“Heroes and Hot-Shots”

The new Padawan
The episode opens with Kai Brightstar, Lys Solay and Nubs taking part in a training exercise which involves climbing a rotating structure to reach a tower and activate a beacon. Solay helps Nubs up and together the trio activate the beacon. On the ground, Nash Durango and RJ-83 cheer. As the Jedi Initiates cheer, Jedi Master Zia Zaldor Zanna and her new Padawan fly past in their Jedi Vector starfighters.

When Durango asks what is a Padawan, Brightstar explains that a Padawan is a Jedi who is an apprentice to a Master. Solay explains that when she and the other younglings are old enough, they will get paired to a Jedi Master and train to become Jedi Knights. The younglings rush to the landing field to meet Master Zia and her new Padawan Wes Vinik. Vinik also introduces his astromech droid R0-M1 (“Romi”). Zanna explains that Vinik will be assisting her in running the Tenoo Jedi Temple and sometimes leading the younglings on missions.

Vinik tells the younglings that Master Zanna has assigned him on a mission today and invites the younglings to come along. Brightstar introduces himself, Solay, Nubs and their friend Durango. Nubs shakes Vinik’s hand, prompting him to remark about the Poobian’s strong grip. Vinik doesn’t understand Poobian but promises to learn. Solay translates for Nubs, explaining that he was asking if Vinik had been on missions before. Vinik says that he has traveled on missions across the galaxy including chasing thieves through the Moons of Iego.

A new mission
A humanoid droid arrives and passes Zanna three sets of new robes. Zanna tells the younglings that she will be issuing them with new gear as they take on new challenges for the Jedi Order. The younglings don their new Jedi robes, which Durango describes as “sharp.” Vinik tells the younglings that they will be heading to the planet Deppani whose inhabitants build starships for explorers. Zanna explains that Deppani’s village and factory was recently hit by a big storm and that their mission is to investigate if the locals need help. Before leaving, Zanna reminds Vinik and the younglings that they are a team and to ask for help if they need.

Since Vinik’s Jedi Vector is not big enough to carry the younglings, Durango offers the services of her starship Crimson Firehawk. Vinik notices that the ship has undergone several modifications, which Durango attributes to the numerous missions she has undertaken with the younglings. Durango explains that she, her mother and RJ-83 have installed several upgrades including new engines, rotating wings for quicker steering and a new paint job.

The group travel to Deppani, which is a terrestrial world covered with oceans and landmasses. Upon arriving over the village and factory, they discover a large “unfriendly” starship, which turns out to be the Ganguls’ new cruiser Rathtar’s Revenge. Vinik asks Durango to land the ship so that he and the Jedi can investigate. Durango and RJ-83 stay behind while the Jedi search the village.

The Ganguls strike again
Shortly later, the Gangul pirates Sellaccc Orryak, Jooro Jarrot and Toda-Joh attempt to steal from the parked starships but find them locked. Brightstar recognizes the Ganguls from a distance while Solay briefs Vinik about the pirates. Brightstar is surprised that the Ganguls have ventured this far into Tenoo’s sector and wonders if the giant starship above belongs to them. The Jedi soon encounter locals including a female Twi’lek and a male Sullustan who explains that their village was hit by a storm. While they were cleaning up, the Ganguls arrived.

The Sullustan tells the Jedi that the starships are a valuable source of income for the villagers. Vinik decides to confront the Ganguls and tells the villages to stay hidden. Vinik and the younglings confront Orryak and her defiant associates, who reply that they take what they want. Orryak also introduces their new flagship Rathtar’s Revenge, which Jarrot explains that the Ganguls stole from some friends recently. Joh adds that these friends are not enemies while Orryak boasts that the Ganguls will be the greatest pirates in the sector with their new starship. Orryak plans to steal the starships on Deppani for their new fleet.

After hearing a beep, Orryak tells the droid NX-88, who is worried, to keep their flagship floating above. Vinik vows to stop the pirates, prompting Orryak to attack him with a doubled-bladed beskar spear. Joh attacks the younglings with a vibro-ax while Jarrot fires an blaster that shoots energy nets. After Solay deflects his net with her lightsaber, he attacks them with a vibro-ax. Vinik is unable to penetrate Orryak’s spear since it is made of beskar. Despite the situation, he declines Brightstar’s offer of help.

