Star Wars Rebels Timeline: 5 BBY to 1 BBY Explained (All 4 Seasons) — Star Wars Rebels is set between 5 BBY and 1 BBY, running in parallel with Andor and leading directly into Rogu
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    Star Wars Rebels Timeline: 5 BBY to 1 BBY Explained (All 4 Seasons)

    Jaxon VarrJune 18, 2026
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    Interactive Star Wars Rebels Timeline (5 BBY – 1 BBY)

    Sort by season, episode order, or in-universe BBY date. Search any arc, planet, or episode title.

    Star Wars Rebels episodes and story arcs with in-universe BBY dates
    1S1 · PilotSpark of RebellionGhost Crew FormsEzra Bridger meets the Ghost crew on Lothal and joins the rebel cell.5 BBY
    1S1 · E1–E5Droids in Distress → Breaking RanksGhost Crew FormsEarly Lothal-based raids; Ezra begins Jedi training with Kanan Jarrus.5 BBY
    1S1 · E6–E10Out of Darkness → Path of the JediJedi AwakeningEzra faces the Jedi temple trial and builds his first lightsaber.5 BBY
    1S1 · E11–E13Idiot's Array → Call to ActionEmpire Strikes LothalThe crew broadcasts across Lothal; Grand Moff Tarkin escalates the hunt.4 BBY
    1S1 · E14–E15Rebel Resolve / Fire Across the GalaxyEmpire Strikes LothalKanan is rescued from the Inquisitor; Ahsoka Tano appears as Fulcrum.4 BBY
    2S2 · PremiereThe Siege of LothalVader's PursuitDarth Vader personally hunts the Ghost crew, forcing them off Lothal.4 BBY
    2S2 · E1–E8The Lost Commanders → Stealth StrikeClone VeteransRex, Wolffe, and Gregor join; the rebellion grows into a fleet network.4 BBY
    2S2 · E9–E15The Future of the Force → Legends of the LasatInquisitor WarForce-sensitive children are rescued; Inquisitors close in on the crew.3 BBY
    2S2 · E16–E20The Call → The Mystery of Chopper BaseInquisitor WarChopper Base is established on Atollon ahead of the Malachor mission.3 BBY
    2S2 · FinaleTwilight of the ApprenticeMalachorAhsoka duels Vader on Malachor; Kanan is blinded and Maul returns.3 BBY
    3S3 · PremiereSteps Into ShadowThrawn ArrivesEzra flirts with the dark side; Grand Admiral Thrawn takes command.2 BBY
    3S3 · E1–E9Holocrons of Fate → WarheadThrawn ArrivesSabine reclaims the Darksaber; Mandalorian and Imperial plots converge.2 BBY
    3S3 · E10–E15Trials of the Darksaber → Legacy of MandaloreMandaloreClan Wren rebels against the Empire on Krownest.2 BBY
    3S3 · E16Twin SunsTatooineObi-Wan Kenobi ends Maul's story on Tatooine.2 BBY
    3S3 · FinaleZero HourBattle of AtollonThrawn devastates the rebel fleet at Atollon; Bendu curses him.2 BBY
    4S4 · E1–E4Heroes of MandaloreMandaloreThe Duchess weapon is destroyed; Bo-Katan is offered the Darksaber.1 BBY
    4S4 · E5–E9Flight of the Defender → KindredReturn to LothalThe crew returns to Lothal and discovers the Loth-wolves.1 BBY
    4S4 · E10–E12Crawler Commanders → Wolves and a DoorReturn to LothalThe Jedi temple beneath Lothal is uncovered by the Empire.1 BBY
    4S4 · E13A World Between WorldsWorld Between WorldsEzra pulls Ahsoka out of her duel with Vader through the Force realm.1 BBY
    4S4 · E14–E15A Fool's HopeLiberation of LothalThe final assault on the Imperial complex over Lothal begins.1 BBY
    4S4 · FinaleFamily Reunion and FarewellLiberation of LothalEzra and Thrawn vanish into hyperspace with the purrgil; Lothal is freed.1 BBY
    4S4 · EpilogueEpilogue (post-Endor)EpilogueAfter the Battle of Endor, Sabine and Ahsoka set out to find Ezra.5 ABY

    Showing 22 of 22 timeline entries.

