After many false starts and canceled projects, Star Wars is finally ready to return to theaters. Lucasfilm announced three new upcoming standalone movies during the opening of Star Wars Celebration 2023. These new Star Wars movies include a story about the founding of the Jedi, a movie that will serve as the finale to this era of interconnected Disney+ shows, and the return of Daisy Ridley’s Rey.

Speaking of the upcoming Rey movie, there is now a reported filming date in play. According to Productionlist.com, which tracks production updates for the Film & Television Industry Alliance, the Rey movie will start shooting on April 7, 2024 in London. Hopefully, that means we will get casting news soon.

And with that, the galaxy far, far away is finally going back to the big screen. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy revealed James Mangold (Logan, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny), Dave Filoni (The Mandalorian, Ahsoka), Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (Ms. Marvel, Saving Face) have all been tapped to direct these new Star Wars movies.

While Lucasfilm shared few official details about the films, the little they tell us says a lot. Here’s what we know about these new Star Wars movies so far.

James Mangold’s New Star Wars Movie Tells the Story of the Force

James Mangold’s “will go back to the dawn of the Jedi,” a time set tens of thousands of years earlier than anything we’ve ever seen on screen before. That might mean we’ll meet the figure known as Prime Jedi. That’s the person who founded the Order on Ahch-To sometime around 25,000 years before the events of A New Hope. Fans already know Ahch-To well. They first saw it in The Last Jedi when it served as Luke Skywalker’s hideaway. A release additionally shares, “James Mangold will take audiences deep into the past, telling the tale of the first Jedi to wield the Force and harness it as a liberating power in an era of chaos and oppression.”

Mangold further noted to Empire that his new Star Wars movie “takes place 25,000 years before Episode IV, and it’s about the discovery of the Force.” He further shares, “I told Kathy [Kennedy, head of Lucasfilm] I wanted to make a kind of Bible movie, a kind of Ten Commandments of Star Wars – kind of a Cecil B DeMille film about the arrival of the Force, and that’s what I’ve been pecking away at between press events. That’s the idea.”

James Mangold’s New Star Wars Movie Connects with Rey’s Next Appearance

Kennedy also recently shared that this movie will help inform the new Star Wars movie featuring the return of Rey. She noted to Total Film, “I think it’s a really nice compliment to what we’re doing with moving into the future with Rey, and then understanding a bit more of where this all came from,” she explains. “Because it will be at the heart of creating the new Jedi Order, so to get a real sense of where that might have began with the dawn of the Jedi could be pretty cool.” 

According to a new official Star Wars eras list revealed by LucasFilm, this movie will most likely take place in the “Dawn of the Jedi” era, but could even take place earlier than that.

Dave Filoni’s Film Will Bring Together Many Current Disney+ Series

The next new Star Wars movie will come from franchise veteran Dave Filoni. His film “will focus on the New Republic and close out the interconnected stories told in The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, and other Disney+ series.” That’s huge news for both the television and movie side of Lucasfilm. When we get a release date for Filoni’s film, we’ll know just how many more seasons of The Mandalorian we might see. Clearly, there’s already an end in sight to Din Djarin and Grogu’s story. Although, we suppose they could continue on beyond a culminating movie. A release further shares, “Dave Filoni will orchestrate the escalating war between the Imperial Remnant and the fledgling New Republic.”

Rey Will Return in Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s Star Wars Movie

The third and final new Star Wars movie announced will focus on the future. Obaid-Chinoy’s movie will take place after The Rise of Skywalker. It will mark the return of Daisy Ridley as Rey. Set 15 years after the ultimate defeat of the Sith, she will be trying to build a new Jedi Order. Hopefully, that goes a lot better than her mentor Luke Skywalker’s attempts. According to the new list of Star Wars eras, it seems like this movie will take place in the “New Jedi Order” era.

Kathleen Kennedy shared more about the movie with Variety. She noted:

Well, we’re 15 years out from ‘Rise of Skywalker,’ so we’re post-war, post-First Order, and the Jedi are in disarray. There’s a lot of discussion around, ‘Who are the Jedi? What are they doing? What’s the state of the galaxy?’ She’s attempting to rebuild the Jedi Order, based on the books, based on what she promised Luke, so that’s where we’re going.”

Speaking to Empire, Kennedy added, “The First Order has fallen, the Jedi are in chaos – there’s even a question of how many exist anymore – and Rey’s building the New Jedi Order, based on the text that she was given and that Luke imparted on her.” She also offers, “Rey has made a promise to Luke, and that’s really the core of where we’re going and what this story will be. And I think it offers just tremendous opportunity to introduce new characters and start with something fresh, because we culminated with what George [Lucas] was creating, and now we take all of that and move it to the next chapter.” 

On the topic of a possible Luke Skywalker presence in the new Star Wars movie, Kennedy said: “I don’t know if we’ll spend a lot of time in flashbacks or [on] Force ghosts or things like that, but certainly, the spirit of what he represents to her is going to be significant.”

Recently, Daisy Ridley herself gave her first comments on her new Star Wars movie. While her comments remain vague, she noted to Collider, “I’m very excited. The story is really cool. I’m waiting to read a script because, obviously, I don’t have any other updates. It’s not what I expected, but I’m very excited.” And additionally told the The Hollywood Reporter, ” I’m genuinely really excited about the next one [Star Wars movie]. I haven’t read anything, but I know the story. It’s really worth telling, worth exploring, and I think people will be excited.”

Something tells us it won’t be smooth sailing for Rey, though. The dark side of the Force has a way of always creating shadows over the galaxy far, far away, especially in theaters.

As previously noted, this movie is expected to start shooting in April 2024.

Originally published on April 7, 2023.

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Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney Parks is one of the most immersive theme park lands in history. When you set foot inside, it truly is like you’re on another world in the galaxy far, far away. But that doesn’t mean that it’s perfect. The great John Williams did record a new theme for the land. However, you never hear a hint of any classic Star Wars music while you’re wandering Black Spire Outpost. Well, in 2024, that will change at the location in Anaheim’s Disneyland Resort.

According to Disneyland, 2024 will see the return of Season of the Force at Disneyland. This will include a new Star Tours adventure featuring Ahsoka Tano. Also, the event will feature the Hyperspace Mountain re-theme of Space Mountain and something new. The official announcement says “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will provide a fresh perspective on the fireworks above Disneyland Park, with galactic music sweeping through the spires.” Although obviously not 100% confirmed, we imagine “galactic music” is actual music from the many Star Wars films and Disney+ series.

Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland is uniquely positioned for such a show. One can clearly see the fireworks above the peaks of the planet Batuu. But if you’re in Galaxy’s Edge, you don’t hear any music to go with the fireworks. It’s the perfect opportunity to create a totally separate musical score for the fireworks that only those visiting Galaxy’s Edge can hear. We’re already excited at the prospect of hearing Williams’ main theme, or “Duel of the Fates,” “Battle of the Heroes,” and “Imperial March,” all while fireworks explode above. The lack of classic Star Wars music has always been an issue with Galaxy’s Edge, and this would go a long way in correcting that mistake. Here’s hoping it stays past the allotted limited time. 

Season of the Force is celebrated at Disneyland Park from April 5-June 2, 2024.

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The next few years are going to bring about many exciting Star Wars series to Disney+, including Ahsoka and further adventures for The Mandalorian and Andor. But one, in particular, announced in 2020, is The Acolyte. Here’s everything we know about this mysterious new live-action Star Wars series, set a century before the events of the Skywalker Saga. Here’s everything we know about The Acolyte.

Title

The official title for the upcoming Lucasfilm Star Wars series is The Acolyte. Its official title may or may not wind up as Star Wars: The Acolyte.

The Acolyte’s Plot

When Disney officially announced the series back in December 2020, we got this official synopsis:

The Acolyte is a mystery-thriller that will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era. A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, but the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated. 

Since that time, we’ve learned that the drama unfolds about a century before the events of The Phantom Menace, during a time when the Sith were still in hiding, getting ready to make their move to take over the galaxy. Aside from canon novels, the High Republic is an era totally unexplored in any live-action or animated Star Wars projects.

Behind the Scenes

Leslye Headland is on board as writer and producer.

The Acolyte’s Cast

The Acolyte‘s cast is turning out better than we could have imagined. Playing the lead role in the show is Amandla Stenberg, recently seen in Bodies Bodies Bodies. Joining Stenberg are Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Charlie Barnett, Dean-Charles Chapman, Carrie-Anne Moss, Margarita Levieva, and Joonas Suotamo. Suotamo is playing a Wookiee and Henderson will portray Vernestra Rwoh. This High Republic character was one of the youngest ever to become Jedi Knight. Of course, we’ll see her much older in this Star Wars series.

The Acolyte‘s Release Date

There is no release date yet for The Acolyte, but Disney+ has confirmed that the series will release in 2024.

Originally published on May 10, 2023.

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Lucasfilm revealed a new live-action Star Wars television series at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim in spring 2022. The show from MCU Spider-Man trilogy director Jon Watts and writer Chris Ford sounds like a Goonies-style adventure set in a galaxy far, far away. Here’s what we know about Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.

Title

The title of the upcoming Star Wars live-action TV series is Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew‘s Plot

We know a few details about the plot of Skeleton Crew. The story will take place in the New Republic era. That’s the same timeline as The Mandalorian and Ahsoka. It centers on a group of children lost in space.

A synopsis for the series shares:

“Skeleton Crew” follows the journey of four kids who make a mysterious discovery on their seemingly safe home planet, then get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy. Finding their way home—and meeting unlikely allies and enemies—will be a greater adventure than they ever imagined. 

Behind the Scenes

Jon Watts directs Skeleton Crew and Chris Ford is writing on the series. The duo created the show. Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau provide producing support. Skeleton Crew was production since at least September 2022, as the creatives shared an image from the set at D23 Expo during that time. The series is now done with production.

Directors include Watts, Ford, David Lowery, the Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), Jake Schreier, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Lee Isaac Chung. 

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew‘s Cast

The first cast member Lucasfilm confirmed for Skeleton Crew was Jude Law. Joining Law on the journey are Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Kyriana Kratter, Robert Timothy Smith, and Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Tunde Adebimpe, and Kerry Condon. 

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew‘s Release Date

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew doesn’t have a release date yet. However, Disney+ has confirmed that this Star Wars series will arrive in 2024.

Originally published on September 22, 2022.

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Sometimes, a character enters into a show, and it’s game over for all other characters. In Ahsoka‘s case, Sabine Wren’s Loth-cat totally stole everyone’s hearts. Even though the Star Wars series introduced other new adorable aliens, it was the Loth-cat that stayed with us. Sadly, Sabine’s pet didn’t get too much time to shine. We only saw our favorite Loth-cat for a few scenes in episodes one and two of Ahsoka. But even worse than that, we never learned what happened to our favorite creature after the rest of our heroes took off to galaxies unknown! The entire season fans were asking, is anyone watching Sabine’s Loth-cat? Is it okay? In the season finale of Ahsoka, we didn’t exactly get answers about the creature, but in a fashion, we learned the Loth-cat’s name and who is watching it. Plot twist, it’s you. We just hope the Star Wars universe remembers to bring the Loth-cat’s fate onto our screens sooner rather than later.

Sabine Wren’s Loth-cat Is Named Murley

In the Star Wars universe, Loth-cats came onto the scene in Star Wars Rebels. They’re a feline creature that’s native to the planet of Lothal. Star Wars’ official description shares that “while at times they can be friendly—and indeed, make affectionate pets when domesticated—Loth-cats are able hunters with sharp teeth and claws.” On Ahsoka, the first live-action appearance of a Loth-cat, we saw both aspects of the Star Wars species at play. Sabine’s Loth-cat was happy to snuggle and purr against her, but was the first to squawk at signs of trouble. And honestly, the Loth-cat crucially gave both Sabine Wren and Ahsoka an important heads-up when the enemy was near.

But one thing we did not get from Ahsoka, was the Loth-cat’s name. Happily, Star Wars‘ official accounts have arrived to fill in that blank for us. Sabine Wren’s Loth-cat is named Murley. There doesn’t seem to be any particular Star Wars Easter egg or reference embedded in the name, but we’ll take it.

Who Is Watching the Loth-cat During the Events of Ahsoka?

Although a Loth-cat can probably fend for itself to some degree, it shouldn’t have to! Over the course of Ahsoka‘s episodes, fans conveyed a great deal of worry about the fate of Sabine’s pet. We see Sabine feed the Loth-cat in Ahsoka‘s first episode, so Murely is probably used to food coming several times a day. Ultimately, Ahsoka never revisited the Loth-cat’s fate throughout the season, but we assume that Sabine asked someone to look after Murley at some juncture. Between Hera Syndulla and the people of Lothal, surely someone was around to check on the Loth-cat.

