Ezra Bridger

"I'm using everything I learned on the streets, and all that I'm starting to learn from Kanan about the Force, to make a far bigger difference than I could have made by myself."

- Ezra Bridger

Ezra Bridger was a Human male rebel from the planet Lothal and the Padawan of Kanan Jarrus. Bridger, who for years was unknowingly Force-sensitive, grew up as an orphan and con artist on Lothal during the reign of the Galactic Empire before meeting Jarrus and his rebel crew, who operated aboard the Ghost.

After getting caught up with the rebels during a weapons heist in Capital City and freeing Wookiee slaves, Bridger joined the rebel crew and began training as a Jedi under Jarrus' direction. Bridger and the crew undertook many missions together in an effort to defeat the Empire.

Biography
Ezra Bridger was born in 3258 LY, on the day of the inception of the Galactic Empire, and grew up on the planet Lothal in the Outer Rim Territories. At the age of seven, his parents Mira and Ephraim Bridger were taken away and killed by the Empire, leaving him to live largely on his own for the next eight years and find work as a con artist and thief, stealing technology and reselling it on the black market, while unknowingly using the Force to occasionally get himself out of tough situations. Eventually, he would come to live in the abandoned LothalNet comm tower E-272.

One such occasion arose as he was walking through the fields around his tower. A freighter shot down a TIE fighter, which crashed not far from him. As Ezra tried to help Valen Rudor, he was rebuked for touching the starfighter. After successfully opening the top of the cockpit, Ezra hopped inside. He then managed to trick the unlucky pilot into thinking he was helping get his armor unstuck, when in fact, he was actually stealing bits of equipment.

After grabbing Rudor's helmet for his collection, Ezra quickly left the wreckage, while revealing his thievish intentions. Rudhor, not meaning to be outsmarted by a kid, attempted to kill Ezra with his fighter's lasers. His latent Force-sensitivity alerted him to a laser blast from the vengeful pilot. While the pilot was bewildered at how Ezra managed to survive the shot, Ezra knocked him out with his energy slingshot, and strutted away with his prize.

Onboard the Ghost
"Who is that kid?"

- Kanan Jarrus, on Ezra Bridger

In 3272 LY, after a Star Destroyer flew over in Lothal's Capital City, Bridger went to the city and prevented a merchant from being imprisoned by Imperials, just before witnessing as Kanan Jarrus and his team executed a heist and intervened to steal one of the crate-carrying speeder bikes they were after. As he fled with the stolen goods, he met Sabine Wren, who proceeded to recover one of the crates.

Chased through the streets and a roadway out of the city, Bridger had to board the Ghost as a TIE fighter closed-in on him. As the boy unknowingly used the Force to leap into the hovering ship with his crate, Jarrus was made aware of his Force-sensitivity. Inside the ship, he met Garazeb "Zeb" Orrelios and Hera Syndulla. Forced to remain with them for a while longer, Bridger was taken to Tarkintown, where he helped deliver the stolen crates. Later, he returned to the Ghost and entered Jarrus' quarters where he stole the former Jedi's lightsaber and holocron. Bridger returned the lightsaber, but kept the holocron to himself, thinking Jarrus hadn't noticed.

During the team's operation to free Wookiees, he stayed behind with Syndulla but was convinced to board a Gozanti-class cruiser to alert Jarrus, Wren, Orrelios and Chopper of an incoming Star Destroyer. However, he was captured by Agent Kallus and abandoned by Orrelios. In his cell, he was able to open Jarrus' holocron and see Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi's message, before escaping from his prison and learning of the Wookiees' location.

Once the Ghost returned, he boarded the ship along with everyone and revealed what he had learned, prompting the rebels to go to the spice mines of Kessel. There, while the others kept the stormtroopers busy, he freed the Wookiees and watched as Jarrus publicly revealed himself to be a Jedi. He rescued Kitwarr, only to be saved from Kallus by Jarrus' sudden appearance on the Ghost.

After sending the Wookiees on their way, Bridger stole Jarrus' lightsaber once again, but returned the holocron before departing to his tower. Shortly after entering his room, Jarrus gave him two choices—to keep the lightsaber and remain on Lothal, or return to the ship and become his Padawan and a member of the Ghost’s crew. After taking some time to think on the offer, Bridger returned the lightsaber, and became his apprentice.

