Ezra Bridger

> "*We have been called criminals, but we are not. We are rebels, fighting for the people, fighting for you. I'm not that old, but I remember a time when things were better on Lothal. Maybe not great, but never like this. See what the Empire has done to your lives, your families and your freedom? It's only gonna get worse unless we stand up and fight back. It won't be easy. There will be loss and sacrifice. But we can't back down just because we're afraid. That's when we need to stand the tallest. That's what my parents taught me. That's what my new family helped me remember. Stand up together, because that's when we're strongest. As one.*"
> ― Ezra Bridger
>
>

Lieutenant-Commander **Ezra Bridger** is an orphaned teenager from the planet Lothal and the main protagonist of the animated television series, *Star Wars Rebels*. Growing up on the streets of Lothal after his parents were taken away, Ezra became a pickpocket and stole only to survive until he met the *Ghost* crew and was unknowingly Force-sensitve. After a mission and joining the early rebellion against the Empire when he was only fourteen years old, Ezra was adopted by Kanan Jarrus and began to train as his Jedi Padawan

## Background

Ezra was born to Mira and Ephriam Bridger on the planet Lothal on Empire Day, the day that the Galactic Empire in 19 BBY, two days before the Skywalker twins would be born. Little did Ezra know, he was born Force-sensitive, something he would not be aware of until his early teens. Throughout his childhood, Ezra would occasionally trigger "strange abilities", which allowed him to see into the future. At the time, Ezra didn't know the true nature of these abilities, which, in truth, was the Force. As he grew up, Ezra's parents hoped to make the Galaxy a safer place for their son and would send out broadcasts from the basement of their home and spoke out against the Empire. Growing up, Ezra came to know several friends of his parents, such as Morad Sumar and the Rodian Tseebo. Ryder Azadi, the governor of Lothal at the time, supported the Bridgera and Ezra had enough memory to remember Ryder when they would meet each other years later.

On Ezra's seventh birthday, his parents were arrested by the Galactic Empire for their campaign against the Empire. Since then, Ezra had abandoned his home and grew up on the streets of Lothal, never knowing what happened to Mira and Ephriam. Ezra grew up to be a thief just fighting to survive.

At seven years old, Ezra lost his parents when they were taken from the Empire and charged with crimes of treason. After his house was marked off limits to live in, Ezra was forced to begin a life in the streets. He apprenticed under Ferpil Wallaway, who taught him to be a thief and befriended Moreena Krai, a girl his age and was aware of his thieveing nature. However, she and her parents left for Alderaan to live with her grandmother after the Empire caused them too much devastation.

### *Rebels*

#### Season 1

In *Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion*, Ezra stole several jogan, a fruit native to Lothal from a vender whom he helped avoid arrest, Ezra spotted several Imperials loading their cargo of weapons and food supply. Through the unknown use of the Force, Ezra felt the presence of former Jedi Padawan Kanan Jarrus, who also sensed the teenager. However, Ezra quickly hid when Kanan turned around and trying to find the presence he felt. In the following conflict, Ezra witnessed Jarrus, Lasat Garazeb Orrelios and Mandalorian, Sabine Wren attack the Imperials and set off at explosion. When Ezra overheard the Imperials' concern of the crates were to be protected at all costs, he used the situation to his advantage. As soon as the rebels dealt with the Imperials, Ezra hopped on one of the speeder bikes and "thanked' Kanan and Zeb for doing the heavy lifting before he escaped with the shipment they were trying to get. Following this, Ezra because aware that Sabine, Kanan and Zeb were in pursuit. As he ran away, Ezra encountered Sabine, who admitted that Ezra pulled a gutsy move but warned him of Zeb, who would no doubt end him and wished him luck before taking her blaster and taking two of the three crates with her.As Ezra continued to make his escape, he saw only Kanan (who had Zeb stand down) following close behind before fleeing and attempted to get away. However, Kanan managed to get in Ezra's way, causing the teenager to stop before they collided. Kanan attempted to get Ezra to surrender the crate but the teenager refused and flew away, wishing Kanan a good day. However, a TIE attacked the teenager, only managing to destroy the bike and miraculously, Ezra and one crate survived. The TIE attacked to kill Ezra but *Ghost* and Kanan rescued Ezra by destroying the TlE. Kanan offered the teenager a ride due to more TIEs getting in their way. Seeing no alternative, Ezra decided to take Kanan's offer but also began running with the crate. As Kanan told Ezra to leave the crate, the boy unknowingly used the Force by jumping the long distance with the crate in tow. However, the teenager struggled before the hidden Jedi came to help him up.

