Theory: Is Shmi Skywalker actually Abeloth from Legends?
Ahsoka has done the maximum to expand the Star Wars canon. Through Ahsoka, Dave Filoni has brought many ideas and characters that previously existed only in books and animation to live-action, ensuring that the franchise moves forward with endless possibilities for the future.
While the Mortis Gods play a significant role in The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, the wider Star Wars audience that hasn’t seen the animated series has little to no knowledge of their existence. Ahsoka changed this and opened a door of possibilities by introducing the Gods of Mortis on Peridea. However, The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels have only introduced 3 of the Morits Gods: the Father, the Son, and the Daughter. That might change in Ahsoka Season 2 as all signs point to the series bringing yet another powerful divine entity from Star Wars Legends to the canon: the Mother.
And what’s more, the Mother could be Shmi Skywalker, a character we’re all very familiar with.
Who is Shmi Skywalker?
Shmi Skywalker is an important name in Star Wars, and for good reason. She’s Anakin Skywalker’s mother, but according to a new theory, there may be more to Shmi Skywalker than we thought. Shmi’s home planet is unknown, but she and her parents were sold into slavery in 66 BBY. She spent most of her life as a slave on Tatooine and gave birth to Anakin Skywalker in 41 BBY. According to Shmi, Anakin had no father, and she raised him on her own.
Years later, Anakin, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Ahsoka Tano were called to the realm of Mortis by the Father. The Father is the keeper of balance between his children, the Son and the Daughter, both of whom represent the two sides of the Force. The Father’s wish was for Anakin to take his place as he was getting too old for the job. Anakin refused, and after a harrowing ordeal in which all three of the Mortis Gods perished, Anakin and his Jedi friends all escaped Mortis. But according to a new theory, the Father may have called on Anakin because Anakin was his son, and Shmi Skywalker may have been the Mother, or Abeloth, a character from the Star Wars Legends novel Fate of the Jedi: Apocalypse.
Who is Abeloth?
In Legends, Abeloth was a mortal who became a powerful dark Force entity to achieve immortality. Abeloth was a servant to the 3 Mortis Gods, and as a result of her bond with them, she came to be known as the Mother and completed their family. However, due to her mortality, Abeloth grew fearful of losing her family, which led her to bathe in the Pool of Knowledge and drink from the Font of Power. Her actions corrupted her, and she became so evil that the Father abandoned her and took his children with him. While the Mortis Gods died in the Star Wars Canon, perhaps Abeloth is still out there. Many fans believe that it’s Abeloth who’s calling out to Baylan Skoll on Peridea, and her return could be bad news for the galaxy.
Why Shmi Skywalker could be Abeloth
Both Shmi and Abeloth spent most of their lives serving others, and both were abandoned by their families. Both are mother figures, though only Shmi has a biological child. But the question is, who’s Anakin’s father? Did Darth Sidious manipulate the midi-chlorians to create Anakin, or is Anakin someone else’s son? Perhaps the Father called Anakin to Mortis because Anakin is his son and, therefore, a demi-God. How could this be possible?
Shmi Skywalker was sold repeatedly and may have ended up on Mortis at some point in her life. However, just like Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka, she has no memory of what happened to her on Mortis. Shmi might have visited Mortis and conceived a child with the Father, but after losing all memory of events there, she started to believe that Anakin had no father.
If true, this explains the importance of Anakin Skywalker as The Chosen One beyond just his role of bringing balance to the Force. Perhaps Anakin wasn’t only meant to bring balance to the Force but meant to keep that balance as well. He was the Father’s natural successor because the Father is more than just a divine entity, but family. This completes the family of Mortis Gods, with Shmi representing the missing piece as the Mother or Abeloth. At the end of Ahsoka, Anakin may be doing more than just fulfilling his duties as Ahsoka’s master. Anakin may also be doing what the Father asked of him and keeping the balance between the dark and light sides of the Force, and this is a role Anakin may have to fulfill for a long time to come.
Whether Shmi has any connection to Abeloth is something only time will tell. However, Abeloth may soon join Star Wars Canon and pose the biggest threat to peace in the galaxy since Darth Sidious.