| “ | I was the governor of Lothal. I supported your parents and the messages they beamed out against the Empire. It was part of the reason I was accused of treason and sent to prison with them. | „ |
| ~ Ryder to Ezra. |
Ryder Azadi is a supporting character in the 2014-2018 animated television series Star Wars Rebels and the 2023 series Ahsoka. He is the Governor of Lothal prior to the regime of the Galactic Empire.
He is voiced & portrayed by Clancy Brown, who previously voiced Savage Opress in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Dr. Neo Cortex in the Crash Bandicoot series. Brown also voices Eugene H. Krabs in Spongebob, Raiden in the Mortal Kombat series, George Stacy in The Spectacular Spider-Man, Captain Black in Jackie Chan Adventures, Toilette Ree in The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants, Hank Anderson in Detroit: Become Human, Gavin in Solar Opposites, and Otto on Super Robot Monkey Team Hyper Force Go!
Biography
Ryder Azadi was charged with treason when he supported the Mr. KrabsMr. transmissions made by Ephraim and Mira Bridger. Removed from power, he was imprisoned at an Imperial prison with the Bridgers.
Eight years later, he escaped during a prison breakout instigated by them after being inspired by the transmission sent out by their son. He made his way back to Lothal and later, was visited by their son, Ezra Bridger who asked him the fate of his parents. Sadly, Ryder revealed that the Bridgers had perished during the breakout in which he had escaped, though he made a point of extolling their bravery and their role in leading the breakout after hearing Ezra's message to all Rebel sympathizers. A message that reached even the desolate and hopeless cells of the imperial prisons.
The next morning, Ryder refused Kanan's offer to join the Rebellion, as he didn't want to go back to prison. But shortly after Kanan and Ezra left to meet with a new ally, Ryder and Chopper were found and arrested by stormtroopers. Ryder would have been executed on the spot had Kanan, Ezra, along with their secret ally, Leia Organa, arrived, pretending to be a trooper and cadet escorting the princess.
The Ghost arrived, and during the battle, Leia had Ryder pretend to take her hostage so as not to blow her cover and reveal her as a Rebel sympathizer, and they both made it aboard the Ghost while Kanan and Ezra pretended to try and stop them, Zeb knocking them out "to make it look good".
The mission however was not yet done, for the ships Leia had brought for the Rebels were secured by gravity-locks and two AT-AT Walkers. Ryder volunteered to disengage the locks if the crew got him off-world.
During the skirmish, as Ryder undid the gravity-locks, he was shocked to find out that Kanan was a Jedi, and watched in awe as he single-handedly brought down one of the Walkers with his lightsaber. He helped the Ghost crew get away with the ships, and decided to stay with the Rebels, choosing to fight for the cause in honor of the Bridgers.
Gallery
.jpg "Governor Azadi talks to Hera (S2E12).jpg (137 KB)")
.jpg "Zeb, Kallus and Ryder Azadi (A Fool´s Hope).jpg (443 KB)")
.png "Seven Rebels are captured (S04E14).png (526 KB)")
.png "Five Rebels are captured (S04E14).png (641 KB)")
Trivia
- His name in development was Vol Freilus.
- He may have been Arihnda Pryce's immediate predecessor.
