Ezra Bridger Bio – Star Wars: Rebels

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Ben Kitchen

Ben is an author and writer with a love for shaping the English language He grew up watching the first six Star Wars films and from the age of 5 has been hooked by the complicated interweaving story arcs initially sculpted by George Lucas. Outside of working hours, you can find him visiting friends, working on his car, or blasting around a karting track. Of course, he also rarely passes a week without watching or playing something Star Wars-related.

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Ezra Bridger’s story is fascinating as a new character in the Star Wars: Rebels series. His is one of the most deeply explored arcs of a boy becoming a man. He goes from being entirely focused on self-preservation to learning teamwork and supportiveness. In time, he comes to respect and love the people that showed him care and reciprocates it tenfold.

Born to Ephraim and Mira, Ezra Bridger was a Force-sensitive human male. His parents were imprisoned and, unbeknownst to him, killed by the Galactic Empire after helping to ignite a rebellion on Lothal, their home planet. Ezra escaped and has lived in hiding ever since.

Eventually, Ezra became involved with the Rebellion. He was taught as a Jedi Padawan by Kanan Jarrus, otherwise known as Caleb Dune.

In this article, I’ll run through who Ezra Bridger was and how he impacted the galaxy far, far away.

Ezra Bridger Bio

Ezra was born on Empire Day in 19 BBY. That’s the same day that Palpatine “ended the Clone Wars” (or, as the Jedi might have seen it, the day he deceived Anakin Skywalker into falling to the Dark Side, brainwashed millions of loyal clone soldiers to betray their beloved Jedi friends, and sent his new apprentice to kill all the Separatist leaders in cold blood – that day).

In order to ensure our security and continuing stability, the Republic will be reorganized into the first Galactic Empire, for a safe and secure society.

Ezra’s parents, Ephraim and Mira Bridger were involved in unrest against the Empire almost since its inception. By 14 BBY, five years after Order 66, they had started sending out transmissions publicly decrying the Imperials and their tyrannical rule. Two years later, in 12 BBY, they were seized by the Empire and imprisoned, leaving Ezra all alone, aged seven. Until the age of 15, in 4 BBY, Ezra survived by taking small jobs, pickpocketing, and stealing – basically, a conman. Along with his street-smarts, he was Force-sensitive and unknowingly used his abilities to help get him out of trouble.

Although he wouldn’t find out for at least another eight years, Ephraim and Mira were killed as they tried to escape prison.

Spectre Team

While in town in Lothal, Bridger noticed a Rebel sting being prepared and decided to settle down to watch. As the group organized a targeted assault on a small section of stormtroopers, they made off with speeder bikes containing Imperial weapons. After letting them do all the hard work, Ezra decided to hijack the Rebels, making off with the supplies.

Eventually, the small team – a human, a Lasat, a Mandalorian, a droid, and a Twi’lek – caught up with Ezra and offered him a way of escaping the approaching stormtroopers. Reluctantly, he accepted their assistance, although he wanted nothing more than to leave and head back to his isolated hideout.

Over time, Ezra learned to bond with the Rebels who had helped him. They were known as the Spectres or Spectre team. Before long, he found out that Kanan was a traumatized Jedi, living in hiding since witnessing the clones’ betrayal and murder of his master, Depa Billaba, during Order 66 (see The Bad Batch). His real name was Caleb Dune.

Twi’lek Hera Syndulla was the daughter of renowned freedom fighter Cham Syndulla from Ryloth (see The Clone Wars and The Bad Batch). She was an accomplished pilot and acted as the sort of surrogate mother of the group. Sabine Wren, a member of a prominent Mandalorian clan, was also among the team, as was Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios, a surviving Lasat honor guard. The team was completed by C1-10P, an astromech droid known as Chopper.

They worked for a mysterious Rebel leader who only went by the codename Fulcrum. Hera and Kanan knew Fulcrum’s identity but kept it from the rest of the Spectres to protect them if they were captured.

Together, this band of renegades flew the Ghost, a VCX-100 light freighter, and its smaller onboard vessel, the Phantom.

