Star Wars Rebels: Heroes of Mandalore

Star Wars Rebels: Heroes of Mandalore is the premiere of the fourth season of the animated television series Star Wars Rebels. The first part premiered on April 15, 2017 at Celebration Orlando and the full double episode was first screened on September 2, 2017 at Fan Expo Canada. It made its television debut on October 16, 2017 on Disney XD. It is also the sixtieth and sixty-first episodes of the series overall.
==Official description==
Sabine leads a mission to free her father from the Empire, but finds that a past mistake has been resurrected with deadly consequences.
==Plot summary==
===Part One===
====Prison raid====
Sabine Wren, Ezra Bridger, and Chopper are hiding in a trench on the planet Mandalore, watching an Imperial prison in the distance. There's been intelligence that Sabine's father, Alrich Wren, has been moved to the remote prison from the Mandalorian capital, Sundari. When Kanan Jarrus, in a different trench with Fenn Rau, asks whether Sabine doesn't find it suspicious that her father was moved out here, she explains that her father still has friends in the capital, so the Empire likely moved him here to cut him off from them. Ezra has been loaned a jetpack, and he's not sure how much use he's going to be with it. Sabine tells him that since he's a Jedi, he should "pick it up on the fly." Chopper unnecessarily attempts to explain the point to Ezra.
Sabine climbs out of the trench, and is spotted by the stormtroopers on guard. She takes out the Darksaber and ignites it, and Ezra and the Clan Wren warriors waiting in the trench climb out as well. Sabine gives a battle cry, and the warriors charge forward. Kanan and Rau are confronted by three Jumptroopers, and the Jedi Knight takes them down singlehandedly by Force jumping onto one, slashing at their jetpack, and then jumping onto another, prompting Rau to mutter "Showoff." During the fight, Ezra attempts to use his jetpack, and doesn't fare particularly well, to the confusion of two stormtroopers who see him. The leader of the Jumptroopers guarding the prison contacts the governor of Mandalore, Tiber Saxon, and informs him of the attack. Saxon informs the soldier that he is sending reinforcements. A Gozanti-class cruiser promptly arrives with two All Terrain Defense Pods. Sabine comments to Ezra that the fight just got more interesting. While fighting the AT-DPs, Sabine is knocked down, and some Jumptroopers manage to stun and hold her at blasterpoint, and the Jumptroopers' leader orders Ezra and the other attackers to surrender. With excellent timing, a missile hits one AT-DP and three Mandalorian warriors in blue swoop in, the woman in charge yelling at them to stop standing there, and the fight begins again. Rau tells Kanan that the newcomers are Clan Kryze.
The Imperials are swiftly routed, but it's discovered afterward that the prison is empty. The Kryze warriors land, and their leader explains that the prison was a trap, Sabine's mother Ursa Wren sent them as reinforcements, and that Ursa had found out that Sabine's father had been moved, but was unable to directly contact them due to Imperial jamming. Sabine asks the woman who she is, and she removes her helmet. Fenn Rau introduces the red-haired woman as Lady Bo-Katan Kryze, who is seen by many as the rightful leader of Mandalore, as the Jedi made her regent of the planet near the end of the Clone Wars. Ezra asks what happened, and Bo-Katan explains that she refused to do the Emperor's bidding, and was betrayed by Clan Saxon and forced out of power. Sabine offers her the Darksaber, telling her that she should have it, and Bo-Katan turns it down, stating that she had her chance and that she is not her sister. Shortly after, Ursa and Tristan Wren arrive, having been contacted by Rau. Ursa reveals that they've found out that her husband is being transported to Sundari for a public execution.