Jarrot traps Vinik in an energy net while Orryak orders NX-88 to fire the claws. The droid deploys a pair of grappling claws. The first snares a starship while the second misses and crashes into the dir. Orryak orders Joh and Jarrot to free the second claw and attach it to another ship. The younglings free Vinik, who blames the setback on himself and regrets not asking for help. Vink says that their mission is to recover the stolen starship and prevent the other pirates from stealing a second one.

Solay comes up with plan which involves Vinik and Brightstar flying aboard the Firehawk and recovering the first ship from the Rathtar’s Revenge. Nubs and Solay distract Jarrot and Toda-John while Durango and the droids cut through the cables holding the claws. Durango tells RJ-83 to hold onto Romi while the droid cuts through the cables. Putting their plans into action, Vinik fights with Orryak while Brightstar attempts to unlock the claw’s controls.

On the ground, Solay and Nubs dodge Jarrot’s nets while Joh attempts to free the claw. Brightstar unlocks the claw trapping the first starship while Orryak corners Vinik and knocks his lightsaber out of his hand. Vinik asks Brightstar for help and the youngling uses the Force to topple several crates. This distraction allows Vinik to escape. Vinik then uses the Force to release several yellow canisters. The two Jedi escape in the stolen starship while R0-M1 and RJ-83 disable the cables holding up the second claw. Facing opposition, Orryak retreats and flies the Rathtar’s Revenge out of the village. Jarrot and Joh flee the village to catch up with their boss.

The villagers cheer following the pirates’ damage. The Twi’lek woman thanks the Jedi for their help. Solay volunteers the services of the Jedi in cleaning up the town. Vinik thanks Brightstar and his friends for helping and says that he has learnt about the importance of teamwork. As they walk together, Brightstar asks Vinik to recount the story of his adventure on the Moons of Iego. Vinik says that a swoop gang on Ayoh 7 had stolen a Galactic Republic starship when the Jedi responded.

“A Jedi or a Pirate“

The new younglings
Kai Brightstar, Nubs and Lys Solay supervise the new younglings including Linh who are playing a game of bull’s eye at Hap’s Sap Tap. The older Jedi Initiates had received permission from Jedi Master Zia Zaldor Zanna to bring the new younglings to the restaurant. Lys Solay says that the younglings arrived two days ago but seem to adjusting well to their new home. Sensing that the younglings are homesick for Coruscant, Hap has prepared several Coruscant treats.

Brightstar notices that a male youngling named Bren is homesick and peering at the ascending starships. He invites Bren to try out a green pastry but Bren declines. Bren tells Brightstar that he misses his old friends on Coruscant. Brightstar invites Bren to socialize with his new friends but Bren is not interested. He asks Brightstar if any of the new starships are heading towards Coruscant. Brightstar tries to reassure Bren that he will overcome his loneliness and offers him a snack if he wants to join them. Bren is not interested and Brightstar rejoins the group.

Solay ushers the new younglings back to the Tenoo Jedi Temple but Brightstar realizes that Bren is missing. Discussing the matter with Nubs and Solay, Bren decides to search the local spaceport for Bren. At the spaceport, Brightstar encounters a four-armed humanoid alien, who recalls encountering a human boy with brown hair asking him about a ship leaving for Coruscant. The alien recalls that the boy boarded a shuttle bound for Yarrum Tower. Brightstar is horrified since Yarrum Tower is a pirate haven. Brightstar contacts Nash Durango via hologram for a starship ride but Durango and RJ-83 are busy helping her parents. She allows Brightstar to borrow the Crimson Firehawk but warns him to be careful with her ship.

Searching for Bren
Brightstar flies the Firehawk to Yarrum Tower but the tower is busy. While searching for a place to land, Brightstar narrowly avoids colliding with an incoming starship. The Firehawk crash-lands on a dune, damaging the ship’s gasket thrusters. With the Firehawk downed, Brightstar ventures into Yarrum Tower to seek help. Inside the Yarrum Tower marketplace, Brightstar witnesses a young Pantoran male using an electro-whip to steal a fruit from a Kyuzo vendor’s stall. Brightstar witnesses the Pantoran giving the fruit to Bren.

When Bren asks what he is doing here, Brightstar says that he came looking for him. He tells Bren to talk to someone when he is feeling sad and not to run off. Bren introduces Brightstar to his new Pantoran friend Clave Rollek, saying that he has been looking out for him and that Rollek described him as an honorary pirate. Bren also tells Brightstar that Rollek also gave him a nice badge, which has a symbol with three ferns. Brightstar thanks Rollek for looking after Bren and motions for Bren to follow him. Bren tells Brightstar that Rollek says that pirates have no rules and that they can take what they want. Brightstar reminds Bren that they are Jedi not pirates and returns the fruit to the Kyuzo vendor.

