Wolves and a Door

"Wolves and a Door" is the twelfth episode of the fourth season of the animated television series Star Wars Rebels. The episode premiered on February 26, 2018.

Official description
Ezra and Sabine go to the Jedi Temple on Lothal...and discover that the Empire has reached it first.

Exposition
The episode opens with a loth-cat climbing onto the back of a loth-wolf watching the Lothal cliff dwelling where the Spectres rebel cell are meeting. Inside, Ezra Bridger briefs his comrades about the stone from the Lothal Jedi Temple. When Hera Syndulla asks how the stone got there, Ezra explains that the loth-wolves gave it to him because the Empire was doing something "terrible" there. Garazeb Orrelios is skeptical but Ezra responds that it was only their leader Dume who spoke. Sabine Wren is curious about the meaning of the symbols and proposes going to the temple to investigate. Ezra agrees while Hera vows to stop the Empire for Kanan Jarrus. Sabine reminds them that the temple lies far to the north and that they don't have a starship. Ezra replies that he can get them there.

Riding loth-wolves
Outside the cliff dwelling, Ezra uses the Force to summon the loth-wolves. The loth-wolves led by a white wolf approach the Spectres. Ezra tells the lead wolf that they are ready and asks if he can take them. The white wolf bends down and allows Ezra to mount him. Hera mounts a second wolf. When Zeb asks if these "things" are as fast as speeders, Sabine replies that the wolves got them here in the first place and can probably get them to the temple as well. Sabine is the third to mount a wolf while a visibly uncomfortable Zeb tries to befriend his mount. The fourth wolf carries the C1-series astromech droid Chopper inside his mouth.

The pack travels north and passes a pack of loth-cats. They ride under the cover of night. Zeb asks how far it is to the temple and Sabine replies they don't want to know. Ezra tells them to hold on tight. They pass through a hyper tunnel where they hear voices flashing through. At dawn, Hera awakes on the seat of her mount. The Spectres dismount. Sabine asks Zeb if he heard those voices but he can't recall what happened. Zeb's loth-wolf drops Chopper from its mouth, causing the droid to grumble. The Spectres and Dume stare down at the valley from a cliff. Ezra tells them that the wolves say that the Jedi Temple is not far away but that they have to walk the rest of the way.

When Hera asks how they did that, Ezra admits he doesn't know but that Kanan told him that the wolves were deeply connected to the Force. Zeb says he is glad that the Force is on their side with Ezra adding that Lothal is on their side. When Sabine asks if it would make a difference, he says he hopes not. Ezra tells them to get moving.

Infiltrating the Temple
At dusk, the Spectres arrive at the perimeters of the Lothal Jedi Temple. They find that the Empire has set up an excavation camp. Sabine sees several Rodian and Trandoshan miners at work on the site and says that this is no military operation. Ezra offers to go and take a look. Peering through the macrobinoculars, Ezra finds that both doors are gone and that one of them is being cut right through the surface. Sabine asks if this is the Temple and Ezra confirms that it is but that the temple must have sealed itself.

Hera asks if they have any idea what the Empire wants. Sabine observes that they have uncovered more artwork and volunteers to go in and have a look. Hera sends Ezra and Sabine to investigate while the others keep watch. Zeb spots a pair of scout troopers riding speeder bikes below the perimeter and tells them that they are going to need disguises. The Spectres use a hologram message of Grand Admiral Thrawn from the Battle of Atollon to trick the scout troopers into dismounting. Zeb knocks out the female scout trooper while Chopper terminates the transmission. After donning the scout troopers' armor, Ezra and Sabine ride off towards the Imperial camp while Hera, Zeb, and Chopper keep watch.

Ezra and Sabine ride past several Rodian miners carting artwork and other objects from the Temple. Sabine finds that the art is written in pictures rather than words. Ezra recalls seeing paintings like this inside the Jedi Temple. The two are interrupted by Minister Veris Hydan, who tells the troopers to get away from there at once. He reiterates his orders that none of them are to touch the artifacts since the tiniest blemish could erase evidence critical to understanding the "Gateway." Ezra blurts out an apology.

A death trooper then informs Hydan that Coruscant is contacting him. The Minister warns the death trooper commander that this conduct reflects poorly on him. The commander demands that Ezra and Sabine submit their numbers and clearance codes. However, Ezra uses a Jedi mind trick to persuade the commander to forget about it. Zeb watches from above and asks Hera who is the "old man" She says she doesn't know because she has never seen an Imperial like him.

Rising stakes
Later, Sabine tells Chopper to reroute the incoming Imperial transmission. Chopper complies and the rebels listen in on Minister Hydan telling the Emperor that they have made some remarkable discoveries. The Emperor tasks Hydan with uncovering the secrets of the Temple since their enemies are moving against them. Inside the mobile command center, Minister Hydan tells the Emperor that they have reached the roots of the Temple and found some fascinating symbols and iconography reminiscent of the art found inside the former Jedi Temple on Coruscant relating to the Mortis gods.