    Quick Answer: When Does Star Wars Rebels Take Place?

    Star Wars Rebels takes place between 5 BBY and 1 BBY — the four-to-five years immediately before Rogue One (0 BBY) and A New Hope. Its four seasons and 75 episodes run in parallel with Andor, sit 14 years after The Clone Wars, and end with an epilogue set in 9 ABY that leads straight into Ahsoka and The Mandalorian.

    At a glance:

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    QuestionAnswer
    Series start5 BBY (Season 1)
    Series end1 BBY (Season 4 finale)
    Epilogue9 ABY
    Seasons / episodes4 seasons, 75 episodes
    Sits afterThe Bad Batch, Solo, Obi-Wan Kenobi
    Sits beforeRogue One, A New Hope
    Runs parallel withAndor (5–1 BBY)
    Canon?Yes — full Lucasfilm canon

    For BBY/ABY background, see our BBY/ABY Star Wars Dating System guide — short version: 5 BBY means five years before the Battle of Yavin, the climax of A New Hope.

    Rebels on the Full Star Wars Timeline

    Here's where Rebels sits relative to everything else in canon:

    Show / filmBBY/ABYDistance from Rebels
    The Clone Wars22 BBY → 19 BBYends 14 years before Rebels S1
    Revenge of the Sith19 BBY14 years before Rebels S1
    The Bad Batch19 BBY → 17 BBY12+ years before Rebels S1
    Solo10 BBY5 years before Rebels S1
    Obi-Wan Kenobi9 BBY4 years before Rebels S1
    Star Wars Rebels S15 BBY
    Andor (Seasons 1+2)5 BBY → 1 BBYoverlaps entirely
    Star Wars Rebels S42 BBY → 1 BBY
    Rogue One0 BBYimmediately after Rebels S4
    A New Hope0 BBY → 0 ABYimmediately after Rogue One
    Rebels epilogue9 ABY10 years after the series proper
    The Mandalorian9 ABYsame time as the epilogue
    Ahsoka9 ABYdirect continuation of the epilogue

    Season-by-Season Timeline

    Rebels' episode order is its chronological order — there are no flashback seasons, so release order and timeline order are identical.

    SeasonEpisodesIn-universe yearsKey arc
    Season 1155 BBYLothal cell forms; Grand Inquisitor
    Season 2224 BBY → early 3 BBYAhsoka, Vader, Malachor
    Season 3223 BBY → early 2 BBYThrawn debut; Battle of Atollon
    Season 4162 BBY → 1 BBY (+ 9 ABY)Mandalore & Lothal liberation

    Season 1 — 5 BBY

    The series opens with the Ghost crew as a small underground cell pulling off supply heists against Imperial garrisons on Lothal. Ezra Bridger joins in the premiere; Kanan Jarrus reveals himself as a surviving Jedi. The Grand Inquisitor — the same rank of Jedi hunter seen in Obi-Wan Kenobi four years earlier — pursues the crew all season.

    Major beats:

    • "Spark of Rebellion" (5 BBY) — the Ghost crew forms with Ezra
    • The four Rebels shorts also sit here, just before the premiere
    • Tarkin turns his attention to Lothal
    • First contact with Phoenix Squadron and Fulcrum (Ahsoka)

    Season 2 — 4 BBY → early 3 BBY

    The Ghost crew joins the wider Phoenix Squadron. Ahsoka Tano appears in person as Fulcrum, Captain Rex returns, and Darth Vader hunts the cell directly. The Malachor finale delivers Ahsoka's duel with Vader and reintroduces Maul.

