Hera Syndulla

personality

- Idealistic: Hera is a rebel - a freedom fighter, and she genuinely believes that she is on the side of everything that is good and right. The Empire is evil - oppressive and tyrannical, and it needs to be toppled. Hera intends to help do just that. She's really grown up with this mindset - she was a child during the Clone Wars, saw her homeworld occupied by Separatists, and saw her father, Cham Syndulla, fight for a free Ryloth. She also saw him succeed, with the help of the Republic's clone army and a Jedi Knight. Basically, her idealism, her unshakable faith in the pillars of democracy and individual freedom, are as natural to her as breathing.

- Practical: The flip side of Hera's idealism is her practicality. She believes in certain ideals, and also understands that in order to make those things happen, she's going to need patience, knowledge, a lot of planning and a lot of allies on her side. She doesn't rush into anything - in A New Dawn, she only acts because she feels the situation is one she can't ignore and she had been planning not to act for a very long time. Nearly a decade later, the rebellion is only just starting to form into a unified group, and she's helping it do so - gathering knowledge, laying the groundwork, and occasionally giving the Empire a bloody nose in the process. Hera is in this for the long haul, and she has the foresight to understand what it entails.

- Team Mom: While she's certainly loyal to the rebellion, and in a lot of ways a very "duty first" kind of person, Hera is also warm, loving and compassionate - especially to her crew, which she considers as much her family as her biological parents. She loves and cares for every member of her crew, and is concerned not just for their physical well-being but also their emotional well-being and happiness. She is constantly trying to balance her role as a rebel with her role as the protector and caregiver to her crew - she understands where someone like Zeb is coming from, she tries to help Ezra track down his parents, she looks after Kanan and Sabine, and is really the emotional heart of the Ghost.

- HBIC: But she's not just an indulgent and loving parent - she can also be a total hardass. The Ghost is her ship, she is its captain and pilot. The members of her crew are there because she invited them - it's a privilege, not a right. She's a natural leader, and she's used to her orders being followed, because on her ship, her word is law. Everyone on her crew knows that they are expected to pull their weight, do chores, run errands, and whatever else Hera asks of them.

- Eternal Optimist: Ultimately, Hera believes that the good guys will win. It'll take a lot of time, it'll be really tough, and she might not live to see it, but it will happen. Even knowing what a bad place the galaxy can be, she really does believe that if enough good people can come together, they will be able to accomplish all of their goals. It's that hope, that belief in the goodness of people, that really drives Hera and motivates all of her actions.

abilities+skills

Pilot: First and foremost, Hera is a fantastic pilot. She can do some crazy things at the helm of a spaceship, just about any spaceship. Even clunky old trash cans that haven't actually flown in years. She just has to talk to them right. Her partner, Kanan Jarrus, calls her piloting skills both "amazing" and "incredible" at various points early in their relationship, and has no qualms in becoming her co-pilot. Who wouldn't want to be the co-pilot of someone as good at flying as Hera?

Combat: Hera isn't Force sensitive and therefore doesn't have the reflexes or power of a Jedi, but she does have plenty of skill in a fight - she's a good shot with a blaster, she's lithe and nimble and quick. She's also clever, a quick thinker, and a good improviser, which can serve her well when things happen to go pear-shaped.

Mechanic: Being a pilot who owns her own ship, Hera is also pretty good at keeping it in repair. She's done extensive customizations and improvements to the Ghost and she also extensively customized her droid, Chopper. If something really messes up with the engine, she might still need to take it to a professional, but she's certainly good enough to tinker with things and general repair and maintenance stuff. Oh, and she understands binary. You know, the beeps and boops droids like R2-D2 make, to "talk"? Yeah, that.

history

Born on Ryloth to famous Twi'lek freedom fighter Cham Syndulla, Hera grew up venerating her father and his work. Now she's a rebel in her own right. Thanks, Dad.

notes

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