Every 'Star Wars: Rebels' Hero, Ranked by Likability (original) (raw)
Published Sep 24, 2023, 2:30 PM EDT
Liam Gaughan is a film and TV writer at Collider. He has been writing film reviews and news coverage for ten years. Between relentlessly adding new titles to his watchlist and attending as many screenings as he can, Liam is always watching new movies and television shows.
In addition to reviewing, writing, and commentating on both new and old releases, Liam has interviewed talent such as Mark Wahlberg, Jesse Plemons, Sam Mendes, Billy Eichner, Dylan O'Brien, Luke Wilson, and B.J. Novak. Liam aims to get his spec scripts produced and currently writes short films and stage plays. He lives in Allentown, PA.
Star Wars Rebels is a great entry within the vast and ever-expanding world of Star Wars_animation that served as an interesting exploration of the "dark times" between **Revenge of the Sith_** and A New Hope. Its sister series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, introduced Ashley Eckstein's Ahsoka Tano, and Rebels brought in a ton of new heroes into the mix instead of relying on previously established characters from the films.
Many of the pivotal characters from Rebels are set to appear in Dave Filoni's live-action Disney+ series Ahsoka, giving fans the perfect excuse to catch up with these heroic and rebellious figures. Here is every main hero in Star Wars Rebels, ranked by likability.
8 Alexsandr Kallus
Alexsandr Kallus in Star Wars Rebels
Image via Disney+
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 the Rebels characters. 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.
While this ultimately gives Kallus an interesting journey, he stands as the least likable character within the Ghost crew 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 in Star Wars' rich lore.
7 Chopper
C1-10P Chopper in Star Wars: Rebels
Image via Disney+
Star Wars has no shortage of beloved droids; The Force Awakens had BB-8, Rogue One had K2-SO (Alan Tudyk), Solo had L3-37 (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), and The Mandalorian had IG-11 (Taika Waititi). Rebels also 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.
6 Ezra Bridger
Ezra Bridger Star Wars Rebels
Image via Disney+
A good rule of thumb for Star Wars fans watching Rebels for 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 the Star Wars universe, it becomes a more mature entry within the galaxy far, far away.
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.
5 Hera Syndulla
Hera Syndulla (Vanessa Marshall) is one Rebels character who shares a connection with The 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 the Ghost crew. 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.
4 Garazeb "Zeb" Orrelios
Zeb Orrelios in Star Wars Rebels
Image via Lucasfilm
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 the Ghost crew scores feels like a personal win for Zeb.
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 like Star Wars.
3 Ahsoka Tano
Ahsoka Tano and Captain Rex hugging in Star Wars: Rebels
Image via Lucasfilm
Ahsoka's journey may have started in The 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 in Rebels' entire run.
Ahsoka and her loyal clone officer, Captain Rex (Dee Bradley Baker), help add a larger context to Rebels' 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 among Star Wars fans. Every episode with Ahsoka is strong, but unfortunately, she only occasionally pops up.
2 Kanan Jarrus
Image via Disney+
A former Jedi padawan who serves as Ezra's new Jedi Master, Kanan Jarrus (Freddie Prinze Jr.) feels like an amalgamation of Star 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 in Star Wars - no small feat, considering the galactic icons that have come and gone.
1 Sabine Wren
Sabine Wren holding up the Darksaber in Star Wars: Rebels
Image via Lucasfilm
Sabine Wren (Tiya Sircar) is a teenage Mandalorian warrior who expresses her feelings through art. While Mandalore had been featured on The Clone Wars and Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) has been an interesting protagonist, a Star Wars television 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 questions the mistakes Mandalore made in the past and 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 across Star Wars.