Hera Syndulla is a pilot, and later general, in the Rebel Alliance during the Galactic Civil War. First introduced in Star Wars: Rebels, Hera is an exceptional pilot that eventually becomes a leader in the Rebel Fleet. Aside from her appearance in Rebels, she also appeared in The Bad Batch and will appear in the forthcoming Ahsoka series in August 2023. From her origins on Ryloth to her her time on Lothal and afterward, here is everything you need to know about General Hera Syndulla.
Spoiler Warning: This article contains spoilers for Star Wars: Rebels and potentially other Star Wars stories. Avoid spoilers by skipping ahead to the spoil-free list of essential Rebels episodes about Hera.
Who Is Hera Syndulla?
In the Star Wars Universe, Hera Syndulla is a green-skinned female Twi’lek. The Twi’lek species are characterized by their colorful skin and head-tails called lekku. She is a skilled pilot, a natural leader, and a founding member of the Lothal rebel group the Spectres that fought against the Galactic Empire during the Galactic Civil War.
Hera is the daughter of Cham and Eleni Syndulla. Cham was a freedom fighter who played a significant role on Ryloth during the Clone Wars. Hera also has an unnamed brother who died when they were young.
As a child, she rebuilt the C1-series astromech droid designated C1-10P. The droid served during the Clone Wars, crashing on Ryloth sometime during the war. Better known as Chopper, or simply Chop, the droid remained her companion throughout most of her life.
Sometime after Palpatine reorganized the Republic as the Galatic Empire, Hera obtained the modified VCX-100 light freighter called the Ghost. The ship would later serve as a home for the Spectre rebel cell.
Within the Spectres, Hera used the callsign “Spectre-2”. Other Spectres included former-Jedi Padawan Kanan Jarrus, the astromech droid Chopper, the Lasat warrior Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios, Mandalorian-born Sabine Wren, and the Force-sensitive Ezra Bridger.
Also called the Ghost crew after Hera’s ship, they fought to free Lothal from the Imperials, including Grand Moff Tarkin, Grand Admiral Thrawn, and Governor Pryce, among others. Their allies included Bail Organa, Leia Organa, Mon Mothma, and Commander Jun Sato of Phoenix Squadron. While not members of the Ghost crew, other prominent Lothal rebels include Ryder Azadi and Kai Kell.
During the later years of the Rebellion, the Spectre group joined the Phoenix Cell lead by Commander Sato, with Hera serving as Phoenix Leader in their fighter squadron.
Although often overshadowed by their involvement in the Rebellion, Hera was in a romantic relationship with fellow Spectre Kanan Jarrus. Together, they acted as almost surrogate parents to the other Spectres.
The details of her relationship with Kanan are still largely unknown, but they did have a son together. Other than being born in 0 ABY on Lothal, little else is known about Jacen Syndulla at this time.
How Old is Hera Syndulla?
Hera was born in 29 BBY on Ryloth. While she does not appear in The Clone Wars series, she was 7 at the onset of the war and 10 when it ended.
Hera is 10 in The Bad Batch, with those episodes taking place shortly after the events of Revenge of the Sith.
When Rebels starts in 5 BBY, Hera is 24 years old. Rebels spans between 5 BBY and 0 BBY, making Hera 29 at the end of the series. She is also 29 during Rogue One, which is set in 0 BBY.
The Ahsoka series is seemingly set in 9 ABY, along with the other Mandalorian-related Disney+ Star Wars series. This makes Hera is 38 years old at the start of Ahsoka.
Although it is unknown if they will appear, Jacen Syndulla would be 9 years old during Ahsoka.
The Ghost makes an appearance in The Rise of Skywalker, suggesting that Hera is still alive. Assuming so, she is 64 years old. However, the ship could have passed to Jacen, who would be 35 at the time.
About Hera Syndulla in the Real World
Voiced by Vanessa Marshall, Hera Syndulla appeared in the animated series Star Wars: Rebels from 2014 to 2018. The series takes place in the five years leading up to the events of the Original Trilogy.
The epilogue of Rebels shows Hera and the other Spectres fighting during or potentially even after Return of the Jedi.
Vanessa Marshall reprised the role as a younger version of Hera in the animated series The Bad Batch in 2021.
Although never seen, the phrase “General Syndull, please report to the briefing room” was heard in Rogue One in 2016. Also during Rogue One, the Ghost appears outside the Massassi Temple on Yavin and then during the battle over Scariff. The Ghost later appears in The Rise of Skywalker in 2019.
She also appeared in a number of comics and novels including Star Wars (2015), Doctor Aphra (2016), Alphabet Squadron, Star Wars (2020), and Alphabet Squadron: Victory’s Price.
Hera is also scheduled to appear in the upcoming Ahsoka TV series on Disney+. Mary Elizabeth Winsted will portray the character. The series is set approximately ten years after the end of Star Wars: Rebels.
Sabine Wren and Chopper, who also appeared in Rebels, will also appear in Ahoska. Natasha Liu Bordizzo portrays Sabine in Ahsoka, while Dave Filoni returns as the voice of Chopper.
Although not officially announced, Zeb Orrelios made a brief cameo in The Mandalorian Season Three. It seems likely that Zeb could also appear.
Hera’s son with Kanan, Jacen, could also appear in the Ahsoka series. Jacen appears briefly during the epilogue of Star Wars: Rebels.