His traning, however, only began after a heist to steal Imperial disruptors, involving the droids C-3PO and R2-D2. During the mission, Bridger—along with Jarrus, Orelios, Wren and Chopper—boarded the same star commuter shuttle where Amda Wabo and Minister Maketh Tua negotiated their agreement while on their way to Garel. Once there, Bridger infiltrated Bay Seven to open the door to the rest of the team, who managed to steal the T-7 ion disruptors, and returned to Lothal. There, Syndulla told the boy of Lasan's fall. During the unsuccessful transaction with Cikatro Vizago due to Kallus' arrival, Bridger saved Orrelios after his duel with the ISB Agent. His use of the Force propmted Jarrus to begin his training the following day.

Some time later, Bridger accidentally angered Orrelios due to Chopper's actions and ended up making a mess in the cargo hold. Exasperated, Syndulla sent them both to town for a supply run, with a list that included the rare meiloorun fruit. The boy and the Lasat went to Kothal, where they resolved to steal the fruit from an Imperial convoy. However, Bridger and Orrelios were forced to split up, with the Lasat stealing a TIE fighter to escape and save Bridger. Once onboard the vessel, the two contacted Syndulla and Jarrus, who ordered them to destroy the small ship and proceed to the rebel rendezvous point.

Before doing so, Bridger asked Orrelios to check on Morad Sumar's freshly-destoryed farm and to help him free the prisoners. After a small confrontation, the pair managed to save Sumar and two other prisoners from Yogar Lyste, and retrieve a meiloorum fruit. Afterwards, they hid the stolen TIE fighter, but claimed to have destroyed to Jarrus and Syndulla's approval. Back onboard the Ghost, Wren shows them her new work of art, depicting Chopper's prank.

Stygeon Prime
"I don't want to dump you. Look, I just wanted you to have the best teacher." "I want you. Not that you're not the best. I—"

- Kanan Jarrus and Bridger

After struggling with his Jedi training under a master full of self-doubt, Bridger saw one of Senator Gall Trayvis's broadcasts for the first time, and was upset to hear that Jarrus wanted the imprisoned Jedi Master Luminara Unduli to teach Bridger and willing to free the Mirialan from The Spire in Stygeon Prime. Nevertheless, the boy took part of the operation and accompanied Jarrus to Unduli's cell, only to discover that she had been dead along and being used as bait to lure any surviving Jedi to their end. The Master-Padawan pair, then, met the Inquisitor and Bridger tried to help Jarrus on his duel against the Pau'an, who tried to lure the boy to the dark side. After a difficult escape and their return to Lothal, Kanan promised him he would no longer try to teach Ezra, but to do with newfound resolve.

Sometime later, Jarrus sent Bridger on mission to recover a decoder containing the location of a kyber crystal on Lothal's Imperial Academy. For several weeks, Bridger posed as "Dev Morgan" and befriended Jai Kell in squad LRC077; winning every assessment, he caught the attention of not only Imperials Cumberlayne Aresko and Myles Grint, but cadet Zare Leonis as well. With Leonis' help, he managed to obtain the decoder from Kallus' office and convince Kell to escape with him before the Inquisitor could test if he also had Force-sensitivity. During their escape, Bridger accepted Leonis' decision to stay in order to find out about his sister and told him they would stay in touch. After Syndulla and Jarrus' return to Lothal, the rebels agreed to help Kell and his mother hide from the Empire.

Later on, Bridger accompanied Syndulla and Wren aboard the Phantom for an assault on a Imperial convoy, but the damage done to the shuttle had to be repaired. Assigned along with Orrelios and Chopper to repair it, they never finished due to another of their scuffles, thus leaving Wren and Syndulla temporarily trapped on their mission to Fort Anaxes. After rescuing them, the boy and the Lasat apologized.

Empire Day
"I am ready. Wait. Ready for what?" "For a test, a real challenge one that could determine if you're meant to be a Jedi or not."

