Sabine and Ezra/Synopsis

## *Star Wars Rebels*

### Season 1

From their first meeting, Ezra was immediately captivated by Sabine, and tries to (poorly) charm her from the start - much to Sabine's annoyance. Sabine never fell for Ezra's socially awkward attempts to impress her, and in the beginning was irritated by Ezra's immaturity. As the season progresses Sabine became more tolerant and understanding and at times makes light of his awkward crush. The more dedication Ezra showed in doing the right thing and helping people, like rescuing Kai in "Breaking Ranks", the more respect and tolerance Sabine gave the newest addition to the Specter Squad.

Most of Ezra's friendship with Sabine is established offscreen in Season 1, but a significant moment occurs in "Empire Day", where Sabine learns more about Ezra's history and is much more understanding of Ezra's street-rat upbringing and lack of social graces. Learning about his parents and the fact he was borne on Empire Day, Sabine tries to help him reconcile with Tseebo and to find out the truth regarding Ezra's family. At the end of "Empire Day", Sabine is able to recover a family portrait of the Bridgers, and gifts it to Ezra.

Now more understanding Ezra's lack of social graces, Sabine is more sympathetic to Ezra is more enthusiastic to support helping him with his Jedi Training, as seen in "A Vision of Hope". In "A Call to Action", Sabine compliments Ezra for his plan to foil the pursuing imperials, remarking "*there's hope for you yet*" ( this remark can be interpreted regarding Ezra's future as a Jedi and Rebel, not *necessarily* in a romantic context).

Ezra learns to cool down about Sabine, and after their first couple of interactions, stops putting on a front to try and impress her. Ezra also lets Sabine know about the Tie Fighter he and Zeb had stolen in "Fighter Flight", and helps her paint it. Season 1 is Ezra's journey to find himself a new family, and his relationship with Sabine turns from an awkward, painful acquaintance to a much more amicable and cooperative relationship.

The first season clearly riffs on the classic star wars romance tropes. The moment Ezra first sees Sabine, an orchestra swoons and teases romance, only for a 14 year old, socially awkward street urchin to try and play the part of Han Solo, and an exasperated eye-roll from a Mandalorian way out of Ezra's league. The comedic presentation of Ezra's crush on Sabine is a reliable gag for the first season, self-aware of how Star Wars often approaches characters and romance.

### Season 2

Season 2 is much like Season 1, only this time Ezra is much more casual and comfortable around Sabine, much to her relief. In "The Lost Commanders", Sabine spots Ezra when he takes control of AT-TE's main cannon during the sandstorm, doubting him and warning him not to miss. In "Two There Always Are", Ezra and Sabine (along with Zeb) demonstrate friendship as they search through the derelict Republic Medical Station (Ezra accidentally scaring Sabine, Sabine making fun of Ezra running into a pole). In the same episode, Ezra shows noticeable concern for Sabine's wellbeing, as he seals a blast door in "Two There Always Are" to help Sabine escape from the Inquisitors, and breaks his silence once the Seventh Sister threatens Sabine with her lightsaber.

However, Ezra's crush on Sabine has still not abated, and there remain awkward moments in their friendship as demonstrated by his nervous ramblings during "Blood Sisters" . As Ezra tries to spark a conversation with Sabine and learn more about her, he remarks how he often notices her eating, training and "W*ell, being alone*" and admits to following her around and her defensiveness about opening up. When Ezra meets Ketsu at the end of the Episode, Ketsu remarks how Sabine had told Ketsu about Ezra, to his anxiety. When Sabine asked for a moment, Ezra took a moment to leave Ketsu and Sabine with some privacy.

However, in spite of some awkwardness, the two still care about one another and begin to work well with one another. When Ezra learns the fate of his family in "Legacy", Sabine is one of the first to know and comfort Ezra in "A Princess on Lothal." In "Homecoming", Ezra and Sabine first show their ability to plan and work together when coming up with a plan to rig a tie bomber with explosives.

Season 2 has less moments between Ezra and Sabine, but sufficiently demonstrates how they are improving as friends and becoming more functional and comfortable working with one another. Ezra's crush is less apparent, and so the comedic gag of the first season is used less and less.