====Attack on the convoy====
Sabine, Rau, Bo-Katan and Ezra crouch on the edge of a canyon, waiting for the smoke of Ursa and Tristan's attack, intended to divert the prisoner convoy carrying Alrich Wren into their path. Meanwhile, Kanan talks to Hera Syndulla via hologram. Hera reminds Kanan that they can't stay very long on Mandalore and have to return after they've freed Sabine's father, as it was difficult enough persuading Mon Mothma to let Kanan, Ezra, and Chopper go there in the first place. Kanan tells Hera that Alrich is important to the Mandalorians, and she responds that the Spectres are valuable assets to the Rebel Alliance. Kanan is somewhat perturbed by being referred to as an "asset", and diverts the conversation to asking Hera how she feels about his absence. Hera asks if they are still talking about the mission, and Kanan states that that depends. They sign off, Hera asking Kanan to stay safe. Sabine points out a now-visible smoke plume to Ezra.
The prisoner convoy diverts into the canyon, as planned. Rau scans it, and detects a single unarmored passenger in the middle transport, which is the most heavily guarded. Sabine outlines the plan: one of them will sneak in and attack the middle transport after the rest of them cause a diversion. Ezra asks if this part of the plan has his name on it, and Sabine points out how bad he was with his jetpack. He counters that he's improving. The attack begins with Sabine leaping off the cliff, swooping in and attacking the scout troopers on speeder bikes. She strikes the windscreen of the middle transport with a paint bomb, which causes her father to realize she's present. Captain Hark, the leader of the Imperial Super Commandos guarding the convoy, reports the attack to Governor Saxon, who responds by informing him he is sending reinforcements, and ordering the weapon to be prepared. As Sabine, Bo-Katan, Rau and Kanan attack the convoy, Ezra flies in from behind and grabs on to the middle transport, clinging to the underside and stabbing into the controls with his lightsaber. When one of the super commandos looks underneath, however, Ezra has already moved to the back of the transport, out of sight. During the attack, Sabine acquires a speeder bike, and Kanan fights stormtroopers atop the first troop transport.
Ezra finally gets inside the transport as it hurtles towards a cliff, and takes out the drivers and super commandos inside. Alrich asks if Ezra is with Sabine, and the Padawan responds affirmatively, before clarifying that he's not with her in the romantic sense. Ezra cuts Alrich loose and gives him his jetpack, explaining that he's better off without one. As the transport hurtles off the cliff, Ezra pushes Alrich out the door, and he flies up to the top of the cliff. Ezra leaps out the door, and uses a series of Force jumps up the three falling transports to reach the top of the cliff, where he nearly falls before being caught by Sabine. Alrich is happy to see Sabine, and the two of them quickly get into a discussion about art. Sabine contacts her mother to report that the rescue was successful. Ursa responds that they will have two victories to report today. Tristan cuts in to report that reinforcements have arrived, and Sabine wonders why the Empire would reinforce a losing battle. He reports that the reinforcements are a single scout walker of an unusual design, and Ursa scoffs and orders it destroyed. Then Sabine hears a familiar sound over the comlink, panics, and tells her mother and brother to get out of there. The comlink then cuts out, before a flash of a distant explosion is seen in the distance. Horrified, Sabine takes off for the battle site, and the others follow on jetpacks and the speeder bike.
They arrive to find the disintegrated bodies and damaged armor of several Clan Wren warriors. Bo-Katan asks where the bodies and survivors are, and what could have done this. Alrich explains that a weapon was responsible, a weapon designed by his daughter. Sabine collapses, crying, over one of the piles of armor.
