Secret Cargo " Secret Cargo " is the eighteenth episode of the animated television series " Star Wars Rebels " third season . It is the fifty - fifth episode of the series overall . It aired on March 4 , 2017 , on Disney XD . Official description . " The " Ghost " crew must escort Senator Mon Mothma , now wanted by the Empire , to a meeting that can change the galaxy . " Plot summary . The Imperial probe droid . The episode opens with the Spectres ' starship " Ghost " hiding near two wrecked former Separatist warships : a " Recusant " - class warship and a " Munificent " - class star frigate . Inside the " Ghost " cockpit , Ezra Bridger , Garazeb Orrelios and Hera Syndulla are listening to a propaganda HoloNet broadcast played by the astromech droid Chopper . The Imperial newscaster , Alton Kastle , says that in 010 , he ' ll bring exciting news happening in their galactic sector . Zeb switches off the HoloNet broadcast , stating he ' s not sure how much more of it he can take . Ezra remarks that he ' d say whoever they ' re supposed to meet is late , but they don ' t know when they ' re supposed to arrive , or even who they are . Chopper beeps , and Hera says she knows as much as Ezra does , but that Senator Bail Organa trusts them , and that he trusts the Spectres to get them fuel . Ezra grumbles about secrecy , and remarks that ' s why Kanan Jarrus volunteered for a supply run elsewhere . Chopper then plays a broadcast from Kastle announcing that Senator Mon Mothma has shocked the Imperial Senate with her " treason ous " remarks against Emperor Palpatine . The rebels watch Senator Mothma give a speech condemning the Emperor for ordering the brutal attacks on the people of Ghorman . She denounces the Ghorman Massacre as proof that the self - appointed Emperor is nothing more than a lying executioner who has imposed tyranny on the galaxy under the pretense of security . Ezra and Zeb marvel at what Mothma said , with the latter adding that she has guts and that he ' s surprised she ' s still alive . Suddenly , there is a proximity alert and the Spectres see a tactical infiltration pod approaching them . The pod has an E - XD infiltrator droid , a model which Zeb and Chopper had encountered earlier on Chopper Base . Chopper displays a hologram of the outside object to his fellow rebels . Hera is alarmed to see an Imperial probe droid out there , while Ezra remarks that the droid speaks an Imperial code . Zeb adds that this is bad , and tells them to blast it . Hera disagrees because she doesn ' t want to attract attention , and powers down the " Ghost " . She orders Ezra into the ship ' s nose gun . Chopper is also switched off , despite his protests . Hera tells her crew to stay silent as the infiltration pod passes over them . Zeb doesn ' t think the droid saw them , but Hera is not convinced . Inside the pod , the droid mumbles in an Imperial code and flies its craft towards the " Ghost " . Hera realizes the pod is scanning for lifeforms , and Zeb sarcastically states that that ' s " great " , noting that they can ' t fire with the power off . Ezra waits for the pod to approach their ship . At Hera ' s signal , Ezra fires the " Ghost " frontal turbolaser s at the pod but misses . The " Ghost " pursues the pod , but Ezra is unable to get a clean shot in the debris field . As the chase continues , a large freighter with a Y - wing escort emerges from hyperspace . Ezra manages to destroy the pod just as Phoenix Leader Hera receives a transmission from Gold Squadron . Meeting Gold Squadron . Gold Leader Jon Vander asks the " Ghost " if they caught them at a bad time . Hera reports that they had a close call with an Imperial probe , and that there is a high chance they were detected and that the droid summoned reinforcements . Gold Leader tells them to begin refueling immediately so that they can leave before the Galactic Empire arrives . The " Ghost " docks with the large freighter , which turns out to be Mon Mothma ' s ship " Chandrila Mistress " . Hera , Ezra , and Zeb meet Mothma ' s senatorial attache Erskin Semaj and Captain Vander . Hera introduces Ezra , Zeb and Chopper . When Ezra asks what they are transporting , Erskin tells them they won ' t be able to board the " Chandrila Mistress " due to security conditions . Hera tells them they are welcome aboard the " Ghost " . They then proceed to refuel the freighter ' s Y - wing escorts . A