Warning: The following contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Bad Batch, now streaming on Disney+.
When The Bad Batch brought a Hera Syndulla (future captain of the Ghost and Star Wars Rebels star) origin story in Season 1, Episode 11, "Devil's Deal," it came with a welcome Star Wars surprise: the spunky, fan-favorite droid, Chopper. This mischievous droid with a decent moral compass yet Machiavellian way of getting there has long been a favorite Rebels character for many, thanks to his explosive personality, sassy antics and unwavering loyalty to Hera and the Ghost crew.
Prior to this Bad Batch arc, viewers only had a general timeline of when Hera found and rescued Chopper. So seeing his wildly waving droid arms and furiously spinning self onscreen was a burst of joy. Not only did this two-episode arc neatly start Hera's path to the Rebellion, but it centered Chopper in a way that helped cement his status as a Star Wars icon.
Following Chopper's surprise appearance, Star Wars released a new official Bad Batch character poster for the beloved droid on Instagram and Twitter, with Chopper posed in a dutiful salute. And, in a fandom that is not always the most united, the fan responses were overwhelmingly positive. While disagreements aren't often hard to come by, fan interaction and comments on Chopper's highlights prove just how popular this little droid continues to be.
But beyond fan fervor, this episode arc continued The Clone Wars and Rebels' trend of humanizing their droid characters. In particular, "Devil's Deal" and "Rescue on Ryloth" showed the aspects of Chopper that were inherently constant to his personality (such as his sassy shouting and arm waving ) but also highlighted how he grew to be bolder and more chaotic in Rebels. For instance, the Rebels Chopper likely would not have stayed put just because Eleni Syndulla, Hera's mother, asked him to, especially with Hera missing.
The Ryloth arc also gave viewers a glimpse of Chopper's enduring sweet side and tenderness toward Hera, his rescuer and friend. When a young Hera was upset at the Bad Batch's initial reluctance to help her protect her family, a worried Chopper rolled to her side to comfort her. And when her innate stubborn streak came through, and she brushed off an incoming lecture, Chopper was highly enthusiastic about going rogue with her and initiating their own plan. Though Chopper in Rebels grows to care for his entire crew, this scene cemented his enduring loyalty to Hera, as they were birds of a feather and friends that will stick by each others' sides no matter what.
The "Rescue on Ryloth" episode also introduced Chopper's first foray into hacking an Imperial ship as he plugged into the network terminal to gain access to Imperial cannons. Later on in Rebels, Chopper downloads, transfers and messes with Imperial data on a regular basis. He also may have gotten his first taste for metaphorical digital blood as he gleefully electrocuted the Imperial droid stationed there to gain access to the terminal. As Rebels fans know, Chopper never hesitated to electrocute droids that stood in his way, nor escalate to shooting blasters and causing explosions. His taste for fast-paced violence was not only a staple of his character but something that blossomed.
Looking at these The Bad Batch episodes as an origin story for Chopper, his experiences with Hera's capture and him being exposed to her rebellious, freedom-fighting side truly shaped him into who he is in Rebels. While his personality is shown to be strongly sassy yet caring from the get-go, this first big adventure with Hera also gives viewers a taste of the chaotic Rebel fighter Chopper will grow to be, even further securing his place as an enduring fan favorite.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch enters a galaxy far, far away with new episodes each Friday on Disney+.