Their main threats came from the Empire: most notably, the Sith Grand Inquisitor (whose sole job was to hunt Jedi and any attached rebel cells), Agent Kallus, an Imperial ISB agent, and later on, Grand Admiral Thrawn.

Learning the Ways of the Jedi

Kanan would begin to teach Ezra the ways of the Force, although he struggled, having never taught anyone before. It also wasn’t long before Ezra, undisciplined and more powerful than he knew, unwittingly tapped into the Dark Side, frightening his new master. However, these actions allowed them both to escape the far superior skills of the Grand Inquisitor after he set a trap for them.

For reassurance, Kanan took Ezra to the Jedi Temple on Lothal. Here, he had to face trials to see how he coped with managing his fear. Despite living behind a mask for most of his life since his parents were taken, his most prominent fear, it would turn out, was abandonment. His visions included the Grand Sith Inquisitor murdering his friends, but he was helped along by Master Yoda, sensing the Jedi presence from Dagobah.

These were considered his Jedi trials. Thus, Ezra was granted a kyber crystal and built his own lightsaber at their successful completion.

Around this time, Ezra began to make peace with his past. He confronted his fears of learning what had truly happened to his parents and forgave Tseebo, a Rodian friend of theirs who didn’t help. With this acceptance came a tranquillity that allowed him to connect with the Light Side of the Force more deeply.

Saving Kanan

After Kanan was captured by the Empire and held on Grand Moff Tarkin’s Star Destroyer, the Spectres rescued him. Ezra ended up springing his master from his cell alone before the pair were confronted by the Grand Inquisitor by the reactor core. Kanan struggled to keep up with the Sith’s power, prompting Ezra to try to help. The Inquisitor knocked him out with his lightsaber and sent him tumbling off the platform.

Grieved at his apprentice’s perceived death, Kanan fought with a greater focus. He eventually disarmed the Grand Inquisitor, knocking his lightsaber into the reactor core and leaving him hanging from the platform. In a chilling warning, the Sith smiled at them, saying that “there are things far worse than death” before letting go, falling to his death. Ezra had survived and was grateful to Jarrus.

Just as all escape seemed impossible, reinforcements – called by Chopper – arrived in the form of Fulcrum. Fulcrum’s identity was revealed to be none other than Ahsoka Tano. Transmissions from Bail Organa told that the Spectres were one of many Rebel groups across the galaxy, giving Ezra hope that their fight wasn’t futile.

As a result of the Sith Grand Inquisitor’s death and the publicized insurrection on Lothal, the Emperor assigned Darth Vader to the case.

Fleeing Lothal

As part of the wider Rebellion, Ezra and the Ghost crew were drafted into Phoenix Squadron, part of a slowly growing Rebel army. However, Vader’s presence on Lothal forced the Spectre team to retreat almost immediately. Jarrus and Bridger were no threat to Vader, with the Dark Lord’s immense power on display for all to see.

The Sith engaged the Rebel fleet alone on their way off the planet, showcasing his frightening skill as a pilot. Ezra soon recognized the dark presence as the same one they’d faced on Lothal. As Ahsoka and Vader sensed each other, she screamed in fear and fell unconscious. Unknown to Ezra and Kanan, she’d felt the faintest hint of Anakin. Vader, meanwhile, realized his former Padawan had survived Order 66 and all this time.

Eventually, what remained of Phoenix Squadron managed to escape Lothal. The Empire assigned two more Inquisitors, the Fifth Brother and the Seventh Sister, to lead the hunt for the Jedi and the Rebels.

Ezra’s growth

Back on Lothal, sometime later, Ezra learned what happened to his parents. As he cried, Jarrus comforted him, explaining that the Jedi believe that life doesn’t end with death – it simply changes form. He offered Ezra his protection and presence, guiding him against his fear of loss and loneliness.

Ezra began to develop a unique gift: the ability to use the Force to calm and connect to living creatures. Only a few other Jedi have ever shown a genuine aptitude for this, such as Rey, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Grogu. Most importantly, he became a trusted friend of the purrgils, gentle whale-like outer space-dwelling creatures that move using hyperspace, and the loth-wolves, giant sentient hunters from Lothal.

