For fans of Star Wars Rebels, the past three seasons have been quite a rollercoaster ride. We’ve seen characters like Ezra and Sabine come into their own, while others like Zeb and Kallus have learned to see beyond their differences. Hera and Kanan have also continued to grow in many ways, with both playing a larger role in the Rebel Alliance. All members of the Ghost crew have grown and become increasingly more involved in the rebellion and the fight against the empire.

At the recent Star Wars Celebration convention held in Orlando, Florida, Star Wars Rebels fans received some bitter news regarding the beloved animated series— season four will be its last. The decision stems from showrunner Dave Filoni’s past experiences, dating back to when The Clone Wars was abruptly taken off the air before the story could wrap up completely. While some feel that it is time for Star Wars Rebels to come to a close, others feel like there's so many more plot lines left to resolve.

While we count down the days until the premiere of season four (and The Last Jedi!), here are 15 Revelations From Season Three of Star Wars Rebels.

[WARNING – This article contains SPOILERS for Star Wars Rebels season 3.]

15. How Wedge Antilles defected from the Empire and joined the Rebel Alliance

Wedge Antilles Star Wars Rebels Season 3

In the third episode of season three, “The Antilles Extraction”, the Rebels suffer some major losses during a supply mission to Teralov, including a fleet of A-wings. After receiving a transmission from Fulcrum, the members of the Ghost crew learn that there are several pilots who want to defect from the Empire. Although Ezra wants to volunteer, Sabine goes undercover to Skystrike Academy to help the pilots escape from the clutches of the Empire.

Using the code name Ria Talla, Sabine meets the young pilots Wedge Antilles, Derek "Hobbie" Klivian, and Rake Gahree. Wedge tells her that he was a former cargo ship pilot, but feels like serving the Empire is not what he originally signed up for. Governor Pryce issues a test for all the pilots, and Sabine sends a signal to the Ghost for their extraction.

After Rake’s ship goes down in their attempt to escape, Sabine, Wedge and Hobbie are taken into custody by Governor Pryce. Although Sabine manages to free herself, the three are nearly cornered by Imperials. Much to Sabine’s shock, Agent Kallus distracts the incoming Imperials and allows them to escape, telling her that he’s finally even with Zeb.

14. How Sabine learned to use the Darksaber

Tiya Sircar as Sabine Wren with Darksaber in Star Wars Rebels

In one of the most poignant episodes from season three, “Trials of the Darksaber” explored personal challenges faced by both Sabine and Kanan. While he initially hesitated at first, Kanan eventually agreed to train Sabine to use the Darksaber.

This mysterious weapon was first created by Tor Vizsla, a Jedi from Mandalore who crafted the unique blade. The Darksaber was later taken by Mandalorians and returned to their homeworld of Mandalore. In The Clone Wars, the weapon was wielded by Pre Vizsla, the leader of Death Watch.

The Darksaber fell into Sabine's hands back in episode eleven, "Visions and Voices", where she discovered it in Darth Maul's hideout. Voice actress Tiya Sircar shone in her role as Sabine-- in this episode in particular-- through her emotional performance.

In the past, we have seen training scenes between Kanan and Ezra, but this episode offered a new dynamic between Kanan and Sabine.

13. Hondo asks for help from the Ghost crew in exchange for proton bombs

Hondo Ohnaka talks to other pirates about The Wynkahthu Job

Voiced by the delightful Jim Cummings, Hondo Ohnaka is a Weequay space pirate with a nefarious reputation. Ohnaka is hardly ever short on elaborate schemes, and his reintroduction to the series is always an amusing addition to any episode.

In episode nine, "The Wynkahthu Job", Ohnaka is back to his usual business. This time, Hondo has teamed up with an unlikely new partner, Azmorigan. Last time the crew encountered the Jablogian, Ohnaka had slyly sold Hera to him as a personal servant. Despite their initial shock, Ohnaka eventually convinces the rebels to help him in exchange for some proton bombs.