Recently, Dave Filoni shed some light on this important issue. He shared with Entertainment Weekly about what Sabine’s Loth-cat is getting up to. Filoni noted, “With the cat, obviously, there’s a couple things at play… First, I think Sabine would leave the door cracked open. Second of all, I think Murley’s smart enough to be able to move through the ventilation ducts and up and down that tower. I don’t think he needs to operate the elevator. I wouldn’t question if he could, but I think he can move up and down the ductwork to get out there to the ground level. Maybe there are other Loth-cats around. He’s not the only one.”

Additionally, Filoni does point out what we already mentioned, Ahsoka‘s Loth-cat is pretty capable. He adds, “I don’t think Murley is what I would call a domestic cat… I think it’s a wild cat that lives with Sabine, and she likes that fact and feeds it. Murley knows it’s a good situation, so it hangs out. Murley’s an opportunist and probably a bit of a pain in the butt.” That said, Filoni thinks, “There could be a whole documentary on what happens to the Loth-cat.” We totally agree.

Don’t Forget, Murley the Loth-Cat Has YOU

Of course, Star Wars reminds us, there’s you. You have always been a part of the Rebellion and now you’re a part of the Loth-cat sitter’s club. Congratulations. To drive the point home, the official Star Wars team created a LoFi video of the snoozing creature. You can watch Murley dream happy dreams for 11 hours straight and content yourself with the thought that you are watching the Loth-cat. And that the creature is both safe and happy, phew.

As for the future of Ahsoka‘s Loth-cat? Well, now that Ezra Bridger has returned to his home galaxy, he’ll probably also return to his home where Sabine Wren had been staying. We’d put a little money on the fact that he’ll discover a Loth-cat waiting for him when he enters into LothalNet comm tower E-272.

Ahsoka‘s Loth-cat Is an Animatronic, Just Like Grogu

For those who want to know more about how this cute creature came to life, Murley the Loth-cat is actually an animatronic from the Legacy Effects team. This very same team created Grogu. Before Murley’s Ahsoka debut, Loth-cats featured in The Mandalorian were purely CGI.

Natasha Liu Bordizzo, who plays Sabine Wren, shared with Empire earlier in the year, “That was my little buddy!… That cat, the complexity of the design… I mean, it has a real skeleton under there, because that’s how they control such intense facial expressions and everything.” The actress also added, “Move over, Grogu!”

Star Wars‘ complex animatronic puppets continue to wow us and melt our hearts. So much so that for seven weeks fans have been asking after the health of this animatronic. We honestly hope Grogu doesn’t end up moving over, but that these paid of adorable puppets one day get to meet in the galaxy, far, far away.

Originally published on October 4, 2023.

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Ready to celebrate the holidays in the galaxy far, far away? No, we don’t mean Wookiee Life Day. But if you want to attempt Princess Leia’s song from the Star Wars Holiday Special, be our guest. No, we mean regular Earth holidays like Christmas and Chanukah. Well, the folks at RSVLTS have just the right Star Wars-inspired holiday shirts to wear this season, and they are so festive they will put Emperor Palpatine in the spirit. You can check out images of the three 2023 holiday season button-up shirts from RSVLTS right here:

Star Wars – “I Am Your Father Christmas”

The first shirt, “I Am Your Father Christmas,” shows Darth Vader in the Santa role, commandeering his sleigh through the skies. Only, instead of being led by flying reindeer, it’s flying Imperial AT-ATs. As Santa Vader flies past the Death Star, we can see his wrapped gifts of lightsabers, remotes for saber training, and an Imperial torture droid?? Just what little Luke always wanted to find under the tree. It comes in four styles: Men’s ($70), Long sleeve ($72), Women’s ($70), Preschool ($39), and Youth ($45).

Star Wars – “Festival of Lightsabers”

Their next shirt celebrates Chanukah, droid style. Instead of a Festival of Lights, we get a Festival of Lightsabers. (The dad jokes keep on coming with these shirt names). This button-up shirt showcases the Rebel Alliance symbol as a menorah, surrounded by the lightsabers in question, and many versions of R2-D2. It comes in four styles: Men’s ($70), Long sleeves ($72), Women’s ($70), Preschool ($39), and Youth ($45).

Star Wars – “Vader’s Little Helpers”

And now, we’re back to the Dark Lord of the Sith as Santa again. And Kris Kringle thought he had it bad when Jack Skellington replaced him. With “Vader’s Little Helpers,” we see Darth Vader running things in his factory in the North Pole (or is that Hoth?) He’s even got Stormtroopers instead of Elves wrapping gifts. Like the previous two shirts, it also comes in four styles: Men’s ($70), Long sleeves ($72), Women’s ($70), Preschool ($39), and Youth ($45).

So get ready for the holiday season and grab one (or four) of these Star Wars RSVLTS as soon as possible.

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It’s hard to believe Ahsoka wrapped its first season well over a month ago. The Star Wars series centered on Ahsoka Tano took fans to a distant galaxy and left behind many questions. With the then-ongoing WGA and SAG strikes, the creators and actors couldn’t discuss the series while it aired, but now both strikes are over. Vanity Fair spoke with Dave Filoni about Ahsoka and more. Filoni served as showrunner on Ahsoka and has worked on all the live-action Star Wars series so far. And now, he has an even larger role to play in the galaxy far, far away. Dave Filoni is Lucasfilm’s chief creative officer.

Filoni shared the new title with Vanity Fair, explaining he’ll be part of the development process for upcoming Star Wars stories sooner. He said, “In the past, in a lot of projects I would be brought into it, I would see it after it had already developed a good ways.” Filoni also added the following about his Lucasfilm promotion, “In this new role, it’s opened up to basically everything that’s going on. When we’re planning the future of what we’re doing now, I’m involved at the inception phase.”

Filoni will work closely with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and head of development Carrie Beck. He worked with Beck for years on animated series. He started his time at Lucasfilm working with George Lucas on Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Filoni then went on to tell stories in Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars Resistance, The Bad Batch, and Tales of the Jedi. His involvement in Star Wars animation decreased as he worked more on live-action Star Wars with Jon Favreau, which began with The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett.

Filoni has told hours and hours of Star Wars stories. He said to Vanity Fair about his new role, “I’m not telling people what to do. But I do feel I’m trying to help them tell the best story that they want to tell. I need to be a help across the galaxy here, like a part of a Jedi Council almost.”

This new Lucasfilm role comes in addition to Filoni’s upcoming Star Wars feature film and a possible second season of Ahsoka.

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The 1978 The Star Wars Holiday Special is one the cringiest things to ever come from the galaxy far, far away. It was so bad, in fact, that it aired only once, despite the involvement of almost the entire main Star Wars cast. It has never seen an official home video release, and don’t even bother looking on Disney+ for it. Now, we’ve learned that a documentary about how this special ever came to be is on the way, and it will release on digital early this December. You can watch the trailer for A Disturbance in the Force below:

Set on the Wookiee home planet, the TV special was a variety “comedy” hour. (Comedy in quotes for a reason.) It focused on Chewbacca’s family celebrating Life Day, with celebrity guests galore. The special circulated for years on bootleg VHS tapes at conventions. Then, it became available in an unofficial capacity online. One YouTuber even remastered it. Lucasfilm has never done anything to crack down on this. Maybe they realized that the genie was long out of the bottle, and there’s no use. Hopefully, in this new documentary, we will finally learn how this train wreck of a cash-in ever went on the air.

Among the folks interviewed are Seth Green, “Weird Al” Yankovic, the late Gilbert Gottfried, Paul Scheer, and writer Bruce Vilanch. In the trailer, Vilanch explains that they even tried to get Cher to be in the special. To her credit, she was wise enough to turn it down. (Although that would have been a sight to see). What other secrets about the making of this infamous pop culture artifact might we learn?

In a weird way, the “bootleg” reputation of the The Star Wars Holiday Special has only made it more popular with fans. And elements of it have survived into official Star Wars canon. The animated short that was part of the special introduced Boba Fett. His unique phase pulse blaster, which looked like a tuning fork, saw use on The Mandalorian. And the planet of Kashyyyk was a major location in Revenge of the Sith. And these days, they honor the Wookiee celebration of Life Day with merch all over Galaxy’s Edge. Even the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special probably wouldn’t be a thing if Star Wars hadn’t gone there first. So it’s about time it got its props, even if everyone involved is embarrassed by it today.

A Disturbance in the Force will arrive on digital, Blu-ray, and DVD on December 5. You can pre-order it today and take it home just in time for the holidays.

Originally published on January 12, 2023.

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If it was ever actually a possibility, Kevin Feige’s Star Wars movie is no longer a thing. Entertainment Tonight talked to Feige at the premiere for The Marvels. When the outlet asked if the Star Wars movie was happening, Feige said, “No.” We first heard about this potential project in late 2019. And even though then-Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn told The Hollywood Reporter that it made sense for Feige and Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy to work on a Star Wars film together, Kennedy told IGN earlier this year that “nothing ever got developed.” So, Feige’s Star Wars movie that was maybe only ever sort of in development is not moving forward.

Reports in early 2021 stated Feige hired Loki creator Michael Waldron to write the script. That indeed was true, as Waldron discussed it with Variety in an interview following Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (which he wrote). He said:

We’re finally into it in earnest. I mean, I’m writing away. It’s a lot of fun. I’m enjoying having the freedom on that to do something that’s not necessarily a sequel or anything. It maybe has a little bit less of a — it just doesn’t have a bunch of TV shows and movies that you’re servicing on top of it, the way I did with Doctor Strange. So it’s nice. It feels like a different exercise.

So, it sounds like something did indeed develop. There was at least a script. But Kennedy said at Star Wars Celebration 2023, “We never discussed an idea. As everybody knows, Kevin’s a huge Star Wars fan, and if he did come up with something, I would be all ears, but that’s never really happened. So it’s not an abandoned project, it just didn’t happen.”

Details seem fuzzy all around, but we know now definitively, from Kevin Feige himself, that his Star Wars feature film is not happening. It’s too bad; we were counting on him to bring in some classic Star Wars nods from Marvel Comics.

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Summer is nothing but a memory now and fall is coming to a close. It’s time to start preparing for a long Hoth-like winter. It’s also time to start filling out our holiday wish lists. Fortunately Columbia Sportswear is back to help us with both. The company has announced its newest Star Wars winter collection. This year’s lineup celebrates the iconic flightsuit worn by one of the greatest Jedi ever. The new special-edition Skywalker Pilot Collection is an orange-ode to Luke’s X-wing garb.

And this set is Columbia’s biggest Star Wars one ever.

On December 1, 2023 Columbia wants you to take on both the elements and the Empire. That’s when it’s launching its special Skywalker Pilot Collection. The nine-piece orange and white set will keep you toasty from head to toe in the style of the famed Rebel. (It will also lead to you explaining Aurebesh to those unfamiliar with that galactic alphabet.)

The five big ticket items include:

• Skywalker Pilot Ski Suit ($500) – Luke flight suit inspires this online, limited exclusive. It’s Omni-Tech waterproof-breathable and has Omni-Heat Infinity lining. It also comes with multifunctional pockets and Star Wars extras like a T-65 X-wing Starfighter and R2-D2 blueprint graphics.
• Skywalker Pilot Ski Jacket ($350) – Luke Skywalker’s flight jacket is the foundation of this ski coat. It also features all the same features as the collection’s Ski Suit.
• Skywalker Pilot Lightweight Jacket ($200) – This is the set’s second coat based on Luke’s flight jacket. It has Omni-Heat Infinity lining, as well as comfort cuffs and zippered pockets. And it is comes adorned with a T-47 Airspeeder/Snow Speeder graphic on the security pocket.
• Skywalker Pilot Pullovers ($150) – This zippered sweatshirt is made of heavyweight cotton-blend fabric and has high-loft fleece backing. It also includes a utility chest pocket with flak-vest inspired baffling. Plus it has the same Star Wars details as the Ski Suit
• Skywalker Pilot Snow Goggle ($300) – This limited snow goggle takes its inspiration from Luke Skywalker’s helmet and visor. It comes with two interchangeable lenses with Swiftlock lens change system. It also has an anti-fog treatment and a triple-layer face foam and armored venting. It comes with a carrying pouch that features T-65 X-wing Starfighter and T-47 Airspeeder/Snow Speeder blueprint graphics. The snow goggle has its ow custom box, a Rebel patch, Star Wars logo on the inner strap, and silicone and prints inspired by helmet insignia.