### Season 3

Season 3 opens off with difficulty for Sabine and Ezra's relationship. Ezra's attitude has taken a turn for a worse after the events on Malachor, frequently resorting to the Dark Side for power. Sabine is clearly worried for her friend, demonstrated in her shocked and worried expression when Ezra uses Force Dominate on an AT-DP pilot and forces them to walk off a cliff. Sabine expresses her worry and concern by dramatically souring towards Ezra, openly expressing her dislike of his more negative and aggressive attitude by being much more critical and passive-aggressive towards Ezra during the duration of "Steps into Shadow".

However, after Ezra reconciles with Kanan and turns away from the Dark Side, their relationship dramatically improves. Season 3 is the first season where Ezra doesn't allow his infatuation interfere with his friendship and partnership with Sabine, and is also the first season where their relationship is given serious focus. While Ezra doesn't show it, his crush on Sabine persists, demonstrated by his yelp of surprise when Sabine hugs him in "Imperial Supercommandos" (just so that he would be taken along for the ride), his over-dramatic yell of "Sabine" when she dropped him (onto Chopper's back and to Ezra's embarrassment), or his concern when Sabine was tackled by Gar Saxon.

Ezra being more at ease with Sabine changes their dynamic immensely. Ezra makes jokes at Sabine's expense, making suggestions, bossing her around, and treating her as an equal. In "Iron Squadron", Ezra chastises an annoyed Sabine to "play nice" with the unruly, disorganized and disrespectful Iron Squadron, acting as the mature one for a change. Later, he jostles Sabine into telling Hera about the plan to help the Iron Squadron escape from the Mykapo, and unwittingly tests Sabine's personal space by pulling her and Chopper into a huddle. In "Trials of a Darksaber", Ezra teases Sabine about causing collateral damage, and casually banters with her during lightsaber practice in spite of her annoyance and frustration at being his student (although he remains diligent in training her).

Sabine takes Ezra's jokes and newfound confidence as a challenge - partially due to the fact that they reflect how much he has matured and how much their relationship has changed. In "Trials of the Darksaber", she is shocked when Ezra manages to defeat her in combat - challenging her belief of Ezra being a child or someone beneath her. Sabine struggles to accept that Ezra is her equal, but enjoys the change and newfound rivalry. When Ezra compliments her on her improvement, Sabine acknowledges it, and gloats over him when she is finally able to best him in lightsaber sparring (through some underhand tactics). Sabine also takes Ezra's opinions more seriously and is more assertive in Ezra's decision-making, such as reminding Ezra in "Iron Squadron" of his promise to Hera.

Season 3 is also the first season where Sabine personally opens up to Ezra. In "Trials of the Darksaber", Ezra is the first one to hear Sabine's reservations and difficult history with her family. When Ezra offers emotional support after Sabine fought with Kanan, Sabine had already expected his presence, stating *"Not now, Ezra..."* but engages with Ezra after he apologized on behalf of Kanan. Sabine proceeds to expresses anger and despair over how terrible things have gotten between her and her family, and explains why she doesn't see how things could improve and why she should even try. Ezra sympathizes and gives her space, but still tries to help Sabine by reminding her that unlike Ezra, there is still a chance for her to mend things with her family ("*At least you have a family to go back to")*. Sabine, knowing about how strongly Ezra feels about the importance of family and has suffered in losing his, feels guilty for broaching such a topic and tries to apologize to a departing Ezra.

Beyond Sabine being more emotionally at ease to open up to Ezra, they are also more comfortable with one another in general. In "Imperial Supercommandos", Sabine hugs Ezra to jet-pack away from the Imperials. Although Ezra expressed initial surprise, he and Sabine showed excellent synergy in their escape from the Imperials though they were entangled for most of the escape. At the end of the episode, they hold each other's shoulders as they escape from Gar Saxon. Sabine is much more physically expressive with Ezra, playfully punching him in the shoulder in "Trials of the Darksaber", and patting his shoulder in "Ghosts of Geonosis" when Ezra expresses interest in a jetpack (to which Sabine smugly acknowledges). At the start of "Ghost of Geonosis", Ezra steals Sabine's seat and Sabine slaps him on the back of the head in response - while Rex and Zeb look on in amusement (Ezra does wince at the blow, reflecting Sabine's sharp Mandalorian nature).