female pilot known as Gold Two meets Ezra and tells him that she has heard a lot about Phoenix Squadron ' s exploits , including blowing up the comm tower on Lothal and Tarkin ' s Star Destroyer . Zeb sets the record straight : they only blew up Tarkin ' s Star Destroyer . The female pilot sharply tells them to think again before they pull another stunt like that , because the Empire has tightened security across the Outer Rim . She blames the Spectres for making things harder for them . Zeb retorts that they like to do things the hard way . Captain Vander breaks up the argument and chides the Spectres for drawing the Empire ' s attention by destroying the probe . When the Captain tells them that this assignment is sensitive , Ezra responds that they should have given them more information rather than being so sensitive about their assignment . Chopper then utters an insult in Binary at the female pilot , who takes offense . Hera backs her crew and tells the other rebels that her crew did the best they could , but that they did not get sufficient information . Erskin Semaj takes a more conciliatory stance , remarking that the probe was probably looking for them because they are carrying cargo desperately needed by the rebellion and wanted by the Empire . First attack wave . The rebels then hear a proximity alert as an " Arquitens " - class command cruiser and a " Gozanti " - class cruiser exit hyperspace and dispatch TIE fighters . Gold Three alerts Captain Vander , who orders the fighters to intercept the TIEs . The TIEs began strafing the " Chandrila Mistress " , and the female pilot is thrown into the wall of the " Ghost " cargo bay and knocked unconscious . Vander falls off the ship ' s central ladder . Hera tells Zeb to bring the wounded pilot to the med bay . When Ezra asks about her Y - wing , Vander asks if they have anyone who can fly . Ezra volunteers , with Hera ' s support . Hera tells him to remember what she taught him . Ezra enters the Y - wing ' s cockpit , puts on Gold Two ' s helmet and flies the ship . Back on the " Ghost " , Zeb says they have to detach from the transport in order to survive . Hera tells Chopper to detach from the " Chandrila Mistress " , but the droid finds that the hatch is jammed . Hera and Chopper rush to detach the hatch . Meanwhile , Captain Vander orders his pilots to form a defensive perimeter around the " Chandrila Mistress " . Hera and Chopper reach the docking hatch just as they receive word from Erskin Semaj that the transport ' s shields have been lost . Hera tells him to get everyone onboard the " Ghost " , while attempting to pull the lever so the two ships can detach . She is knocked against the opposite wall by a jolt from Imperial fire just before Mon Mothma , Semaj and some other crewmembers board the " Ghost " . Hera is astonished to see the Senator . Outside , the Imperials continue blasting the " Chandrila Mistress " and the " Ghost " . Hera tells the Senator to help her droid Chopper while she gets them out of here . Working together , Mon Mothma and Chopper manage to detach the " Ghost " from Mothma ' s ship . Once the " Ghost " breaks free , Vander orders his pilots to finish the light cruiser , and disables its shields with his Y - wing ' s ion cannon . Gold Three then bombs the cruiser , and the rebel ships flee into hyperspace . Meeting Mon Mothma . Hera introduces her crew to Senator Mon Mothma , who is familiar with Ezra Bridger and thanks Captain Orrelios . While flying his Y - wing , Ezra praises Senator Mothma for her speech on the HoloNet . Erskin Semaj advises Senator Mothma to abandon her mission and return to a safe hiding place on Chandrila . Mothma disagrees , and says she won ' t hide because her presence at the meeting is not optional . When Hera asks about the meeting , Mothma explains that they are in the process of building an alliance of rebel cells across the galaxy . She wants to challenge the Empire in order to bring hope to other rebels and tell them they are not alone . When Erskin warns that the Empire will be trying to intercept any ship that tries to leave the system , Hera says she knows a way to get them out of the sector to their meeting . Mothma tells Erskin to give Hera the coordinates to the planet Dantooine . Grand Admiral Thrawn . In Lothal ' s Capital City , Admiral Kassius Konstantine briefs Governor Arihnda Pryce and Grand Admiral Thrawn that the