First off, the crew of the Ghost would have to help him board an Imperial cargo ship above the planet Wynkathu. Of course, mayhem ensues, but thanks to Zeb and some quick maneuvers by the Ghost Crew, the Rebels managed to acquire some much-needed proton bombs.

12. Ezra convinces battle droids from the Clone Wars to go against the Empire

Battle Droids marching in Star Wars Rebels

In episode six of season three, "The Last Battle", viewers were given a nostalgic look at some of the familiar characters from The Clone Wars. The episode focused on the Rebels caught in a heated match with a savvy tactical droid called General Kalani. With an army of battle droids at his disposal, the General is hellbent on finishing one more final battle.

On a side note, if the character sounds familiar, it's because General Kalani was originally featured in The Clone Wars, specifically around the time when Saw Gerrera was introduced on screen. 

Having been stranded on the planet for years, the droids still believed that the Clone Wars were happening. Captain Rex, Ezra, and the Rebels are faced with a difficult strategy game versus Kalani, but it is Ezra who convinces the General to help them fight against the Empire.

11. Senator Mon Mothma's debut and speech unifying the Rebel Alliance

Star Wars Rebels - Senator Mon Mothma with her hand on her heart

Senator Mon Mothma makes her official debut in episode eighteen of season three, "Secret Cargo". After speaking out against the Emperor, Mothma officially becomes an Imperial threat. With Grand Admiral Thrawn patiently plotting her capture, Mothma must be safely escorted to Dantooine by the members of the Ghost crew.

In a harrowingly close call, the Rebels are able to accomplish their mission, and Mon Mothma delivers a cry for help from all parts of the galaxy. Her speech is brilliant, and her inspiring words rally a fleet of ships to her aid. As ship after ship begins to arrive out of hyperspace, the Rebel Alliance is officially underway.

Given the rebels are driven to Dantooine, this episode brings the timeline of Star Wars Rebels one step closer to the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

10. Hera destroyed her childhood home on Ryloth to help Rebels

Star Wars Rebels Hera Syndulla Kalikori Thrawn Ezra

Hera Syndulla has made strides in her fight against the Empire, but she still faces personal struggles with her past. In episode four, “Hera’s Heroes”, she is confronted with a deeply personal choice about her old way of life. Imperials now occupy the entire Tann province, which is where Hera grew up as a child. Her father Cham had to escape, and in his haste, he failed to grab the kalikori, a generational totem which is passed down the line of a Twi'lek family. Each generation adds to the artwork, making their family history an actual work of art. Hera recalls how important the kalikori was to her mother, and she embarks on a personal mission to get it back.

Hera returns to her childhood home with Ezra, disguised as a Scout Trooper. His cover doesn't last long, and the pair is quickly discovered by Grand Admiral Thrawn. With their lives on the line, Hera makes a tough decision to plant explosives and destroy her former home. When she reunites with the members of the Ghost, Hera reminds them that her home is her ship and she's lucky to be surrounded by her family every day.

9. Maul and Ezra unlock the Holocrons

Star Wars Rebels: Ezra and Maul With the Holocron

In the second episode of season three, "Holocrons of Fate", the relationship between Kanan and Ezra is put to the test. After Maul captures their Rebel friends, he demands to be given the Sith holocron in exchange for their return. In the previous episode, Kanan had left the holocron with the mysterious creature known as the Bendu. When they go to retrieve it, the Bendu tells them that a combination of the Jedi and Sith holocrons will provide clarity, yet the object has created an imbalance between Kanan and Ezra.

While searching for the lost holocron, Ezra reveals his feelings of guilt about what happened on Malachor, and Kanan gently tells him to forgive himself. After they reconcile, both teacher and Padawan use the Force to retrieve the Sith holocron together.

