Blockade of Ibaar The blockade of Ibaar occurred in 4 BBY , during the early rebellion against the Galactic Empire when Imperial forces blockade d the planet Ibaar , cutting the Ibaarian people off from vital supplies to lure rebels to their destruction in any attempt to help the people on the planet . The rebellion , through the Phoenix Cell and the Spectres , launched operations to deliver supplies to an underground network of Ibaarian resistance forces . The first attempt to deliver supplies failed , as the rebellion was outgunned , leading Captain Hera Syndulla to acquire a prototype B - wing starfighter known as the Blade Wing . The Blade Wing gave the rebellion enough firepower to succeed in their second run at the blockade , allowing them to deliver the supplies to the Ibaarians . Prelude . After taking part in relief efforts to alleviate the energy crisis on Rinn , the Phoenix Cell and the Spectres took part in an operation to deliver relief supplies to the planet Ibaar . The Galactic Empire had doubled their work quotas and cut their rations , causing a famine . Without any food supplies , the Ibaar resistance feared that the most vulnerable among them would perish . The Phoenix rebels loaded food supplies aboard a CR90 corvette and headed to the planet . However , an Imperial fleet under the Imperial Security Bureau Agent Kallus had blockade d the planet with a fleet of " Arquitens " - class command cruisers and TIE fighters . The blockade . The first attempt . During the first attempt , the Phoenix rebels and the Spectres tried to break through the Imperial blockade . After emerging from hyperspace , Phoenix Squadron and the Spectres ' starship " Ghost " attempted to escort the CR90 corvette carrying the supplies through the blockade . Kallus dispatched TIE fighters to harass the rebel ships . After realizing that the corvette was carrying the relief supplies , Kallus ordered all ships to concentrate fire on the vessel . The Imperial laser fire damaged the ship ' s deflector shield s . Just when the ship made it through the blockade , a blast from an Imperial warship destroyed the vessel and its supplies . With the corvette destroyed , the Phoenix rebels were forced to retreat . During the retreat , Phoenix Leader was killed when his A - wing starfighter was destroyed . The Blade Wing . Despite this major setback , the Spectres were unwilling to give up their attempt to break the Imperial blockade of Ibaar . While the Phoenix rebel fleet prepared for another blockade run , the " Ghost " captain Hera Syndulla and the rebels Sabine Wren and Garazeb Orrelios traveled to the planet Shantipole . From the former Clone Captain Rex , the rebels had learned that a certain Mon Calamari engineer named Quarrie had developed a prototype Blade Wing starfighter . However , he was only prepared to discuss his starfighter on Shantipole . Meanwhile , Kanan Jarrus along with Ezra Bridger and Chopper took the " Ghost " to pick up supplies from another rebel ship in deep space . While picking up the supplies , Kanan informed the other rebels that the " Ghost " had been designated as the new transport ship for the second attempt . Back on Shantipole , Hera and her companions managed to find Quarrie after a dangerous flight . After ascertaining Hera ' s flying abilities , Quarrie allowed her to fly the Blade Wing starfighter . Hera flew the Blade Wing and deemed it a worthy starfighter . After reworking the prototype ' s engine s , the rebels and Quarrie traveled back to Ibaar with the Blade Wing . Since the Blade Wing ' s hyperdrive was drained from the earlier weapons test , the fighter was ferried to Ibaar by the auxiliary ship " Phantom " ; which had been upgraded with hyperdrive system by Quarrie . The second attempt . Unable to wait for Hera to return with the Blade Wing , the remaining crew of the " Ghost " and the Phoenix rebels made a second attempt to break the Imperial blockade of Ibaar . Agent Kallus quickly realized that the " Ghost " was carrying the relief supplies and ordered his ships to open fire on the vessel and to block its path . Unable to break through the blockade , Kanan made preparations for a second jump . Fortunately for the rebels , Hera and the others arrived with the Blade Wing starfighter . Piloting the vessel , Hera used the starfighter ' s multi - cannon system to destroy one of the Imperial light cruisers . This cleared a path for the " Ghost " to breach Ibaar ' s atmosphere and airdrop the supplies to the Ibaar resistance . Having completed their mission , the Phoenix fleet jumped into hyperspace . Aftermath . By delivering supplies to Ibaar , the Phoenix rebels were able to alleviate the famine and suffering of the Ibaarian people . Following the blockade bust , the sympathetic Alderaanian Senator Bail Organa took an interest in Quarrie ' s Blade Wing starfighter and found a shipyard that was willing to produce more of the starfighters in secret . Quarrie agreed to help the rebellion in return for being able to supervise the manufacturing of these starfighters . Quarrie ' s Blade Wing prototype became the basis for the Rebel Alliance ' s A / SF - 01 B - wing starfighter s . Due to her leadership and efforts to obtain the Blade Wing , Hera was promoted to the position of Phoenix Leader ; giving her more responsibilities in the Phoenix Squadron . For Agent Kallus , the Blockade of Ibaar became one in a long string of failed attempts to apprehend the Spectres . Behind the scenes . The Blockade of Ibaar first appeared in the " Star Wars Rebels " episode " Wings of the Master " , which premiered on Disney XD on November 11 , 2015 . It provided an origins story for the B - wing starfighters which first appeared in " " in 1983 .