Ezra Bridger
star wars rebels appreciation week: day # 1 - Favorite Character
"Do not mistake my pleasant demeanor for weakness."
Even though it was Minister Hydan who said that line about himself, I often think that it's the perfect description for Ezra.
Ezra Bridger - the boy who was orphaned and lived on his own from ages 7-14 - was a survivor whose grief and anger never completely hardened the caring, compassionate boy he was at heart. He was such a beautifully whole and multilayered character.
He was a punk kid who stole weapons from the Empire AND the Spectres the first time we met him. Then we saw him sass a Lasat twice his size and his captors and then later a few Sith Lords and his commanding officers and his Master and basically anyone within earshot.
He infiltrated Imperial operations and high security star destroyers and got captured on purpose just so he could escape. He met and fought and trained with Force users, Mandalorians, Clones, zealots, pirates, smugglers, royalty, bounty hunters, pilots, government officials, rebellion leaders, and Imperial defectors. He was described as a very average pilot, yet he volunteered to fly through and blow up a nebula. He defied orders whenever he needed or wanted to and stole more than one TIE. He’s got snark and sorrynotsorry and sketchy salutes, and he’s a lying liar who lies.
What weird Force-i-ness did he not see? He communicated with animals. Melded his mind to Maul - twice! Opened a Sith holocron and used it. Malachor. Lothal temple. Bendu. Zeb and the star cluster. Dathomir and the spirits of Nightsisters. Took over a guy’s mind. Faced off against Inquisitors and Vader. Loth cats and Loth wolves and planet portals. Kanan’s eyes. Dume. World. Between. Worlds.
Ezra Bridger, whose life goal when he was a teenager was to eject the Empire from his entire planet and succeeded, rejected Sidious and yeeted Thrawn and the whole seventh fleet into another galaxy.
He is the anti-Anakin.
His parents died. He watched his master die on multiple occasions. Felt the guilt of Malachor. Rescued infants from Force hunters who were also hunting for him. Witnessed the Duchess weapon’s destruction, Tarkintown on fire, the massacre at Concord Dawn, and the orbital bombardment of his own home town.
And underneath the bold, driven, courageous, yet lighthearted exterior, Ezra's compassion ran deep, almost to a fault. True to his name and his Jedi calling and much like The Negotiator who inspired his character, he built bridges between people, cultivating the same love and loyalty that was shown to him in return.
To me, Ezra isn't just an incredible Star Wars character and an exemplary Jedi in particular, but he is also one of the best boy characters developed in recent times. His journey from living for himself alone to sacrificing himself to save everyone (while learning so much, growing up, and having fun along the way), will always be close to my heart.
