Part of what keeps fans engaged in Star Wars are all of the unanswered questions that float around the galaxy. Over the several decades the franchise has been around, a seemingly endless array of movies, TV shows, books, comic books and video games have been produced that have created more questions than they've answered. However, the answer to the mystery of the missing Ezra Bridger might be a lot more simple than fans think.
Star Wars: Rebels was set in the era between the end of the Clone Wars and before the destruction of the first Death Star. The series introduced a Rebel cell based out of an Outer Rim planet named Lothal that featured the Lasat Zeb, a Mandalorian named Sabine, captain Hera Syndulla, an Astromech droid called Chopper and Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus, who would go on to train a local named Ezra in the ways of the force.
Thanks to the Empire imprisoning his parents, Ezra grew up on the streets of Lothal's capital city as a good-natured criminal. After meeting the crew of the Ghost, though, life took him in a new direction, and he became a Rebel and started training with Kanan. The endgame of his time in the war against the Empire saw Ezra take Grand Admiral Thrawn off the battlefield, freeing Lothal in the process.
Ezra's sacrifice was a major victory for the Rebellion, but fans immediately noted that neither Ezra nor Thrawn had died on-screen, meaning both of them had seemingly survived their ride with the purrgils into hyperspace. This led to wild speculation as to when and how the characters would return, only forThe Mandalorian to throw fuel on that fire when Ahsoka Tano appeared and revealed she was searching for Thrawn.
This all but confirmed that Thrawn survived, making it even more likely that Ezra did, too. Where he has been all this time is a mystery, but Ezra could be hiding back on Lothal, a planet deeply connected to the Force. He could have returned to his homeworld in secret, using its connection with the Force to cover up his presence.
In addition to a Temple and the potent Force vergence it was built on, Lothal was also situated outside of well-traveled hyperspace lanes. Being off the beaten path would certainly help Ezra stay hidden and the Loth Wolves, who were also connected to the Force, could have been of aid by allowing him to stay one step ahead of anyone looking for him on the planet's surface.
Realistically, Lothal could be the perfect place for Ezra to hide out after the events of Rebels. Once the Empire was driven out of the system, it was seemingly forgotten by galactic history, and even before that point, the planet avoided becoming part of the Clone Wars due to its location and relative importance.
Much like how Yoda retreated to Dagobah after the fall of the Republic, Ezra may have found refuge in the wilds of his own homeworld. He could even have spent time using his abilities to rebuild the Jedi Temple and reconnect with the Force. Regardless of where Ezra has been since the end of Rebels, however, why he took a step back from the Rebellion's fight will need to be explained.