Fans who want to stay warm this winter can also grab four other items. That includes a Skywalker Pilot Long Sleeve Shirt ($70). You can also opt for the short sleeve version (55). And you can round everything out with Skywalker Pilot Ball Cap ($40) and adjustable Pilot Crossbody Bag ($50)

Like we said, Columbia’s yearly winter Star Wars collection really makes filling out your holiday wish list easy. Just so long as you don’t lose track of time filling it out and get ambushed by some TIE fighters. The Skywalker Pilot Collection does not include a way to call Han Solo for help.

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This news might pose a danger to your bank account. However, after some cold, dispassionate calculations we’ve deemed the risk acceptable. Star Wars’ most resilient villain finally returned to the galaxy far, far away on Ahsoka. Now he is ready to come to your home with Hot Toys’ new Grand Admiral Thrawn figure. Only this version of the Imperial Chiss won’t arrive with an entire catacomb of mysterious cargo.

Hot Toys’ latest 1/6 scale Ahsoka figure is an “ultra-detailed” recreation of Lars Mikkelsen’s blue-skinned, red-eyed character. He recently made his live-action debut on the Disney+ series, and this figure looks like he walked right off the screen.

The miniature Thrawn, which stands nearly 12 feet 6 inches, features 30 points of articulation. It also has a hand-painted head sculpt and comes with Hot Toys’ “innovative rolling eyeball system which allows fans to adjust the figure’s gaze, creating more nuanced and lifelike poses.’ (If you thought Thrawn was imposing before just wait until someone in your house moves his eyes without telling you. That’ll be fun to realize the Grand Admiral is actually staring you down.)

This figure also wears a screen-accurate pristine white Imperial officer’s uniform that includes a belt, boots, and blaster holster. The set comes with a Star Destroyer hologram miniature, a blaster pistol, datapad, and a specially designed figure stand that has the Star Wars logo and character nameplate. And the Grand Admiral has seven interchangeable hands for you to choose from for your display.

Pre-orders are already available ($255). Unfortunately you’ll have to wait to get your hands on your figure. While it won’t take nearly as many years to ship as it did for Thrawn to get a ride back to his own galaxy, this collectible won’t arrive until March 2025.

A lot can change with that much time, we know. Empires can fall and rise in less time. But don’t worry about Thrawn not showing up. The Grand Admiral is a survivor.

The post AHSOKA’s Grand Admiral Thrawn Returns With New Hot Toys Figure appeared first on Nerdist.

The galaxy far, far away is coming to your kitchen courtesy of Hedley & Bennett. The company specializes in bringing chef-grade cookware and apparel to home kitchens. And now the brand has launched a Star Wars collection inspired by The Mandalorian. While Hedley & Bennett already sold a handful of character aprons, it’s expanding the line and making more styles available for adults as well as kids. In addition to character aprons, this new Star Wars kitchen collection includes towels and, our personal favorite, beskar knives.

Imagine the meals Din Djarin could prepare for Grogu with these knives! They’d cut through Grogu’s favorite frog snacks with ease. It’s true that beskar doesn’t exist in our galaxy, and even in the Star Wars galaxy, it’s mostly only Mandalorians who have the metal. But Hedley & Bennett found a workaround. The beskar knife set features 67-layered folded Damascus steel blades patterned like the Star Wars metal. One side of the knives features an Imperial symbol. That makes us suspect stolen beskar is in play. The set of three knives is limited to 3,000 sets and costs $295. It comes with a chef’s knife, a bread knife, and a utility knife.

As for other items in Hedley & Bennett’s Star Wars line-up, you’ll find durable kitchen towels with two different patterns: beskar or hyperspace. The new Star Wars character aprons, made from cotton canvas, feature the titular Mandalorian, Ahsoka Tano, Grogu, and a galactic fleet pattern. Each design has little details from character costumes or the characters themselves—like little Grogu peeking above an apron pocket! Take a look at all the aprons and towels in the gallery below.

Click To View Gallery

If you have a Star Wars fan in your life who likes to cook or bake, you might just be covered for the holidays is all we’re saying. Visit Hedley & Bennett to shop the Star Wars kitchen collection.

The post Bring Beskar Into Your Kitchen with This MANDALORIAN Collection from Hedley & Bennett appeared first on Nerdist.

One can make a fine argument that C-3PO is the face of the entire Star Wars franchise. Anthony Daniels’ fussy golden protocol droid has been with the series since 1977, and for over 45 years has appeared in 10 Star Wars films, 3 animated shows, and most recently popped up on Star Wars: Ahsoka. Oh, and in one infamous Holiday Special as well. If you’ve got a cool £1 million/$1.2 million U.S. to spare, then you can now own the forever startled face of the galaxy, as the original C-3PO head from A New Hope could be yours via the Propstore’s Entertainment Memorabilia auction, coming to London November 9-12.

This particular Threepio head is one of the originals from his 1976 shoot in Tunisia and the U.K. It was a part of Anthony Daniels’ own personal collection. Other parts of his enormous Star Wars collection are also up for sale. In a statement, Daniels said “I’m thrilled that Propstore has agreed to curate my collection and I trust that the pieces will go into the right hands.” We assume whoever pays over a million dollars for this unique item will indeed take very good care of it. Hopefully, they put it in a nice, climate-controlled room with an original R2-D2 prop right next to it.

This auction will also have a metric ton of other incredible artifacts from beloved films up for grabs. We’re talking about truly iconic pieces, like Indiana Jones’ whip from Temple of Doom. Or Freddy Krueger’s glove from A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Steve Rogers’ shield from Captain America: The First Avenger. Even Stanley Kubrick’s original annotated shooting script for The Shining is among the items. But if you’re only in it for the Star Wars of it all? Then there is a wealth of items from the franchise for you, from the original films to today. This is definitely an auction that true collectors of Hollywood treasure (with very deep pockets) can’t afford to miss, especially if they want a C-3PO head.

The post Own the Original C-3PO Head From A NEW HOPE for a Mere $1.2 Million appeared first on Nerdist.

Not that long ago in this galaxy, Guillermo del Toro hoped to make a Star Wars movie. The Oscar-winning director wanted to tell a story about the franchise’s notorious crime lord Jabba the Hutt. It’s one of the great “what ifs” in Star Wars history. The film would have featured one of Hollywood’s best filmmakers exploring a truly iconic character in-depth. What would that have looked like? Sadly we’ll never know, but in a recent interview del Toro offered new insights into what he had planned for Tatooine’s larger-than-life gangster.

During a recent sit down with Collider Guillermo del Toro discussed his scrapped Jabba the Hutt project. He said his movie would have covered “the rise and fall” of Return of the Jedi‘s crime boss. The director also said his team “designed a great world” full of “great stuff” del Toro was very happy with.

What that all means exactly will remain the stuff of dreams for now and possibly forever. We don’t have to guess nearly as much as to why the feature film never went into development, though. Del Toro said ultimately it didn’t happen because “it’s not my property, it’s not my money, and then it’s one of those 30 screenplays that goes away.”

Translation: Lucasfilm didn’t like it enough to go into production.

How much of the studio’s decision had to do with the reaction to the franchise’s other standalone films at the time? Had Solo done better at the box office would del Toro’s Jabba the Hutt movie have happened? The director isn’t sweating it. He said when he tries to answer why his movie never moved forward he tells himself, “The more you swim upstream with the universe, the less you’re gonna realize where you’re going.”

That’s a great attitude for him. (And probably also Jabba, but for a different reason. We imagine the Hutt was not a great swimmer.) But that doesn’t make us feel better about what could have been. We wish every galaxy in the universe got to see del Toro’s Star Wars movie.

The post Guillermo del Toro’s Scrapped STAR WARS Movie Explored Jabba The Hutt’s ‘Rise and Fall’ appeared first on Nerdist.

Star Wars: Ahsoka has aired its season (series?) finale, and all of us Star Wars fans are eagerly awaiting what’s next. Will Ahsoka Tano and her apprentice Sabine Wren stay stranded in Peridea? While Ezra Bridger return the favor and rescue them? We have a lot of questions. But in the meantime, here’s something fun to ease your post-Ahsoka withdrawals. Via Geeks are Sexy, we’ve learned of a parody video from Auralnauts showcasing what Ahsoka would have looked like as TV action show in 1986. Something in the A-Team or Knight Rider vibe. You can watch the full hilarious video below:

Okay, so we love Ahsoka, but they do point out some hilarious things. First off, why does Hera Syndulla always dress in pilot gear even when she’s just hanging out? I mean, it does look cool. But this is live-action, she can change it for a staff meeting. Then there’s our priceless droid Huyang, who is 25,0000 years old and has the knowledge of just about every Jedi ever, and who is indeed used mainly for ship piloting and maintenance in this series. We really hope someone backed up his memories somewhere. Because this is a bit like taking the sarcophagus of King Tut to storm the beach at Normandy.

Having an A-Team-inspired video parodying Ahsoka fits, because Star Wars Rebels, to which Ahsoka is very much a sequel, had a lot of A-Team vibes. Except the Rebels crew had the Ghost to go from mission to mission. The A-Team just had a 1983 GMC Vandura van. One of those has lightspeed capabilities and is therefore that much cooler. Oh, and since she’s the pilot, does that make Hera Rebels’ version of Mr. T? We’re not sure if we like 1986 Ahsoka or 1975 Andor better. However, Auralnauts is knocking it out of the galaxy with their Star Wars video lately.

The post Watch AHSOKA Reimagined As an ’80s Action TV Show appeared first on Nerdist.

Welcome back, Star Wars fans! The final episode of Ahsoka has finally arrived, and along with some twists and turns it also came with some seriously dark implications for the galaxy far, far away. Dan Casey dives in to break it all down on today’s episode of Nerdist News!

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Ahsoka featured some of the franchise’s best characters, yet it was a newcomer who was my favorite figure on the show. Baylan Skoll is among the most interesting, most complex Force users to ever grace a Star Wars screen. And in a less cruel universe I’d be writing this piece entirely about why, what the season one finale meant for his quest on Peridea, and why Baylan might end up a truly seminal figure in the galaxy far, far away. Instead the episode marked the late Ray Stevenson’s final Star Wars appearance. It shouldn’t have been. It doesn’t seem possible it was. Not only was he far too young, he looked to made out of the same kind of stone as the Father’s statue. “The Jedi, the Witch, and the Warlord” shouldn’t have been his farewell. It should have marked the start of a much longer journey with him.

But while life isn’t fair in any galaxy, it at least it gave us one final chance to appreciate an immense talent. Ray Stevenson’s graceful and moving performance imbued Baylan Skoll with a humanity that will ensure the actor’s memory forever lives on with Star Wars fans.

We don’t know details about Baylan Skoll’s past, but his history with the Jedi contributed to him being a fascinating character. Some Jedi survived Order 66, but unlike most of them, as far as we understand, Baylan knew the truth about Anakin Skywalker. He knew the most revered and admired Jedi had been the one to destroy the Order. One of his own killed everything Baylan ever believed in, a knowledge most were not burdened to live with during a terrible period.

That horrifying fact and all the pain, sadness, fear, and anger it likely created in Baylan didn’t cause him to become disillusioned. We don’t know Baylan’s entire history, but it seems he did not fully embrace the dark side like other good Jedi who lost their souls to hatred. Baylan didn’t respond in the other usual ways, either. He didn’t carve out his own path as a rogue Jedi like Ahsoka. Nor did he go into hiding and turn his back on the Force. We believe Baylan Skoll followed a path unlike any other Force-user.

Anakin’s betrayal showed Baylan the destructive power of the dark side. Yet, despite still appreciating the best ideals of the Jedi, Baylan’s firsthand knowledge of the Order’s own failures also pushed him away from the light side of the Force. The Jedi had no business turning Knights like him into generals. The Jedi were meant to be guardians of peace and justice for everyone. Instead they let themselves becomes soldiers in a war with innocent victims on both sides. That Jedi arrogance blinded them and left the Order vulnerable to a Sith Lord. To Baylan that might have made the Jedi just as guilty as Vader and Palpatine. The Order’s action created widespread death and destruction on the galaxy, too.

Rather than letting his lost “faith” define him, Baylan instead seemingly let it focus him. He gave up on the ideals that had cost him everything and became a pragmatist. He became the galaxy’s Machiavellian figure, a warrior who thought of war as evil but necessary. Baylan could kill New Republic soldiers without remorse yet still honor a deal made with a captured enemy. He was neither good nor evil, yet both at the same time. He was a man of contradictions who used them to form a new outlook on life. For Baylan straddled the line between the light and dark side of the Force. Only in the middle did he see a way to free everyone from suffering.