Later, they deliver the holocron to Maul, who slyly pushes Kanan out of an airlock. Soon after, Maul and Ezra combine forces to open the holocrons, and Ezra is able to see "twin suns" before the connection is severed. Maul escapes while muttering "He lives!" Ezra is unable to remember what he saw exactly, citing fuzzy visions of planets that were familiar and some not.

8. Saw Gerrera on Geonosis, and the Fate of Geonosians

Star Wars Rebels Saw Gerrera

When viewers were first introduced to Saw Gerrera, his sister was killed in a fight against the Separatists. After the Empire took control of his home planet, Onderon, Gerrera became fixed on seeking revenge against the Imperial forces. Gerrera is no stranger to extremist methods, and his style is virtually unchanged in episode twelve, "Ghosts of Geonosis".

Voiced by Forest Whitaker, Gerrera crosses paths with Kanan and Ezra while hunting down a Geonosian. After Gerrera's team of loyalists were killed, he's set on getting some revenge. Ezra protects Click Clack (yes, that's his real name), and questions him about what happened on Geonosis.

In one scene, Ezra picks up Gerrera's holo of his late sister, Steela. Driven by his lust for revenge, Saw is so hellbent on getting the Geonosian, that he almost completely forgets about his last reminder of his sister. In the end, Ezra stands up for Click Clack, and the rebels nearly retrieve hard evidence that would prove the Empire's involvement in the genocide of the Genosians.

However, when Imperial forces arrive, the rebels are only able to escape with pictures of the poisonous gas canisters.

7. Grand Admiral Thrawn and his tactics against the Rebels

Star Wars Rebels season 3 - Grand Admiral Thrawn

The first episode of season three introduced Grand Admiral Thrawn, a cunning tactician and a strong leader for the Imperial forces. Although the text is now considered non-canon, Thrawn was introduced in the book Heir to the Empire (1991) by Timothy Zahn.

The Chiss alien is quite striking, with bright blue skin and alarming red eyes. As he states in the first episode, Thrawn was bestowed the title of Grand Admiral by the Emperor after a recent victory at Batonn.

Grand Admiral Thrawn doesn’t officially meet Ezra and Hera until episode four, where he confronts the two in Hera’s childhood home. Throughout season three, Thrawn showed off his ability to outsmart his opponents, studying each of the rebels thoroughly and gaining more insight into their backstory and respective cultures.

6. The Bendu and his powers in action

Bendu becomes a storm on Star Wars Rebels

At Star Wars Celebration, voice actor Freddie Prinze, Jr. amusingly called the Bendu a "force moose" — and honestly, it’s tough to think of a better description of the Bendu.

We first got a look at the Bendu in a teaser trailer last year, and he’s been a welcome addition to the Star Wars Rebels family. The mysterious creature introduced himself to Kanan as being "one in the middle," referring to a neutral space between the light and the dark forces explored in the show.

Tom Baker, who is also known for being the fourth doctor from Doctor Who, lends his booming voice to the powerful creature. In the season finale, the Bendu was finally seen in action, throwing down bolts of lightning at both the Imperials and the Rebels alike.

5. History of the Darksaber - Tarre Vizsla was the first Mandalorian Jedi

Star Wars Season 3 Trials of the Darksaber Sabine and Kanan

In episode fifteen, Trials of the Darksaber”, Fenn Rau sheds some light on the little known backstory surrounding the Darksaber.

Curious about the weapon Sabine retrieved from Dathomir, Kanan remarks that he didn’t know Mandalorians had invented a type of lightsaber. Fenn Rau replied, “Legend tells that it was created over a thousand years ago by Tarre Vizsla, the first Mandalorian ever inducted into the Jedi Order. After his passing, the Jedi kept the saber in their temple. That was until members of House Vizsla snuck in and liberated it.” Fenn Rau further explained that the blade was also used to unify the people of Mandalore.