Now aboard the *Ghost*, Ezra found himself face to face with the disappointed Ghost crew. He instantly developed a rivalry with Zeb and the two argued over who had true ownership of the crate Ezra managed to get away with. The teenager used this as an excuse and said the crate was his because he got to it first. Kanan stopped Ezra and Zeb from fighting, claiming the crate was theirs because it was always about who is last instead. Before he left, Kanan ordered Zeb and Sabine to keep an eye on Ezra, who was begrudgingly left with the two and wanted to return home. during the attack, the teenager infuriated Zeb, who locked Ezra up in a supply closet after becoming irritated with the teenager. However, through all his uses of escape in the past, Ezra snuck into the air vents of the ship; meanwhile, his absence didn't go unnoticed by Kanan, who demanded to know where the kid went. The vent was not enough to support Ezra's weight and he fell into the area where the guns below deck were. To Ezra's amazement, he was in space but fear of dying overcame Ezra saw the TIE fighters attacking the Ghost. However, he came face to face with the Mandalorian girl he met earlier and attempted to flirt with Wren but Orrelios interrupted Bridger before they disappeared into hyperspace.
Ezra initially refused until he was convinced by Hera to warn Kanan, Zeb and Sabine about the trap.

However, in the chaos, Alexsandr Kallus grabbed Ezra. and Zeb tried to find a way to hit Kallus without harming Ezra but thought it was a lost cause and was forced to abandon the boy to his fate. Imprisoned on Kallus' Star Destroyer, Ezra thought he was being held there for information; however, Kallus revealed that he was using Ezra as bait to lure the Ghost crew to Lothal. He was soon stripped of his belongings, but Ezra only managed to hold onto Kanan's holocron. Frustrated, he threw it across the room before calming down, while trying to think. Through Ezra's patience, he managed to open the Jedi Holocron, revealing a recording made by Obi-Wan Kenobi, much to Ezra's shock and it led him to realize he needed to find a way to rescue himself while doubting the Ghost crew would return for him. Ezra tricked the Stormtroopers guarding him by feigning a sudden air attack, which lured them into the cell and with the door open, Ezra was able to escape to the armory and reclaim his belongings while taking a Stormtrooper cadet helmet and sneaking into the Star Destroyer's vents. Through the helmet, Ezra was able to learn through the communications that the Wookiees were being led to the space mines of Kessel and that the Imperials were aware of Ezra's escape. Through one of the transmissions, the Stormtroopers revealed that the Ghost had returned, Ezra realized they had come to rescue him, much to his surprise. Ezra found Zeb, Sabine and Kanan, where he quickly discarded the cadet helmet and followed the rebels back to the Ghost, where Zeb forced Ezra to go on first so they wouldn't lose him again. Following the escape, Ezra thanked Hera for returning. The Twi'lek prepared to get Ezra back to Lothal to his parents; however, Ezra revealed he was an orphan. Ezra then told Hera, Sabine and Kanan that the Wookiees were being taken to Kessel, which immediately alarmed the crew because Wookiees would not survive the environment due to being born in the forest. Deciding to finish the mission, Ezra announced that he was accompanying them to the planet. Hera did as she was told and set a course for Kessel.

