Lothal insurgency

"We have been called criminals, but we are not. We are rebels, fighting for the people, fighting for you. I'm not that old, but I remember a time when things were better on Lothal. Maybe not great, but never like this. See what the Empire has done to your lives, your families, and your freedom? It's only gonna get worse unless we stand up and fight back."

- Ezra Bridger

Several years before the Battle of Yavin, a group of rebels carried out an insurgency against the Galactic Empire on the Outer Rim planet Lothal and neighboring star systems. The rebels operated aboard the starship Ghost and carried out a number of attacks against Imperial forces. The rebels were led by Kanan Jarrus, a Padawan who had evaded the Jedi Purge; and Hera Syndulla, a Twi'lek resistance fighter. Other rebels included Padawan Ezra Bridger, Lasat Honor Guardsman Garazeb Orrelios, Mandalorian explosives expert Sabine Wren, and the astromech droid C1-10P ("Chopper"). The insurgency drew the attention of Imperial leaders and other rebels alike, and the rebels became part of a wider rebellion that included Senator Bail Organa and former Jedi Ahsoka Tano.

Background
Following the end of the Clone Wars, the Galactic Empire occupied the planet Lothal. The Empire wanted to exploit Lothal's rich mineral wealth and to establish a new hyperspace route in the Outer Rim Territories. While Lothal's population initially welcomed the Empire, the population gradually grew more dissatisfied with the Empire's high taxes, corruption, the destruction of farms, and the pollution of Lothal's skies and waterways. Some unhappy residents like Ephraim and Mira Bridger made broadcasts criticizing the Empire. They were supported by the then-Governor Ryder Azadi. In response, the Empire imprisoned the Bridgers and Governor Azadi. As a result, the Bridgers' seven-year old son Ezra Bridger was forced to eke out a living on the streets of Lothal's Capital City.

As the Empire increased its mining activities on Lothal, the Imperial authorities began buying or seizing more farmland including several jogan fruit orchards in the Westhills. While some farmers like Beck Ollet's family agreed to sell their land, other farmers refused and insurgents began sabotaging Imperial mining equipment. About six years before the Battle of Yavin, Beck and his friends Zare Leonis and Merei Spanjaf (two recent migrants) were visiting a former orchard in the Westhills when they found that several unidentified individuals had planted detonators on several Imperial surveyor droids. The insurgents fled south before they could be identified. The youths contacted the authorities who sent an Imperial Troop Transport to pursue the saboteurs. However, Beck misled the authorities by telling them that the insurgents had fled north.

Later that year, Imperial forces led by Lieutenant Piers Roddance massacred a gathering of landless farmers who wanted to present a petition to Governor Arihnda Pryce. The Imperial HoloNet news presenter Alton Kastle claimed that the farmers had destroyed mining equipment and attacked Imperial surveyors; thus justifying the massacre. This incident was witnessed by Beck and Zare and had the effect of turning the two youths against the Empire. During the summer season, Beck later joined a three-member rebel cell that attempted to plant detonators on Imperial mining equipment. However, they were pursued by an Imperial Troop Transport and later captured by Imperial authorities, who had identified their landspeeder. Zare was also present during that incident and fired upon the Transport.

Following his arrest, Beck was tried by an Imperial Security Bureau tribunal and found guilty. He was subsequently enrolled in an experimental re-education program known as Project Unity. Meanwhile, Zare enrolled in Lothal's Academy for Young Imperials the following year with the intention of finding his sister Dhara Leonis, who had been kidnapped by the Grand Inquisitor for a secretive Imperial program known as Project Harvester. Leonis also wanted to wait for a resistance movement to develop so that he could help them bring the Empire down. Leonis' girlfriend Merei also agreed to help Leonis find his sister by hacking into the Imperial data network on Lothal. To accomplish this mission, she agreed to volunteer her services to the Gray Syndicate in exchange for obtaining three snooper programs.

The crew of the Ghost
About five years before the Battle of Yavin, a rebel cell that operated from the VCX-100 light freighter Ghost established a presence on the planet Lothal. This rebel cell consisted of the Twi'lek ship captain Hera Syndulla, the former Jedi Padawan Kanan Jarrus, the astromech droid Chopper, the Lasat warrior Garazeb Orrelios ("Zeb"), and the Mandalorian weapons expert Sabine Wren. The crew of the Ghost, also known as the "Spectres", harried the Empire by raiding Imperial supply convoys, attacking an Imperial airfield , assaulting Imperial stormtroopers , and shooting down Imperial TIE fighters. They also distributed food to the needy including the displaced inhabitants of Tarkintown.

Appearances

 * Servants of the Empire: Edge of the Galaxy
 * Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion
 * The Rebellion Begins
 * Servants of the Empire: Rebel in the Ranks
 * Servants of the Empire: Imperial Justice
 * Servants of the Empire: The Secret Academy
 * Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal
 * Servants of the Empire: Rebel in the Ranks
 * Servants of the Empire: Imperial Justice
 * Servants of the Empire: The Secret Academy
 * Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal
 * Servants of the Empire: Imperial Justice
 * Servants of the Empire: The Secret Academy
 * Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal
 * Servants of the Empire: Imperial Justice
 * Servants of the Empire: The Secret Academy
 * Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal
 * Servants of the Empire: The Secret Academy
 * Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal
 * Servants of the Empire: The Secret Academy
 * Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal
 * Servants of the Empire: The Secret Academy
 * Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal