Wondering who the man speaking at the Lothal memorial dedication ceremony is? Once a rebel leader, Ryder Azadi is the governor of Lothal. Played by Clancy Brown, he previously voiced the character in Star Wars: Rebels. However, Brown also also played a number of characters in Star Wars. Clancy Brown’s major characters include Savage Opress in The Clone Wars, Burg in The Mandalorian, and an Inquisitor in Tales of the Jedi. Here is everything you need to know about Ryder Azadi in Ahsoka and Rebels. Plus, we look at the other characters that Brown played in Star Wars.
Spoiler Warning: This article includes spoilers for both Ahsoka and Star Wars: Rebels. Avoid spoilers by skipping ahead to the spoiler-free essential Ryder Azadi watchlist.
Who Is Ryder Azadi in Star Wars
Ryder Azadi was the Moff and governor of the planet Lothal shortly after the Republic was reformed as the Galactic Empire in 19 BBY. Dissatisfied with Imperial rule, he supported rebels on Lothal.
To cover up his involvement with the rebels, Azadi attempted to take over Pryce Mining. Run by Arihnda Pryce, the corporate coop failed. He was eventually captured by the Empire, with Arihnda Pryce replacing Azadi as the planetary governor.
He spent a number of years in an Imperial prison with other prominent Lothal rebels Ephraim and Mira Bridger. Ephraim and Mira are Ezra Bridger’s parents, and Azadi sought him out on Lothal after a daring prison break around 4 BBY.
Azadi was initially reluctant to become a rebel, wanting to avoid returning to prison. He eventually agreed to work with the Lothal rebels the Spectres, also known as the Ghost crew. This included Hera Syndullah, Kanan Jarrus, Chopper, Zeb Orrelios, Sabine Wren, and Ezra Bridger. Rebel operatives Ahsoka Tano and Commander Rex occasionally helped Ryder and the Spectres.
By 2 BBY, Ryder was the leader of his own rebel cell. Members included farmers Morad and Marida Sumar, Ithorian bartender Jho, and former Imperial cadet Jai Kell. Azadi and his rebels participated in a number of important rebel missions, including the liberation of Lothal in 0 BBY.
In 9 ABY, Azadi served as the governor of Lothal. It is unclear exactly when he reclaimed the governorship. It is possible that he served as governor since approximately 0 BBY.
Who Is Ryder Azadi in Real Life
Ryder Azadi is a character created for the series Star Wars: Rebels. Clancy Brown voices the character throughout the series. He later reprised the role for the live-action series Ahsoka.
Azadi is first introduced in Season Two, Episode Eleven, “Legacy.” Subsequently, he was speaking rolling a total of 12 episodes. The character appears, but is not heard in two other episodes, “Secret Cargo” and “Jedi Night.” He is mentioned in “In the Name of the Rebellion,” effectively bringing his total to 15 episodes.
As a voice actor, Brown has appeared in several other Star Wars properties as other characters, including The Clone Wars, The Mandalorian, and Tales of the Jedi.
Essential Rebels Watchlist for Ryder Azadi
Here are the essential Rebels episodes about Ryder Azadi. However, it is important to remember that Rebels is a linear show full of interconnected episodes. While the following episodes will give you the most important backstory about Azadi, other episodes offer details about the character and related storylines.
The Star Wars: Rebels series is canon, with many events relating directly to Ahsoka, The Mandalorian, and the growing Mandoverse. As such, the entire series is worth watching. Both for the larger story and for the direct connections to other Star Wars series.
“Legacy” (Season 2, Episode 11)
The episode establishes Ryder as the former governor of Lothal. He spent a number of years in an Imperial prison for supporting the anti-Empire rebels Ephraim and Mira Bridger. After several years in prison and a daring escape, Azadi returns to Lothal to find Ezra Bridger, their son. The episode provides a basic history for the character and sets up his involvement in the rest of the series.
“A Princess on Lothal” (Season 2, Episode 12)
The Spectres are desperate for support and supplies, so they turn to the larger rebellion for support. They also asked Azadi for help. However, he initially refuses because he does not want to return to prison. Later, Ryder is caught and sentenced to death by Stormtroopers, but Leia Organa and the other Lothal rebels intervene. After they escape, Ryder realizes that he is a target regardless of his rebel involvement and agrees to join their cause.
“An Inside Man” (Season 3, Episode 10)
Members of Ryder’s Lothal rebel group are sabotaging the speeders at an Imperial production facility. Due to the increase in unexplained failures, Thrawn, Pryce, and Agent Kallus arrive for an unplanned inspection. Just before the inspection, Kanan, Ezra, and Chopper enter the facility in disguise to steal information. Thrawn has one of the workers, who is also a Lothal rebel, test a speeder. Ultimately, they end up dying when it explodes. Thrawn lockdown the facility, intending to inspect the line for sabotage. Kanan and Ezra attempt to access the Imperial systems and they get help from an unlikely ally, Agent Kallus. Ryder then helps Kanan and Ezra escape.
“Flight of the Defender” (Season 4, Episode 6) [Optional, But Recommended]
After receiving information that the Empire is planning to test a new TIE fighter variant, Ryder, Sabine, Ezra, and Zeb stake out an Imperial facility on Lothal. Against Ryder’s advice, Sabine and Ezra sneak into the facility to steal the flight recorder on the new fighter. Later, they decide to steal one of the new fighters because it has a hyperdrive. They plan to remove the hyperdrive and install it in Ryder’s U-Wing starfighter. However, a chase ensues and they end up crashing the lighter. Sabine and Erza hide the flight recorder and the hyperdrive before getting picked up by Ryder and Zeb.