While a Mandalorian Jedi sounds all kinds of awesome, Star Wars Rebels is choosing to focus on only two main Jedi so far—neither of them Mandalorian. The weapon played a key role in Sabine's return to Mandalore, and the eventual reunification of her people.

4. Death of Commander Sato / Rebels escape to Yavin IV

Star Wars Rebels Commander Sato Zero Hour Season Three Finale

In a heart-wrenching season finale, we were given a closer look at how far the members of the Rebellion are willing to go in their fight against the Empire. After the Rebel base on Atollon is finally discovered, the Rebel Alliance must flee to their new location on Yavin IV.

While on the run, several ships are blocked by a giant fleet of Imperial warships. In a desperate attempt to help the rebellion live on, Commander Sato sacrifices his ship by plowing it through Admiral Kassius Konstantine's Interdictor cruiser. The act might have been brash, but it was a noble sacrifice which allowed for many Rebels to see the light of day.

Ultimately, Sato’s sacrificial act allowed Ezra to recruit Sabine and several Mandalorian warriors to help the rebel cause.

3. Sabine returns to Mandalore

Star Wars Rebels: Sabine Duels With the Darksaber

For Star Wars Rebels fans, season three was filled with ups and downs, and boldly ended with a tumultuous finale. Season three was peppered with action and more poignant moments, many of the latter involving Sabine Wren.

From Sabine’s training with the Darksaber to her thrilling return to Mandalore, we gained much more insight about the colorful Mandalorian demolitions expert and artist. In episode sixteen, “Legacy of Mandalore”, fans finally had the answers to their questions, as they were able to see Sabine return to her homeworld of Mandalore. While the subject of her parentage was in hot debate (much like another beloved heroine, Rey), we were finally introduced to her mother, Ursa Wren.

When Sabine faces off against the Imperial Viceroy Gar Saxon, she’s finally able to prove her merit in battle. In a devious ploy, Saxon tries to shoot her after her victory, but is promptly killed by her mother, Ursa Wren. Visibly torn, Sabine eventually makes the decision to remain in Mandalore and help her people.

2. Agent Kallus works with rebels as Fulcrum, defects from the Empire

David Oyelowo as Agent Kallus in Star Wars Rebels

At Star Wars Celebration, Agent Kallus was the subject of hot debate, mainly because of how he received his latest nickname from the story team over at Lucasfilm. After the riveting season finale of season three, Kallus has been affectionately dubbed as “Hot Kallus”, ditching his prim and proper Imperial facade and letting his hair loose which “symbolizes his freedom”. Showrunner Dave Filoni made a joke about the whole thing, lamenting that the single strand of hair was super expensive to animate.

Agent Kallus has come a long way since his devious day as an Imperial baddie from season one. Since then, he has managed to find mutual respect and understanding for a former foe, Garazeb Orrelios, and even have a complete change of heart in the end. While some suspected that he would eventually defect from the Empire, his identity as the new mysterious Fulcrum was revealed in the later half of season three. 

1. Obi Wan kills Darth Maul on Tatooine

Obi-Wan Kenobi versus Darth Maul in Star Wars Rebels

The thought of Obi Wan Kenobi vs Darth Maul might conjure up grandiose images of acrobatic tricks and fancy lightsaber techniques, but their actual standoff was much more subdued.

During episode twenty of season three, “Twin Suns”, Maul finally confirms the location of his long time rival Obi Wan Kenobi on Tatooine. As confident as ever, Maul prepares his lightsaber and readies his stance, eager to finish off his opponent quickly. Instead, his dreams are quickly dismantled as Obi Wan destroys him with a swift and effortless movement. Treating his former enemy with respect, Obi Wan ended their duel quickly and gave him a poignant farewell.

While we won’t be seeing Maul anytime soon, we wonder if Obi Wan will have a bigger part to play in the remaining episodes of Star Wars Rebels in season four.

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What are your biggest revelations from Star Wars Rebels season three? Was there anything we missed? Let us know in the comments!