Who is Hera Syndulla and why is she important in Ahsoka?
The brand new Disney+ series Ahsoka is set to premiere Tuesday, August 22nd, 2023. With this comes many different characters that are important to know about before watching the show. One of the most important characters to learn about is Hera Syndulla.
In case you’re a new fan or need a refresher course, let’s get to know Hera and her story!
How old is Hera Syndulla?
Introduced in Star Wars Rebels, Hera was 24 years old at the start of season one. She had a very positive and nurturing attitude toward her team, which is always something that you look for in a leader.
What is her occupation?
She’s worn a few hats during her time in the universe, like Captain, Phoenix Leader, and General. The most famous role that people know her for would have to be a pilot. In fact, she was the first person in Star Wars to fly a B-wing, helping to bring the ship into the Rebellion’s fleet.
She was one of many notable rebel pilots where she was the captain of her ship, the Ghost, and the leader of the rebel cell that was known as the Spectres. Despite all of her occupational roles, she was also almost like a mother to her crew members, Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios, Sabine Wren, and Ezra Bridger.
What is her family life like?
Her father was General Cham Syndulla, who helped to lead Ryloth’s fight against the Separatists during the Clone Wars. In The Bad Batch, audiences were introduced to Hera’s mother, Eleni, who shared her husband’s rebellious tendencies as the Empire invaded their home. Hera also had an unnamed brother who died when he was young.
The Syndullas came from the planet of Ryloth, where her people, the Twi’lek, live and work. At some point between The Bad Batch and Star Wars Rebels, Eleni was killed by the Empire, which caused Cham to throw himself completely into the Rebellion, straining his relationship with his daughter.
What is Hera Syndulla’s job like as a Rebellion Pilot?
When she wasn’t flying or captaining her ship, she was quite the fighter as well. For the most part, Syndulla used a Blurrg-1120 holdout blaster when fighting the Empire, which was always kept in a holster just above her right boot.
She ended up leaving Ryloth in 12 BBY and, at this time, was already a decorated and talented Pilot. With her wanting to join the Rebellion, she ended up working with both Senator Bail Organa and Ahsoka Tano, whom she became friends and allies with.
Hera became the Pilot of a modified VCX-100 light freighter, which she named the Ghost. She used said ship to battle the Empire and to double as the home for her crew. It was called the Ghost because it could be programmed to avoid Imperial sensors and be undetectable. This was also why her crew members in Hera’s rebel cell became known as the Spectres.
Who or what is the Ghost Crew?
The Ghost Crew consisted of 6 members. Jedi-in-hiding Kanan Jarrus led the group with her. The rest of the crew consisted of Hera’s droid Chopper, Mandalorian Sabine Wren, Lasat honor guard Garazeb “Zeb” Orrellios, and Kanan’s Jedi Padawan Ezra Bridger. Hera was nurturing towards her crew, and she also knew when to tone that back a little and lead with a purpose.
The Ghost Crew was actually part of a much larger movement that was initially organized by Senator Bail Organa and Ahsoka Tano. The Ghost Crew was one of the earliest groups who fought against the reign of the Galactic Empire.
Hera and Kanan were also romantically involved. After his death in season four, it was revealed in the Star Wars Rebels series epilogue that the two had a son named Jacen Syndulla, who is hinted to be Force-sensitive.
What else makes Hera Syndulla so unique?
Hera Syndulla has many qualities that not only make her a great leader and a special one at that. For one, she’s a tactical leader, able to recognize traps when no one else can even see them. Her rivalry with Grand Admiral Thrawn is a highlight of Rebels. She was a creative pilot with a talent for dogfighting with TIE fighters. She also was instrumental in successfully liberating the planet of Lothal.
Why is Hera Syndulla so crucial to the Ahsoka series on Disney+?
Given that we’ve seen everyone else from the Ghost Crew in live-action Star Wars content, Hera Syndulla is the final piece to that puzzle. Hera role in Ahsoka will be important as she is a leader in the New Republic, and she has experience battling Thrawn. Ahsoka will be building off of the story that we already know about Syndulla and setting her up for future Star Wars projects.
Closing Thoughts
All in all, I genuinely think that having Hera Syndulla in Ahsoka will be nothing short of greatness with awesome dogfighting scenes. She was, and still is, a great fighting pilot who not only knows how to lead and also how to show love and compassion to those around her. To me, she is one of the best leaders out there. I cannot wait to see her story expand to even greater heights!
What do you think of Hera Syndulla? Comment down below your all-time favorite Hera moment and what you’re looking forward to in Ahsoka on Disney+! Make sure to tune in right along with us, follow along, and stay tuned for updates here on Dork Side of the Force!