon him, catching him by surprise, and takes off one of his Elite's wings. Skerris spirals out of control, and his fighter crashes into a light cruiser. The cruiser's magazine is damaged by the strike, and it begins to explode and veer out of control. It crashes into a Star Destroyer, shearing off the bridge superstructure. Hera orders her fighters to make for the opening, and the Rebels race for Lothal.

Crash
Thrawn, however, is unperturbed, and orders the second wave of TIE fighters to attack. As Hera and her pilots enter the clouds in Lothal's atmosphere, they are ambushed by a large number of TIEs, already firing their cannons. Outside Lothal City, the Spectres, Ryder and Jai Kell see meteor-like trails descending onto the city from above, and Ezra cheers that this is Hera and her force. Sabine looks through electrobinoculars, and tells a different story: all of the Rebel fighters have been shot down. The Rebels watch, horrified, before turning to leave. Kanan, however, is resistant, as he wants to go and rescue Hera, but Ezra insists that they have to leave. They depart on speeder bikes.

Thrawn is informed that several Rebel fighters managed to crash-land in the city, and he sends out his assassin, Rukh, to capture any surviving pilots alive, with a particular emphasis on Captain Syndulla. Hera's fighter has crashed in an alleyway. Chopper attempts to wake the unconscious Hera up, eventually exiting the astromech socket and opening up the X-wing's canopy to revive her. She clambers out, but is injured and disoriented. Hera asks Chopper to contact the other Spectres and the Lothal resistance, but his transmitter was damaged in the crash. They are approached by several civilians, who warn them that Imperial forces are coming. When several patrol transports approach, the civilians flee, and Hera hides from the spotlights. Once the transports turn away, Hera and Chopper flee into the city.

At the Imperial complex, Governor Pryce meets Rukh, who has captured one Rebel pilot, and congratulates him. She is then informed that the Rebel Flight Leader's starfighter has been located, but the pilot and astromech are missing. Knowing that Hera is the pilot they are searching for, Pryce orders the district locked down and torn apart, building by building, so Hera is found. In the dark city streets, Hera and Chopper happen upon the crash site of another Rebel starfighter. They find stormtroopers confronting the pilot, Mart, who is injured and being defended by his droid, R3-A3. The stormtroopers shortly destroy R3, and turn their blasters on Mart. Hera, unnoticed, ambushes the driver of a nearby troop transport and uses it to attack the stormtroopers. This gives Mart an opening to knock down one of the troopers and steal a blaster, which he uses to shoot another. The third trooper is run over by Hera, who is relieved that at least one other Rebel pilot survived. The stormtrooper Mart knocked down comes to and attempts to attack, but is taken out by Chopper from behind. Hera asks Mart if it's okay to remove the transmitter from the downed R3, to replace Chopper's broken one. He gives her permission, stating that R3 would want to be able to help other Rebels. Once the transmitter has been replaced, Chopper detects Imperials coming, and the three Rebels flee.

Pursuit
On the highway, the other Spectres, Ryder and Jai head away from the capital on their speeder bikes. Kanan, bringing up the rear, brakes and comes to a halt, prompting the others to stop as well. He says that he has to go back, to try and rescue Hera. Ezra is unsure if this is a good idea, but Kanan responds that he has to do this. Farewells are said before Kanan turns around and heads back for the capital. Ezra reassures the other Rebels that if anyone can rescue Hera, Kanan can, and they continue on their way to their base.

In Lothal City, Hera, Chopper and Mart head through the deserted, dark streets. Elsewhere, Rukh smells something, and heads off across the rooftops in pursuit. He eventually tracks down the Rebel trio, and attacks them. Mart is knocked down first, but Hera manages to disarm Rukh before he slams her to the ground. The Noghri assassin reclaims his electrostaff and raises it over Hera, but is shocked by Chopper before he can bring it down, incapacitating him long enough for the three Rebels to flee once again.