The climax of the popular series, “Star Wars Rebels,” left fans with a heartrending twist as it unveiled the destinies of the treasured “Ghost” team following the Galactic Civil War. However, among the many poignant revelations, Jacen Syndulla’s appearance – the son of Hera Syndulla and the late Kanan Jarrus – stood out as the most unexpected and heart-wrenching surprise. This subtle yet powerful postscript served to underscore the enduring romance that held viewers spellbound throughout the series; a heritage that continued in “Star Wars: Ahsoka”. It was also a shock for Vanessa Marshall, the voice actress of Hera Syndulla, as she discovered Jacen’s appearance just like the rest of us.
In a special conversation for ComicBook, the team behind Pod of Rebellion – including Marshall, Sabine Wren’s actress Tiya Sircar, Ezra Bridger’s actor Taylor Gray, and moderator Jon Lee Brody – shared their thoughts on the poignant finale screening. Here, they discussed a heartfelt moment when Marshall found out about Hera and Kanan’s child, a secret that Tiya had safeguarded for an entire year with great care.
The Unforeseen Joy of a Shared Future
For Vanessa Marshall, the death of Kanan Jarrus in “Jedi Night” was a profoundly sad and selfless moment for her character, Hera. The thought that there could be something more than that sorrow was inconceivable at the time. “I believed there might be a way around Kanan’s death,” Marshall confessed during our conversation. “I didn’t know I would be bringing his child into the world instead.” As an actress, she experienced the grief of losing the character that Kanan represented, never expecting the incredible continuation of their love. The audience’s shock was echoed by Marshall’s genuine surprise, enhancing the emotional resonance of the scene for her. This secret was kept so closely guarded that only one other cast member, Tiya Sircar, knew about it for an entire year before the series finale.
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In her own words, Rosario Dawson (Sircar) spoke about the tremendous strain of concealing such a crucial plot twist. As the voiceover artist for the epilogue, she had recorded her lines a whole year before Disney premiered the finale. “That was the toughest,” she confided, referring to the Jacen revelation. The tension grew to an intense level as the day of the cast screening neared. She knew Marshall was about to go through an emotional rollercoaster. “I recall Vanessa being a few rows ahead of me, and I had been waiting a year, knowing that her mind would explode when she learned about their child. I remember watching it in this darkened theater. I wasn’t looking at the screen; I was watching Vanessa to see her reaction, and she broke down crying.” Sircar’s experience beautifully illustrates the unique bond within the Rebels cast – a genuine family, both on and off-screen.
The Unforgettable Moment of Revelation
I was sitting beside her, and I thought my arm would end up bruised.
In Marshall’s account, her memory added depth to the surprising turn of events. “I hadn’t eaten anything that day [before the screening], as I was busy. Just then, I thought, ‘I should eat a protein bar before I faint.'” In an uncanny twist of fate, Marshall found herself biting into her protein bar, assuming the dramatic reveals were finished with the final scene of the series, when suddenly the epilogue and Hera and Jacen appeared on screen. Incredulously, she hadn’t noticed Lucasfilm had positioned night vision cameras to record everyone’s reactions. “I didn’t even notice that. So, there I am, seemingly holding a small child. I’m chewing, looking at Taylor with shock, and then I give him a jab on the arm. I’m sitting there, still chewing, going, ‘what!?’, completely oblivious. I had no idea. Nothing subtle or romantic like, ‘Oh, look, I’ve had a baby.’ It was more like choking on a protein bar and poking Ezra – Taylor. And then, when I realized it was all caught on film, I thought: ‘wait, when did I have a baby? How did I not know this?’
In stark contrast, Marshall’s everyday actions prior to the reveal were mundane compared to the profound emotional impact when Kanan and Hera discovered they had a child. This sudden surprise was so genuine and raw that Hera instinctively turned to Tiya, the one person she believed knew about this secret. Sircar corroborated this, expressing his desire to share the news with her but was bound by secrecy. He admitted, “If I wasn’t sworn to secrecy, I would have rushed to you and exclaimed, ‘you won’t believe this!’ But I wanted to, really badly.” The shared secret and emotional journey from discovery to heartwarming (yet heartbreaking) revelation of Jacen Syndulla underscore the strong bond of trust and affection among the Star Wars Rebels cast. This bond continues to resonate with fans through their new podcast, Pod of Rebellion. The joyous surprise of Jacen’s existence, despite Kanan’s sacrifice, became a symbol of enduring hope and a secret that truly echoed throughout the galaxy.
The “Rebellion Pod” can be streamed via iHeartPodcasts and is accessible on the iHeartRadio app, as well as any platform that broadcasts podcasts.
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2025-06-12 00:12