Baylan’s desire to offer his galaxy something better than the Jedi or Sith ever gave it brought him to Peridea. Baylan was looking to something on that ancient planet for “the beginning” of all his galaxy’s problems. He believes those problems began when a group of people learned how to harness the Force and formed the Jedi Order. Whatever the statue of the Mortis god known as the Father is pointing to, it offers Baylan hope.

Others spent their entire lives fighting for a power that blows like the wind. Only Baylan—who kindly freed the apprentice he taught to be more than a Jedi or a Sith from following him on a journey without guarantee —is searching for a peace that lasts.

That all made Baylan Skoll a fascinating character. But that’s not what made Baylan Skoll a truly great one. Ahsoka needed Ray Stevenson to do that. He brought all those contradictions—interesting elements that easily could have been clunky and unbelievable in less skilled hands—to life. Stevenson did that with deftness that made a complicated figure feel accessible, both repugnant and sympathetic at once. He turned a great idea into righteous disappointment, heartbreak, quiet focus, and a sense of purpose that felt real. He made Baylan feel as tangible as anyone in any galaxy. It was the kind of performance only an immensely talented performer who understands at their core what it means to live and feel alive could give.

That came from Stevenson’s ability to always convey Baylan’s inherent sadness. That even though Baylan was almost always in control of his emotions. With his eyes, face, and the way he physically carried himself, Ray Stevenson showed the many painful burdens and traumas the former Jedi carried at all time. That ability to emote while keeping his composure made for a powerful presence. Baylan was terrifying and compassionate all at once. We understood and sympathized with him even if we detested much of what he did. And that ability to convey so much while doing or saying so little made Baylan’s brief explosions of anger and quiet moments of sad reflection stand out that much more. He was a volcano of emotions holding it together. Because he knew allowing himself to erupt would lead to to the death and destruction he so desperately wanted to end forever.

No, not “was.” He “is.” Because stories, even those from a long, long time ago, live forever. Every time we pick them back up they are there, unfolding in the moment. So right now and always Baylan Skoll is in a galaxy far, far away from his own. He’s standing on the Father’s arm looking out to the horizon where he sees hope for a better future. He sees the possibility to create a universe that’s less cruel than the one he knows. It’s a universe where a complicated man can turn his pain into something better. Onenot defined by death.

It’s a beautiful thought that needed a beautiful performance full of humanity to bring it to life. So while we will always wish Ray Stevenson got to finish telling that story, we’ll forever be grateful we got to meet his Baylan Skoll. He made Star Wars a better place than he found it, and for that he’ll forever live on in the galaxy far, far away.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on  Twitter and  Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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One of the big questions as Star Wars: Ahsoka continued week after week was whether Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), the Mandalorian turned Jedi apprentice to Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson), would develop any Force abilities. For much of the run of the series, despite her proficiency with a lightsaber, something that dates back to Star Wars Rebels, we saw almost no evidence that Sabine had any real Force sensitivity. But Ahsoka believed she had the potential. In the final episode of Ahsoka, “The Jedi, the Witch, and the Warlord,” Sabine is finally able to wield the Force.

Sabine Became Ahsoka’s Apprentice After Rebels, But Struggled

Throughout the series, we learn details about Sabine’s time as Ahsoka’s apprentice. Apparently, she took her under her wing after the end of Rebels, and the destruction of the second Death Star. But Sabine’s whole family, Clan Wren, was killed in the Night of a Thousand Tears, when the Empire completely devastated Mandalore, leaving the planet a burning ruin. Ahsoka thought with so much anger and resentment in her, that it would not be wise to train Sabine in the ways of the Force. So she abandoned her training for many years as a result.

There’s also the fact that Sabine, at least in Rebels, had shown little to no abilities using the Force. Unlike Ezra Bridger, who showed a natural talent from the get-go. However, little abilities do not mean none. Because Sabine trained with Kanan Jarrus on how to use the Darksaber. And as Star Wars lore tells us, wielding a lightsaber is more than just being good at swordplay. To be truly good at it, there must be some connection between the user and the blade that involves the Force. And Sabine got pretty good at using the Darksaber in battle.

Ahsoka Showed Sabine Resume Her Training, But Still Failing at Using the Force

Early in Ahsoka, we saw Sabine try (and fail) to use the Force many times. At one moment, she tried to bring a cup towards her, and she couldn’t do it. The Jedi training droid Huyang told her that in all of his years helping build lightsabers for Jedi younglings, he’d never seen anyone with as little Force talent as Sabine. (We don’t need to verbalize all our opinions Huyang.) We don’t know what Sabine’s Midichlorian count was, but it surely would not have been enough to get her into the Jedi Temple as a child.

Luckily, Ahsoka Tano had a larger view of the Force. This is possibly due to her dissatisfaction with the dogmatic ways of the Jedi Order when she herself was a Padawan learner. She believed, as Master Yoda once said, that the Force resides in all living things, not just beings who show extra abilities at a young age. Ahsoka believes anyone can learn to wield it with proper training and patience. And we saw that training finally paid off for Sabine in the Ahsoka finale.

Sabine Finally Wields the Force in the Ahsoka Finale

At the climax of the episode, Sabine and Ezra Bridger are fighting off a battalion of Thrawn’s zombified Night Troopers, as the Grand Admiral tries to get away in the Hyperspace Ring. At one moment, Sabine loses her saber, which once belonged to Ezra. As a Night Trooper has her by the throat, Sabine is finally able to use the Force to summon her saber to her. She then takes the trooper out with a lightsaber to the head. Later, she gives Ezra a bit of a hand when she helps Force push him back onto Thrawn’s Star Destroyer. This act allows him to get back home. After eight episodes, Sabine Wren finally can call herself a Jedi. Or, at the very least, a true Jedi Padawan.

With Ahsoka and Sabine now stranded on the planet Peridea, Ahsoka will have plenty of time to train her apprentice even further. So we imagine the next time, she’ll be doing more than just summoning her lightsaber in a life-or-death moment and more than giving a little extra Force push to a friend. Sabine Wren is living proof that with a little patience and perseverance, any living being can use the Force.

The post Did Sabine Wren Finally Wield the Force in the AHSOKA Finale? appeared first on Nerdist.

Morgan Elsbeth is more than a fervent follower of Grand Admiral Thrawn. She’s a Dathomirian Nightsister. Morgan heard the Great Mothers’ dreams across the galaxy and made the plan to locate Thrawn. It was Morgan who planned the construction of the Eye of Sion and searched for the map to Peridea. In the Ahsoka finale, the Great Mothers, ancient Dathomirian witches, rewarded Morgan for her help and loyalty. They bestowed her with what seemed like greater power and magicks, and they gave her the Blade of Talzin. The weapon, which the Great Mothers conjured from swirling green magicks, is one we’ve seen in Star Wars before.

What Is the Blade of Talzin?

The Blade of Talzin is a sword made out of Dathomirian magick. Nightsisters can bring it into existence for themselves or to give to others. The Blade of Talzin appears to be metal, with green flames wrapping around its blade. There also appears to be an inscription on it. The blade is strong enough to withstand blows from a lightsaber.

Why the Great Mothers Gifted Morgan Elsbeth with the Blade of Talzin in Ahsoka

Morgan answered the call of the Great Mothers. She found a way to successfully travel to a whole other galaxy and to safely return home. By doing so, she honored her Dathomirian heritage in an immeasurable fashion. For her actions, and likely her belief, the Great Mothers gifted Morgan the Blade of Talzin after Morgan pledged herself to the sisterhood and its old ways. Based on Morgan’s reverence in the moment, we can guess the weapon is legendary, known to the Dathomirian witches.

It didn’t take long for Morgan to put the Blade of Talzin to use. In order to give Thrawn and the Great Mothers the best chance at leaving Peridea, she stayed behind to fight Ahsoka, Sabine, and Ezra. Morgan went toe-to-toe with Ahsoka’s two lightsabers, using the Blade of Talzin to destroy one of Ahsoka’s lightsaber hilts. Ultimately, Ahsoka wrested the Blade of Talzin from Morgan and used it to kill her. But with the power the Great Mothers gave her, who knows if Morgan is really dead?

Though Ahsoka held the Blade of Talzin after Morgan’s death, we didn’t see it again as Ahsoka and Sabine made their escape. Perhaps it disappeared back into the ether, waiting to be called upon again.

Has the Blade of Talzin Appeared in Star Wars Before?

We’ve seen the Blade of Talzin once before in Star Wars. In the sixth season of The Clone Wars (nearly 30 years before the events of Ahsoka), Mother Talzin summoned the weapon to fight Mace Windu at the Temple of Malmourral, a Bardottan demon of war. Talzin was there to perform a ritual sacrifice that would grant her a massive amount of power. She brought the blade out of the ether in a rush of green flames, though the hilt here is different than the hilt when Morgan receives it. Talzin’s magical sword held up well against Mace Windu’s lightsaber, but ultimately, Talzin lost the battle. This was the last time we saw Talzin on the screen.

Featured Image: Lucasfilm

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Ahsoka brought Star Wars’ World Between Worlds to live-action. That strange dimension first introduced on Star Wars Rebels is also intimately tied to another important realm in the franchise. The World Between Worlds has deep ties with Mortis, a mystical place where powerful Force users known as the Mortis gods once called home. Who were Star Wars’ Mortis gods, and why are they so important to Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, and the Force itself? And why did Baylan Skoll discover statues of them on an ancient planet in a distant galaxy? They might hold the key to understanding why Ahsoka is so important to the galaxy far, far away.

Where Is Mortis Located?

Mortis, spoken of only as legend for millennia, defies normal description. It’s technically located in uncharted space, but not really. Star Wars‘ Mortis is an ethereal, dream-like dimension unto itself that sits outside of normal space and time, just like the World Between Worlds.

Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Ahsoka Tano’s story on Mortis began when they answered an ancient Jedi distress signal in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. When they arrived at the origin of the call’s signal, a nearby Republic ship couldn’t locate them on radar. A giant black and red monolith resembling two pyramids stacked opposite each other then appeared. It pulled them into Mortis, which serves as a “conduit” of the entire Force. (Some believe the Force itself came from Mortis.) During the day, the world appeared as a paradise. At night everything died as it transformed into a dark nightmare.

Mortis is ultimately better understood not by what it is like but by those who once ruled there.

Who Are Star Wars’ Mortis Gods from The Clone Wars?

Known as “The Ones” in Star Wars‘ world, the Mortis gods were a family of three immensely powerful Force-wielders. The Clone Wars indicated The Ones were at least 2,000 years old, but their real age was likely at least 25,000. Jedi images of the Mortis gods date that far back, to the Order’s founding.

Together the three Mortis gods represented the living embodiment of the Force.

Who Was Mortis’ The Father?

The wise, immensely powerful Father loved both of his children equally. His Daughter represented the light side of the Force, while his Son represented the dark side. The Father represented balance between both. His need to control his kids brought them all to Mortis. There he was able to keep their outsized power in check, protecting the galaxy.

The Father’s children also gained their power and immortality through his own.

Who Was Mortis’ The Daughter?

The kindly Daughter could transform into a massive griffin. She did so when kidnapping Obi-Wan as part of her Father’s test of Anakin. (The Son kidnapped Ahsoka.)

The Daughter, a great Force-using warrior, tried to stop her equally powerful dark side-embracing sibling from killing their Father. She died when her brother accidentally stabbed her while attacking their dad.

Who Was Mortis’ The Son?

The Son, who could change into a giant flying gargoyle, had begun to further embrace the dark side even more. That led him to try and escape Mortis and rule the galaxy. It also led him to trick others by disguising himself as their loved ones. The Son even possessed and then killed Ahsoka Tano as part of his efforts to flee Mortis. (We’ll get to how she survived later.)

His attempt to kill his Father resulted in the Son accidentally killing his sister, whom he loved. Her death left the Son heartbroken.

The Son lost his power and then his life after the Father killed himself so he could stop his child from bringing darkness to the whole galaxy. As the Son screamed out in pain, Anakin stabbed him with a lightsaber, killing the last Mortis god.

The Mortis Gods Star Wars History on The Clone Wars and Rebels

The Mortis gods only appeared as living creatures during a three-episode arc on Star Wars: The Clone Wars. That didn’t stop them from making their presence felt on Star Wars Rebels.

