In the season finale of Star Wars Rebels Season 1, the mysterious Fulcrum was revealed to be Anakin Skywalker’s former padawan, Ahsoka Tano. On Saturday, during the Rebels Season 2 premiere, we were able to see the fully gown version of “Snips”, who is now a Jedi Master in her own right. The Voice behind Ahsoka, Ashley Eckstein, sat down with Tech Times to talk about her return to the Star Wars universe.
TT asked Eckstein about the feeling that many fans thought Ahsoka was assumed dead, being that she wasn’t in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.
"I always felt that Ahsoka did not have to die and I hoped that [showrunner] Dave Filoni and his amazing writing staff would find a way to keep her alive — I just wasn’t sure how they were going to do it! When Dave told me the finale arc, it made so much sense and I was overjoyed!"
TT then asked the actress how Dave Filoni let her know she would in fact be returning.
"I found out that Ahsoka was returning to Star War Rebels about a year before the season 1 finale aired. After Clone Wars ended, I believed in my heart that we would continue Ahsoka’s story someday, but I had no idea that it would be in Rebels. Needless to say, I was so excited to get Dave’s call that she was coming back and it was so hard to keep the secret for a year!"
I imagine that was an incredibly difficult secret to keep, especially in light of the fact that fans everywhere, from Cons to random people on the streets, bearing signs that read “Ahsoka Lives” or just approaching the actress asking when or if she would ever be back.
Ahsoka’s journey in Season 2 of Star Wars Rebels, will be two-fold. She’ll be on hand to help the Rebels and in particular the crew of the Ghost, but she also has her own questions about the growing darkness in the galaxy…a darkness she felt first hand in the Season 2 premiere. The big moment from the premiere, was Ahsoka and Kanan using the Force to sense Darth Vader who had single handed destroyed nearly the entire Rebel Fleet.
As for now, Eckstein can’t say much about how Season 2 will play out, but one thing is quote clear. Ahsoka is not sure about the identity of Darth Vader. She clearly senses that he is more that just a Sith Lord, and she has felt that presence before, but she hasn’t yet put two and two together. As for Vader, he knows exactly who she is: “So, the apprentice lives,” and he alerted the Emperor of her reemergence. What Darth Sidious has in story for our Ahsoka, can only be imagined, but it’s a safe assumption that it isn’t anything good.
But for now, let’s just all be happy that Ahsoka is finally back, and according to the Season 2 trailer, she’ll be reuniting with some of our favorite clone soldiers from the 501st who had their Order 66 chips removed. That reunion is going to be a blast…literally.