Hydan believes that they are the key to unlocking the Temple. The Emperor tells Hydan that there has been a great disturbance in the Force: the death of Kanan Jarrus has altered the fate of Lothal but the Emperor doesn't know how. Hydan suggests unlocking the Temple and the Emperor vows to seize the power within the conduit between the living and the dead. He orders Minister Hydan to proceed.

Sabine asks what they should do and Hera says she doesn't like it. She believes they should fallback because the Emperor is involved. Ezra disagrees and says the Emperor's presence is more reason for their intervention. Sabine warns that it is only a matter of time before the Imperials crack the code. Hera is unsure until Zeb tells her to remember why they came. Hera feels Kanan's ghostly presence around her but the others don't see it. She tells Ezra and Sabine to go and promises to keep watch but warns them to be prepared to leave. Ezra and Sabine comply with Zeb adding that they will be fine. Hera replies that she used to believe that.

An artistic riddle
Over the klaxons, an Imperial announces that “there is a safety hazard zone in standing 25 meters from the Temple. Special teams are exempt, and look out for static charge.” Minister Hydan orders that the Mining Guild excavation driller be moved into position and that everyone work on double shifts through the night. He orders the troops and workers to keep silent and to stay within their designated areas. He also orders that the floodlights be shone on a mural of the Mortis gods. Sabine is awed by the art. Ezra hasn't seen it before but says the Temple is full of surprises. A Mining Guild official tells Lord Hydan that they have discovered more symbols.

With the Minister distracted, Ezra asks Sabine if she can make anything out of the mural. Sabine says that the mural is very old and intricate and asks if it means anything. Ezra gazes at the Daughter, the Son, and the Father. He spots a convor bird resting on the Daughter's right arm. Ezra recalls that whenever Ahsoka Tano visited them on Atollon the bird was always nearby. Ezra also notices loth-wolves at the base of the painting. Sabine activates a hologram of the stone painting the wolves gave Ezra and notices that the hands on the figures are in the same position as the ones on the stone.

Ezra realizes that this means something. Sabine recalls that it is art and everything has a meaning. She realizes that the painting is a star map. Those lines are paths and the rings are planets and doorways. Ezra asks which one leads into the Temple and Sabine says they are about to find out. When Ezra asks how they are going to open this door, Sabine says that the hands represent different configurations. Right now, it looks like the painting is lined up with the central figure, the Father. She thinks they want the configuration where the lines are together and tells Ezra to do his "thing". Ezra replies that it takes a master and an apprentice to open the temple. Sabine tells him to think of something fast due to the stormtrooper sentries.

Ezra climbs a rock to reach the mural while Sabine keeps watch. He touches the Daughter's hand. Sabine tells him to get down as a stormtrooper asks LS-515 why she isn't on patrol. Sabine claims that she saw something moving but that it was a shadow. The stormtrooper reminds her that it is a restricted area. Sabine claims she was following protocol Code 6110. The troopers says that this is a military code and that the operation is classified under Directive 8014. Sabine apologizes.

Unlocking the Gateway
Meanwhile, Ezra recalls that he has to listen to the stone and its story. The stormtrooper tells Sabine her activity is irregular. Sabine tries to move away but the stormtrooper insists he is just following protocol. Ezra touches the Daughter's hand just as the stormtrooper says "it's affirmative" on his comlink. When Sabine says she doesn't have time for this, the stormtroopers tells her that Operations Control says that she and LS-412 deviated from their patrol route and never finished the perimeter sweep. Sabine offers to go to Operations and sort it out. The second stormtrooper complaints about having to file a report.

Ezra recalls that Kanan told him to listen. He touches the Daughter's hand and the painting lights up. The Daughter's head turns and the Father points his left hand at the Son's fist Ezra hears voices as the loth-wolf paintings come to life and start howling. The loth-wolves walk across the wall and Ezra follows them. Sabine is led away by stormtroopers. Hera and Zeb witness this and Zeb asks if they have found her out. When Zeb asks about Ezra, Hera responds that he went to the shadows and that she saw the painting move. Disbelieving, Zeb takes over the macrobinoculars.

Ezra follows the loth-wolves inside the cave. He finds that the wolves are forming a circle on the rock. Ezra takes off his scout trooper helmet and realizes that the circle is the Gateway. Minister Hydan is inspecting an artifact brought by a Rodian miner when a disguised Sabine arrives flanked by two stormtroopers. Minister Hydan approaches her and the stormtroopers report they are bringing her for processing because of discrepancies. Hydan remarks that there is indeed a discrepancy and lifts the face plate of Sabine's helmet. Hydan asks who she is and where is her friend.

When Sabine does not respond, he orders his troops to restrain her, lock down the perimeter, and to order all units to report in because they have an impostor loose on site. Klaxons begin ringing. Hera, Zeb, and Chopper retreat while Ezra finds that the Gateway leads to a portal. Just then, several stormtroopers and death troopers close in on him in Sector 352. Minister Hydan arrives with Sabine in tow. He realizes that Ezra has discovered the Gateway. Sabine tells Ezra to go in and he jumps inside. The stormtroopers tried to follow but the portal seals as dramatic music starts to play.