Star Wars Rebelsis a great entry within the vast and ever-expanding world ofStar Warsanimation that served as an interesting exploration of the “dark times” betweenRevenge of the SithandA New Hope. Its sister series,Star Wars:The Clone Wars, introducedAshley Eckstein’sAhsoka Tano, andRebelsbrought in a ton of new heroes into the mix instead of relying on previously established characters from the films.
Many of the pivotal characters fromRebelsare set to appear inDave Filoni’slive-action Disney+ seriesAhsoka, giving fans the perfect excuse to catch up with these heroic and rebellious figures. Here is every main hero inStar Wars Rebels, ranked by likability.
8Alexsandr Kallus
A former Imperial officer who starts off the series as one of the most menacing antagonists, Agent Kallus (David Oyelowo) has one of the most interesting character arcs out of all theRebelscharacters. Kallus initially appears to be nothing more than a servant of the Empire, but after bonding with Zeb (Steven Blum) when they are stranded together, he reveals that he is not the devoted fascist he appears to be.
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While this ultimately gives Kallus an interesting journey, he stands as the least likable character within theGhostcrew because his heroism doesn’t come until the end of the series. Still, with such a riveting journey, fans will undoubtedly consider him among the best and most complex figures inStar Wars’rich lore.
Star Warshas no shortage of beloved droids;The Force Awakenshad BB-8,Rogue Onehad K2-SO (Alan Tudyk),Solohad L3-37 (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), andThe Mandalorianhad IG-11 (Taika Waititi).Rebelsalso has its quirky droid, the far more violent but equally entertaining “Chopper.”
Filoni himself voiced the astromech droid, essentially a more murderous version of R2-D2. Chopper is unique because, as an enhanced astromech droid, he can stealthily infiltrate Imperial facilities, but his inability to follow orders becomes much more of an annoyance than it is a “quirk.” Chopper might not be as endearing as other droids, but no one can say it isn’t funny - just not necessarily heroic.
6Ezra Bridger
A good rule of thumb forStar Warsfans watchingRebelsfor the first time is to give the show a shot beyond its first season. While the initial set of episodes makes it seem like the series is nothing more than a children’s cartoon set within theStar Warsuniverse, it becomes a more mature entry within the galaxy far, far away.
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However, characters like Ezra Bridger (Taylor Gray) do take a little bit longer to develop than others. Ezra starts the show as a self-interested and distrusting individual who keeps his distance. After forming a closer bond with his crew members, Ezra becomes a brave Jedi apprentice and devoted supporter of the rebel cause by the show’s conclusion, but initially, his whining can become very grating.
5Hera Syndulla
Hera Syndulla (Vanessa Marshall) is oneRebelscharacter who shares a connection withThe Clone Wars. Her father, Cham (Robin Atkin Downes), was a freedom fighter who rebelled against the droid occupation of their home planet, Ryloth, and Hera works to fulfill her father’s legacy by resisting the Empire.
Hera has a maternal presence over theGhostcrew. However, her loyalty to the larger Rebel Alliance means there are times when she must keep details of their mission to herself, creating tension within her crewmates, who are unsure who they are fighting for. An excellent pilot and captain, Hera is nonetheless one of the series' best heroes, thanks to her honed instincts and resourcefulness.
4Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios
Zeb is essentially a giant, loveable teddy bear who proves to be more than just comic relief. As early as the first season, Zeb revealed he initially joined the Rebel Alliance to avenge the Imperial massacre that devastated his native Lasat species. This gives him a compelling motivation throughout the show and every victory that theGhostcrew scores feels like a personal win for Zeb.
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Zeb’s one major flaw is his lack of patience. He often lashes out at Ezra and Chopper, as he has no time for shenanigans when there’s a mission to complete. Still, his contributions to the crew and emotional backstory make him a perfect hero, especially in a franchise likeStar Wars.
3Ahsoka Tano
Ahsoka’s journey may have started inThe Clone Wars. However, the reveal that she is the secret Rebel operative known as “Fulcrum” that the other characters are covertly working alongside for the majority of the first season is one of the best twists inRebels’entire run.
Ahsoka and her loyal clone officer, Captain Rex (Dee Bradley Baker), help add a larger context toRebels' importance to the franchise’s lore. It’s enthralling to see her face off against her former master,the iconic villain Darth Vader(James Earl Jones), in a battle that has become legendary amongStar Warsfans. Every episode with Ahsoka is strong, but unfortunately, she only occasionally pops up.
2Kanan Jarrus
A former Jedi padawan who serves as Ezra’s new Jedi Master, Kanan Jarrus (Freddie Prinze Jr.) feels like an amalgamation ofStar Wars’best heroes. He has the compassion and wisdom of Obi-Wan Kenobi and the same rough, rugged charm of Han Solo.
Watching Kanan’s journey is interesting, as he is both teaching Ezra and learning from him. Kanan is more relatable than most Jedi because of his lack of self-importance. There’s also a resourcefulness to him that makes him unique, as he relies on his instincts as much as he adheres to the rules of the Jedi Code. Kanan has become one of the most popular characters inStar Wars- no small feat, considering the galactic icons that have come and gone.
1Sabine Wren
Sabine Wren (Tiya Sircar) is a teenage Mandalorian warrior who expresses her feelings through art. While Mandalore had been featured onThe Clone Warsand Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) has been an interesting protagonist, aStar Warstelevision series hadn’t yet gone deep into the lore of Mandalorian culture.
Seeing Sabine struggle to accept her heritage and learn to balance her role as both a Rebel and Mandalorian is a very rewarding storyline. Sabine questionsthe mistakes Mandalore made in the pastand realizes her destiny may not be exactly what her ancestors imagined it to be. It’s a classic self-discovery journey, the same that fans can find in the best hero stories acrossStar Wars.