What Happened With the Mortis Gods on The Clone Wars?

In Star Wars: The Clone Wars, The Father lured Anakin Skywalker to Mortis after hearing rumors Anakin was the Chosen One. The Father was dying and needed someone to take his place and keep his children in check. Anakin passed the Father’s test, proving he could take up his mantle on Mortis so he could keep the Force in balance. Anakin refused, setting the Mortis gods’ deaths in motion.

During the Mortis arc, the Father made Anakin forget the vision the Son had shown the Jedi. The Son had revealed the possible future where Anakin became Darth Vader, a path Anakin ultimately followed. But the three Jedi remembered everything else that happened to them on Mortis.

What Happened With the Mortis Gods on Star Wars Rebels?

In Star Wars Rebels, Ezra Bridger traveled to the World Between Worlds via a portal created by a painting of the Mortis gods. The ancient mural at the Jedi Temple on Lothal, a planet with a strong connection to the Force, showed the three Mortis gods along with Star Wars’ Loth-wolves. The painting began to light up and move when Ezra touched the Daughter’s open hand and connected with the Force. The painting’s Loth-wolves then began moving along the rock wall, eventually creating a magical doorway for Ezra—and Ezra alone—to travel through.

He wasn’t alone when he got there.

Ahsoka Tano’s Connection to Mortis and the World Between Worlds

The Daughter’s last act was to help save Ahsoka Tano’s life. After her brother’s fatal blow, the Father and Daughter let Anakin transfer the Daughter’s last remaining life force into the dead Ahsoka. It worked, as Anakin resurrected his Padawan with the help of the Mortis god.

The metaphorical connections between Anakin (dark side) and Ahsoka (light side) and the Son and Daughter were obvious. They then became far more tangible on Star Wars Rebels.

How Does Morai Bind Ahsoka Tano and The Daughter From Mortis?

Ahsoka had a companion in Star Wars Rebels, the convor named Morai. The little green-feathered sidekick seemed to watch over the Jedi even before it became clear Morai was not a normal animal.

Morai—whose name comes from the three Fates of Greek mythology—appeared in ancient images alongside the Daughter, including the painting on Lothal. She was either the Daughter’s servant or a manifestation of the Mortis god. Either way, Morai represents the light side of the Force and the Daughter.

She was also there when Ezra Bridger arrived in the World Between Worlds.

How the Mortis Gods Connect to the World Between Worlds and Ahsoka

Inside the World Between Worlds, Ezra found Morai resting atop a portal. That doorway then opened to show the moment years prior when Ezra wrongly believed Darth Vader had killed Ahsoka Tano. Viewers knew she’d survived, but not how. She lived because Ezra pulled Ahsoka into the World Between Worlds right before Vader’s deadly blow.

When the two left the dimension—itself a conduit of the Force, like Mortis—Morai rejoined Ahsoka. The bird then immediately led Ahsoka back into the World Between Worlds. (The specifics of that journey, only shown via canonical Topps Trading Cards Dave Filoni designed, remain a mystery.)

Why did Morai join Ahsoka in the first place? Why did the bird then usher Ahsoka in and out of the World Between Worlds? Did Ahsoka take the Daughter’s place when Anakin transferred the Mortis god’s essence into his Padawan? Is that why Ahsoka didn’t die when she fell from that henge in Seatos? Is she a kind of Star Wars Force god like the Mortis gods were? Does she at least have some god-like powers? An unbreakable connection with the World Between Worlds and the Force so strong it saved her?

Those were all of the questions we had before Ahsoka‘s season one finale, which raised even more about the Mortis gods’s role in both Star Wars‘ past and future.

What Did Ahsoka‘s Season One Finale Reveal About the Mortis Gods and Baylan Skoll’s Quest?

Baylan Skoll is a former Jedi who hates both the Jedi and Sith. He’s now a Force-user who straddles the line between light and dark. He is also searching for “the beginning” on Peridea in a quest to find a power far greater than anything Thrawn seeks.

What Are the Statues Baylan Skoll Encounters in Ahsoka‘s Season One Finale?

Ahsoka‘s finale revealed that his quest and that strange Force-sensitive planet are both connected to the Mortis gods. Peridea, an ancient world in a distant galaxy with a mysterious past that predates the Jedi Order’s creation, is home to giant statues of the Father, the Son, and the Daughter.

What Do These Peridea Statues in Ahsoka Tell Us About Star Wars‘ Mortis Gods

Is Peridea where the Mortis gods came from? Did they help create the Jedi? Did the Mortis gods cross the universe via the World Between Worlds? How are the Mortis gods connected to Peridea and, therefore, the Force? Why is the statue of the Daughter missing its head when the other two gods remain intact on Ahsoka? Does that have anything to do with why Morai appeared before Ahsoka Tano there? And what is the Father’s statue on Peridea pointing to? Is it guiding Baylan Skoll to the beginning he seeks?

Ahsoka revealed more about the galaxy far, far away’s origins than we ever knew. It showed it began in a galaxy far, far away from itself. The series also revealed the Mortis gods own history is even more important than we knew. But Ahsoka also raised even more questions about those powerful figures and their intimate connections with the Force Mortis, the World Between Worlds, Peridea, and Ahsoka Tano.

What does it all mean? We don’t know yet. But we do know she said she’s right where she’s supposed to be. And where she is is on a world in need of a Daughter who represents the light every galaxy needs.

Originally published on September 11, 2023.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter and  Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post How STAR WARS’ Mortis Gods Connect to AHSOKA and the World Between Worlds appeared first on Nerdist.

Ahsoka‘s first season ended with Thrawn back in the galaxy far, far away. The proverbial heir to the Empire is also returning with a potential army of dark magic witches beholden to him. That was far from the episode’s only big development, though. In Ahsoka‘s finale Sabine finally learned how to use the Force, Ezra made it home while his friends didn’t, Baylan took a big step on a journey with major connections to the Force itself, and an important little green bird from Star Wars‘ past returned. Anakin Skywalker’s ghost even appeared during the season’s final moment, in an episode that will huge ramifications for the entire franchise.

Here’s everything you need to know about Ahsoka‘s finale, what it all means, and what questions still need answers.

Jump to: The Meaning of Ahsoka‘s Finale Title // The Great Mothers, Morgan Elsbeth, and the Blade of Talzin // How Did the Nightsisters Create Zombie Stormtroopers? // Why Did the Great Mothers and Thrawn Bring the Catacombs to Dathomir? // Who Does Thrawn Actually Serve? // Who is Kanan Jarrus, and What Was His Relationship With Ezra Bridger? // Why Did Ahsoka Walk Previously Away from Sabine’s Training? // Why Does Thrawn Not Really Understand Ahsoka Tano? // Will the New Republic Listen to Ezra Bridger? // What Happened to Shin Hati? // What Were Those Statues Baylan Skoll Stood on in Ahsoka‘s Finale? // What Was the Bird Ahsoka Tano Saw on Peridea? // Why Did Anakin Skywalker’s Ghost Appear in Ahsoka‘s Finale?

What Did the Title of Ahsoka‘s Season One Finale Mean?

The title of Ahsoka‘s season one finale, “The Jedi, The Witch, and The Warlord,” was a direct reference to C.S. Lewis’ classic kids book The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Both stories feature evil witches, prophecies, resurrections, connections to gods, and a magical portal that can transport people between worlds.

Liam Neeson probably loved it.

What Did the Great Mothers Do to Morgan Elsbeth and What Is the Blade of Talzin?

The Great Mothers rewarded Morgan Elsbeth “who heard our dreams across the stars,” by giving her “the gift of shadows.” Once Lady Elsbeth swore to dedicate her life to the Nightsisters and the old ways they imbued her with their strongest dark majiks. Powers like that are reserved for their clan’s most powerful witches. When Morgan Elsbeth’s eyes went green and then dark with the Nightsisters’ powers and markings appeared on her face, she truly became a full-fledged member of the witches.

The Great Mothers then conjured up “the blade of Talzin” to bestow on Elsbeth. This Ahsoka finale weapon first appeared on Star Wars: The Clone Wars. In the animated series Mother Talzin, the coven’s spiritual guide and leader, summoned it to fight Mace Windu. The sword also harnesses the Nightsisters’ magical ichor.

How Did the Nightsisters Resurrect the Dead Stormtroopers in Ahsoka‘s Finale?

In Ahsoka‘s finale, the Nightsisters used their dark-side magic to resurrect the dead stormtroopers who fell fighting Ahsoka, Sabine, and Ezra and turned them into zombie stormtroopers. That was a new trick for Ezra and Sabine, but not for Star Wars fans. The coven raised an army of the dead on The Clone Wars. Those recently deceased night troopers were not the episode’s scariest, though.

The two powerful stormtroopers Sabine and Ezra fought on the platform had been dead for much longer. When Sabine partially destroyed one of their helmets she revealed a rotting, horrifying corpse underneath. The Nightsisters’ ability to summon the dead on their behalf is long-lasting and terrifying than we knew. We wonder if we’ll see an army of these zombie stormtroopers in Star Wars outings to come.

Why Did the Great Mothers and Thrawn Bring the Catacombs With Them to Dathomir?

Ahsoka‘s season one finale revealed Thrawn did not simply encounter the Great Mothers on Peridea. Ezra said the Grand Admiral “woke up the witches.” Why were they asleep? Were they actually dead themselves? How old are they? And how did they know about Talzin and her sword?

More importantly, can Thrawn or the Great Mothers now “wake up” all those dead Nightsisters they took with them? They must have emptied the catacombs on Peridea for a reason. Was it simply a matter of respecting the dead? Or are they going to resurrect dead Nightsisters to restore the lost coven on Dathomir? Morgan Elsbeth gave her life in her home world’s name. Would she have done that without a guarantee Dathomir’s Nightsisters would reign there once again?

Jump to: The Meaning of Ahsoka‘s Finale Title // The Great Mothers, Morgan Elsbeth, and the Blade of Talzin // How Did the Nightsisters Create Zombie Stormtroopers? // Why Did the Great Mothers and Thrawn Bring the Catacombs to Dathomir? // Who Does Thrawn Actually Serve? // Who is Kanan Jarrus, and What Was His Relationship With Ezra Bridger? // Why Did Ahsoka Walk Previously Away from Sabine’s Training? // Why Does Thrawn Not Really Understand Ahsoka Tano? // Will the New Republic Listen to Ezra Bridger? // What Happened to Shin Hati? // What Were Those Statues Baylan Skoll Stood on in Ahsoka‘s Finale? // What Was the Bird Ahsoka Tano Saw on Peridea? // Why Did Anakin Skywalker’s Ghost Appear in Ahsoka‘s Finale?

Who Does Thrawn Actually Serve: Himself or the Empire?

A decade of exile in a distant galaxy resulted in Thrawn becoming a kind of cult leader. Not only did Force-using witches serve him loyally (to the death in Morgan Elsbeth’s case), his night troopers willingly volunteered to die for him, even though a return home was mere moments away.

Thrawn continuously dismissed any suggestion people serve him personally. He said they all serve the Empire and “the security of our galaxy.” But does he mean that? How much did his exile and being entirely in charge change him? How will that impact his working relationship with the Imperial leaders on the Shadow Council? And if Thrawn does consider himself the rightful heir to the Empire, how will he feel about plans to resurrect Palpatine? (Especially when the Great Mothers might be able to help with that endeavor?)

Who is Kanan Jarrus, and What Was His Relationship With Ezra Bridger?

The great Kanan Jarrus was born Caleb Dume. As a young Padawan, he learned how to build a lightsaber from Huyang. Caleb also survived Order 66 and changed his name while in hiding. Later in life, he became Ezra Bridger’s Master and sacrificed himself to save his fellow rebels. He was also the love of Hera Syndulla’s life, but Kanan died before the birth of their son Jacen. He also was the first Jedi to teach Sabine Wren how to use a lightsaber.

In Ahsoka‘s finale, Huyang brings Kanan Jarrus up when he offers Ezra a necessary piece for the lightsaber he is fixing. The hilt Huyang gives Ezra was meant for Kanan Jarrus’ lightsaber. In Ahsoka‘s finale, the conversation about Ezra and Kanan’s relationship evokes many considerations of the bond between a Jedi and his Padawan.

Why Did Ahsoka Walk Away from Sabine’s Training Before the Series?

Huyang told Ezra the real reason Ahsoka Tano walked away from training Sabine Wren originally. Ahsoka feared Sabine wanted to become a Jedi so she could get revenge for the Siege of Mandalore. The Empire’s destruction of the planet killed hundreds of thousands of Mandalorians. That included Sabine’s entire family. Ahsoka feared that if Sabine “unlocked her potential” Sabine’s anger would make her “dangerous.”

