Ahsoka season 1 episode 7 recap: Thrawn’s gambit
WARNING: This article contains full spoilers for Ahsoka Episode 7 “Dreams and Madness”
After a couple of weeks without Hera Syndulla appearing, we opened Episode 7 of Ahsoka with Hera facing down the New Republic council. Senator Hamato Xiono isn’t happy with Hera’s previous actions of leading an unauthorized mission to stop Grand Admiral Thrawn, find Ezra Bridger, and allow Ahsoka and Huyang to escape on a space whale ride in the Purrgil.
Chancellor Mon Mothma watches the proceedings as Hera and Xiono debate back and forth about whether or not there is an Imperial remnant still running around. Carson Teva interjects, bringing up the events of The Mandalorian’s third season when Moff Gideon tried to take over Mandalore.
In a twist to the proceedings, C-3PO suddenly arrives at the courtroom. Mon Mothma welcomes the droid, who is speaking for Senator Leia Organa (an excellent way to keep Leia in the story when Carrie Fisher can’t be here with us). C-3PO has a data transcript where Leia sanctioned Hera’s missions, and she “accidentally didn’t know” that Senator Xiono was against it. Needless to say, Xiono is very upset but can’t fight it. Hera is off the hook.
Mon pulls Hera to the side and wants to know how real the threat of Thrawn is. Hera warns her it’s real as the title card plays out, “Part Seven: Dreams and Madness.”
Ahsoka makes a return this week as she practices her lightsaber forms while passing the time. A hologram of Anakin Skywalker plays as if he’s watching her. It’s an old lesson from the Clone Wars. Huyang enters as the hologram ends to let her know the Purrgil are reaching the end of their journey.
They plan to find the enemy in order to find Sabine Wren as the Purrgil jumps out of hyperspace.
Ahsoka senses something is wrong with the Purrgil as they emerge into a minefield set by Thrawn. The Purrgil jump to hyperspace for safety as our heroes face off against Thrawn’s waiting fighters. Ahsoka flies into the debris field of Purrgil bones to try and avoid the enemy.
Back on the planet’s surface, Thrawn, Captain Enoch, and Morgan Elsbeth convene to discuss Ahsoka’s arrival. Thrawn sees on a datapad that her Master was Anakin.
A very short version of why this is important is that there is a book by Timothy Zahn called Thrawn: Alliances, where Thrawn and Anakin teamed up for a mission. Thrawn was gathering information for his people, the Chiss, while Anakin was looking for his wife, Padmé Amidala. Later, Thrawn teamed up with Darth Vader in the same book and figured out that Anakin and Vader were the same person. Thrawn and Anakin knew each other, and therefore, Thrawn knew Anakin’s tactics and assumed they have been passed on to Ahsoka.
Back to the episode:
Thrawn has Enoch pull back his fighters to allow Ahsoka to continue on her own path to try and stay ahead of her. Ahsoka and Huyang realize Thrawn knows they’re there.
We then shift to Ezra Bridger and Sabine, who are traveling with the Noti as they relocate. Sabine gave him the rundown of what happened to their friends after Star Wars Rebels but not how she found him specifically. Ezra says they must get home, and Sabine reveals that Ahsoka is her master. Though, she believes that Ahsoka is dead.
Tracking the heroes are Baylan Skoll, Shin Hati, and the bandits who live on Peridea.
Thrawn calls upon the Great Mother Nightsisters to find Ahsoka Tano in the Purrgil graveyard. During this, Ahsoka reaches out through the Force to Sabine and connects with her. This also allows the Great Mothers to find her, and Thrawn permits Enoch to open fire on Ahsoka and Huyang. It’s a race through the graveyard as Ahsoka is flushed out to head down to the planet.
Back with Ezra and Sabine, they’re found by Baylan and Shin. In a twist, Baylan tells Shin to kill Ezra and Sabine to take her place in the Empire. Shin realizes he’s not coming with her. He gives her a final lesson and sends his apprentice on her way with the bandits to attack the Noti. Thrawn also sends in his own men to assist Shin.
The battle breaks out as Sabine and Ezra defend the Noti from the bandits, though the little hermit crab people get in on the action, too. They circle up the space wagons right about when Ahsoka and Shin arrive. Ezra and Sabine come out to make their stand.
Ahsoka jumps out of her ship while Huyang pulls the fighters away. But Ahsoka is met by Baylan Skoll on the hilltop. They both pull their sabers as the music kicks up, and they duel. Speaking of sabers, Sabine tries to give Ezra back his lightsaber, but he refuses it and a blaster, only saying he needs the Force. They take on the bandits one by one.
Shin jumps into the fray, facing Ezra and Sabine simultaneously. Huyang provides cover for Ahsoka. She swipes a Howler and rides away, leaving Baylan behind. As Night Troopers pour out into the battle, from afar, Thrawn notices that Baylan isn’t there anymore. Night Troopers surround Ezra and Sabine, but Ahsoka arrives to even the odds.
As the tides are turning, Thrawn calls back all his troops, seeing this as a victory. Morgan is aghast, seeing only a defeat. Thrawn shows her why he is doing all of this:
Their enemy was distracted, which means their cargo transfer is almost complete. They can leave without the Jedi in tow, which means the heroes could be stranded.
The Night Troopers retreat, leaving behind Shin, who hops on a Howler to get the heck out of there. Ahsoka hugs Ezra and greets Sabine. Huyang arrives to pick them all up, and the penultimate episode of Ahsoka ends on an uplifting note.