While they were on Kessel, Kanan and his team (apart from Hera) provided the distraction while Ezra was able to slip to the Wookiee slaves and free them. Soon the Ghost Crew was cornered and forced to hide. During the chaos, Ezra had spotted Kitwarr running but chose not to follow him. Finding no alternative, Kanan announced to Hera they were doing a twenty-two pick-up. Confused, Ezra asked Kanan to tell him what the secret was and the man revealed that he was about to let everyone in on the secret. Taking his lightsaber out, Kanan revealed himself to be a Jedi to Ezra and the rest of the Imperials, who focused all their fire on the Jedi. With the distraction, Zeb ushered the Wookiees inside one of the crates, Ezra saw one of the Wookiees calling out for his child. Seeing Kanan busy with the stormtroopers and Zeb and Sabine too busy attending to the Wookiees, Ezra ran after Kitwarr and the stormtrooper who chased him and ignoring Zeb's calls and unaware that Kallus was following him. Ezra confronted the Stormtrooper about to attack Kitwarr and used his energy slingshot to ward the stormtrooper off, thus saving the young Wookiee. As Ezra tried to unlock Kitwarr's binders, he was soon face to face with Kallus, who falsely believed Ezra to be Kanan's apprentice. However, the boy while protecting Kitwarr revealed he was no Jedi and that he worked with no one. In that moment, Ezra and Kitwarr were saved from Kallus by Kanan's arrival and quickly boarded the Ghost, where Kitwarr was reunited with his father. After the Wookiees departed, the crew decided to return Ezra back to his home During this time, Ezra stole Kanan's lightsaber yet again.

When they arrived on the planet, Ezra returned Kanan's holocron to him but later, ran back to his tower with the lightsaber in his possession. However, Ezra felt Kanan's presence and inquired what the Force was. The former Jedi explained it was what kept the galaxy bound together and informed Ezra that he was Force-sensitive just like him because he wouldn't have been able to open the holocron. Kanan gave Ezra two choices: to remain on Lothal and keep the Lightsaber as a useless relic but Kanan offered Ezra the choice to become a member of the Ghost crew and his Padawan. Kanan left Ezra to think it through before departing. After a hard decision, Ezra returned Kanan's lightsaber, and decided to learn from Kanan the ways of the Force.

### Star Wars: Forces of Destiny

Ezra appears in one episode of *Star Wars: Forces of Destiny*. Taking place sometime after "Fire Across the Galaxy," Ahsoka taught Ezra what happened when he did not have a lightsaber to help him fight his battles. Ezra claimed to feel powerful with it but Ahsoka removed his kyber Crystal from the lightsaber and began attacking Ezra with her own. Ezra had complained that Kanan never taught him like she did, but the former Jedi tells Ezra that he should consider this as a new lesson. Ezra used the Force to guide him while looking for his kybercrystal, which he later inserted back into his lightsaber and dodged Ahsoka's final attack. The woman observed that Ezra did need his weapon after all. However, he said that Ahsoka taught him something new: that if he doesn't have a lightsaber, then he must focus at times without a weapon. Ahsoka asked why he stopped but Ezra admitted he had been getting tired. The two laughed it off before calling it a day.

## Powers & Abilities

### Powers

Ezra is one of the most powerful Force users, along with several others, such as the Skywalker family, Rey, and Yoda. He was able to jump long distances when making escapes on the rooftops and sense things before they happened. However, Ezra merely struck it off as luck and was completely unaware he was Force-sensitive until he unknowingly attracted the attention of former Jedi knight and Order 66 survivor, Kanan Jarrus. They both sensed each other through the Force before their first meeting. He initially had smaller training skills with a lightsaber and though he didn't manage to outmaneuver the Seventh Sister, she admitted he handled a lightsaber well. L As of "Steps Into Shadow", Ezra's lightsaber skills have improved significantly, as he was able to defeat and kill several stormtroopers in quick succession while freeing Hondo Ohnaka from an Imperial prison.

Ezra's strength within the Force has also gained the attention of several dark side users, including the Grand Inquisitor and Seventh Sister, and former Sith Lord, Darth Maul, who all saw Ezra as a potential apprentice. However, due to Ezra's indominable will, he remained aligned with the light side of the Force and immediately rejected their attempts to turn him to the dark side and train him out of loyalty to his Master and friends.

### Abilities

* **Lightsaber Duelling:**Overtime, Ezra became highly skilled in lightsaber dueling, being taught in combat by his Master and father figure, Kanan Jarrus and was a capable teacher, mentoring Sabine how to wield the Darksaber. He used Forms I-VI in Form III, which was favored by his Master and Kanan's Master before them and excelled in wielding both his lightsaber and Darksaber.

* **Skilled Pilot:**Being taught by Hera Syndulla, Ezra became a skilled pilot, being capable of flying an X wing and outmanuevering Vult Skerris and flew the ship, the *Gauntlet*, the ship previously called the Nightbrother and belonged to Maul.