10 Essential Star Wars: Rebels Episodes About Hera Syndulla
When it comes to understanding who Hera Syndulla is, it is important to stress you should really should watch Star Wars: Rebels from start to finish. Unlike the arc-based The Clone Wars, Rebels is a linear show that focuses on the character development as much, if not more, that the action.
However, there are four seasons with over 28 hours of episodes. Whether you are trying to catch up before Ahsoka or you are just impatient, here are the essential Star Wars: Rebels episodes about General Hera Syndulla.
It is also worth noting that Hera appears in two episodes of The Bad Batch. While both are important to her overall character development, they are not essential to understanding Hera in terms of the larger Mandoverse.
Spark of Rebellion (Season 1, Episodes 1 & 2)
The two-part opener of the series, “Spark of Rebellion” introduces Hera and the Ghost crew. While it does not focus entirely on Hera, it setups up what you can expect from the character and the series. You could technically skip this, but it sets up the basic conflict for the entire series. If you don’t plan to watch all of Rebels, it’s definitely worth the time to establish the show and characters.
Out of Darkness (Season 1, Episode 7)
This is the first episode in the series to really focus on Hera. It establishes her leadership style, as well as hints at her interest being more than just a rebel on Lothal. The episode is important because it showcases how the other Spectre’s have to come to terms with trusting Hera’s judgment, even when she keeps information on a “need to know” basis.
Homecoming (Season 2, Episode 16)
Hera returns to her war-torn homeworld of Ryloth, where she reconnects with her father Cham Syndulla. The episode not only sets up the Spectre’s involvement with the larger Rebel Alliance, but also establishes her complex relationship with her family. Kanan is also slightly apprehensive about meeting Cham, which hints at the complex natural of his relationship with Hera.
Wings of the Master (Season 2, Episode 7)
Rebels establishes Hera as a great pilot, but “Wings of the Master” really showcases her skills in the cockpit. Usually calm and collected, the episode also offers a rare glimpse into Hera’s fears and self doubt. While many Rebels episodes relate to the Original Trilogy, it offers an interesting backstory related to Return of the Jedi.
Hera’s Heroes (Season 3, Episode 5)
“Hera’s Heroes” sees her return to Ryloth. Ultimately, the episode pits Hera against Grand Admiral Thrawn and sets up a rivalry that will continue throughout the rest of the series. While the episode focuses on Hera’s family, it also helps her realize that the Ghost crew are just as much family as her parents and brother.
Zero Hour (Season 3, Episodes 21 & 22)
“Zero Hour” puts her rivalry with Thrawn to the test, with Hera leading a contingent of Alliance personnel. It establishes Hera as a leader within the Rebellion and offers a glimpse of what we might see from her in Ahsoka.
Kindred (Season 4, Episode 7)
While this episode largely focuses on the larger Rebels storyline, there is an intimate and emotional scene between Hera and Kanan. Their relationship is mostly ambiguous throughout the series but this offers a rare glimpse into how close they really are. This is just another example of why the entire series is important. Virtually every episode has at least one scene that is extremely important to the character’s development.
Jedi Night (Season 4, Episode 10)
Hera and the Spectre’s are put to the test and have to make a sacrifice to escape the Empire and Grand Admiral Thrawn. This episode might not have the same impact if you are only watching this essential list, but this is a major turning point for Hera and the entire Ghost crew.
While not entirely necessary, the episode “Rebel Assault” (Season 4, Episode 9) sets up the events of “Jedi Night”. It offers an unusual look at Hera operating with support from the rest of the Ghost team.
DUME (Season 4, Episode 11)
“DUME” deals with the wake of “Jedi Night,” with Hera uncharacteristically emotional. She runs through a range of emotions, but eventually comes to terms with what happened. As with the previous episode, it might not hit as hard if you are skimming through the series.
Family Reunion – and Farewell (Season 4, Episodes 15 & 16)
The Rebels finale is the two part “Family Reunion – and Farewell”, which ties up the series. While it doesn’t necessarily conclude the Rebels storyline, it ties up the show and offers somewhat of a conclusion for Hera’s storyline. The epilogue is expected to tie into Ahsoka, with a number of scenes seemingly recreated in live-action.
Although not absolutely required, the previous episode “A Fool’s Hope” (Season 4, Episode 14) sets up the finale. Unless you are in an absolute rush, it’s worth the added time to get the full story.
Spoiler-Free List of Essential Hera Syndulla Rebels Episodes
Here are the essential Star Wars: Rebels episodes that explain Hera’s character and will prepare you for the upcoming Ahsoka Tano TV series:
- Star Wars: Rebels — Season 1, Episodes 1 & 2 “Spark of Rebellion”
- Star Wars: Rebels — Season 1, Episode 7 “Out of Darkness”
- Star Wars: Rebels — Season 2, Episode 16 “Homecoming”
- Star Wars: Rebels — Season 2, Episode 7 “Wings of the Master”
- Star Wars: Rebels — Season 3, Episode 5 “Hera’s Heroes”
- Star Wars: Rebels — Season 3, Episodes 21 & 22 “Zero Hour”
- Star Wars: Rebels — Season 4, Episode 7 “Kindred”
- Star Wars: Rebels — Season 4, Episode 9 “Rebel Assault” (Optional)
- Star Wars: Rebels — Season 4, Episode 10 “Jedi Night”
- Star Wars: Rebels — Season 4, Episode 11 “DUME”
- Star Wars: Rebels — Season 4, Episode 14 “A Fool’s Hope” (Optional)
- Star Wars: Rebels — Season 4, Episodes 15 & 16 “Family Reunion – and Farewell”
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