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    Major beats:

    • Ahsoka returns to canon after The Clone Wars
    • Rex and the clone veterans join the Rebellion
    • Fifth Brother and Seventh Sister replace the Grand Inquisitor
    • Malachor: Ahsoka vs Vader; Kanan blinded; Maul returns

    Season 3 — 3 BBY → early 2 BBY

    Grand Admiral Thrawn debuts as the new primary antagonist — Timothy Zahn's character entering canon. Phoenix Squadron becomes a recognized Rebel Alliance cell, and the season ends with the disastrous Battle of Atollon. Maul dies on Tatooine in "Twin Suns" (2 BBY).

    Major beats:

    • Thrawn debut in canon
    • Agent Kallus turns and becomes Fulcrum
    • Saw Gerrera's Partisans appear (linking to Rogue One and Andor)
    • The Bendu introduced
    • Battle of Atollon — a major Rebel defeat

    Season 4 — 2 BBY → 1 BBY (plus 9 ABY epilogue)

    Two storylines dominate: the liberation of Mandalore (Sabine recovers the Darksaber; Bo-Katan claims leadership) and the liberation of Lothal (Ezra vs Thrawn). Kanan dies during the fuel depot arc. The finale is set in 1 BBY — months before Rogue One.

    The epilogue jumps to 9 ABY: the Empire has fallen, Hera is a New Republic officer with her son Jacen, Zeb has reunited Kallus with the Lasat, and Sabine and Ahsoka depart to find Ezra.

    Rebels vs Clone Wars Timeline

    This is the comparison most people get wrong.

    The Clone WarsStar Wars Rebels
    Years22 BBY → 19 BBY5 BBY → 1 BBY
    GovernmentGalactic Republic collapsingGalactic Empire at its peak
    JediThousands, at warFewer than a dozen in hiding
    AhsokaPadawan, then walks awayFulcrum, Rebel intelligence
    RexClone captainRetired veteran turned rebel
    MaulCrimson Dawn crime lordIsolated, obsessed, dies in 2 BBY

    Roughly 14 years separate them. Everything that makes Rebels emotionally heavy — Kanan's survivor guilt, Ahsoka's distance, Rex's chip scars, Maul's decay — is a consequence of that gap.

    Rebels vs Andor Timeline — Parallel Storylines

    Rebels and Andor cover exactly the same five years.

    ShowIn-universe yearsFocus
    Star Wars Rebels5 BBY → 1 BBY (+9 ABY)Lothal cell → Rebel squadron
    Andor5 BBY → 1 BBYPolitical & intelligence rebellion

    They follow completely different cells: Rebels covers the Lothal underground (Hera, Kanan, Ezra, Sabine, Zeb, Chopper across Lothal, Mandalore and Atollon), while Andor covers the political-intelligence axis (Mon Mothma's defection, Luthen's network, Aldhani, Ghorman, Ferrix). They never cross paths on screen, though Saw Gerrera and Mon Mothma appear in both, and both stories converge at Yavin.

    For more on Andor's placement, see our Andor Timeline Placement guide.

    Rebels vs Rogue One and A New Hope

    Rebels ends in 1 BBY; Rogue One is 0 BBY. That's a matter of months.

    • The Ghost appears in the Battle of Scarif fleet.
    • Chopper is visible on Yavin 4.
    • "General Syndulla" is paged over the Yavin intercom — Hera made general.
    • Saw Gerrera's Partisans, introduced in Rebels Season 3, are central to Rogue One.

    Rebels vs Ahsoka and The Mandalorian — The 9 ABY Connection

    The Rebels finale epilogue is the prequel to Ahsoka. Narrated by Sabine Wren and set in 9 ABY, it establishes that Ezra is still missing in the unknown regions, Sabine has spent years searching, and Ahsoka has returned to help.

    The Ahsoka series (9 ABY) picks up that exact thread: Sabine as Ahsoka's apprentice, Hera as a New Republic general, Thrawn as the central antagonist, and Ezra found alive. The Mandalorian, also 9 ABY, inherits Rebels' Mandalore and Darksaber history directly.

    If you watch Ahsoka without Rebels, you'll follow the plot but miss the weight of every reunion.