## Possessions

### Lightsabers

* **First Lightsaber:** Ezra constructed a lightsaber made from parts Sabine, Hera, Kanan and Chopper provided that was a combination of a blaster and a lightsaber, having a blue blade. However, he kept the blaster on stun due to his inability to kill someone. It was destroyed by Darth Vader during their duel on Malachor.
* **Second Lightsaber:** The second lightsaber Ezra constructed, but this time, it was made more like a traditional Jedi and had a green blade.

### Weapons

* **Energy Slingshot:** Ezra owned an energy slingshot as a weapon. It was able to knock his opponents off of buildings. It was not powerful enough to penetrate Stormtrooper armor. Ezra discarded it after he gained his own lightsaber.
* **Pistol:**Ezra began owning a pistol after his lightsaber/blaster hybrid was destroyed by Darth Vader on Malachor.
* **Jetpack:** Ezra briefly owned a jetpack during the mission to Mandalore, rescuing Sabine's father. However, Ezra got rid of it, as he found it troublesome to control.

#### Other Possessions

* **Holodisc:** Ezra had a holodisk that contained a picture of him and his parents before they were taken away by Stormtroopers.
* **Kanan's lightsaber:** Ezra temporarily would wield Kanan's lightsaber during training and during the fight against the Inquisitor on Tarkin's Star Destroyer.
* Jedi Holocron: Ezra took Kanan's Jedi Holocron and later opened it on Kallus' Star Destroyer. He later used it when he and Maul were combining the Jedi and Sith Holocrons. However, in the process, both Holocrons were destroyed and it unintentionally forged a Force bond between Ezra and Maul.
* **Sith Holocron:** Ezra and Maul acquired the Sith Holocron on Malachor together and Ezra kept the holocron in his possession from "Twilight of the Apprentice," where he first opened it until *Steps Into Shadow*, where Kanan confiscated it from him. After they retrieved it from the kryna spiders, Ezra possessed it until giving it to Maul , who combined both the Sith and Jedi Holocrons together before they were ultimately destroyed.

## Trivia

* Ezra was fourteen at the beginning of the series. By "Empire Day," Ezra turned fifteen. In season 3, Ezra is seventeen and nineteen in the last season.
* He gained two scars on his left cheek after an encounter with the Inquisitor after he used his spinning lightsaber on Ezra in an attempt to kill him. Template:Ep.
* As of season 3, Ezra went through a drastic redesign, as his hair was cut shorter, his costume was switched over from a jumpsuit to a jacket only and Ezra's shin guards and shoes were replaced with boots.
* Ezra shares several similarities with
	+ Ahsoka Tano: Both were fourteen at the beginning of their respective series, the youngest of the main cast, have a rash but dedicated personality, and family-like relationships with their Masters, Anakin (who Ahsoka sees as an older brother) and Kanan (who Ezra saw as a father)
	+ Rey: They are orphans who were both forced to steal in order to survive, unaware they were Force-sensitive, had a pirate take an interest in them (Maz Kanata and Hondo Ohnaka), a dark sider attempted to turn them to the dark side of the Force (Kylo Ren and Darth Maul.) Ultimately, they remain on the side of good and find a family in their own way (the Resistance for Rey and the *Ghost*crew for Ezra)
	+ Luke Skywalker: Orphans who grew up not realizing that they were Force-sensitive, are pulled from their home planet and fight in the Rebellion, are tempted with the Dark Side of the Force by another dark-sider who wants to turn them into their own apprentice (Darth Vader for Luke and Maul for Ezra). They also start off with blue lightsabers but their second lightsaber is green. Additionally, Ezra and Luke also are swept into an adventure with a Jedi (Obi Wan and Kanan) Luke is also the one who served as inspiration for Ezra.
* Ezra, Luke and Leia are all the same age, with Ezra being born on Empire Day and the twins being born two days later.
* StarWars.com blogger James Burns deduced that Ezra Bridger was named after the Old Testimant character, Ezra. Dave Filoni and Simon Kinberg confirmed this to be true and that other characters had historial or Biblical meaning behind their names.
* It was noted by some how ironic it was that Ezra was born on the day the Empire was founded.

## Appearances

* TV Series
* Comics

### Star Wars Rebels

#### Season 4

* *Kanan*
* *Star Wars Rebels Magazine Comics*