Eventually, he, Kanan, and Ahsoka returned to the Lothal Jedi Temple, seeking answers when they didn’t know which way to turn. Here, they each experienced a different vision. Ahsoka learned that Darth Vader was, in fact, Anakin Skywalker, her old master. Kanan had to accept that he couldn’t protect Ezra from the Dark Side – he must simply prepare him for its temptations and challenges. Yoda taught Ezra how to deal with fear and the wisdom needed to choose whether or not to fight. Just before they escaped, Yoda told Ezra to “find Malachor”.

Malachor

On the planet Malachor, Ezra, Ahsoka, and Kanan found an old Sith Temple. When a Holocron was attached to the obelisk, it would become a powerful superweapon.

Here, they encountered three Inquisitors and Maul, who befriended Ezra and subtly pushed him towards the Dark Side. He persuaded him that Kanan was holding him back and that he should follow him. The four were attacked by the Inquisitors. Eventually, the Jedi and Maul, working together, overcame the Empire’s servants, resulting in the deaths of all three servants of the Sith.

Maul then shifted his attention to Jarrus and Tano and boasted that Ezra was now his apprentice. As Kanan tried to protect his pupil from the influence of the Dark Side, Maul slashed him across the eyes with his lightsaber, permanently blinding him. As he stood over him to kill him, Ahsoka leaped in with her white lightsabers to save his life. After dueling Maul, Kanan, having regained his composure, told Ahsoka to find Ezra, who had been sent to activate the Sith superweapon with the Holocron, while he took on Maul alone. Despite being unable to see, he successfully pushed Maul off a ledge.

Meanwhile, Vader cornered Ezra, seemingly seizing the Sith weapon for the Empire’s use. He easily defeated the boy, destroying his lightsaber. Ahsoka arrived to rescue him just in time. While she confronted her old master, Ezra and Kanan removed the Sith Holocron from the obelisk, causing the Sith Temple to start self-destructing.

In the end, feeling the pain of Anakin Skywalker somewhere deep inside Darth Vader, Ahsoka refused to leave him. She pushed Kanan and Ezra away as the Temple collapsed, appearing to kill both powerful Force users. The two Jedi, along with the rest of the crew, grieved Ahsoka for a long time.

Ezra would soon build himself another more conventional green lightsaber.

Grand Admiral Thrawn

After the introduction of Grand Admiral Thrawn, Ezra and the Spectres were forced to be even more careful. Ezra continued to flirt with the Dark Side, with its seemingly instant power tempting him through Maul.

He soon realized that Maul was only interested in serving himself and getting revenge on his enemies: the Sith and, to an even greater extent, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Ezra discussed sending help to Kenobi with the rest of the Ghost crew, but they were unsure if his visions were true and, if they were, if they should be acted upon. Desperate to help the Jedi, Ezra flew himself to Tatooine, where he witnessed the long-awaited showdown between two of the most powerful Force users in the galaxy. After Obi-Wan’s victory, Ezra concluded that he had not been needed and had put Lothal and the Rebellion at risk by not being with them. He quickly flew back to the Spectres.

Through time, Ezra became more compassionate, allowing himself to accept his feelings and marking his progression as a Jedi. He continued to grow closer with living beings and creatures and became a stronger Rebel soldier in the process. The tactical brilliance of Thrawn continued to haunt the Spectres, who struggled to match his devastating strikes and counter strikes.

Much later, Ezra led a mission to rescue Hera from Thrawn after Kanan believed his feelings for her could compromise its success. With Thrawn suddenly withdrawing to Coruscant for a meeting with the Emperor, Kanan retrieved Hera from her torture chamber. At the final point of their escape, the two confessed their love for each other as Ezra and Sabine arrived to pick them up.

Governor Pryce ordered an AT-AT to fire at the main fuel cell, causing a massive explosion. Kanan Pushed Hera onto Ezra’s waiting ship before turning to hold the explosion back with the Force. In his final moments, he turned to look at the crew, his dim eyes brightening one last time before the wave engulfed him, ending his life. Ezra, Hera, and the rest of the Spectres felt great pain at his death.