===Part Two===
====Pursuit====
Ezra tells Sabine it's not her fault, and she explains that it is, because this was the work of her weapon, the one she built at the Imperial Academy. She collapses, crying, because she believes that her mother and brother are dead because of her actions, and her weapon. Shortly, voices are heard from nearby, and Ursa and Tristan walk up. The Countess is visibly injured, and she explains that Sabine's warning gave her and Tristan enough time to take cover, as they were on the edge of the weapon's area of effect. Sabine is incredibly relieved, and runs over to them. However, the respite is short-lived, as Rau spots approaching Imperial super commandos. Fighting ensues as Sabine, Bo-Katan, Rau, Kanan and Ezra attempt to get the injured Wrens out of the area. The speeder bike is quickly destroyed, and Ezra notes that they've been cut off as three TIE fighters swoop in. Fortunately, a Gauntlet fighter belonging to Bo-Katan's people arrives, shooting down one of the TIEs, and everyone climbs aboard. As the Gauntlet flies into the upper atmosphere, the two remaining TIEs pursue, one landing a hit on the ship. Rau, piloting, notes that their weapons have gone offline. Sabine tells him that she can keep them aloft, but says that they can't take another hit like that.
Down in the hold, the bay doors open as Ezra tells Bo-Katan that they don't have any weapons. She responds that a Mandalorian with a jetpack is a weapon, and leaps out. Ezra, following, grumbles that he isn't Mandalorian and doesn't want to be one. Bo-Katan flies to one of the TIE fighters and grabs on. Ezra, meanwhile, hurtles about on his jetpack and winds up pressed to the windscreen of the other TIE, to the pilot's confusion. Bo-Katan opens up the hatch of her fighter and drops in a grenade, flying away as it explodes. Ezra is shaken loose from the other TIE, and as it flies off he manages to use his jetpack's rocket against it. The two of them fly back onboard the Gauntlet.
====Sabine's creation====
Saxon reports to Grand Admiral Thrawn, via hologram, about the test of the Duchess, showing him a video of the weapon being used against the Clan Wren warriors. Thrawn notes that the weapon turns Mandalorian armor from a strength into a weakness, by targeting the beskar alloy it's made of, and asks Saxon what his late brother would think of him betraying his culture like this. Saxon responds that Mandalorian culture must adapt to survive. Thrawn states that the weapon does not have as great a range as he expected, which Saxon had been attempting to conceal. The Grand Admiral tells Saxon that the mind that designed the weapon is their best option for fixing it, and suggests he needs Sabine. After Thrawn signs off, Saxon orders Captain Hark to find the former Imperial cadet.
Tristan tells Sabine that she told them she destroyed the weapon, and she responds that she did, but the Empire must have rebuilt it. Bo-Katan grabs Sabine and slams her into a wall before she demands to know why Sabine made a weapon that would target Mandalorian armor, which she considers an abomination that only a coward would make. Sabine explains that she was young and arrogant, seeking a challenge. She had sabotaged the prototype and erased the plans before she left the Imperial academy, and states that the Empire must have rebuilt the weapon. Ezra, noting that Sabine's weapon targets the material the Mandalorians' armor is made of, asks why they don't just make their armor out of something else. The Mandalorians all stare at him, shocked by his suggestion. Sabine explains that her armor was originally forged 500 years before, and it carries the history of its previous owners with it. Alrich explains that for Mandalorians, their armor is a legacy and who they are.
Arriving at Bo-Katan's camp, Sabine does not receive a warm welcome, as she is called a traitor by the warriors there. Ursa, disembarking from the ship, announces that attacking Sabine will bring down the wrath of Clan Wren on the perpetrators. Sabine owns up to her past misdeeds, and explains that the warriors have a choice: to attack her, or help her destroy her weapon once and for all. Bo-Katan backs her up. Planning the attack, it's decided that they will sneak aboard Tiber Saxon's Star Destroyer near Sundari, breaking into two teams: one to destroy the weapon, the other to erase the plans from the Imperial database. Rau wonders if the weapon could be used against the Empire, and Sabine seems tempted, noting that she's thought about it, but insists they must destroy it. Ursa offers to lead the team that will destroy the weapon, but Rau points out that she can barely hold a blaster, and Alrich and Tristan hold the Countess back. Kanan, Ezra and Chopper volunteer to erase the data. As Sabine begins to go over the details with the others, Rau takes Bo-Katan aside and tells her that he's surprised at how well she's responding to Sabine. Bo-Katan responds that she thinks Sabine has a lot of potential, and Rau agrees.
