The Occupation

"The Occupation" is the fifth episode of the fourth season of the animated television series Star Wars Rebels. The episode premiered on Disney XD on October 30, 2017. It is also the sixty-fourth episode of the series overall.

Official description
Ezra and the Ghost crew return to Lothal, but find that the Imperial occupation has taken a much darker turn.

Ryder's message
The Ghost drops out of hyperspace above Yavin, and Hera Syndulla tells Sabine Wren to transmit the clearance codes to Yavin 4. Ezra Bridger, napping, is jolted awake by a Force vision and falls out of his chair, shouting "No!" When the others ask what's wrong, he tells them that he saw Jho and heard Ryder Azadi on Lothal, and he thinks they're in trouble. Kanan Jarrus points out that Ezra has been having a lot of these moments lately, due to his anxiety about Lothal, and that it probably doesn't mean anything. Ezra retorts that they've been rarer lately, and not happening in the middle of briefings. He also states that his people were promised support. Hera reminds Ezra that Thrawn ambushed their fleet, and he sulks in his chair.

When the Ghost lands at the Great Temple, the ship is met by Erskin Semaj, who informs Ezra that Mon Mothma wants to see him and the others. In the main briefing room, Mothma plays a message they received from Ryder two days before, in which the former governor states that his spies in the capital report that the Empire is testing a new kind of TIE Defender. The message then cuts out before Ryder can reveal. Mothma, having witnessed the dangers of the TIE Defender firsthand, states that this is information that needs to be followed up on, and tells Ezra she knows how important Lothal is to him. She asks for volunteers, and Ezra asks when he leaves. Hera reminds him that all of the Spectres are going. Mothma reluctantly assents, noting that they work better as a team. She warns them that since the Empire has Lothal in a complete lockdown, there is no guarantee that the Alliance will be able to extract them. Ezra responds that he understands, but that he is going to help his people, which means he's there to stay.

Returning home
Later, as the Ghost rendezvouses with the Broken Horn in deep space, Alexsandr Kallus, entering the cockpit, notes that Cikatro Vizago is a criminal and wonders if he can be trusted. Ezra, on his way to the airlock, tells Kallus that the same used to be true of him, and that Vizago has legitimate business on Lothal. Rex wonders how they're going to pay Vizago for this, and Ezra responds that they have it all sorted out, because Vizago loves money. Ezra meets Vizago at the airlock, and shows him to the Ghost cargo hold, where crates of puffer pigs await. Vizago, pleased with his payment, notes that Lando Calrissian made a fortune with his, and that the Mining Guild will pay handsomely for them. As the crates are loaded onto the Broken Horn, Rex asks Garazeb Orrelios why he's not helping. Zeb responds that he's not allowed, as he scares the animals, because they don't like his face. In the cockpit, Hera tells Rex that he's in command of the Ghost while she's gone. As she leaves, Kallus, mistakenly assuming that Hera was talking to him, reminisces about how much trouble the Ghost caused him back when he was with the Empire, sitting in the pilot's seat. Rex corrects Kallus as to who Hera was addressing, and Kallus retorts that he's commanded Star Destroyers. The old clone, sitting down in the freshly-vacated pilot's seat, responds by pointing out that's probably the exact reason why Hera didn't leave Kallus in charge.

The Spectres are on the bridge of the Broken Horn in civilian disguises when Chopper rolls in. The astromech droid comments that he finds Zeb and Ezra's hats ridiculous. The starship drops out of hyperspace above Lothal, and the Spectres are shocked at the planet's heavily polluted appearance. Ezra is particularly affected, noting that it looks like the planet is dying. Vizago tells him that Lothal isn't exactly the planet he remembers, and to brace himself. The starship is given clearance to land by an Arquitens-class cruiser, but one of the pilots tells the officer in charge that there is something wrong with the thermal scan, and they are detecting multiple unregistered lifeforms aboard. The officer orders the Broken Horn to be allowed past, and an Imperial Security Bureau patrol to be alerted.

