Sabine Wren is one of the most unique characters in the Ahsoka series, but many are wondering where she was during the fight against the Empire in the original Star Wars trilogy. Sabine first appeared in the animated Star Wars Rebels show back in 2014, where she was voiced by Tiya Sircar. Before her, most Mandalorians in Star Wars were portrayed as stoic and somber. Yet Sabine broke the mold by portraying a colorful and spunky Mandalorian who wasn’t afraid to express herself through graffiti art. Her exploits in the Rebellion provided some much-needed pizazz compared to the bleak and uniform Imperial regime.
Before Star Wars Rebels, Sabine Wren was actually a cadet in the Imperial Academy on Mandalore, where she helped the Empire develop some creative weapons she believed would be used to better the galaxy. However, when it was clear the Empire was planning to use her technology to further suppress the Mandalorian people, she quickly abandoned the Academy and actively sought to tear the Empire down any way she could. Later, she joined the Ghost crew alongside Kanan Jarrus, Hera Syndulla, Zeb Orrelios, and Ezra Bridger. Sabine became a crucial member of the Rebellion in its early days before A New Hope.
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Sabine Wren Helped Free Lothal Shortly Before A New Hope
Around a year or two before A New Hope, Sabine Wren helped the Ghost Crew liberate Ezra’s home planet, Lothal, from the occupation of the Empire. She assisted Ezra in marooning Grand Admiral Thawn in the Unknown Regions of the Star Wars galaxy, which is why Thrawn’s return in the Ahsoka series is personal for her. Furthermore, while Lothal may have been associated with the Rebel Alliance, the Ghost crew managed to take back Lothal without the help of the Rebellion. So despite the Rebellion being featured heavily in A New Hope, there isn’t much mention of Lothal or the Ghost crew since they were busy fighting their own battles.
Of course, another reason Sabine’s exploits aren’t mentioned in the original trilogy is that Star Wars Rebels came out long after the movies. Yet there are still plenty of canon explanations as to what she was up to. During the battle to free Lothal, Sabine inherited Ezra Bridger’s lightsaber. And at the same time, she felt she was now responsible for carrying out Ezra’s last wishes. The other members of the Ghost crew split up and went their separate ways, with Hera going to fight in the Battle of Endor, and Zeb returning to the sanctuary of the Lasat people. Meanwhile, Sabine had a difficult time letting the past go.
Sabine Promised Ezra To Protect Lothal From The Empire
Shortly before A New Hope, Sabine Wren took it upon herself to watch over and protect Lothal in Ezra’s stead. Sabine still grappled with all that she’d lost during the Star Wars Rebels season 4 finale, and carrying on Ezra’s last mission was her way of grieving. She continued using her artistic talents to paint murals to remind her of when the Ghost crew was whole, but with the majority of her family split up, she was left alone on Lothal to muse in her thoughts. However, by the time of the Ahsoka series, Sabine realizes that there’s more to her mission than just protecting Lothal.
It may seem difficult to believe that such an important character in Star Wars Rebels sat on the sidelines babysitting a free planet for the majority of the original trilogy. After all, Sabine had a personal vendetta against the Empire that subjugated her people. But while the Rebellion was off destroying Death Stars during the original trilogy, someone had to keep watch over what little ground they had gained in their fight against the Empire. If it weren’t for Sabine, Lothal may have fallen back into the Empire’s hands, and the progress they’d worked so hard to achieve during Star Wars Rebels would have been lost.
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Sabine’s Homeworld Of Mandalore Was Destroyed By The Empire
Additionally, Sabine had other difficulties to deal with during the original trilogy other than just keeping Lothal free of Imperial occupation. At some point during her time on Lothal, the Great Purge of Mandalore occurred, causing Sabine’s home world to be decimated. Whether she was still on Lothal or was near her people when the Purge took place is unclear, but in a single moment, everything and almost everyone Sabine had grown up knowing was taken from her. In other words, while she was busy protecting someone else’s home planet, hers was destroyed.
While other Star Wars characters such as Princess Leia jumped straight back into action after losing their home world, Sabine took a slightly more human approach and took time to grieve over her losses. While it hasn’t been confirmed, it’s likely that the rest of Clan Wren was annihilated along with Mandalore during the Purge, meaning Sabine lost both her home world and family. This helps explain why she stayed on Lothal during the original trilogy; she had nowhere else to go. Like Ezra before her, Lothal became her home, and she devoted everything she had to keep it safe and secure.
Sabine Trained Under Ahsoka – But Was It During The Original Trilogy?
It’s clear that Sabine likely trained under Ahsoka before the Ahsoka series, and this may have happened during or shortly after the original trilogy occurred. Perhaps it was Sabine’s loss of her home world and family that inspired her to hone her skills alongside Ahsoka before rejoining the fight, or it may have been Ahsoka who saw potential in Sabine and attempted to pass on what she had learned. While Sabine did receive some training with a lightsaber under Ahsoka’s tutelage, the pair split up before the Ahsoka series. For some reason, Ahsoka walked away from Sabine, leaving her alone on Lothal once more.
Sabine Wren’s legacy during the original trilogy was filled with nothing but tragedy and loss. She lost her friend Ezra Bridger during the liberation of Lothal, she lost her home world and her family on Mandalore, and she lost Ahsoka Tano as her teacher. So while other characters like Hera and Rex were off fighting in the Battle of Endor, Sabine was mulling over the bad hand the galaxy had dealt her. But now in the Ahsoka series, Sabine Wren—portrayed by Natasha Liu Bordizzo—is ready to return and fight once more, while also trying to find Ezra Bridger and bring him back to the Star Wars galaxy.