- Bridger and Kanan Jarrus

On Bridger's fifteenth birthday, Jarrus began training Bridger to use the Force to influence animals, but they soon went to Old Jho's Pit Stop to learn of the Empire's search for an old friend of Bridger's parents, the Rodian Tseebo. Wanting to be alone for a while, Bridger returned to his tower only to meet up with Jarrus, Wren and Orrelios after they ruined the Imperial parade by detonating a bomb in the recently-unveiled TIE Advanced v1.

During their escape, Bridger guided Jarrus and Wren into his old residence, where they found Tseebo and the boy told them of his past. Considering the valuable information the Rodian possessed, the three rebels decided to smuggle him out of Capital City in a stolen Imperial Troop Transport, and later onboard the Ghost. Despite Kallus and the Inquisitor's intervention, the ship managed to jump into hyperspace. Unable to forgive Tseebo and endangering the crew with the Inquisitor's tracking beacon on the Phantom, the master-Padawan pair left onboard the shuttle and headed to Fort Anaxes.

Once in there, Jarrus prompted Bridger to let go of his fear, so that he could connect with the fyrnocks. After accepting his fear and forgiving Tseebo, Bridger learned how to influence the creatures and await alonside his master for the Inquisitor's arrival. As Jarrus dueled the darksider, Bridger continued to command the fyrnocks to attack the remaining stormtroopers.

However, as the Pau'an managed to knock out Jarrus and cornered Bridger, the boy tapped into the dark side and controlled an enormous fyrnock that attacked the Inquisitor. However, this momentarily knocked Bridger out, forcing his master to carry him to the Phantom. On their return to the Ghost, Jarrus explained to him what happened and apologized for not teaching him what he needed to know. Then, Bridger spent some time alone until Wren gave him a birthday gift—a disk containing a picture of Bridger and his parents together—, and proceeded to stare at the picture for a while.

Some time after his dangerous connection on the asteroid, Bridger missed training for showing Wren the TIE fighter he had stolen alongside Orrelios, and Jarrus decided to put his apprentice through a challenge to determine if he was worthy of being a Jedi. To do so, he incited Bridger to locate a Jedi Temple, which to their surprise was on Lothal. Once inside the temple, Bridger continued alone and was faced with several illusions.

Firstly, he saw the Inquisitor striking Jarrus down, and later, he heard the rest of crew speaking about Bridger as if they had little faith in him, only for them to be killed by the Inquisitor. However, the boy managed to see through the illusions and overcome his fear. Only then, Jedi Master Yoda's voice could reach and guide him through the temple. When asked why he wanted to become a Jedi, Bridger expressed anger and fear because of what the Empire had done to him, but his desire to protect others made him worthy of a kyber crystal, and Yoda's words—that a Jedi he may yet be.

Returning to entryway and meeting up with Jarrus, his master explained that the small crystal he had received could be used to build a lightsaber.

Over the course of several weeks, Bridger built a lightsaber with the help of the crew. Jarrus gave him spare lightsaber parts that he had found over the previous fifteen years, Wren donated modulation circuits and an energy gate, Chopper donated a power cell and Syndulla likewise provided additional technology based on Bridger's specifications. With all of the rebels assembled, the boy presented the finished weapon to Jarrus, who thought the design fit his apprentice. When he returned, Bridger ignited the lightsaber for the first time.

After Orrelios and Jarrus lost Chopper in game of sabacc to Lando Calrissian and struck a deal to help him smuggle goods to and from Lothal, Bridger quickly took a dislike for Calrissian after ingratiating himself with the young Mandalorian. After the smuggler received a puffer pig from Azmorigan and Syndulla returned to the Ghost, Bridger and Orrelios scared the pig, separating the crew in two as the creature inflated. Bridger, then, made matters worse when he tried to climb over the pig, causing the animal to inflate even more and push Orrelios to deactivate the Ghost’s signature mask. Although Jarrus managed to pass through the Imperial blockade on Lothal, they had a small confrontation with Azmorigan's forces on Calrissian's estate but, after its resolution, they bade farewell to Calrissian.

