Hera Syndulla

The character of Hera Syndulla was first created in 2014 for the animated television show Star Wars Rebels. The character was first revealed on February 20, 2014 with the announcement that she would be voiced by Vanessa Marshall in a video posted to the Star Wars YouTube channel.{{cite web |author=Star Wars |date=February 20, 2014 |title=Meet Hera, the Pilot {{!}} Star Wars Rebels |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzopG0SGJYI |website=YouTube |language=en-US |access-date=May 4, 2023}} The character was named after the Greek goddess of marriage, women and family Hera, meaning "protector".{{cite web |last1=Burns |first1=James |date=June 29, 2015 |title=Star Wars Rebels: What's In A Name? |url=https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-rebels-whats-in-a-name |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200221131755/https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-rebels-whats-in-a-name |archive-date=February 21, 2020 |website=Star Wars |language=en-US |access-date=May 4, 2023}} When Marshall was auditioning for the role, Star Wars Rebels was using a secret title but Marshall saw the character "described as a pilot who wanted to see the 'tyranny' fall" and inserted Star Wars elements like the Empire into the character description when she was auditioning.{{cite web |last1=Goldman |first1=Eric |date=May 4, 2014 |title=Star Wars Rebels: Vanessa Marshall Discusses Hera and Her Own Star Wars Fandom |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/05/04/star-wars-rebels-vanessa-marshall-discusses-hera-and-her-own-star-wars-fandom |website=IGN |language=en-US |access-date=May 4, 2023}}

Syndulla's outfit in Rebels was designed to imitate a classic X-Wing pilot flight outfit that is mixed with elements from World War II-era pilot gear such as a leather shoulder assembly and flight goggles.{{cite web |last1=Filoni |first1=Dave |date=April 16, 2014 |title=Star Wars Rebels Costuming 101: Hera Syndulla |url=https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-rebels-costuming-101-hera-syndulla |website=Star Wars |language=en-US |access-date=May 4, 2023}} For season 3 of Rebels, Hera underwent a minor redesign with more texturing added to the character model and adding a patch to signify her position as Phoenix Leader in the Rebellion's Phoenix Squadron.

Hera's leadership style is a more mature and emotionally intelligent one. The Rebels episode "Homecoming" deals with how Hera’s sense of duty to the whole galaxy conflicts with her father’s commitment to their home planet Ryloth. She convinces her father Cham Syndulla to widen his perspective and fight for the freedom of other planets that are not Ryloth.

Hera Syndulla serves in a mother-figure role to the rest of the Ghost Crew, mentoring them and helping to hold the group together when they would otherwise fall apart.{{cite web |last1=Potter Swan |first1=Christina |date=March 14, 2018 |title=How Star Wars Rebels{{'}} Hera Broke the Mother Archetype—and Recreated It in Her Own Image |url=https://www.themarysue.com/hera-star-wars-rebels-mother-archetype/ |website=The Mary Sue |language=en-US |access-date=May 4, 2023}} In particular, she forms a motherly bond with Ezra Bridger who was orphaned as a child.

In 0 BBY, Syndulla became a mother to son Jacen Syndulla with the late Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus.{{cite web |last1=Johnson |first1=Mia |date=July 9, 2021 |title=The Bad Batch: Who is Hera Syndulla in Star Wars? |url=https://dorksideoftheforce.com/2021/07/09/the-bad-batch-who-is-hera-syndulla/ |website=The Dork Side of the Force |language=en-US |access-date=May 4, 2023}}

Hera Syndulla is mentioned in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story on the Rebel Alliance's Yavin IV base when an announcer on the base intercom summons "General Syndulla" to the briefing room.{{cite magazine |last1=Breznican |first1=Anthony |date=August 24, 2022 |title=All the Star Wars Rebels references in Rogue One |url=https://ew.com/movies/rogue-one-rebels-references/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |language=en-US |access-date=May 4, 2023}} Dave Filoni confirmed that it was indeed referencing Hera rather than her father.{{cite web |last1=Collinson |first1=Gary |date=December 24, 2016 |title=Dave Filoni on the Star Wars Rebels references in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story |url=https://www.flickeringmyth.com/2016/12/dave-filoni-on-the-star-wars-rebels-references-in-rogue-one-a-star-wars-story/ |website=Flickering Myth |language=en-US |access-date=May 4, 2023}} Additionally, Syndulla's droid Chopper is briefly seen in the background.{{cite web |last1=Miller |first1=David |date=January 6, 2021 |title=Where To Find Star Wars Rebels' Chopper Cameo In Rogue One |url=https://screenrant.com/rogue-one-star-wars-rebels-chopper-easter-egg/ |website=ScreenRant |language=en-US |access-date=May 4, 2023}}

Syndulla is a lead character in Rebels during its four seasons.

A 10-year-old Hera Syndulla appears in the eleventh and twelfth episodes from the first season of The Bad Batch titled "Devil's Deal" and "Rescue on Ryloth". Syndulla is again voiced by Vanessa Marshall.{{cite web |last1=Brooks |first1=Dan |date=July 19, 2021 |title=Hera Flies Again: Vanessa Marshall on Returning as the High-Flying Pilot in Star Wars: The Bad Batch |url=https://www.starwars.com/news/vanessa-marshall-interview-star-wars-the-bad-batch |website=Star Wars |language=en-US |access-date=May 4, 2023}} However, unlike the character's American accent in Rebels, the younger Hera has a French accent from living on her native Ryloth.{{cite web |last1=Keane |first1=Sean |date=July 15, 2021 |title=Hera Syndulla's voice in Star Wars: The Bad Batch was inspired by Marvel |url=https://www.cnet.com/culture/entertainment/hera-syndulla-voice-in-star-wars-the-bad-batch-was-inspired-by-marvel/ |website=CNET |language=en-US |access-date=May 4, 2023}} Previously in Rebels, Syndulla would slip into a French accent when she is emotional such as when arguing with her father Cham. Syndulla's dysfunctional astromech droid C1-10P ("Chopper"), who was rescued by Hera from a crashed Y-Wing ship during the Clone Wars on Ryloth, is featured alongside a young Syndulla.{{cite web |last1=Yoor |first1=Kelsey |date=July 25, 2021 |title=Star Wars: Chopper's Surprise Bad Batch Return Proves Why He's a Fan Favorite |url=https://www.cbr.com/star-wars-bad-batch-chopper-return-proves-fan-favorite/ |website=CBR |language=en-US |access-date=May 4, 2023}}

