EXD - 9 EXD - 9 was an E - XD infiltrator droid with masculine programming , who served the Galactic Empire as a recon droid . Disguised as an RQ protocol droid , EXD - 9 was capable of morphing for combat and was armed with built - in blaster s . Around two years before the Battle of Yavin , the droid was assigned to probe the planet Atollon — location of the Phoenix Cell ' s Chopper Base — for any rebel activity . Lasat rebel soldier Garazeb Orrelios and C1 - series astromech droid Chopper found EXD - 9 damaged by the krykna spider s in the Atollon wilderness and brought him to their base . Initially forgetting his mission , the recon droid eventually attacked them and RA - 7 protocol droid AP - 5 . The rebels managed to deactivate the droid and sent him back to the Empire after reprogramming him to self - destruct . Biography . Mission to Chopper Base . EXD - 9 was an E - XD infiltrator droid that was commissioned by Grand Admiral Thrawn as part of a campaign in 2 BBY to hunt down rebel bases in the Outer Rim Territories . Against Imperial mandate , the Infiltrator Droids were fitted with a proton warhead that would self - destruct in the event that the unit was captured . After being deployed by an Imperial Star Destroyer , EXD - 9 traveled in a pod which ended up on the planet Atollon . He landed near the Atollon Coral Mesa which hosted the Phoenix Cell ' s Chopper Base . Shortly after landing , EXD - 9 observed a rebel ship taking off from the coral mesa . Before he could investigate , he was attacked by two spidery krykna . EXD - 9 managed to kill the spiders but was knocked out . Later that evening , EXD - 9 was discovered by the rebels Garazeb Orrelios and the astromech droid Chopper . Taking pity on the stray " protocol droid " , Zeb carried him back to the base . He then got the RA - 7 protocol droid AP - 5 to charge EXD - 9 up . EXD - 9 quickly revived and proceeded to scan the surrounding munitions depot , Zeb , and even Chopper . Believing that EXD - 9 would be useful , AP - 5 hired him as his assistant inventory keeper . Meanwhile , Zeb received a warning from the rebel agent Fulcrum that the Empire had dispatched Imperial Infiltrator Droids to search for rebel bases . Fulcrum also warned Zeb that one of the droids had lost contact with the Empire and that they would come looking for the droid after the next cycle . Zeb quickly realized that EXD - 9 was an Imperial infiltrator . Zeb returned to the depot to warn EXD - 9 just as the Infiltrator Droid heard AP - 5 mention the word " rebel base . " Remembering his programming , EXD - 9 identified the three rebels as threats and assumed his attack mode . Reprogramming and demise . Leaping onto a raised platform , EXD - 9 used it to jump onto Zeb and proceeded to pound the Lasat . Chopper tried to electrocute him but EXD - 9 hurled him against several crates . Following a struggle , Zeb managed to shoot off his left hand , causing EXD - 9 to leak a fluid . Damaged , EXD - 9 fled into the depot to recuperate . He stumbled upon another astromech droid and proceeded to disable and cannibalize it ; draining its fuel and stealing its parts to rebuild its left hand . Still low on power , EXD - 9 then cannibalized a GNK - series power droid . Meanwhile , the rebels devised a plan to lure EXD - 9 out of hiding so that they could disable him . Chopper managed to lure EXD - 9 out of hiding . Zeb jumped onto the Infiltrator Droid from the raised platform and fought with him . EXD - 9 managed to use his mechanized body and reflexes to assault Zeb . However , the Lasat managed to pin him down long enough for AP - 5 to deactivate him . Though EXD - 9 was disabled , this activated his countdown continuum . Chopper managed to freeze EXD - 9 ' s countdown circuits before the droid could detonate his proton warhead . Following some discussion , the rebels decided to reprogram EXD - 9 as a rigged bomb to destroy his Imperial base . AP - 5 managed to reset EXD - 9 to his protocol mode and reprogrammed his countdown mechanism to detonate upon logging into the Imperial network . After being revived , EXD - 9 returned to his pod with the rebels trailing him . EXD - 9 tried to contact his Imperial masters with a long - range transmitter but Zeb shot it out with his bo - rifle . Following his programming , EXD - 9 returned to his Star Destroyer where he was examined by two Imperial Navy technician s . The droid then activated his proton warhead and destroyed the Star Destroyer and several other Infiltrator units . Legacy . EXD - 9 ' s destruction led to the destruction of one Star Destroyer and several other E - XD units . The rebels ' ingenious plan earned the praise of Fulcrum , who was actually the disillusioned Imperial Security Bureau Agent Kallus . However , Thrawn was able to narrow down the search for the Phoenix rebel base to 94 systems . Personality and traits . As an Imperial droid , EXD - 9 was programmed without any personality . His Imperial masters regarded him and his fellow Imperial Infiltrator Droids as a tool used to achieve the Galactic Empire ' s goals and aims . EXD - 9 was built into the chassis of a protocol droid but was fitted with numerous weapons including concealed blaster s in his hands . EXD - 9 was also capable of elevating his height when in attack mode . In protocol mode , EXD - 9 had white sensors . When in attack mode , his sensors turned red . EXD - 9 ' s sensors could scan and categorize various objects and beings . He was able to decipher words and phrases which he could use to identify the presence of rebels and their bases . EXD - 9 was capable of leaping to great heights and his metallic body was capable of deflecting blaster bolts and electric blasts . EXD - 9 could withstand considerable damage in combat and was resourceful enough to cannibalize other droids . EXD - 9 could also fly a pod and knew how to operate a transmitter . Behind the scenes . EXD - 9 , who was voiced by David Acord , first appeared in " Warhead " , the twelfth episode of the third season of " Star Wars Rebels " , which aired on January 14 2017 .