"The Siege of Lothal, Part I" Episode Guide | Star Wars Rebels - S2 E1

Once the heroic Jedi Knight named Anakin Skywalker, Darth Vader was seduced by the dark side of the Force. Forever scarred by his defeat on Mustafar, Vader was transformed into a cybernetically-enhanced Sith Lord. At the dawn of the Empire, Vader led the Empire’s eradication of the Jedi Order and the search for survivors. He remained in service of the Emperor -- the evil Darth Sidious -- for decades, enforcing his Master’s will and seeking to crush the Rebel Alliance and other detractors. But there was still good in him…

One of the few to be trained as a Jedi after the fall of the Republic, Ezra Bridger grew up an orphan on the streets of Lothal during the age of the Empire. Although he had learned to be wary of strangers, his introduction to the Ghost crew, a small band of rebels fighting back against the Imperial regime, changed his outlook and his future. Training in the ways of the Force under the mentorship of Kanan Jarrus, Ezra became a Jedi Padawan and a part of the emerging rebellion. He also grew close to Hera Syndulla, Zeb, Chopper, and Sabine Wren, who was like a sister in his new found family. After several years together, Bridger vanished during the Battle of Lothal, disappearing into parts unknown in a hyperspace jump that pulled Ezra and Grand Admiral Thrawn into deep space.

Not every Jedi perished in Order 66. Once known by the name Caleb Dume, Kanan Jarrus survived the Emperor’s purge, going underground for years and hiding the truth about who he really was. To keep his past a secret, Kanan carried a blaster -- an uncommon practice for a Jedi -- and used a lightsaber that had to be assembled. In the years leading up to the galactic civil war, he was a leader among the Ghost crew, a small group of rebels looking to strike back against the Empire, and with the emergence of the Force-sensitive Ezra, once again embraced his identity as a Jedi Knight.

Former Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano once served as the Padawan learner to the Jedi Anakin Skywalker during the Clone Wars. A respected leader and warrior attuned to the light side of the Force, Ahsoka grew into a formidable fighter before the Empire’s reign changed the course of galactic history. Although she walked away from the Jedi Order, she continued to stand up for those fighting for peace and justice in the galaxy long after the fall of the Republic.

Jun Sato was the by-the-books leader of the Phoenix rebel cell. He was grateful for the assistance of the Ghost crew, who were highly recommended by Fulcrum and Bail Organa, though he hoped they would become more disciplined. After the destruction of his command frigate, he transferred his command to the blockade runner Liberator.

W1-LE was Lando Calrissian’s personal attendant droid. Even with a laid-back personality, it handled all of Lando’s business, particularly in his absence. Lando owned W1-1E since the Clone Wars; the droid once had a different body type, but Lando transferred its logic unit to an RQ unit. When the Lothal rebels made a deal with Calrissian for safe passage off the planet, W1-LE completed the transaction in Lando’s stead.