That didn’t happen when Sabine finally did tap into the Force during her fight with the powerful zombie trooper. Sabine helped Ezra onto the Eye of Sion before going back to help Ahsoka rather than go after Thrawn. She also accepted their seeming fate on Peridea.

Why Does Thrawn Not Really Understand Ahsoka Tano?

Thrawn knew Ahsoka Tano’s Master. The Grand Admiral believed that gave him meaningful insight into who Ahsoka is; he says as much in Ahsoka‘s finale. But it’s clear he doesn’t fully understand her.

Thrawn openly wondered if Ahsoka might one day also follow Anakin’s path to the dark side. Even suggesting she’s capable of that (especially after Ahsoka passed her final lesson with Anakin in the World Between Worlds) shows Thrawn isn’t Ahsoka expert he believes. He does not really understand who Ahsoka is and why. That could one day result in him underestimating her when it matters most.

Jump to: The Meaning of Ahsoka‘s Finale Title // The Great Mothers, Morgan Elsbeth, and the Blade of Talzin // How Did the Nightsisters Create Zombie Stormtroopers? // Why Did the Great Mothers and Thrawn Bring the Catacombs to Dathomir? // Who Does Thrawn Actually Serve? // Who is Kanan Jarrus, and What Was His Relationship With Ezra Bridger? // Why Did Ahsoka Walk Previously Away from Sabine’s Training? // Why Does Thrawn Not Really Understand Ahsoka Tano? // Will the New Republic Listen to Ezra Bridger? // What Happened to Shin Hati? // What Were Those Statues Baylan Skoll Stood on in Ahsoka‘s Finale? // What Was the Bird Ahsoka Tano Saw on Peridea? // Why Did Anakin Skywalker’s Ghost Appear in Ahsoka‘s Finale?

Will the New Republic Listen to Ezra Bridger After Ahsoka‘s Finale?

The New Republic hasn’t supported Hera Syndulla or taken the threat of Thrawn returning seriously. Now that the long-missing Ezra Bridger himself is back in his right galaxy, will they finally wake up and listen to him? Or will Senator Xiono and his colleagues continue to find ways to dismiss the existential threat they all face?

What Happened to Shin Hati on Ahsoka?

After Ahsoka showed Shin Hati mercy, the former Baylan Skoll apprentice did not return to Thrawn’s side. Shin passed on a chance to take her position in a new Empire and decided to stay on Peridea. Lost and without a Master to guide her, Shin then returned to the warrior clan she’d recently fought alongside.

Shin’s now stuck in a distant galaxy on a planet with the Jedi who spared her life. (And another Jedi Shin tried to kill multiple times.) What will that mean for her future? For Ahsoka and Sabine’s? In Star Wars, Jedi showing their enemies mercy often leads to them becoming allies, but is Shin too scared to ever trust someone she learned to hate? Could she instead rejoin her former Master who is also still on Peridea?

What Were Those Statues Baylan Skoll Stood on in Ahsoka‘s Finale?

Baylan Skoll’s quest to find “the beginning” on Peridea led him to gigantic statues of major Star Wars figures introduced on The Clone Wars. The bearded statue Baylan Skoll saw was that of the Father, the powerful ancient Force being and patriarch of the Mortis gods. The Father kept his Son (representing the dark side of the Force) and his Daughter (the light) in balance for at least 25,000 years before they all died. (That dates them back to the very founding of the Jedi Order.) The Son’s statue on Peridea remains standing in full alongside the Father’s—which seems to point the way for Baylan’s next step. However, the Daughter’s statue no longer has a head. What does that mean?

Ahsoka Tano owes her life to the Daughter, and some think the Jedi is the living embodiment of the dead Mortis god. Is Baylan Skoll—a Force user who straddles light and dark and hates both the Jedi and Sith—now the dead Father’s living representative? If so, who is the Son’s? And what does the presence of tehse Ahsoka finale statues on Peridea mean for the Force and “the beginning” Baylan seeks? Does he want to bring balance by destroying the Force forever?

The implications of Baylan’s quest are now bigger and more important than ever. As the former Jedi said, the power he seeks is far greater than any Thrawn wants.

What Was the Bird Ahsoka Tano Saw on Peridea?

How will Ahsoka, Sabine, and Huyang get back to the galaxy far, far away without either the Eye of Sion or Purrgil to take them across the vast universe? They might follow a small green bird through a magical portal. That winged creature Ahsoka saw near the finale’s end looked exactly like Morai, the convor bird who was once Ahsoka’s companion. Morai also appeared on the shoulder of the Daughter in ancient paintings of the Mortis gods. And Morai helped guide Ezra and Ahsoka in and out of the World Between Worlds previously.

If this bird is Morai in some form, it might lead Ahsoka and her friends back to the World Between Worlds, which would give them a way home. That dimension exists outside space and time. It has portals to different places and times. One of which will let them return to their home galaxy.

Why Did Anakin Skywalker’s Ghost Appear at the End of Ahsoka‘s Season 1 Finale?

Anakin Skywalker has been looking after his old Padawan since she fell from the ancient temple on Seatos. He helped Ahsoka unlock her heart in the World Between Worlds, and his old lessons helped guide Ahsoka on how to best teach Sabine. He was also there on Peridea in the season’s final moment. While neither Sabine nor Ahsoka could see him, they both sensed the “shadows in the starlight.” That provided comfort to Ahsoka.

At first, Anakin—the Mortis Father’s chosen replacement who killed the Son and used the Daughter’s essence to save Ahsoka—seemed worried. But as the episode came to an end, he began to smile. In an episode and season where so many things went wrong, his presence on Peridea during the finale served as a sign that even though many dark days lie ahead, Ahsoka will continue to be a beacon of hope in every galaxy.

Jump to: The Meaning of Ahsoka‘s Finale Title // The Great Mothers, Morgan Elsbeth, and the Blade of Talzin // How Did the Nightsisters Create Zombie Stormtroopers? // Why Did the Great Mothers and Thrawn Bring the Catacombs to Dathomir? // Who Does Thrawn Actually Serve? // Who is Kanan Jarrus, and What Was His Relationship With Ezra Bridger? // Why Did Ahsoka Walk Previously Away from Sabine’s Training? // Why Does Thrawn Not Really Understand Ahsoka Tano? // Will the New Republic Listen to Ezra Bridger? // What Happened to Shin Hati? // What Were Those Statues Baylan Skoll Stood on in Ahsoka‘s Finale? // What Was the Bird Ahsoka Tano Saw on Peridea? // Why Did Anakin Skywalker’s Ghost Appear in Ahsoka‘s Finale?

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on  Twitter and  Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post AHSOKA’s Finale, Explained: What Season 1 Means for STAR WARS’ Future appeared first on Nerdist.

This season of Ahsoka has been all about the fantastical and the darkly strange. And so, we were expecting nothing less from the Star Wars series’ finale, and we were not disappointed. Ahsoka, Sabine, and Ezra have faced many treacherous foes over Ahsoka‘s eight episodes, but one of the most twisted and frightening was saved for last.

Zombie Stormtroopers in Ahsoka‘s Finale

From Grand Admiral Thrawn’s first appearance in Ahsoka, we’ve known of his partnership with the Great Mothers. The powerful Dathomirian witches seem closely connected to the tenacious Imperial. They stand at Thrawn’s side, ready to help. We see red fabric reminiscent of their robes wrapped around Thrawn’s night troopers’ shabby armor. And in the Ahsoka finale, we saw the strength of Great Mothers’ dark magick when, at Thrawn’s behest, they brought dead night troopers back to life. Yes, Ahsoka gave us zombie stormtroopers in live-action, and it was as haunting as you’d imagine. These death troopers, infused with the misty green magick of the Nightsisters, reanimated against Ahsoka, Sabine, and Ezra and could seemingly only be killed with shots (or lightsabers) to the head. The new zombie stormtroopers have gruesome decaying flesh and everything.

Have Zombies Appeared in Star Wars Before?

Your brain may not jump to the word “undead” when you think of Star Wars. That’s fair. But Ahsoka‘s zombie stormtroopers aside, it’s not a new concept. In fact, we’ve seen the ideas of zombies go hand in hand with the Dathomirian Nightsisters before in the current, canonical Star Wars storytelling universe. In Star Wars: The Clone Wars, we saw a Dathomirian Nightsister, Old Daka, resurrect corpses from a graveyard using a specific chant. Daka raised this undead army in “Massacre.” In the Star Wars show, she tasked the resurrected zombie Nightsisters to fight against Separatists who were trying to carry out Count Dooku’s revenge against the witches. Daka tells the corpses, “Rise, sisters. Undead sisters, rise from your sleep. The time has come. Awaken. You have been called upon.”

General Grievous killed Daka in the battle, but she was the oldest of the Nightsisters on Dathomir and very likely the most powerful. Even Mother Talzin didn’t have Daka’s level of knowledge. Perhaps Daka once learned the resurrection chant and other magick from the Great Mothers.

We have to wonder if Marrok, the Inquisitor who fought beside Baylan and Shin, was also an undead servant of some sort.

Additionally, we saw a different kind of reanimated corpse in The Clone Wars when a Geonosian queen used a parasitic brainworm to bring the dead to life and control them like puppets.

Zombie Stormtroopers in Star Wars

We have even seen zombie stormtroopers in Star Wars before, though they’re quite different from the ones in Ahsoka. The Legends novel Death Troopers by Joe Schreiber is specifically about zombie stormtroopers. In the story, set before the events of A New Hope, the stormtroopers become zombies in the more traditional fashion. A virus spreads through a ship, and those infected with it become flesh-craving zombies.

Does Thrawn Plan to Make an Army of Zombie Stormtroopers?

It’s possible that Ahsoka‘s small group of zombie stormtroopers was just the beginning of Thrawn’s undead attacks. As mentioned, we only saw a small group of night troopers become zombies. The Great Mothers’ power infused into them, enhancing their abilities. The zombie stormtroopers seem to be more resilient than Thrawn’s living night troopers.

At the end of Ahsoka, Thrawn is traveling straight to Dathomir, with the Great Mothers on board, and a cargo bay full of coffin-like objects, he could have plans for a massive zombie stormtrooper army. Thrawn, the Imperial Remnant, and a host of hard-to-kill stormtroopers mean trouble ahead for the New Republic.

Featured Image: Lucasfilm

The post AHSOKA Twisted Thrawn’s Night Troopers Into Zombie Stormtroopers appeared first on Nerdist.

There are many pluses to extending the Star Wars world with Disney+ shows. We get more time with our favorite characters, we get to learn more about the Star Wars lore that we’ve seen develop over the years, and we get to travel to new and exciting worlds. But one thing that Star Wars Disney+ shows have particularly excelled at is introducing cute new Star Wars creations into our lives. Just look at the impact of Grogu, a.k.a. Baby Yoda. Happily, Ahsoka has continued this tradition. First, Ahsoka brought us the live-action Loth-cat, which had us melting in our seats. And now, Ahsoka has brought two adorable new species into Star Wars canon, the howlers and the Noti. The howlers and the Noti not only added maximum cuteness to our screens, but they also played a part in Ahsoka‘s plot. Let’s take a look at these newly introduced denizens of the Star Wars world.

Sabine Wren’s Howler Tota Cannonizes the Star Wars Species in Ahsoka

At first, Sabine Wren’s mount on Peridea seemed like a dastardly dark side creature. But it turns out at least this howler, named Tota, was all bark and no bite. Although a bit of a coward, Tota loyally took to Sabine after an unfortunate encounter with bandits. And his sheepish but stubborn demeanor in recompense has probably won Star Wars fans over to the side of the howlers from here on out. Tota’s scenes with Sabine completely stole the show. Not to mention, whether or not the howler brought Sabine to the right place because he wanted water or because he could sense something more than that, he did help her to reunite with Ezra Bridger.

In the Ahsoka series, the howler species present as a reptilian wolf crossed with a horse. Interestingly, these live-action Star Wars howlers bring to mind mythology’s griffins. Although these two creatures aren’t one-to-one in their make-up, Ahsoka has been leaning into its mythological roots. So we enjoy the comparison.