====Dealing with the Duchess====
After dark, the strike team approaches Saxon's Star Destroyer by jetpack, and in Chopper's case rocket booster. They slip into the hangar, and sneak through the crates and vehicles stored there. Rau notes that the weapon's power core is missing, and Sabine guesses that the Duchess must be on the upper level. Bo-Katan is incredulous that Sabine named the weapon after her sister, the late ruler, and Sabine responds that it was one in a series of bad decisions. Once members of the team are spotted, a firefight begins almost immediately. Kanan, Ezra and Chopper depart the hangar in search of the databases while the Mandalorians stay and fight. Sabine and Bo-Katan go to the upper level in search of the arc generator. Finding it, they are ambushed by Saxon, who wants Sabine to repair her weapon and bring it up to full capacity. Meanwhile, Kanan and Ezra fight stormtroopers while Chopper plugs in and begins erasing the designs. Ezra attempts to contact Sabine and realizes she's in trouble, so Kanan tells him to go help her.
Saxon shocks Sabine and Bo-Katan with the weapon, demanding she fix it. Hark, who accompanied Saxon, protests with his decision, stating that the Empire would most likely use it against all Mandalorians once it was at full power. Saxon, who is now annoyed by Hark's protests, also has the machine zap him, stating that he is the Empire. Saxon himself is unaffected as he is wearing Imperial armor. In the cargo hold, Ezra runs into Rau and Tristan, who is surprised that deleting the data was the easier mission. As the two begin to banter, Rau tells them to knock it off, as the Mandalorians are still dealing with the Imperial walkers.
Still being zapped by the Duchess, Saxon stops the machine, giving the three Mandalorians a moment of respite. Sabine reluctantly agrees to help Saxon fix the machine, despite Bo-Katan's protests. Saxon smirks, believing that he finally has the upper hand, as Sabine adjusts the weapon. When Saxon reactivates the weapon, it zaps him and two stormtroopers instead. Sabine explains to Saxon that she readjusted the weapon to target anyone wearing Imperial armor instead, and tells him that the voltage isn't enough to kill him, just to make him suffer. The Duchess' reach extends throughout the Star Destroyer, incapacitating anyone wearing Imperial armor, and forcing Ezra to fling off his repainted scout trooper helmet. Sabine thinks of killing Saxon by electrocuting him to death with the Duchess, but Bo-Katan stops her, stating that doing this would make her like the Empire, fighting with cowardice, and that she should fight with honor, like a true Mandalorian. Sabine realizes her mistake and shuts the machine off, while Hark flees the room. She slashes the weapon with the Darksaber, breaching its power core, just as Ezra arrives. The three quickly flee, and gather up the rest of the strike team, as the weapon's explosion will destroy the Star Destroyer. The strike team exits the same way they came in, as Saxon's warship crumbles behind them.
====Passing on the Darksaber====
Arriving back at Bo-Katan's camp, Sabine tells her that she has proven she is the rightful leader. Bo-Katan is uncertain, as she had used it before without success, but Sabine and Ursa tell her that there are people willing to follow her. Sabine opens the Gauntlet ramp, revealing a gathering of warriors, including representatives from many other clans. Warriors from clans Vizsla, Rook, Eldar and Kryze, and Rau, the only survivor of the Protectors, tell Bo-Katan they are willing to follow her. Ursa adds in Clan Wren to the list. Bo-Katan finally accepts the Darksaber, in her sister's memory, for her clan, and for all of Mandalore, igniting the blade as the warriors kneel. Ezra looks at Sabine with a smile as he nodded and she smiles back to him.
==Credits==
==Appearances==
==Sources==
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*Star Wars: The Lightsaber Collection 
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==Notes and references==
==External links==
*Star Wars Rebels: Heroes of Mandalore Part 1 Review 
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Category:Canon television films
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