Eventually, Ezra and the team broke into Imperial HQ on Lothal. As a young, daring man, Bridger had truly come of age by this point. He personally contacted Thrawn, who was returning from Coruscant, to stop him, but was forced to surrender to save the city from bombardment.

Onboard Thrawn’s ship, Palpatine contacted him. Here occurred Ezra’s final temptation, with the Emperor himself using all the tactics he had available to pull Bridger to the Dark Side. Most notably, he showed him a vision of what could be if he joined him – a vision of his mother calling to him. Although it pained him, Ezra told the visions of his parents that they would always be a part of him and that he had to let them go.

Having failed, Palpatine’s transmission ended. Ezra broke out onto the bridge of Thrawn’s ship. He summoned the purrgils using his unique gift with the Force, who attached themselves to the fleet and made the jump to hyperspace. Ezra needed to see his plan through to the end – Thrawn was too slippery to leave anything to chance. In his final moments to the group, Ezra tells them,

I can’t do that. It’s up to all of you now. And remember, the Force will be with you. Always.

In this moment, he stood in exactly the same pose as Kanan in his final moments, representing how he’d grown from a selfish child into a model of his teacher. In a way, Kanan lived on through who he became.

The purrgils then leaped into hyperspace, dragging himself, Thrawn, and the entire Imperial fleet over Lothal with them.

He left the Spectres a short transmission, explaining that he was doing what Kanan would have done. By the end of the war with the Empire, which came a few years later, Ezra hadn’t ever reappeared. But, with the galaxy now at peace and Lothal safe, Sabine and Ahsoka prepared themselves to search for him…

Ezra Bridger Key Moments

• Spark of Rebellion (S1E1-2) – Ezra is an orphaned child living on the poor planet of Lothal. He meets Kanan, Hera, Sabine, Zeb, and Chopper, discovering his natural connection to the Force.
• Rise of the Old Masters (S1E5) – Ezra and Kanan are lured to rescue Luminara Unduli, who it turns out has been dead since Order 66. The Grand Inquisitor corners them, but they escape. Ezra is hurt that Kanan wants someone else to train him.
• Path of the Jedi (S1E10) – heading into the Jedi Temple on Lothal, Ezra meets Yoda and learns much about himself.
• Fire Across the Galaxy (S1E15) – after Kanan’s capture, Ezra tries to rescue him. While he succeeds in freeing his master, he’s ultimately no match for the Grand Inquisitor, even though Jarrus manages to finish him off.
• The Siege of Lothal (S2E1-2) – as Vader pushes onto the scene, Ezra and the crew of the Ghost are forced off Lothal. Cocky Ezra realizes his and Kanan’s powers are no match for the Dark Lord of the Sith.
• Legacy (S2E11) – Ezra learns that his parents were killed as they tried to escape prison, breaking down any hope he had hidden away of seeing them again.
• The Call (S2E15) – using the Force, he connects with the purrgils, a magnificent race of space-dwelling whales that travel via hyperspace.
• Shroud of Darkness (S2E18) – Ezra, Ahsoka, and Kanan return to the Lothal Jedi Temple. Yoda tells the boy to head to Malachor for answers.
• Twilight of the Apprentice (S2E21-22) – Ezra, still young, naive, and foolish, struggles to understand restraint and is tempted towards the Dark Side by Maul. The anger he holds stemming from his parents’ deaths becomes more apparent. Ultimately, Ahsoka “sacrifices” herself by pushing him and Kanan to safety while the Sith Temple on Malachor collapses.
• Steps Into Shadow (S3E1-2) – having become much stronger with the Force, Ezra displays some Dark Side tendencies. He receives guidance from the Bendu, a Force-based creature.
• Holocrons of Fate (S3E3) – Maul manipulates Ezra, constantly trying to turn him to the Dark Side and using him to open the Holocrons.
• Visions and Voices (S3E10)  – again, Maul persuades Ezra to work with him. They go to Dathomir to learn what their visions mean and discover that the key to defeating the Empire and Maul’s revenge lie in one person: Obi-Wan Kenobi.
• Twin Suns (S3E20) – Maul heads to confront Obi-Wan on Tatooine, with Ezra desperate to warn the reclusive Jedi. In the end, he realizes he would’ve been more helpful with the Rebels.
• Flight of the Defender and Kindred (S4E6-7) – Ezra builds bonds with the powerful loth-wolves, protecting Lothal’s ecosystem as well as starting to rid the world of the Imperial presence. The loth-wolves lead him to a second secret Jedi Temple.
• Jedi Night (S4E10) – Ezra leads the mission to rescue Hera. While Kanan is successful, he sacrifices himself to allow the rest to escape. His death hits Bridger hard.
• A World Between Worlds (S4E13) – by entering the World Between Worlds through the loth-wolves and the second Lothal Jedi Temple, Ezra saves Ahsoka from Vader by pulling her through a portal. He’s ecstatic to have her back and wants to do the same for Kanan but can’t; if he were to save his master, the rest of the Ghost crew would have died.
• Family Reunion – And Farewell (S4E15-16) – in Thrawn’s attack on Lothal, Ezra follows Kanan’s lead. He calls the purrgils into the fight, who attach to the Imperial fleet and launch to hyperspace. Nobody hears from Ezra for years after this, and eventually, after the fall of the Empire, Sabine and Ahsoka begin searching for him.