rebels defended their transport vigorously , but that they thwarted their attempt to refuel . Admiral Konstantine reveals that a scan showed a small crew and that the transport was empty . Thrawn remarks that the cargo was something prized , suspecting that it was a certain senator . Governor Pryce states that Senator Mothma ' s capture is a priority , and asks where Mothma is heading to if she escapes aboard the " Ghost " . Thrawn replies that Captain Syndulla will be creative in eluding the Empire , and predicts that she will take the unlikeliest path to exit the sector : the Archeon pass , which is popular with smugglers . Konstantine and Pryce are surprised that Hera is risky and daring enough to travel through the dangerous Archeon Nebula . Thrawn then announces that he will be dispatching his prototype TIE Defender fighter and best pilot Vult Skerris to hunt down the rogue Senator , since capital ships cannot pass through the nebula safely . When Governor Pryce requests the honor of silencing Mothma , Thrawn tells Pryce to take Konstantine to the far side of the nebula and wait there . Thrawn plans to use the TIE Defender to flush the rebels out of the nebula into the open so that Pryce and Konstantine can capture Mon Mothma alive . He believes that she is key to locating the true rebel fleet . Pryce and Konstantine depart for the mission . Dogfight in the Archeon pass . Aboard the " Ghost " , Mon Mothma tells Hera she envies pilots like her , who are able to escape their troubles by fleeing into space . Hera responds that she can ' t imagine Mothma running away from her problems . Mothma explains that she spent her entire life in the Senate trying to do good and fighting for the people , and that she opposed the Emperor ' s efforts to crush freedom bit by bit . Mothma realized that fighting for change in the Senate was a losing battle . Hera says that the stakes on the front lines are higher , where the rebels risk being outgunned instead of outvoted . Hera and Mon Mothma agree to risk taking up arms against the Emperor to free the galaxy . As the rebels approach the Archeon Nebula , Captain Vander warns Ezra that star s are forming in there and that if they get too close , they will burn up . Ezra reassures Jon that Hera will get them through this one because she is the best pilot around . Shortly later , a cruiser and a hyperdrive - equipped TIE Defender exit hyperspace . Vander asks when TIE fighters were equipped with hyperdrives . The TIE pilot announces himself as Commander Vult Skerris of the Imperial Navy and warns them that they are harboring a traitor to the Empire . He orders them to surrender immediately . Gold Leader orders Gold Three and Gold Four to give Skerris their response . Ezra tries to warn the Y - wing pilots that they are in danger and to break off . The pilots ignore Ezra ' s warning , and Skerris swiftly wipes out the two Y - wings with his turbolaser cannons . Hera tells the three remaining Y - wing pilots to follow them into the Archeon Nebula in an effort to lose Skerris . She tells Ezra and the pilots to disable their proton torpedo es because they have been known to ignite the gas clouds inside nebulae like this . Zeb , who is manning the " Ghost " rear cannon , is unable to damage the TIE Defender , which is protected by a deflector shield . Now accompanied by a pair of TIE Interceptors , the TIE Defender continues to pursue the " Ghost " . Gold Five , seeing that the " Ghost " is about to get shot down , sacrifices herself to save the senator by flying into Skerris ' path and taking the shot herself . Ezra realizes that it is only him and Gold Leader left . Unable to outrun the TIE Defender and its TIE Interceptor escorts , Hera tells the Y - wing pilots to divert their remaining power to the deflector screens , and she takes the " Ghost " in close to one of the forming stars . The nebula starts to cook the starships . One of the TIE Interceptors is destroyed by the intense heat of the protostar , while Zeb manages to shoot the second TIE Interceptor as it tries to break off . Skerris continues the pursuit , and Jon tells Ezra to back off because their fighters can ' t handle the star ' s heat any longer . As the rebels travel closer to the star , the " Ghost " hull takes damage from the intense heat . Mothma worriedly notes that the ship is burning up . Skerris is forced to withdraw his TIE Defender as his