Rollek is annoyed with Brightstar for returning the stolen fruit, saying that pirates don’t have rules but have fun. When Brightstar insists that being a Jedi can be fun, Rollek retorts by asking how much fun it is to follow some “stuffy old rules.” Brightstar says that the Jedi are not simply about rules but also about what is right. He leads Bren away but recalls that the Firehawk is broken. Bren says that Rollek can help and that he claims to be the best mechanic on Yarrum. Rollek offers to help and Brightstar reluctantly agrees.

The pirate
At the Firehawk’s landing site, Rollek retrieves the ship’s stabilizer coil and says that it is busted. When Brightstar asks where they will find spareparts, Rollek says that he has a scrapper friend named Hudi nearby who runs a shop nearby. Brightstar offers the services of the Firehawk’s speeder bike. The three travel on the speeder bike to Hudi’s Depot. The Twi’lek Hudi is reluctant to deal with Rollek but agrees to hear him out. When Rollek explains that they need a stabilizer coil, she offers to sell one for 200 credits.

Brightstar is unhappy with the price while Rollek attempts to bargain with Hudi. Hudi reminds Rollek that he still is indebted to her for the last ten parts that she gave him. She says no credits, no deal. Rollek says that they have to try something else and prepares to leave. Eyeing the stabilizer coil in the basket, he stages an accident by using his electro-whip to collapse a facade. While Brightstar uses the Force to break the fall of the face, Bren and Hudi stabilize the structure. While everyone is distracted, Rollek steals the stabilizer coil. After leaving Hudi’s Depot, Rollek tells the Jedi younglings that he has obtained the stabilizer coil “pirate style.”

Brightstar disagrees with stealing and tells Rollek to return it. Rollek argues that he is helping Brightstar to repair his ship. Brightstar disagrees with the idea of stealing. Hudi realizes that Rollek has stolen her stabilizer coil and chases after him with an electrostaff. Brightstar uses his lightsaber to restrain Hudi’s staff. Rollek convinces a reluctant Bren to leave Kai and return to the Firehawk on the speeder bike.

Brightstar is surprised at Rollek’s betrayal and is left to deal with Hudi. He tells Hudi that Rollek tricked him and Bren is going to steal his ship as well. Brightstar convinces Hudi to let him go after Rollek and promises to return the stabilizer coil. Hudi reluctantly agrees to hear Brightstar out and extends a hand. She says that DV will take him to the Firehawk in her speeder.

Confronting Clave Rollek
Back at the Firehawk, Rollek finishes repairing the damaged gasket thruster and prepares to leave. Bren is reluctant but Rollek tries to convince him to follow the pirate way of stealing. Brightstar returns with DV and demands that he return the stolen stabilizer coil. Rollek refuses and says that he has always wanted his own ship. Brightstar disagrees and tells Rollek that stealing isn’t right. Rollek attempts to get Bren on his side but Bren rejects the idea of stealing and says that he doesn’t want to be a pirate. He throws back the pirate badge and runs to Brightstar.

Rollek is still determined to take the Firehawk and attempts to climb into the ship’s hull. Brightstar pushes him with the Force, prompting the pirate to fight back with his electro-whip. Brightstar draws his lightsaber but Rollek uses his electro-whip to snatch it away. Brightstar uses the Force to retrieve his weapon while Bren enters the fight with his lightsaber. Rollek fights against the two Jedi with his electro-whip. Though he initially has the upper hand, Rollek slips and falls over the hull of the starship, damaging the gauntlet storing his electro-whip. A defeated Rollek leaves and vows to find help from someone else.

Brightstar and Bren return the stabilizer coil to Hudi, who is pleased to be reunited with her stolen merchandise. Brightstar says that stealing is wrong and that he and Bren will find another way to repair their starship. Out of gratitude to the Jedi for recovering the stolen stabilizer coil, Hudi lets the Jedi keep it as payment. Before leaving, Bren tells Brightstar that he is anxious about returning to Tenoo because he is wary of making new friends after his experience with Rollek. Brightstar says that Bren figured out that Rollek was a bad friend and reassures him that things will be alright on Tenoo.

Aftermath
At the Tenoo Jedi Temple cafeteria, Brightstar and his friends watch as Bren befriending several younglings including Linh, Zotti, a blue Twi’lek, a green alien, a blonde girl and a grey Mon Calamari. Bren recounts his adventure on Yarrum to them.