Sabine and Ezra also hold one another in high regard and demonstrate incredible loyalty. Ezra expresses pride and excitement when Sabine flies up to fight the Jumptroopers. He affirms that he trusts Sabine unquestionably in "The Antilles Extraction", and swears loyalty to her at the end of "Trials of the Darksaber" while making sure that Sabine understood his sincerity. In "Legacy of Mandalore", Ezra willingly tosses his lightsaber over to Sabine to aid her in a fight against Gar Saxon. On her end, Sabine angrily rebuts Fenn Rau in "Imperial Supercommandos" when he refers to Ezra as a sacrificial pawn. Sabine disagres, stating Ezra is neither a pawn nor a sacrifice. In "Zero Hour", Sabine affirms her trust in Ezra, and was willing to return with Ezra alone to the besieged Chopper Base alone - stating that if Ezra believes there is a chance at victory, that she will follow him into battle.

There are more subtle hints at a possible future relationship, and the existence of developing feelings and a deeper connection between these two characters. In "Visions and Voices", when Ezra faces off against a possessed Sabine wielding the Darksaber, he tells the Nightsister spirit possessing Sabine, "*That doesn't belong to you!*" to which the Nightsister spirit answers, "*Then take it from me, Jedi!*". The subject of what Ezra and the Nightsister were referring to is ambiguous (Sabine herself? Or the Darksaber?). When Sabine is freed, she expresses worry when Ezra re-enters the cave to save Kanan. Sabine's growing worry for Ezra shows up in "The Wynkahthu Job", when Ezra and Zeb begin to fall, Sabine shouts "*No!*" in terror. She is visibly and audibly relieved when Zeb recovers and manages to grab Ezra - and apparently only worried about Ezra (reporting to Hera "*Phew...It's ok! Zeb's got him!*"). At the start of the episode, while the entire crew of the Ghost is hostile towards working with Hondo *and Azmorigan*, Ezra and Sabine are the two that specifically lock eyes when Sabine expresses her reservations.

While not explicit, Season 3 has several significant milestones and moments that dramatically change and develop Ezra and Sabine's relationship. In general, this Season demonstrates the shift that will continue into Season 4: Ezra and Sabine are equals, and have become comfortable enough to view each other as reliable teammates. The past two seasons had only a couple of moments with Sabine and Ezra working as an exclusive pair (being selected for a joint mission in "Blood Sisters" and fighting Inquisitors in "Two There Always Are") - in Season 3, there are at least three whole episodes highlighting their partnership. As Sabine's story grows, Ezra is one of the major characters used to help her express her feelings, from their banter in "Trials of the Darksaber" to rebel operations in "Iron Squadron".

### Season 4

*"Those two can't go anywhere without blowing something up."* - Garazeb Orellios, In the Name of the Rebellion, Part 2.

Season 4 takes the trend established in Season 3 and takes it to even greater heights. Throughout the seasons, Ezra and Sabine grew closer and relied upon one another as acquaintances, then friends, then teammates. Season 4 presents Sabine and Ezra as partners: The first eight episodes feature Sabine and Ezra as the a major (and sometimes exclusive) operative pair.

Ezra and Sabine take after Kanan and Hera's relationship dynamics in how they work together to solve problems and cover each other's weak spots, playfully bantering with one another all they way. Their loyalty and dependency to one another and strong chemistry has led many to ship them and consider them a possible romantic subplot in future media.

Ezra and Sabine lead the attack on the Imperial Outpost, coordinate the attack on the Imperial Convey carrying Aldrich Wren. In "In the Name of the Rebellion", Ezra and Sabine carry out the attack on the Relay tower and accompany Saw Guerra in infiltrating a top secret Imperial Transport. In "The Occupation", Ezra and Sabine split up and visit Ol' Jho's to try and acquire more information, and in "Flight of the Defender", Sabine and Ezra hijack the Advanced Tie Defender together. They pair up later to infiltrate a dig site for another two episodes, making more than half of the episodes of the finale season include Sabine and Ezra working in tandem.