ship ' s deflector shields began to take a hit from the star ' s heat . With the " Ghost " losing power , Ezra tells Hera that he and Jon Vander will hold off the Defender while the " Ghost " escapes the nebula with Mon Mothma . Outnumbered and outgunned . The " Ghost " exits the Archeon pass , only to be intercepted by two Imperial Star Destroyers that have emerged from hyperspace . Zeb tells Hera they have two new problems , and Hera tells Chopper to get her the emergency power . On the bridge of Governor Pryce ' s Star Destroyer , Admiral Konstantine tells her that the " Ghost " has sustained damage to its core systems and that Commander Skerris has dealt with their Y - wing escorts in the Archeon Nebula . Pryce hails the " Ghost " and demands that Mon Mothma surrender or be destroyed . Knowing that Pryce can ' t be trusted , Mothma comes up with a plan to stall the Governor while Hera and Chopper repair the ship ' s systems . Inside the Archeon Nebula , Ezra and Jon lead Skerris ' TIE Defender on a pursuit . With the TIE Defender closing in on them , Ezra tells Vander to swoop behind the Defender and be ready to hit him with the ion cannon . Mothma stalls Pryce with a list of demands to the Emperor while Chopper and Hera prepare the " Ghost " hyperdrive . Pryce rejects Mothma ' s demands , as Konstantine activates the Star Destroyer ' s tractor beam projector in order to board the " Ghost " . Hera tells Chopper to divert power to the ship ' s engines . Meanwhile , Ezra tells Gold Leader to get ready for him flying his Y - wing through his sights with the TIE Defender hot on his tail . Ezra ' s plan is to get Jon to disable the TIE Defender with his ion cannon . Vander is worried that he might hit Ezra , but Ezra tells him that Skerris can ' t , so Vander won ' t either . Ezra ' s plan works , and the TIE Defender hurtles into the nebula . Vander warns Ezra that the TIE Defender will recover from that blast and that they have to get out and find the " Ghost " . Elsewhere , the " Ghost " is being drawn into Pryce ' s Star Destroyer ' s hangar bay . Unable to escape , Hera is about to shut down the ship ' s systems when Ezra and Gold Leader exit the Archeon Nebula . Hera tells Ezra about the bad news just as an Imperial officer informs Konstantine about the rebel fighters . Konstantine orders his gunners to shoot down the rebel stragglers because they are " too little , too late . " Hera asks Gold Leader if he and Ezra can break them free . Vander tells them to charge their ion cannons and proton torpedoes . Hera tells Ezra and Jon not to shoot at the Star Destroyers , but instead fire at the Archeon Nebula . Ezra reminds Vander of what Hera said about proton torpedoes igniting the nebula ' s gases . Hera tells Chopper to be ready to jump into hyperspace . The rebel Y - wings fire on the Archeon Nebula and the gas ignites , causing extensive damage to Pryce ' s Star Destroyers . With the tractor beam disabled , the rebels flee into hyperspace . Mon Mothma ' s address . The " Ghost " and its remaining Y - wings reach the planet Dantooine . Aboard the " Ghost " , Gold Leader praises Phoenix Leader Hera for her valor and creativity . The female pilot compliments Ezra and invites him to fly with her squadron any day . Erskin Semaj tells Mon Mothma they are ready to transmit . Mon Mothma then gives a speech on the HoloNet . She tells her viewers that she has resigned from a corrupt Senate that has stifled the galaxy ' s liberties and freedoms in the name of safety . Mothma ' s hologram broadcast is witnessed by many people across the galaxy , including : Senator Bail Organa and General Jan Dodonna at an unknown rebel base ; Ryder Azadi , Marida Sumar , and Old Jho at Old Jho ' s Pit Stop on Lothal ; and Commander Jun Sato , Rex , and AP - 5 at Chopper Base on Atollon . Mothma tells her audience to have no fear , and that she resigned from the Senate to fight for the rebellion on the front lines . She vows not to rest until they have brought an end to the Empire and restored the Republic . After the speech , the rebels and Mon Mothma initially see no response , but then a lone CR90 corvette jumps into the system , followed by many more ships of all kinds : " Phoenix Home " , " Home One " , Hammerhead corvettes , GR - 75 transports and Nebulon - B frigates . As her companions marvel at their new fleet , Mon Mothma announces that this is their rebellion .