HoloNet News

A journalist for HoloNet News, Alton Kastle was regarded by the Imperial citizens of Lothal as a trustworthy, even comforting source of information. Those in the know scoffed that Kastle's reports were Imperial propaganda -- their primary purpose was to maintain order in the name of the Empire, not to tell the truth or anything close to it.

The Galactic Empire ruled for years through fear, intimidation, and tyranny. With a mighty military force including stormtroopers, spy technology like probe droids, and the planet-destroying Death Star, Emperor Palpatine’s regime seemed unstoppable and permanent. But some dared to strike back…

Lothal is a diverse planet, with both farmland and a city center. During the age of the Empire, it fell under Imperial occupation, as farmers were kicked off their land and enormous TIE fighter and weapons factories were built. While most of the population felt powerless in the face of Imperial rule, a select few dared to fight back.

Gall Trayvis was a senator-turned-rebel during the reign of the Emperor. He made underground transmissions through the Holonet, reporting real news that the Empire would try to keep secret. For those fighting against Imperial rule, Trayvis' broadcasts were both inspiring and a source of intel. But Trayvis was actually a double agent – his communications with rebel groups were designed to lure them into revealing themselves, after which they’d suffer accidents arranged by the Empire. Lothal’s rebels nearly fell into Trayvis’s trap, but Hera Syndulla tricked the Imperial agent into disclosing his true loyalties.

Not every Jedi perished in Order 66. Once known by the name Caleb Dume, Kanan Jarrus survived the Emperor’s purge, going underground for years and hiding the truth about who he really was. To keep his past a secret, Kanan carried a blaster -- an uncommon practice for a Jedi -- and used a lightsaber that had to be assembled. In the years leading up to the galactic civil war, he was a leader among the Ghost crew, a small group of rebels looking to strike back against the Empire, and with the emergence of the Force-sensitive Ezra, once again embraced his identity as a Jedi Knight.

Once the heart of the Ghost crew during the age of the Empire, Hera Syndulla continues to serve as the captain of her ship while fighting for freedom from oppression as a general in the New Republic during an era of reconstruction. A gifted pilot with a knack for dogfighting with TIE fighters and a steadfast leader who was instrumental in leading the successful Lothal rebellion, Syndulla is now a mother, veteran, and general.