The Legacy of the Force on display in ‘Ahsoka’ series
By Ian Walter
In Ahsoka’s season finale, Ahsoka Tano reveals that the Jedi are right where they need to be with Ezra Bridger back in their home galaxy and Ahsoka and Sabine Wren stuck on Peridea. Having finally mastered the Force, these teachers are in a prime position to successfully pass on what they’ve learned. Ezra Bridger and Ahsoka Tano come from an important line of Jedi, and, of course, in this era, all roads lead to Grand Master Yoda.
Ezra was trained by Kanan Jarrus, who was Padawan to Depa Billaba, who trained under none other than Mace Windu himself. Ahsoka just finished her training with Anakin Skywalker, who trained under Obi-Wan Kenobi, who learned what he knew from the great Qui-Gon Jinn. Qui-Gon was Padawan of Count Dooku, one of Yoda’s students.
The eighth episode, titled The Jedi, The Witch, and The Warlord, opens with the Great Mothers organizing a succession of their own, anointing a Nightsister of Dathomir in Morgan Elsbeth with the ‘gift of shadows,’ transforming her using Dark Force magick and conjuring for her the Blade of Talzin. The precious cargo they are transporting ultimately to Dathomir certainly suggests that the Nightsisters can rebuild their forces by raising the dead, as there looks to be a vast number of coffins aboard the Chimaera.
Meanwhile, the Jedi Masters are on their T6 ship, preparing for the coming battle. Ezra is building a new lightsaber with the help of Professor Huyang, who claims he is old enough to know that “the relationship between Master and Apprentice is as challenging as it is meaningful.” Huyang gives Bridger a piece for his saber identical to one he helped his Master Kanan Jarrus build when he was a Padawan known as Caleb Dume. He also let Ezra know that Ahsoka had been afraid to train Sabine for her potential to turn to the Dark Side over the Empire’s Purge of Mandalore, which killed hundreds of thousands and her whole family in the process.
Sabine Wren and Ahsoka Tano are out on the wing of the T6, reconciling over Sabine’s decision to come to Peridea to find Ezra. Ahsoka assures her that she will support her no matter what like Anakin did for her. Ahsoka reminds Sabine to “Train your mind. Train your body. Trust in the Force.” Just as Ezra finishes his lightsaber, the T6 is attacked by TIE fighters, and both Masters must use the Force to hold the T6 up over the Noti pods. Sabine uses some sharp maneuvering to crash the T6 through the TIE’s and move them out of harm’s way. Ezra and Ahsoka have trained for a long time and honed their skills to Master the Force and persevere.
Thrawn determines that a ground assault is inevitable and ensures that Elsbeth and the Great Mothers have prepared the Night Troopers for what will come. He orders the Chimaera to rain hellfire down on them as the heroes storm the gate because, thanks to the novel Thrawn: Alliances, Thrawn believes there is no negotiating with the apprentice of Anakin Skywalker! The Jedi attempt to use the Force to open it and slip into the fortress. After defeating a platoon of Night Troopers, the Great Mothers are put to work with dark chanting just as they have done in The Clone Wars, and we are gifted zombie troopers in live-action!
Thrawn orders Morgan to slow the Jedi down to buy more time, claiming it is ‘for the Empire.’ Morgan abides but says this is ‘for Dathomir,’ clearly showing her allegiance to the Great Mothers. It is Ahsoka v. Morgan for the final showdown, fitting given their first battle was when Ahsoka made her live-action debut on The Mandalorian. Ezra and Sabine advance to the surface of the fortress’ henge. They face undead Death Troopers, which is almost too much for them. However, Sabine is finally able to connect with the Force at a critical moment as she reaches out for her lightsaber and finally succeeds in pulling it to her aide (with a cool killing blow reminiscent of Kylo Ren killing the last of Snoke’s guards in The Last Jedi).
This act allows Ezra to behead the remaining Death Trooper, and they race to board the Star Destroyer. In an impressive feat of Force trust falls, Ezra leaps toward the Chimaera, and Sabine gives him an extra Force push to get him aboard. With Ahsoka seemingly overwhelmed by undead Night Troopers and Morgan Elsbeth, Sabine remains behind to stay with her Master. Ahsoka finishes Morgan off with her own Blade of Talzin. Thrawn orders another bombardment directly onto the Dathomiri stronghold despite an appalled look on the Great Mother’s face. Ahsoka and Sabine jump off the cliff only to land safely on the T6 piloted by Huyang, which is a real Back to the Future Part II moment.
As Thrawn escapes (with Ezra on board), seemingly winning the day, Ahsoka reminds Sabine they are all where they need to be, perhaps comforted by the appearance of Morai, a guide of some kind from the Daughter of Mortis, who is a deity of the light side of the Force. Anakin Skywalker’s Force ghost looks on with confidence that he has passed on all he knows to his Apprentice Ahsoka Tano, who is now equipped to do the same for Sabine Wren. Ezra arrives to meet Hera Syndulla and Chopper back in the central galaxy, which is undoubtedly met with mixed emotions upon the realization that this comes with a trade-off in losing Ashoka and Sabine. Ezra is also a Master of the Force and could perhaps one day train Jacen Syndulla like his father Kanan Jarrus trained Ezra before him.
These impressive displays of Force mastery in Ahsoka signify the importance of a strong succession of Force users in a galaxy far, far away. Whether following the light as with the teachings of Grand Master Yoda or embracing the dark like the Great Mothers, it is vital for survival to pass on the knowledge from one generation to the next. There is still the mysterious legacy of Master Baylan Skoll and his Apprentice Shin Hati, which could be explored in another season, as we are left with Shin joining/leading the marauders on Peridea and Baylan standing on a statue of Mortis gods, looking out towards a terrifying prospect. Baylan’s plans alone allow for all sorts of speculations. Is he seeking Abeloth from Star Wars Legends? Could he be the long-lost brother Ben Kenobi informed young Leia about in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series?
Either way, the Ahsoka Season 1 finale has established that both Ahsoka Tano and Ezra Bridger are Masters of the Force. They are ready to pass on the knowledge their strong legacies bring to the next generation.