Ezra Bridger Key Relationships

• Kanan Jarrus – Kanan, otherwise known as Caleb Dune, trains Ezra in the ways of the Force. As a Jedi in hiding, he teaches the young boy restraint, calm, and focus, always being there for him. In turn, Ezra helps Kanan open himself up, freeing him from the demons of his past. In the end, Jarrus sacrifices himself to allow his friends, including Ezra, to survive and escape.
• Hera Syndulla – the daughter of freedom fighter Cham Syndulla, Hera is, in essence, the leader of the Spectre team. She acts as a motherly figure to the group, including Ezra. He has a great deal of respect for her piloting skills and learns to trust her absolutely.
• Sabine Wren – Sabine is a young Mandalorian with an affinity for graffiti art and blowing things up. Ezra has a somewhat poorly disguised crush on the lighthearted teenager when he first meets her. Over time, Ezra proves himself to be undyingly loyal to her, growing into a deep friendship.
• Garazeb Orrelios – as a Lasat, “Zeb” believes himself to be one of the last of his kind. He’s the muscle of the Spectre group and provides Ezra with the kind of banter-heavy relationship he can’t get from anyone else.
• Chopper – C1-10P, like Zeb, has a playful relationship with Bridger, constantly teasing and mocking him – but loyal to a tee.
• Maul – Maul tries to persuade Ezra to turn to the Dark Side and become his apprentice. In the end, we find out that all Maul wanted was to manipulate the boy into giving him the Holocrons. Ezra suddenly realizes with dreadful clarity that the Sith – and the Dark Side as a whole – has no space for compassion.
• Bendu – the Bendu is a Force creature that is neither Light nor Dark Side. He helps Kanan and Ezra repair their relationship as master and apprentice at the start of Season 3. However, when accused of cowardice because of his refusal to take sides, the Bendu unleashes a terrifying storm on both Rebel and Imperial troops.

Ezra Bridger Key Quotes

To Kanan:

Yeah… about that… we stole a TIE Fighter…

To Kanan:

I want to become the Jedi you see in me. The one I don’t always see in myself.

To Grand Admiral Thrawn:

The Force isn’t a weapon! But you’ll never understand that.”

To the Spectres:

Ezra, please! Get out of there!

I can’t do that. It’s up to all of you now. And remember, the Force will be with you. Always…

Conclusion

The end of Ezra’s story in Rebels is incredibly satisfying. Before heading up to Thrawn’s ship, he tells Hera and the group, “I know what to do now.” In his last words to his friends before heading off into the unknown hyperspace, Ezra’s pose is exactly the same as Kanan’s in his sacrifice. Now aged 19, he’s become a man and a Jedi, accepted the responsibility he bears for the Rebels and Lothal, and resisted the temptations of the Sith.

Ezra begins as a con artist, a thief, and a self-protective, cocky child. His story concludes (at least for now) with the deep, heartfelt sacrifice of a self-sacrificial Jedi and Rebel protector, leader, and friend.

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