Jacob Ant
ALERT: This article contains spoilers for Ahsoka episode 5.
In a riveting midseason episode of Ahsoka, written and directed by Star Wars savant Dave Filoni, fans were treated to an epic reunion between Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) and her former mentor, Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen). The show delves into the mystical World Between Worlds—a realm connected to the Force that links time and space—previously introduced in Star Wars Rebels.
Christensen returns, wearing garb reminiscent of Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, but as a character that diverges from the standard blue Force ghost. The episode doesn’t fully clarify this anomaly but suggests it might be related to the unique properties of the World Between Worlds.
While Ahsoka is bewildered by Anakin’s sudden appearance, he announces his intention to complete her training. The two engage in an intense lightsaber battle that serves as both a confrontation and a lesson, culminating in a trip down memory lane. Ahsoka is transported to her early days as a padawan during the Clone Wars, with Anakin’s appearance staying true to his animated form from those times.
Meanwhile, Hera (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and her crew are on a quest to find Ahsoka and Sabine, who have inexplicably vanished. Jacen Syndulla, Hera’s Force-sensitive son, plays a pivotal role by sensing Ahsoka’s turmoil, which is symbolically described as being “lost in the ocean.”
The episode also features a cameo from Temuera Morrison, lending his voice to clone Captain Rex. Fans will remember Morrison as Jango Fett from the prequels and as Boba Fett in “The Book of Boba Fett.”
As Ahsoka navigates various past memories and confronts a Sith-transformed Anakin, she grapples with the Dark Side for a brief moment before choosing to live and be defined by more than her past. Anakin vanishes after acknowledging this decision, hinting at his own redemption.
By the episode’s end, Ahsoka employs a unique Force power to learn that Sabine has voluntarily joined Baylan Skoll in a quest to find Ezra Bridger and Grand Admiral Thrawn. Ahsoka, now adorned in an outfit inspired by Gandalf the White, sets off on her journey with Huyang, assisted by spacefaring Purrgils.
With just three episodes left in the series, the reappearance of Hayden Christensen is left ambiguous, but the episode lays fertile ground for the live-action introductions of Rebels characters Thrawn and Ezra. Overall, the episode was a captivating blend of nostalgia, self-discovery, and teasing of what’s yet to come in the Star Wars universe.