Ezra is the one who turns around and approaches Sabine when she is at the top of the Outpost, lost in thought. They discuss the correct course of action in "In The Name of The Rebellion", and in "The Occupation", Sabine is visibly empathetic to Ezra's despair at the sight of Lothal and is the first one to try and bolster Ezra's hope.

They share thoughts often in most of the episodes - from "Flight of the Defender" to "Wolves and a Door" and "A World between Worlds", they discuss strategy and courses of action exclusively between one another. In "A Fools Hope", Sabine seeks Ezra out and asks him about the Lothwolves, and Ezra exposes a cryptic confession to Sabine in the Show's Finale, "Family Reunion and Farewell" (*"I know... I can always count on you*").

There are many individual moments hinting at romantic possibilities. In "Heroes of Mandalore", Alrich Wren asks if Ezra is with Sabine, and Ezra stumbles over a response, confusing "with her" in the romantic sense. Bo Katan lectures Ezra on being a Mandalorian, and Ezra engages with friendly competition with Tristan. At the end of "Heroes of Mandalore", to bookend her discussion with Ezra at the top of the Imperial outpost, as Mandalore unites behind Bo Katan, she looks over to Ezra and they share a tender, intimate smile and nod. When Ezra and Sabine sabotage the relay in "In the Name of the Rebellion", their mannerisms and banter are humorously presented in a date-like context, with Sabine stating "*Ezra,* *Do you want to salvage something from this or not?*" - when Ezra takes care of Imperial Stormtroopers on the other side of a doorway, he gestures in a gentlemanly manner to let Sabine to pass through first and lead the way. At the end of their journey, as Zeb and Hera discover the two adrift in space amidst the ruins of a Star Destroyer, Zeb refers to them as an item, stating "*those two can't go anywhere without blowing something up*." The two also pose as a couple on a date when visiting Ol' Jho's in "The Occupation", and Sabine subtly compliments Ezra on his looks when he realizes that the Imperials are still using a younger picture of himself - later they forget to bring credits, and argue over who will cover the tab.

In the final season, Ezra and Sabine care deeply about one another and rely on each other constantly. Ezra expresses concern for Sabine throughout "Heroes of Mandalore", and in "A World Between Worlds" Sabine cannot help but feel sadness and think of Ezra when the Imperial Minister talks about the difficulty of Ezra's journey after the events of Jedi Night, and shows concern and fear when The Imperial Minister reveals the extent of danger that Ezra is in.

In the events of "Family Reunion and Farewell", not long after the events of Jedi Night, Sabine makes the incredibly difficult decision in supporting Ezra leave to confront Thrawn on his own, similar to Kanan's heroics. Through a pained and emotional gaze, Ezra and Sabine silently affirm their trust in one another, and Sabine acts to distract the rest of the Ghost Squad from Chopper helping Ezra slip out of the Command Center. When Sabine is bewildered at the arrival of the purrgil, Ezra jokingly boasts to Sabine, asking if she's impressed by the surprise (to which she rolls her eyes, a possible bookend to their first encounter). When everyone realizes the Purrgil's intentions, Sabine is the last one to plead with Ezra, despairingly asking him to escape the ship and the hyperspace jump. In the wake of the great disappearance of the 7th fleet, Sabine receives Ezra's lightsaber from Chopper, to own and use in their escape.

In the wake of Ezra's disappearance, Chopper reveals the secret recording Ezra had made for his found family. Sabine keeps Ezra's lightsaber, and while Ezra consoles each member of the Ghost Squadron, all he leaves for Sabine is the reminder that "*I'm counting on you*." Sabine initially understands this as a request to look after Lothal, a duty she adheres for the remainder of the Rebellion against the Empire and afterwards (even in spite of the Night of A Thousand Tears)- but later realizes it also was a request for her to seek him out and bring him home.