    Character Timelines Across Rebels

    CharacterEntersTimeline arc
    Ezra Bridger5 BBYStreet kid → Jedi apprentice → vanishes with Thrawn (1 BBY) → found in 9 ABY
    Kanan Jarrus5 BBYOrder 66 survivor → teacher → blinded (3 BBY) → dies 1 BBY
    Hera Syndulla5 BBYCell leader → Phoenix commander → general by 0 BBY → New Republic (9 ABY)
    Sabine Wren5 BBYExplosives expert → Darksaber wielder (2 BBY) → Ahsoka's apprentice (9 ABY)
    Garazeb Orrelios5 BBYLasat survivor → finds Lira San → reunites Kallus with his people (9 ABY)
    Chopper (C1-10P)5 BBYClone Wars-era astromech → Yavin (0 BBY) → still with Hera in 9 ABY
    Ahsoka Tano5 BBY (as Fulcrum)Vader duel (3 BBY) → World Between Worlds → 9 ABY search for Ezra
    Captain Rex4 BBYClone veteran → rebel commando → Endor (4 ABY)
    Grand Admiral Thrawn3 BBYImperial commander → exiled to unknown regions (1 BBY) → returns 9 ABY
    Agent Kallus5 BBYISB agent → Fulcrum defector (3 BBY) → Lira San (9 ABY)
    Maul3 BBYMalachor → Ezra's manipulation → dies on Tatooine (2 BBY)
    Mon Mothma / Bail Organa4 BBY onwardAlliance founders bridging Rebels, Andor and Rogue One

    The Galaxy During Rebels (5–1 BBY)

    • The Empire has ruled for 14–18 years. Total dominance, peak overreach.
    • The Death Star is in late-stage secret construction.
    • The Rebellion is fragmenting into cells: the Ghost crew, Phoenix Squadron, Saw's Partisans, Luthen's network, Mon Mothma's senators.
    • Mandalore is under Imperial control until the Season 4 liberation arc.
    • The Jedi Order is nearly extinct — Kanan, Ahsoka, Ezra and a handful of hidden survivors.
    • The Inquisitors are active early but eliminated by mid-series.
    • Thrawn is the rising Imperial threat.
    1. The Clone Wars (22 → 19 BBY) — especially the Ahsoka and Mandalore arcs
    2. Revenge of the Sith (19 BBY)
    3. The Bad Batch (19 → 17 BBY)
    4. Solo (10 BBY) — optional
    5. Obi-Wan Kenobi (9 BBY)
    6. Andor Season 1 (5–4 BBY)
    7. Star Wars Rebels Seasons 1–3 (5–2 BBY)
    8. Andor Season 2 (4–1 BBY)
    9. Star Wars Rebels Season 4 (2–1 BBY)
    10. Rogue One (0 BBY)
    11. A New Hope → Empire → Return of the Jedi (0–4 ABY)
    12. The Mandalorian / Book of Boba Fett (9 ABY)
    13. Ahsoka (9 ABY) — direct Rebels sequel

    For the full saga, see the Star Wars Watch Order Guide.

    Naming Characters for the Rebels Era

    If you're writing characters for the Rebels timeframe (5–1 BBY), the naming aesthetic is rebellion-era underground:

    For broader help, see the Complete Star Wars Naming Guide, the BBY/ABY Dating System Guide, and Star Wars What If Scenarios for alt-timeline work.

    The Bottom Line

    Star Wars Rebels takes place from 5 BBY to 1 BBY, across 4 seasons and 75 episodes, with an epilogue in 9 ABY.

    The main series covers the five years leading directly into Rogue One and A New Hope, running in parallel with Andor, fourteen years after The Clone Wars. The epilogue ties Rebels directly to Ahsoka and The Mandalorian.

    If you've ever wondered why so much of The Mandalorian-era storytelling feels emotionally connected to characters you've never met — it's because Rebels built them all. Watch Rebels. The galaxy makes more sense afterwards.

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    Varr, J. (2026, June 18). Star Wars Rebels Timeline: 5 BBY to 1 BBY Explained (All 4 Seasons). Star Wars Name Generator. https://starwarsnamegenerator.com/blog/star-wars-rebels-timeline

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