The Broken Horn flies through a layer of pollution in Lothal's atmosphere, and Ezra is shocked to see that the plains have been burned. Two TIE fighters swoop in to escort the ship, and Hera asks how common this is. Vizago claims that it sometimes happens, but is swiftly forced to admit that this has never happened to him before. Upon landing at Jhothal, the ship is approached by an Imperial boarding party. Hera is worried that they've been discovered, and Ezra points out that if the Empire doesn't find them, it won't have anything. The Spectres hurry out of the cockpit. The boarding party, comprised of stormtroopers and an officer, enters the cockpit to find Vizago, who claims that he doesn't know anything. Hiding in the hold amid the crates of puffer pigs, Zeb wonders if this is a good idea, and Ezra responds that they might as well try. The Spectres release the puffer pigs from their crates, and Zeb, positioned in the corridor, is ordered to scare them. The Imperials, having arrested Vizago, are surprised by the sudden barrage of inflated pigs, and as the Spectres sneak past, Ezra tells the crime lord to come along. Vizago, in binders, makes to leave, but turns back to retrieve one last, uninflated pig, and becomes trapped when the animal swells up.

Lothal occupied
The Spectres sneak into the occupied town, which is full of Imperials. Spotting a wanted poster of himself, Ezra wonders why the Empire is still using an old picture of him, as he doesn't look like that anymore, and Sabine tells him that's a good thing. They witness two civilians being stopped by a patrol for being out after curfew, and Hera decides that they will split up: Ezra, Sabine and Chopper will go to Old Jho's Pit Stop, and her, Kanan and Zeb will look for transportation. As Ezra and Sabine approach the cantina's entrance, Ezra suggests that Jho is fine, and reminisces about how the Pit Stop was one place where it was clear that the Empire was unwelcome. The two rebels, stopping in the doorway, are greeted by Imperial officers and stormtroopers, the Imperial anthem playing, and an unfamiliar bartender, and Sabine quips that things have clearly changed. They turn to leave, only to see Chopper, outside, being questioned by a stormtrooper as to the location of two citizens he witnessed nearby. Sabine asks what they will do now, and Ezra decides that they'll get drinks.

At the bar, Sabine and Ezra are surprised to see a hologram of Imperial pilot Baron Valen Rudor, who the Spectres had encountered a few times, years before. The bartender turns out to be Rudor, who is flattered to be recognized. He explains that the Empire gave him charge of the bar recently, as a reward. Rudor, vaguely recognizing Ezra from some of those long-ago previous encounters, notes that he looks familiar. Ezra responds, truthfully, that he used to come in when the cantina was run by Old Jho. A red-haired patron sitting in a booth by the wall is startled to hear the name. Rudor states that they must not have heard, and explains that there was an Imperial raid, on a suspected rebel cell, two days before, and that Jho was caught helping the rebels escape. Ezra assumes that Jho was captured, and Rudor states that he was captured and executed. Sabine, noticing Ezra's difficulty in hiding his anger, tells Rudor they have to go and gets Ezra away from the bar. She warns him that he has to stay in control. Rudor, suspicious, orders the stormtroopers to stop Ezra and Sabine. At this point, the red-haired young man intervenes, recognizing Ezra as "Oleg" and telling him it's great to see him. He suggests that Ezra forgot to pay for his drinks. Ezra and Sabine argue over credits, both assuming that the other had them, and the redhead offers to pay for them, telling Rudor to keep the change.

Meanwhile, Hera and Kanan, in the street, narrowly dodge a stormtrooper patrol by hiding in a small alleyway. Kanan notes that it's been a long time since they've been alone together, and Hera responds that it was usually in situations like this. He states that he wishes he could see her, and Hera reaches up and removes his visor, telling him that he could always see her. They lean in close, only to be interrupted by Hera's comlink beeping. Zeb reports that he's found the rebels' speeders, which are in an area guarded by stormtroopers. Hera asks about retrieving the vehicles, and Zeb clarifies that it won't be straightforward.

