Star Wars fans have plenty to celebrate these days. Between The Mandalorian and Star Wars: Ahsoka, a plethora of stories, characters, and dramas that could only be found in animated fare will be making their silver screen debut. While some of these animated heroes have never been seen outside of their respective shows, there are some whose powerful personalities have already made them beloved enough that they have been slipped into video games and background shots as easter eggs for die-hard fans. Hera Syndulla, the intrepid pilot of the Rebel ship Ghost, is one of the amazing characters that has already captured the fandom’s imagination. Hera made her debut in Star Wars: Rebels and has been immortalized in everything from comic books to video games, even appearing as an easter egg in the films.
Childhood and the Clone Wars
Hera Syndulla is a Twi’lek pilot from the planet Ryloth. A legacy Rebel fighter, Hera watched her people’s torment at the hands of the Separatist forces. Kicked from their homes, sold into slavery, starved and tortured, the Twi’leks suffered immensely during the occupation of Ryloth. Hera’s father, Cham Syndulla, became a beacon of hope for their people, leading them to victory with the help of the Republic forces. It was during one of Ryloth’s pushes for freedom that a young Hera was inspired to become a pilot and found her cranky astromech companion, C1-10P, also known as Chopper. After her mother was killed during the conflicts and her father threw himself into the war effort on Ryloth, Hera grew to resent Cham’s absenteeism. The growing divide between father and daughter would ultimately be the push Hera needed to leave her home world and join the wider rebellion.
Fledgling Rebel activities
Hera quickly became a world-class star pilot serving in the rebellion. She encountered former Jedi Padawan and future love interest, Kanan Jarrus, whose frustration with the Empire rivaled her own. Though Kanan was distrusting and easily aggravated, the Force drew him to the Twi’lek. Hera’s passion for helping others and the deep kindness Kanan could sense in her led him to trust her. They eventually combined forces and, alongside Chopper, the duo founded the Spectres, a Rebel cell, all the while fighting the growing attraction they felt for one another.
Though Kanan would largely fill the role of leader, Hera was the lynchpin of the team and the only one who knew the true identity of Fulcrum, the former Jedi turned Rebel leader Ahsoka Tano. The two would eventually recruit the Lasat fighter Zeb Orrelios, Mandalorian weapons expert Sabine Wren, and Force-sensitive thief Ezra Bridger.
Though the crew started out running blockades with supplies and freeing small slave encampments, their success rate soon caught the attention of former Senator turned Rebel Bail Organa, who brought the team into the wider Rebel network.
The Rebellion
Hera proved to be a shrewd commander. Her team’s consistent success quickly changed their status from nuisance to threat in the eyes of the Empire. Grand Admiral Thrawn, an infamous tactician and notorious Imperial dog, was dispatched to deal with the Rebel menace. Known for his devastating diligence and knack for dismantling Rebel threats, Thrawn was not an opponent Hera took lightly. The team consistently evaded his capture, but the Admiral chased the crew across the galaxy, destroying bases and pushing the Rebels from outpost to outpost. His constant harassment and harsh punishments influenced those he oppressed to join the cause, and before long, the fledgling rebellion had teeth.
All of Hera’s crew would prove to be valuable assets to the rebellion, all taking missions that separated them from the main team. Even as they were scattered across the galaxy, Hera kept a close eye on her found family. Her compassion and dedication made her an excellent leader, and she leaned on her team as a valuable resource for strategy. She was promoted to lead pilot of the Rebel squadron Phoenix, a callsign she would keep long after the squadron was destroyed by Thrawn during a failed raid on an Imperial armory complex on Lothal.
Hera was captured after the failed raid. As the only survivor and a well-known Rebel, she was sure to be tortured for information by the Empire. The hopelessness of the situation made her reevaluate her life and forced her to confront her feelings for Kanan. After the Jedi successfully mounted a one-man rescue mission, Hera confessed her love for him. Kanan had hardly reciprocated when the unthinkable happened and he had no choice but to sacrifice his life to ensure Hera and the other Rebels could escape from Imperial hands.
In the wake of Kanan’s death, the team would make a final push to defend Lothal from Thrawn. While the Rebels would win the fight and free Lothal from the Empire for good, the battle led to the disappearance of Ezra Bridger and Grand Admiral Thrawn. While Sabine Wren would stay on Lothal to keep the planet safe, Hera would leave to join the greater rebellion, marking the dissolution of the Spectres.
Hera maintained her status as commander and would go on to fight in several key battles — she was even present during the final fight of the war, the Battle for Endor. Even after the Empire’s fall, Hera refused to stop the fight for freedom. She would remain loyal to the cause for many years, fighting for freedom until the New Order finally fell after the Battle of Jakku.
Relationship with Kanan Jarrus
While it is indisputable that Kanan and Hera had feelings for each other, the pair had a complicated relationship. Their dedication to the rebellion and the absolute boatload of trauma they both undeniably had made it difficult to find time for love. Hera’s family history made her reticent to commit to a relationship. Her relationship with her father was strained due to his dedication to the rebellion on Ryloth, and Hera feared her potential to do the same.
While Hera and Kanan might not have been exactly dating, they couldn’t deny their passion for one another. They sought consolation in one another before large battles, and Hera openly referred to Kanan as “Love.” Toward the end of Kanan’s life, both were tired of trying to hide how deep their connection went. Before Hera’s capture, she and Kanan conceived their only child, a son she would name Jacen Syndulla. Jacen was present during the battle for Endor, and his mother’s continued affinity for the rebellion hopefully means he followed in his parents’ footsteps.
The future of the character
The potential for Hera is immense. The fan response to the character was overwhelmingly positive, with fans loving her cool, calm demeanor and her undeniable love for her allies. Mary Elizabeth Winstead has been cast for her live-action appearance, and the gorgeous actress couldn’t be a better fit. Hera has this irrefutable Team Mom appeal about her, and her status as one of the galaxy’s best pilots just ramps it up. The long history she shares with Sabine Wren and Ahsoka Tano could give us some Thelma and Louise-esque girl adventures in the upcoming series (with less self-imposed dying, we hope). Either way, it will be a change of pace to follow three female leads in a Star Wars series. The three women have long histories for the showrunners to work with and have allies — and certainly enemies — all around the galaxy. If Ahsoka does follow Ahsoka, Sabine, and Hera on their journey to find the missing Ezra Bridger, the story potential is limitless.
Star Wars has done a lot for single fathers through The Mandalorian‘s storyline, and focusing on Hera as a single mom who’s still managed to be a cool commander would be a great way to do the same for the other side of the aisle. Jacen’s potential to be Force-sensitive could see him and Hera staying on with the former Jedi for some time, assuming Ahsoka ever decides to take an apprentice. Whatever direction Disney decides to take Hera and company during her live-action appearances, as long as she stays a nuanced and powerful role model, we’re here for it.