File:Hera_Syndulla_Ahsoka.jpg as Syndulla in Ahsoka.]]

Hera Syndulla is portrayed in live-action for the first time by Mary Elizabeth Winstead in the 2023 series Ahsoka.{{cite web |last1=Dinsdale |first1=Ryan |date=April 7, 2023 |title=Ahsoka: Mary Elizabeth Winstead Playing Live-Action Version of Beloved Star Wars Rebels Character |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/ahsoka-mary-elizabeth-winstead-playing-live-action-version-of-beloved-star-wars-rebels-character |website=IGN |language=en-US |access-date=May 4, 2023}} The casting of Winstead was first reported in December 2022 and was formally confirmed at Star Wars Celebration in April 2023.{{cite web |last1=Amin |first1=Arezou |date=December 23, 2022 |title=Mary Elizabeth Winstead Reportedly Cast as Hera Syndulla in 'Ahsoka' Series |url=https://collider.com/ahsoka-series-hera-syndulla-mary-elizabeth-winstead-cast/ |website=Collider |language=en-US |access-date=May 4, 2023}} Winstead said that, in Ahsoka, Hera "is a general and she has become some kind of a legend just from all the work she's done fighting on behalf of the Rebellion".{{cite web |last1=Barnhardt |first1=Adam |date=April 8, 2023 |title=Star Wars' Mary Elizabeth Winstead Reveals Who Hera Has Become in Ahsoka (Exclusive) |url=https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/star-wars-ahsoka-mary-elizabeth-winstead-hera-syndulla-teaser/ |website=Comic Book |language=en-US |access-date=May 4, 2023}} In 9 ABY, when the Ahsoka series is set, General Hera Syndulla is a military leader in the New Republic and informs Chancellor Mon Mothma that the Republic must prepare for the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn from the Unknown Regions.{{cite web |title=SWCE 2023: The Ahsoka Trailer Is Here |url=https://www.starwars.com/news/swce-2023-ahsoka-trailer |website=Star Wars |language=en-US |date=April 7, 2023 |access-date=May 13, 2023}}

Syndulla is a playable character in the free-to-play turn-based mobile role-playing game Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes, released on iOS and Android in 2015. She, along with several other Rebels characters, were added into the game in 2017 as part of the new "Phoenix" faction. She is a support character who leads fellow Phoenix characters and is well known for allowing them to share their passive abilities as leader.

Syndulla is also a playable Light Side leader character for the Rebel Alliance faction in the mobile card-powered MOBA game Star Wars: Force Arena, and was immediately available to unlock and play as during the game's worldwide launch in 2017. She is a ranged leader whose special ability is to call in a bombing run with the Ghost to deal area of effect damage.

Syndulla is featured in the 2020 EA flight-combat video game Star Wars: Squadrons, set in the years following Return of the Jedi. In Squadrons, Syndulla is a Rebel General in charge of the Starhawk Project, tasked with creating a fleet of Starhawk ships with super-powerful tractor beams.{{cite web |last1=Franzese |first1=Thomas |date=October 6, 2020 |title=How Star Wars: Squadrons sets up Hera Syndulla for The Mandalorian |url=https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/mandalorian-season-2-star-wars-squadrons-hera-syndulla |website=Inverse |language=en-US |access-date=May 4, 2023}}

The 2014 prequel novel A New Dawn follows Kanan Jarrus after Order 66 as he makes allies with Hera Syndulla before the events of Rebels.{{cite web |last1=Heddle |first1=Jennifer |date=September 5, 2014 |title=A New Dawn for Star Wars Storytelling |url=https://www.starwars.com/news/a-new-dawn-for-star-wars-storytelling |website=Star Wars |language=en-US |access-date=May 4, 2023}}

In the novel Alphabet Squadron, set shortly after Return of the Jedi, Hera serves as a general in the New Republic and oversees the starfighter group known as Alphabet Squadron.

In 2022, Entertainment Weekly placed Hera Syndulla at 27 on their list of top 100 Star Wars characters.{{cite magazine |last1=Ross |first1=Dalton |last2=Coggan |first2=Devan |last3=Morgan |first3=Lauren |last4=Holub |first4=Christian |last5=Romano |first5=Nick |last6=Franich |first6=Darren |last7=Kerr |first7=Chuck |date=May 4, 2022 |title=The top 100 Star Wars characters ever |url=https://ew.com/movies/star-wars-top-100-characters-ever-ranked/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |language=en-US |access-date=May 4, 2023}}

• {{Wookieepedia|Hera Syndulla}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Star Wars Rebels}}

{{Star Wars: The Bad Batch}}

{{Ahsoka (TV series)}}

Category:Characters created by Dave Filoni

Category:Fictional female spies

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Category:Television characters introduced in 2014

Category:Ahsoka (TV series) characters