Outside the cantina, Ezra asks their rescuer who he is, and the young man responds that it has been a while. Ezra quickly recognizes him as Jai Kell, and remarks that it's been a long time since their days at the Imperial Academy. Jai agrees, and explains that he's been coming to the Pit Stop on Ryder's orders for the past several days, watching for the Spectres. He asks Ezra about transportation, only for there to be an explosion. Ezra tells Jai that transportation is coming now. Inside the cantina, death trooper commander DT-L21 is informed that there are rebels in the area, and prepares to head out with a squad of stormtroopers. Hera, Kanan and Zeb pull up in a speeder, and she tells the others to get in. However, the rebels are approached by two tanks, and they are forced to flee, leaving the speeder behind as it is destroyed by Imperial fire. They head into the entrance passage to the Pit Stop, and avoid DT-L21 and his troops heading the other way. Ezra claims to the death trooper commander that there are thieves outside.

Sewer escape
The rebels head inside the empty cantina, and Zeb smashes the door control to delay the Imperials. Jai explains, as they head towards a sewer entrance, that Jho kept up a network of tunnels beneath the town, which they can use to escape. The rebels enter the sewer, but Zeb is reluctant, as he hates the smell. They head for the large junction beneath the main road out of town. Once the Imperials re-enter the bar, DT-L21 asks Rudor if he knew that the sewer entrance was unsealed, and the baron claims that he did not. The death trooper commander orders troops, and several probe droids, into the sewers to find the rebels. Jai can't remember the way, and the rebels are soon lost. As they debate, the probe droids catch up, and Kanan declares, "So much for our disguises!" The Spectres retrieve their weapons from the crates Chopper has been carrying on a rig, and fight the probe droids, destroying them. Hera decides that they have to split up. She, Kanan, Chopper and Jai head one way, and Ezra, Sabine and Zeb flee the other way. Above, DT-L21 orders troops to be sent to the entrance to the large junction in the road.

Eventually, Kanan, Hera, Chopper and Jai come to a ladder, leading up to an entrance. Kanan wonders if this is it, and Jai offers to climb up and check. The hatch opens, and the rebels swiftly hide from sight as several stormtroopers shine lights down into the sewer. Kanan is forced to step into the light in the process of destroying an approaching probe droid, and the rebels flee as the stormtroopers wonder what they just saw. DT-L21 is informed that the rebels have destroyed all of the probe droids, and he orders all troops sent to the rebels' last known coordinates. Running through the tunnels, Sabine notices something, which she calls Ezra and Zeb's attention to: a painting of her starbird symbol. Sabine knows she didn't paint this, and quickly deduces that it was left by Ryder's rebels. The three head in the direction that the bird is pointing.

Eventually, the trail leads them to a larger tunnel, and they can't find any more starbirds. Running to the other end, they are forced to retreat when stormtroopers appear. They attempt to head back the way they came, only for Hera, Kanan, Chopper and Jai to emerge, pursued by more stormtroopers. As the rebels are surrounded, Ezra, in the centre of the large tunnel, looks up to see another hatch, with the starbird painted on it. Hera states that someone needs to get up there, and Ezra leaps up onto the ladder. Climbing, he slashes the control panel with his lightsaber, lowering the ladder, and drops back to the ground. Sabine leads the way up, followed by Zeb, Hera, Jai, Kanan and Ezra. Chopper flies up on his rocket booster. Kanan and Ezra sever the ladder to prevent the stormtroopers from pursuing. Sabine bangs on the hatch, but it won't open, and tells Hera when she asks that Ezra destroyed the control panel. Eventually, the hatch does open, and Ryder Azadi appears and greets them. The rebels climb out, shutting the hatch behind them. They evacuate into Ryder's U-wing, copiloted by Marida Sumar. Ryder asks where the rest of their forces are, so they can deal with the new TIE Defender, and Ezra apologetically tells him that since Lothal is in a complete lockdown, they were all that was sent. However, Ezra finds the bright side in all of this, noting that rebellions always start small, with only a few people. Ryder wonders if they'll feel that way when they see the Empire's new fighter, and the U-wing departs for Ryder's camp.