Star Wars Rebels Writer Wants to Change 1 Iconic Hera Moment from the Show

Star Wars Rebels writer Henry Gilroy admitted that he argued for Hera Syndulla to be flying one specific starfighter in a crucial moment in Season 4, but he sadly "lost." Hera is considered by many as one of the best pilots in the galaxy, which is why she serves as the co-leader of the Ghost Crew during pivotal missions for the Rebel Alliance. The clash between the Rebels and the Empire reached its peak in Season 4, and it was sprinkled with several heroic moments for the Ghost Crew, such as Hera's arrival in the climactic battle with a familiar flying vehicle from the movies. 

Speaking as a guest during a recent episode of Rebels Talk, Star Wars Rebels producer Henry Gilroy, who is the credited screenwriter of over a dozen Rebels episode, revealed that he wanted to change Hera's heroic moment in the final season by flying a B-Wing (Blade Wing) instead of an X-Wing in Rebels Season 4, Episode 9, noting that it was his original pitch. Gilroy argued a lot to include it (but he ultimately failed). 

Q: "Henry, if you could change one thing about Rebels, what would you change?"

Henry Gilroy: "Okay, this is easy. In Rebels Season 5, which is also known as Ahsoka, I would not pursue the Sabine Jedi storyline... No, I really can't think of anything. I mean, the reason why we're talking is that the series is kind of a unicorn. It really is solid, top to bottom. Oh yes, there is one thing. The battle [in] Season 4 when Hera comes back, and has the X-Wings, and leads the attack, my pitch was that those always should have been B-Wing fighters. She should've been in a B-Wing and not an X-Wing... And I argued, and I argued, and I argued, and... I was like, 'Guys, we see X-Wings so much recently. Not only are they in J.J.'s movies, but I think they're even in Wreck it Ralph 2. Come on, we need B-Wings!' And they're like, 'Aw...' And anyway, that's the one thing. It seems like a dumb thing. I argued for it and I lost."

In Star Wars Rebels Season 4, Episode 9, Hera leads a squadron of X-Wings and Y-Wings to engage in an aerial assault against Grand Admiral Thrawn's armada above Lothal, leading to an all-out clash between the Rebels and Thrawn's fleet of TIE fighters. However, the Rebels' efforts were thwarted due to Thrawn's calculated nature, as he managed to anticipate their strategy and deploy his forces effectively. 

Gilroy's strong argument that Hera should've piloted a B-wing instead of an X-wing could mean that he believes that she could've had a better chance of fighting Grand Admiral Thrawn's forces in Lothal, considering that the B-wing has heavy firepower than that of the X-wings. Still, Hera could've still lost due to the narrative's trajectory. 

In Star Wars canon, Hera has a significant connection to the B-wing, which began in Star Wars Rebels Season 2, Episode 7, "Wings of the Master." The episode revealed the B-wing's origin, confirming that it was created by a Mon Calamari engineer named Quarrie. 

Unlike the X-Wing, the B-Wing features a gyroscope-rotating cockpit and is equipped with heavy weaponry, including ion cannons, proton torpedoes, laser cannons, and a composite-beam laser. Hera is credited as the B-Wing's first test pilot before being deployed into combat and destroying an Imperial light cruiser over Ibaar (read more about Hera's origin story here).

The B-Wing was later prominently featured in the Battle of Endor in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, taking down Imperial Star Destroyers on the battlefield. 

Developed by Dave Filoni, Simon Kinberg, and Greg Weisman, Star Wars Rebels aired for four seasons, following the Ghost Crew as they undertook covert missions to thwart the Empire's efforts to achieve complete control of the galaxy. 

Does Changing Hera’s Heroic Moment Matter at All in Star Wars Rebels?

While some would argue that changing Hera's starfighter from an X-wing to a B-wing would give her a better chance against Grand Admiral Thrawn's forces in Star Wars Rebels Season 4, Episode 9, it still doesn't change the fact that they couldn't outsmart Thrawn's intellect in terms of mapping out a solid plan to thwart them. 

Given that B-wings are heavy assault fighters, these starfighters are less agile than X-wings, making them hard to maneuver. They are less ideal in achieving the rebels' strategy of penetrating the Imperial blockade that Thrawn built over Lothal.

Moreover, including a B-wing instead of an X-wing would've also diminished an iconic moment in Rebels history because seeing a fleet of X-wings provided a sense of nostalgia among longtime fans.