But have howlers appeared in Star Wars before? This cute species has made a few prior appearances but not in canon Star Wars properties. Howlers first appeared in the Star Wars: Jedi Knight games, which belong to the Star Wars Legends world. In the games, howlers appeared much more reptilian, almost resembling dragons. These howlers lived on the moon Yavin 4. Although this implies that more than just purrgil have been able to cross Star Wars galaxies in canon, it does not confirm it. However, the appearance of howlers does continue Ahsoka‘s trend of incorporating Star Wars Legends material into canon. And, we, for one, are enjoying the adorable fruits of that convergence.

The Noti Kept Ezra Bridger Safe After Star Wars Rebels

The second species of absurdly cute aliens that Ahsoka introduced into the Star Wars world are the Noti. The Noti have not appeared before in any other Star Wars properties, but we hope to see more of them on Ahsoka. Although we don’t yet know the full story, it seems like the Noti adopted Ezra Bridger into their community after he became stranded on Peridea.

In Ahsoka, Tota the howler sniffs out a Noti and gives him a bit of a shock. But once calmed, the Noti recognizes Sabine Wren’s Rebellion symbol and reveals that he wears one as well. Suddenly, a whole crowd of Noti appear to excitedly chatter. It turns out they do know Ezra Bridger. The Noti take Sabine back to their village, and there she is finally reunited with Ezra for the first time since he disappeared at the end of Star Wars Rebels. We’re glad such cute creatures could facilitate this happy moment. Of course, the peace can’t last too long, and the Noti are caught up in the crossfire when General Thrawn’s troops show up. Happily, it doesn’t seem like anyone got too hurt in the conflict.

In Ahsoka, the Noti are adorable bug-like aliens. The Noti have rock-like shells on their back, which they can hide beneath at any sign of trouble. They seem to be a joyful and peaceable species. We even learn they do not really use any kind of weaponry. The closest the Noti have is a slingshot. And we love them for that.

Both the Noti and Sabine’s howler seem like great additions to the Star Wars universe. And given that Ahsoka and Sabine both ended up remaining behind on Peridea in the final episode of Ahsoka, there is a good chance we’ll see them again soon..

Originally published on September 20, 2023.

The post AHSOKA Introduced Your New Favorite Cute STAR WARS Aliens, Noti and Howlers appeared first on Nerdist.

Order 66 nearly wiped out the Jedi forever. Nearly 10,000 members of the Order died when Palpatine executed his monstrous plan. We know some survived long enough to see the Emperor’s fall, but those handful of Jedi are not who Ahsoka Tano turned to for help during the early days of the New Republic. Instead, Ahsoka called on a very old droid that knows as much about the ancient Order as anyone, Star Wars’ Huyang. Who is Huyang, and what makes him so invaluable to a galaxy in desperate need of lost Jedi knowledge? Here’s everything you need to know about Ahsoka‘s robot professor who helped generations of younglings build their lightsabers.

Who Is Star Wars: The Clone Wars‘ Professor Huyang

The Clone Wars animated series introduced a witty, smart, confident, very ancient robot with an important job. For a thousand generations, Star Wars‘ Professor Huyang, a Mark IV architect droid, guided younglings as they crafted their very own lightsabers.

Built roughly 25,000 years before Luke Skywalker blew up the first Death Star, by the time of the Clone Wars, Huyang operated out of the Jedi spaceship the Crucible. There, he would greet burgeoning Padawans who loved telling wild tales of the droid’s mysterious origins. Soon, they’d have their own tales to tell after partaking in the challenging Jedi trial known as the Gathering. That right of passage was how they acquired the kyber crystal that would power their lightsaber.

Huyang said a lightsaber is a “Jedi’s only true ally,” and he made sure every Youngling had one that suited them. After he accompanied them to the planet Ilum to find their crystal, he would then aide them on his ship in building their lightsaber. The lightsabers used by Yoda, Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan, Mace Windu, and countless other legendary Star Wars Jedi all traced back to Huyang.

While not a Jedi or Force-users, the droid’s job came with its own risks, too. During one trip with Ahsoka and a group of younglings, Weequay pirates attacked Huyang’s ship. The marauders attacked the professor and cut off both his head and arms. The youngsters managed to put him back together. In doing so, they saved more than just a lightsaber instructor. Huyang was a living memory of the Jedi Order. He retained the exact design and specifications of every lightsaber he ever helped build. (This was how Huyang identified Baylan Skoll as a former Jedi who disappeared at the end of the Clone Wars in Ahsoka.)

And as Lucasfilm says, Huyang’s databanks contain “a repository of ancient Jedi lore.” That record is more vital after Order 66.

Who Voiced Huyang on The Clone Wars? Who Is the Voice of Huyang on Ahsoka?

Doctor Who and Good Omens star David Tennant voiced Huyang on The Clone Wars. Tennant returned to the role for Ahsoka and also voices Huyang in his live-action form.

The 2022 Star Wars book Brotherhood actually referenced Tennant’s role as the Tenth Doctor by saying Huyang “was so old that the ancient droid supposedly arrived at the Jedi Temple in a big blue box thousands of years ago.” You can decide for yourself if that allusion to a TARDIS makes Star Wars‘ Huyang and the Doctor Who‘s Tenth Doctor the same character canonically.

What Is Huyang’s Role on Ahsoka?

Ahsoka revealed what happened to Huyang after the Jedi Order fell in the Star Wars universe. Huyang survived the destruction of the Jedi Order (though we don’t know how) and, ultimately, the Galactic Empire’s reign. At some point, the droid joined up with Ahsoka Tano. That was likely following Palpatine’s first death, since Huyang was there when Ahsoka took Sabine Wren on as her Padawan. That only happened after the Empire’s defeat. Huyang was also there when Sabine quit.

Huyang’s life is more like that of a regular droid assigned to a ship on Ahsoka. He flies for and with Ahsoka, helps her on missions, and offers analysis, guidance, and advice. In episode three of Ahsoka, Huyang scans Morgan Elsbeth’s Eye of Sion and identifies it as a hyperspace ring, combining the information with his knowledge of the Jedi archives to explain how intergalactic travel could be possible.

Huyang also remains headstrong and needs to be reined in, so he really is like every other Star Wars droid now. But he still serves the Jedi Order. He’s encouraged Sabine, despite her historically low aptitude for the Force, to resume her training. Huyang’s blunt assessment of her failed first attempt reminded Sabine why she finds Huyang “annoying,” but he said he’s merely “logical.”

Still, there is a softness to the droid. In Ahsoka, he reminds Sabine and Ahsoka that they should stay together because “they always did better that way” and appears to grieve when they, in fact, do not. It is clear Huyang cares very much about the duo. And Huyang has a great deal of trust and belief in them, especially in Ahsoka.

What Happens to Huyang at the end of Ahsoka?

Toward the end of the series, the droid heads out to galaxies unknown with the one-time Jedi in the mouth of a Purgill. And even though this is new territory, we see Huyang help Ezra to build a lightsaber in Ahsoka‘s finale, familiar ground for the droid. Although Huyang won’t say how old he is exactly, he does offer Ezra a hilt that was meant for his Jedi Master, Kanan Jarrus. Huyang shares that he taught Jarrus how to build his lightsaber, reminding us of his long Star Wars legacy and also evoking the current importance of the knowledge he shares. At the end of Ahsoka, Huyang remains with Ahsoka and Sabine, stranded in Peridea.

Regardless of what happens next, though, Huyang is right. The past is the past, and no one knows that more than the droid who carries the ancient past of the Jedi with him at all times. Just as Huyang was to generations of younglings, for Ahsoka, Sabine, and the galaxy far, far away, there’s no better droid to help a Jedi Knight build not just lightsabers but a better future.

Originally published on August 22, 2023.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. Also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post Who Is AHSOKA’s Droid Huyang? appeared first on Nerdist.

Ahsoka will bring some of Star Wars‘ greatest heroes to live-action. The galaxy far, far away is gonna need them, too. The Disney+ series will also mark the return of an iconic villain. But Grand Admiral Thrawn isn’t the only foe who will be looking to restore the Empire to power. Who will also join him in the fight to overthrow the New Republic? These are all the villains we expect to see on Ahsoka.

Grand Admiral Thrawn Will Be Ahsoka‘s Main Villain

The potential “Heir to the Empire” is one of Star Wars‘ most iconic and enduring villains, with a long history in both Star Wars Legends and Disney-era canon. The blue-skinned Chiss with piercing red eyes was among the highest ranking officers in the Galactic Empire. The smart, cunning, ruthless Thrawn was also the primary villain on Star Wars Rebels. His blockade of Lothal ended when Jedi Ezra Bridger called on purrgil to whisk both him and Thrawn into the Unknown Regions of deep space.

Ahsoka Tano will be on the hunt for the returning villain Thrawn when her Disney+ series debuts. Lars Mikkelsen, who voiced Thrawn on the animated series, will reprise the role in the character’s live-action debut.

Read More:

Grand Admiral Thrawn Is Star Wars’ Most Resilient Survivor

Ahsoka Finally Reveals Grand Admiral Thrawn

AHSOKA Twisted Thrawn’s Night Troopers Into Something More Powerful 

Morgan Elsbeth

The former Imperial official and skilled fighter played a major role in building the Empire’s naval fleet. After seeing her homeworld Corvus decimated during the Clone Wars she became a bitter, loyal, and dangerous servant of the Empire. She was ruthless in her plunder and destruction of other planet’s resources and their people.

Elsbeth made her Star Wars debut during The Mandalorian‘s second season on her home planet. Ahsoka Tano believed the tyrannical magistrate of Calodan knew the whereabouts of her “master” Thrawn, but Elsbeth seemingly didn’t reveal anything. Ahsoka trailers reveal the villainous Elsbeth is no longer imprisoned by the New Republic and working with two dangerous new Force-users. And we now know that Morgan Elsbeth is actually a Nightsister of Dathomir, making her an even deadlier foe. Diana Lee Inosanto will reprise the role as this villain on the Ahsoka series.

Read More:

Ahsoka‘s Morgan Elsbeth and the Nightsisters of Dathomir Are Critical to Star Wars‘ Story

Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati

The late Ray Stevenson‘s Baylan Skoll and his apparent apprentice, Ivanna Sakhno’s Shin Hati, have made their presence felt as villains in Ahsoka‘s trailers. But though the identity and goals of each character still remains a mystery, we know enough about both to be afraid of them. They are Force-users wielding orange lightsabers. In addition to all the New Republic figures they’re seen killing in promos, Skoll declared, “We are no Jedi.” He also made a reference to having once known Anakin Skywalker. That suggests he’s a former Jedi who fought in the Clone Wars and survived Order 66. If so, was he also an Inquisitor at one point?

Whatever the truth about the pair, we know the names of these Ahsoka villains are references to Norse mythology. Skoll and Hati are two wolves who chase the Sun and Moon in hopes of devouring them. They finally catch them during Ragnarok when the world ends. The names of these villains marks an ominous connection for the Ahsoka series, which has teased a return to the the World Between Worlds, a realm connected with Loth-wolves.

Read More:

Everything You Need to Know About Star Wars’ World Between Worlds

What Does Baylan Skoll Want on Ahsoka?

The Imperial Shadow Council

The Mandalorian‘s third season featured the Shadow Council. The group consists of former high-ranking Imperial officers who each oversee their own sector of the galaxy during the early days of the New Republic. While some members (now at eight total following the death of Moff Gideon) would prefer to use their resources to enrich themselves, the group’s primary goal is to restore the Empire and Palpatine himself to power. To stay under the radar and keep their true agenda hidden from the government, they make a concerted effort to avoid being seen working together, instead opting to make themselves look like individual black market warlords.

The Shadow Council’s two most notable members thus far are Commandant Brendol Hux and Captain Gilad Pellaeon. Brendol Hux is the father of the Star Wars sequel trilogy’s General Hux. Pellaeon previously served as the righthand man of Thrawn. While this group of villains has yet to appear in any trailers for Ahsoka, they seem likely to make their presence felt one way or another. They are awaiting Thrawn’s return so he can potentially take over leadership of the Shadow Council.

Marrok, the Former Inquisitor

Ahsoka will feature a previously unknown Inquisitor we now know is named Marrok. The group of Force users served as the personal Jedi bounty hunters of Darth Vader and Palpatine during the Galactic Empire. They have previously played big roles on Star Wars Rebels, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the Jedi: Fallen Order video game.

After initially keeping the character’s identity and alliances a secret, Lucasfilm has revealed Marrok “works as a mercenary hired by Morgan Elsbeth to carry out dark deeds” on Ahsoka. This Ahsoka villain still wears his Inquisitor battle armor and uses the group’s signature red double-bladed saber with a circular hilt. Considering Elsbeth’s work with Thrawn and Thrawn’s own past with Inquisitors, Marrok’s Imperial allegiances might run even deeper than most. However, theories abound about Marrok’s true identity. Could this Ahsoka villain actually be someone from Ahsoka‘s past, like Barriss Offee or even Ezra Bridger himself? It seems like, ultimately, Marrok may not be any notable figure at all, but merely a Nightbrother or Nightsister of Dathomir.

