UPDATED: January 11, 2016 1:21 p.m. - Watch the first clip of Leia in action on "Star Wars Rebels."

The original article follows below.


When "Star Wars Rebels" returns on Jan. 20, it will bring along a familiar face.

TV Insider reveals Princess Leia Organa will guest star on the Disney XD series, which is set between the events of "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith" and "A New Hope." In the episode, the teenage princess (voiced by Julie Dolan, of "Star Wars: Uprising") is sent to Lothal to bring ships for the Rebel fleet, only to encounter trouble in the form of an Imperial lockdown.

“We thought we had an opportunity to show her learning to be a leader, experimenting with the personality that becomes the stronger more resolute character you see in 'A New Hope,'” Executive Producer Filoni said. “One of the complex challenges of depicting Leia in 'Rebels' is that we have to remind the audience that at this point she is part of the Empire. She doesn’t believe in the Empire, but she is acting the part, almost a double agent.”

Leia is only the latest character from the original film trilogy to appear on "Rebels," following C-3PO, R2-D2, Darth Vader, Yoda and Lando Calrissian.

"A Princess in Lothal" airs Wednesday, Jan. 20, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Disney XD.