After a training session on deflecting blasters during which he had vision that involved Gall Trayvis, he saw Trayvis's broadcast inciting the rebels to meet him at the Old Republic Senate Building. Despite his eagerness, Jarrus' suspicions made Bridger verify some intel with Zare Leonis, who then let him know that he was being transferred to Officer's Academy in Arkanis. Feeling guilty, Bridger then revealed "Morgan" was an alias, but as stormtroopers interrupted their meeting, he was unable to tell Leonis his real name.

Later, he reunited with the rest of the team and met Trayvis in the senate building, only to be cornered by Imperials. Escaping through the sewers and separated from the others, Bridger, Syndulla and Trayvis reached a dead end, blocked by a fan, and the Senator revealed his true colours as an Imperial agent. Syndulla, however, knocked him out as Wren, Orrelios and Jarrus reencountered them. After escaping, Bridger was very disappointed for interpreting his vision incorrectly, which Jarrus said was because of his emotions, but Syndulla encouraged the boy to have hope.

Tarkin arrives
"Stand up together. Because that's when we're strongest—as one."

- Ezra Bridger

After a raid near Jalath, and following Trayvis' public proclamation of loyalty to the Empire on the HoloNet and Jarrus' decision to broadcast their own messages, Bridger accompanied the Jedi and Wren in a reconnaissance mission to Lothal's Imperial main communications tower, where despite his efforts to destroy a Viper probe droid, their presence was alerted to Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin. Despite his concerns, he infiltrated the tower along with the rest of the team.

However, the reinforcements' arrival and Jarrus' orders forced Bridger to take a lift to the top of the tower and abandon his master, once the Inquisitor and Kallus arrived, by leaving on the Phantom along with everyone else. Soon enough, Bridger spoke to the people of Lothal at sunrise, encouraging them to stand up against the Empire, finishing his message as the tower was destroyed.

Determined to rescue Jarrus, Bridger disobeyed Syndulla's orders to stop searching for the former Jedi and recruited Chopper, Wren and Orrelios' help to use the Phantom and strike a deal with Vizago. After revealing to the crime lord of his nature as a Jedi and willing to owe him a favor, Bridger received important intel from the Devaronian—that the Imperials were using droid couriers for communication, unable to rely on the comm towers. With Syndulla's approval, he conceived a plan and they sent a disguised Chopper to retrieve Jarrus' location, only to learn at the droid's return that Jarrus would be transferred to the Mustafar system.

To infiltrate the Sovereign, the rebels stole an Imperial transport ship and used their stolen TIE fighter to infiltrate the Star Destroyer. Once inside, Bridger separated from the others and rescued Jarrus from his cell, helping him walk to the reactor core where they were confronted by the Inquisitor. Though he tried to assist Jarrus in his duel with the Pau'an, Bridger was quickly overpowered by the darksider and fell into another platform—his apparent death prompting Jarrus to lose his fear and fight with renewed resolve.

After receiving a message from Syndulla, Bridger reunited with his master, who had just defeated the Inquisitor once and for all. The two, then, told Syndulla to part with Orrelios and Wren while they took the Inquisitor's TIE to join them. However, the rebels could escape only when Chopper and a fleet of blockade runners jumped from hyperspace and attacked the pursuing TIE fighters. Afterwards, the rebels docked their transport and escaped from the Mustafar system, only for Syndulla to reveal they were a cell, Bail Organa's identity and "Fulcrum"'s appearance. She, revealing her real name, then informed them that Bridger's message had given people hope and that a new chapter in the boy's life was to begin.

Personality and traits
"Come on. You know how I grew up. I'm not used to all these rules. Kanan, I want to become the Jedi you see in me, the one I don't always see in myself."

- Ezra Bridger

A Force-sensitive Human male, Ezra Bridger had tan skin and blue-black hair. Bridger grew up on his own and worked as a small-time thief and con artist, using his street smarts to steal technology and goods from the forces of the Galactic Empire, though he felt no loyalty to others.

Initially, Ezra only saw the crew of the Ghost as a means to an end, stealing any valuables from the ship he could find, but he soon befriended and developed a bond with several of the crew members.

Powers and abilities
"I feel as if his abilities are growing faster than I can teach him."