“Kindred” (Season 4, Episode 7)
Ezra and Jai Kell, disguised as Stormtroopers, along with Zeb, return to pick up the flight record and hyperdrive. However, Thrawn’s assassin Ruhk is hot on their trail. Zeb escapes with the hyperdrive in a stolen Imperial troop transport. Ezra and Jai lead Ruhk away and eventually lose him. They regroup at the rebel camp, where Sabine installs the hyperdrive in Ryder’s U-Wing. With Imperials approaching the base, they all rush to evacuate. Hera and Chopper take off in the U-Wing, with Jai Kell leaving on a landspeeder. Ryder, Kanan, Sabine, Ezra, and Zeb prepare to leave in the Imperial troop transport, but it is destroyed by the Empire before they can get aboard. With the Empire baring down, the rebels escape with the help of the mysterious Loth-wolves.
“A Fool’s Hope” (Season 4, Episode 14)
Hera and Chopper work with Captain Rex, clones Gregor and Wolffe, pirate Hondo Ohnaka, and Imperial defector Kallus on a plan to liberate Lothal from Imperial control. Similarly, Ezra, Sabine, Zeb, and Ryder are discussing plans to retake the Lothal Capital City from their hidden base. With Thrawn returning to Lothal, Ryder voices his concern that any plan will fail. Ultimately, Ryder contacts Governor Pryce and offers to turn over the Ghost crew in exchange for amnesty. The Empire attacks the rebel camp, eventually cornering Ezra, Sabine, and Zeb, among others. Just as Pryce is poised to capture the base, the Ghost swoops in and Ryder reveals his fake defection was all part of the plan. With the Imperials defeated, Ryder handcuffs Pryce.
“Family Reunion – and Farewell” (Season 4, Episodes 15 & 16) [Optional, But Recommended]
While you do not absolutely need to watch the Rebels series finale, the first segment ties up Ryder Azadi’s story from “A Fool’s Hope”. It also wraps up the entire series, so some of the plot points might be confusing if you only watch the episodes related to Ryder. Also, parts of the series epilogue relate directly to Ahsoka in other ways.
Spoiler-Free Rebels Watchlist for Ryder Azadi
If you want to remain spoiler-free about Ryder Azadi, here are the Star Wars: Rebels episodes to watch. They explain the most important details about the character and provide important backstory that relates to both Ahsoka and the Mandoverse.
- Star Wars: Rebels — Season 2, Episode 11 “Legacy”
- Star Wars: Rebels — Season 2, Episode 12 “A Princess on Lothal”
- Star Wars: Rebels — Season 3, Episode 10 “An Inside Man”
- Star Wars: Rebels — Season 4, Episode 6 “Flight of the Defender” (Optional)
- Star Wars: Rebels — Season 4, Episode 7 “Kindred”
- Star Wars: Rebels — Season 4, Episode 14 “A Fool’s Hope”
- Star Wars: Rebels — Season 4, Episodes 15 & 16 “Family Reunion – and Farewell” (Optional)
Star Wars: Rebels is available on Disney+, as well as available for purchase on DVD and digital download.
Clancy Brown in Star Wars
Clancy Brown has a rich history within Star Wars, appearing in the 2002 video game Bounty Hunter, the 2008 animated series The Clone Wars, the 2014 animated series Rebels, the 2019 live-action The Mandalorian, the 2022 animated anthology series Tales of the Jedi, and the 2023 live-action Ahsoka.
So far, he plays a different character in each Star Wars properly. The exception is the character Ryder Azadi, who appears in both Rebels and Ahsoka.
With the exception of Bounty Hunter, which is no longer canon, the following descriptions are spoiler-free.
Star Wars: Bounty Hunter
Brown voiced Montross, a long-time rival of Jango Fett. A Mandalorian turned bounty hunter like Fett, he was especially ruthless.
Although it was canon when it first came out, the video game is now part of the Star Wars Legends timeline. Set approximately ten years before Attack of the Clones, it establishes how Darth Sidious selected Jango as the template for the clone army.
The Clone Wars
Brown then voiced Savage Opress, Maul’s brother, in The Clone Wars. Opress was introduced in “Monster,” the thirteenth episode of Season Three. He appears in eight episodes of the series.
Savage’s story arc sees him crossing paths with Asajj Ventress, Count Dooku, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Darth Sidious, as well as finding his long-lost brother Maul.
Brown also voices an unnamed nightbrother in “Monster” and an unnamed human bounty hunter in “Revenge”. Both episodes include Savage Opress.
Rebels
As mentioned above, Brown voiced Ryder Azadi in 12 episodes of Rebels. The character appeared in a non-speaking role in two other episodes and is mentioned in one more. Like his The Clone Wars appearances, Brown also voiced a number of other unnamed characters in episodes where he appeared as Azadi.
He voiced an Imperial officer and Stormtrooper #2 in “A Princess on Lothal.” In “An Inside Man,” he also voiced a factory worker and a Stormtrooper commander. He voiced rebel pilot #2 in “Zero Hour” and a slave master in “Crawler Commanders.”
The Mandalorian
In his first Star Wars live-action appearance, Clancy Brown portrays the male Devaronian Burg in the 2019 The Mandalorian episode “Chapter 6: The Prisoner.” Burg is the muscle in Ranzar Malk’s mercenary group which also includes Migs Mayfeld, Xi’an, and Q9-0.
Tales of the Jedi
In the Tales of the Jedi anthology show, Brown voiced the unnamed Inquisitor in episode six, “Resolve.” The 2022 episode depicts certain events from the 2016 Ahsoka novel by E. K. Johnston.
Ahsoka
As explained in detail above, Brown reprises the voice role of Azadi in the 2023 live-action series Ahsoka. While it could be just a one-episode cameo, Brown could appear again in the series if Ahsoka and Sabine return to Lothal.
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