- Kanan Jarrus

Bridger possessed a strong connection to the Force, which prompted Jarrus to offer him the chance to train under him. He had ease to perform Force-enhanced jumps even without proper training,  and could sense things through the Force, such as when he sensed Kanan Jarrus's presence for the first time, or when he was drawn to the former Jedi's lightsaber and holocron. He also had an affinity in the use of telekinesis, such as when he instinctively pushed Agent Kallus several feet away to save Garazeb "Zeb" Orrelios.

Under Jarrus' training, Bridger's Force abilities became more refined. He learned how to tame a horde of fyrnocks; on the same day, however, he made a connection to the dark side and this power was amplified to the point of being able to summon a giant fyrnock. Bridger was also known to have Force visions. After building his own lightsaber, Bridger initially struggled in learning how to use Shien, but later proved to have enough proficiency to deflect blaster fire.

Equipment
Bridger's equipment included a blaster, and he frequently stole helmets and technology from the Empire.

After his mission within the Lothal Jedi Temple where he received a Kyber crystal, Ezra assembled his own lightsaber. This lightsaber had a blue colored blade and had a guard extending from the top to the bottom of the hilt that protected the main handle of the blade. Ezra's was a unique hybrid that featured a fully functional blaster pistol built into the handle.

Behind the scenes
Ezra Bridger was first revealed as a character from the forthcoming animated series Star Wars Rebels at the January 2014 Nuremberg International Toy Fair, where Bridger appeared on the packaging for the LEGO Star Wars Rebels Phantom model. On February 14, 2014, as part of a Lucasfilm promotional campaign to introduce the series' characters, TV Guide ran an online story featuring an exclusive first look at Bridger's character and announcing that he would be voiced by actor Taylor Gray. The story included a Lucasfilm production video revealing that Bridger was the first character created for Star Wars Rebels.

In the episode of the animated television series Star Wars Rebels Empire Day, it's known that Ezra was born during the first Empire Day.

Non-canon history
Ezra Bridger appears in Angry Birds Star Wars II. At one point, Ezra Bridger sneaked into an Imperial base to steal a stormtrooper helmet. He was chased by Imperial troops, but was rescued by the mysterious warriors Sabine Wren and Hera Syndulla. They escaped from Agent Kallus, and Syndulla let him join her crew aboard the Ghost.

In the LEGO Star Wars Rebels Movie Shorts, Ezra was on a mission with Chopper in the Phantom when they came under attack from a Star Destroyer. Jarrus, Syndulla, and Orrelios rescued them aboard the Ghost. Bridger suggested they charge the Star Destroyer's bridge and hide behind it, and eventually the warship jumped to hyperspace. At another time, the Ghost was damaged by a Star Destroyer, forcing it to go to a space station for repairs. Bridger was aboard the Phantom and rescued Orrelios and Jarrus from the planet in time to finish repairs to their starship.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Kanan: The Last Padawan 1
 * Zeb to the Rescue
 * Sabine's Art Attack
 * Ezra's Gamble
 * Ezra and the Pilot
 * Rise of the Rebels
 * Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion
 * The Rebellion Begins
 * Droids in Distress book
 * Ezra's Wookiee Rescue
 * A New Hero
 * The Inquisitor's Trap
 * Servants of the Empire: Rebel in the Ranks
 * Star Wars Rebels: Rebel Strike
 * Star Wars Rebels Magazine 1
 * The Inquisitor's Trap
 * Servants of the Empire: Rebel in the Ranks
 * Star Wars Rebels: Rebel Strike
 * Star Wars Rebels Magazine 1
 * Star Wars Rebels: Rebel Strike
 * Star Wars Rebels Magazine 1
 * Star Wars Rebels: Rebel Strike
 * Star Wars Rebels Magazine 1
 * Star Wars Rebels: Rebel Strike
 * Star Wars Rebels Magazine 1
 * Star Wars Rebels: Rebel Strike
 * Star Wars Rebels Magazine 1
 * Star Wars Rebels: Rebel Strike
 * Star Wars Rebels Magazine 1

Non-canon appearances

 * Angry Birds Star Wars II
 * LEGO Star Wars Movie Short
 * LEGO Star Wars Movie Short