Paul Darnell is reportedly the man behind the black mask.

Read More

Ahsoka Reveals a Dark Secret About Marrok the Inquisitor and Morgan Elsbeth

The New Republic’s Inaction Will Be An Ahsoka Villain That Won’t Be Defeated

Not every villain on Ahsoka will work for the Empire. They won’t even all be people. The show will also provide a classic example of ManGalaxy-vs-Society, as Ahsoka Tano, Hera Syndulla, and everyone who sees the growing danger the New Republic faces will have to deal with the government’s refusal to address the rising tide of evil. We see it happen very clearly through the council appearance and Senator Xiono cameo in episode four of the series. It’s one enemy we know they won’t beat. Years later, the First Order will bring death and destruction to the galaxy far, far away.

Even the greatest heroes of Ahsoka won’t be able to save the New Republic from its own inaction, but they can help many people if they can stop Thrawn and all those who support him.

Read More

Ahsoka Proves the New Republic Deserved to Fail in The Force Awakens

Originally published on August 3, 2023.

The post Who Are All the Villains of AHSOKA? appeared first on Nerdist.

Kevin Kiner has essentially been Ahsoka Tano’s personal composer since the Jedi made her debut in 2008’s The Clone Wars film. He also scored both the movie’s spinoff series and Star Wars Rebels. Now, like Lady Tano herself, he’s made the move to the live-action side of the franchise as the lead composer for Ahsoka on Disney+. It’s not easy for any musician to fill John Williams’ shoes, but it’s not a job Kiner is doing alone. His son and daughter, Sean and Deana Kiner, are also composing with Kevin on the show.

What’s it like still working with Dave Filoni after these years? How has their past shaped the many hours of music the Kiners have made for the series? And how does Ahsoka‘s score live up to Star Wars‘ musical past? I spoke with all three composers about all that and more, starting with how working together influences the music they create.

Kevin Kiner: I’ve I told people the reason I feel I’m a better composer than I was 10 years ago—because I’ve been doing this for 40 years—is [Sean and Deana] now compose with me and they bring a fresh perspective to things. That is just absolutely key to why you’ll find so many interesting ideas on the Ahsoka soundtrack. I don’t believe I personally am solely capable of having that many interesting ideas in one project. I mean, basically we did five hours of music. That’s three feature films. To be able to have that much variety and that many good ideas, I think would be impossible.

Deana Kiner: We’re really proud of the diversity of soundscapes we created for this show. We think it goes from so many different kinds of spectrums and covers so much, and we’re really proud of the way that it connects emotionally to each scene.

Nerdist: Kevin, you’ve composed for many Star Wars cartoons and video games, but Ahsoka is your first foray into the live-action side of the franchise. Are there meaningful differences between scoring for animation versus live-action?

Kevin Kiner: That’s kind of a yes and no thing. Compositionally, it’s virtually identical when you sit down with an idea. An idea is an idea. And a Star Wars idea is a Star Wars idea. But the process of doing Ahsoka was much more like doing a feature film, in that we had a lot more time to really polish things. There was also more input from Dave Filoni, and we had time to go back and change things a lot more.

Also, a big part of it is we had a full orchestra at the Newman Scoring Stage at Fox (in Los Angeles) for every episode, for all the music. We had time to really get that right with the greatest musicians in the world. We do some orchestra on the other shows, but it’s not for every episode and it’s not for every cue. And usually it’s in Budapest or Prague, so this time there’s communication, as well as a skill level difference.

Sean Kiner: The biggest thing having a live orchestra every single episode is we started to build an understanding and relationship with the musicians’ abilities. They would come up to us after episode one’s recording session and they would talk about things that had excited them in the score. That made us really happy and want to write things for them. It very much felt like we were writing for specific people we knew and that was really nice.

You worked with Dave Filoni on both The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, as well as other things. How do your previous collaborations with him shape your experiences on Ahsoka?

Kevin Kiner: I’ve been working with Dave for maybe 16, 17 years, so it was incremental. We’ve developed a relationship over the years and have a kind of shorthand. We have had it for a very long time, where we will be listening to a piece of temporary music that the editors put in as we’re watching the scene. That music can be from Indiana Jones, Prometheus, or from whatever the picture editor found that has the right pace and flavor. And I’ll say, “Hey, I like those French horns right there.” Or Dave will say that, and literally if he says it, I will have been thinking, “Oh, I like that lick right there.” That’s really cool.

We have a really great connection. I have that connection with very few people I work with. It’s deep. I like to think of myself as a good film and television composer, and that I relate well with directors, but it is a step further with Dave by virtue of 17 years of working together. Seventeen years and we clicked right away. That’s the difference.

Deana Kiner: To what Kevin was saying, Dave Filoni is substantially musically literate. That’s pretty unusual for a lot of directors or showrunners we’ve worked with. That makes it really easy to talk about inspiration and influences going into a scene, and creatively what emotion, and what composer, even, he was thinking of for certain scenes. Like in episode six, when we see Ezra, we noticed it felt very Americana, very pastoral. And Dave was like, “Yes!” He honed in on that and ran with that idea, which was foundationally from Dave Filoni’s concept of knowing the kind of classical music that helped guide us.

Before I get into specific tracks, I want to know, of all the songs you’ve written for the show do you have a personal favorite?

Sean Kiner: Oh boy. Whoa.

Kevin Kiner: You’re stumping us.

Deana Kiner: I was just talking about it. My favorite piece was that moment we see Ezra for the first time in episode six. As soon as I walked into the studio and heard Kevin working on it, I was like, “Oh my God, this is great. Keep going with this.” I was so excited by what was happening, just hearing the rough sketches of it. I thought it was so inspired.

Kevin Kiner: My favorite piece is the end credits, because it has a fresh take on “Ahsoka’s Theme.” That was the first thing I wrote for George [Lucas] and Dave Filoni in 2006 or 2007. I remember where I was. I remember what the scene was, with a little girl Ahsoka sitting alone. It came very quickly to me. To have that now be stretched out, to have this variation that [Deana and Sean] came up with, which was this kind of Ronan motif—it starts off with the cellos, and then the variation of my melody, the full blown use of my melody, and then “Hera’s Theme” in there—for all those things it kind of encapsulates the end credits is my favorite.

Sean Kiner: Also, something like the song where the purrgil begin their trek started out as just something fun for the visuals. That was playing off the visuals and the end credits. Then it was like, “Oh no, this is a great traveling theme,” so we ended up using it for seeing their jump in hyperspace.

Deana Kiner: You can hear it when Sabine is unlocking the map in episode one. It started in the end credits, and we were so excited about its potential and felt like it really touched on the magic of the forest, the magic of what this show was grappling with, that we got so excited. We had to figure out a way to implement it in the show. It felt right when Sabine unlocks the map and sees how to get to Ezra.

Sean Kiner:  I don’t know if I could pick a favorite, but just keeping it to the first four episodes the “New Republic Song” was really nice to explore. There’s a kind of positivity, but we hide a little bit of darkness. We know that the New Republic is kind of doomed and you already see the seeds of its own destruction a little bit in Ahsoka.

Also “Should Have Been a Good Jedi” is really nice, when Ahsoka and Sabine first reunite after their long estrangement. That’s got a lot of things. Sabine’s going back into the ship and seeing the old drawings she did on her bunk. It’s got a little bit of the “Thrawn Theme” hidden. There’s a lot of good things in there.

I want to talk specifically about including the end credits theme song, which I absolutely love. What kind of directive, if any, did you get before writing it and how did that guidance shape the direction you went in?

Kevin Kiner: That was interesting because there were a lot of end credits (songs) at first. The concept was going to be a different end credits track for every episode, just like there’s a different main title for every episode.

Sean Kiner: The current end credits has pieces of all five of those, as well as new connective tissue and things. But the end credits started half the length of what they ended up being. We got to continue to add more and more to it as it gotten longer. It’s almost four minutes now. It’s a conglomeration of all the ideas that we experimented with in the first five songs.

Deana Kiner: Technically speaking, it’s certainly what we spent the most time on creating show.

Kevin Kiner: It’s so cool because we got to pick the best of those different iterations and put them in the end credits. We spent a lot of time on it and it evolved really nicely.

Thrawn got the kind of epic reintroduction viewers would expect for the Grand Admiral. How did you approach scoring that moment?

Deana Kiner: Initially we had “Thrawn’s Theme.” It’s based in the organ. It’s got these arpeggiations and counterpoints going and building. So initially we said, “Oh, it’s on. We have to use ‘Thrawn’s Theme.’”

Kevin Kiner: It has to be on organ. It’s got to be, “Organ, organ, organ, ‘Thrawn’s theme.’”

Deana Kiner: We were so single-minded about that, trying to reiterate that and develop it for the new setting for the new state that he’s in, that we kind of lost track of what the scene was doing. When we brought it to Dave, he said, “We need to kind of reassess. You made a great piece of music…”

Sean Kiner: Which will end up on the second volume. (laughs)

Deana Kiner: …But Dave was like, “This isn’t right for this moment. I love his theme and I think it’s great, but we need to play this moment. It is different. We need to be playing the reactions, the feeling of him arriving.” So we realized we needed to add tons of weight. We drew it out, we extended it and stretched the melody out and distorted the organ. We added new elements that made it more atmospheric and made the presence of him arriving more oppressive.

Kevin Kiner: Super heavy. Super heavy and oppressive. I think because we are soundtrack geeks, obviously, we were making it about the music. We’re like, “The fans are going to lose their shit when they hear this music.” No, the fans are going to lose their shit when they see Thrawn! That’s what it’s about. It’s not about us. It’s not about the music. The music will be great, and it’ll add, and it’ll be a cool element, but it’s not a music video. We had to play the scene better.

There’s a great example of how we had time to evolve things, and that’s how this is much more like a feature film where you have time to do that. To go back to the drawing board, to take the nuggets that are good about something and then expound upon it. That doesn’t get to happen in the frenetic schedule of an episodic animated series.

I’m obsessed with the song Sabine listens to while she’s driving her speeder in episode one. What was the key to creating rock music that still sounds like it belongs in the galaxy far, far away?

Deana Kiner: One key was definitely working with Sarah Tudzin from Illuminati Hotties, who I’m lucky to call a good friend and have played with on tour. We watched the scene with Dave and it’s got a legendary piece of (temp) music, and we’re just like, “What are we supposed to do? This is a perfect motorcycle song. What are we supposed to do?”

We came back to it terrified of having to accomplish that crazy task. The conclusion we came to was we needed to match Sabine’s energy and see where she’s at, who she is as a person. She’s rebellious, she’s a punk, she’s an artist. So the first person that came to mind was Sarah Tudzin.

Kevin Kiner: You just said it, punk and rock and rebellious attitude. Heavy guitars, heavy drums, and yet, a foreign language. It’s based on Filipino words. My wife is Filipino.

Deana Kiner: It’s loosely Tagalog influence. It was a really great collaboration because of all the different voices that started injecting themselves into the piece. I think what makes it so Star Wars is that rebellious nature.

Sean Kiner: Not to mention we got to collaborate with Ludwig Göransson ]composer for The Mandalorian and the Book of Boba Fett] on it. That was very exciting. He’s such a good guy.

Kevin Kiner: Without getting into specifics, because it’s a little too technical, he added in something very cool from Sabine’s music. We didn’t even do that. He was like, “Hey, guys, it’s a cool theme, we should put that in.” I’m like, ”Oh, yeah, duh.” (laughs)

Like most people watching the show, I’m not a musician, let alone a composer. So what have I not asked you about that you would really like viewers to know about the score?

Sean Kiner: Star Wars is so dramatic, but you can’t be constantly bashing people over the head with melodies, so we put a lot of thought into being thematic throughout the show. We will hide little nods to different things throughout the soundtrack.

Kevin Kiner: Lately I’ve been listening to the score a lot for the Volume 1 release, almost two and a half hours of music. What is really cool is when you listen to the soundtrack you can picture the scene it was written for and it brings back the memory. “This is when they did that. This is when the assassin droid shows up. That moment is when Ahsoka first drops into that temple.” All those thing bring you back. I’m super proud of that because that’s what I experienced when I listened to the soundtrack of A New Hope or The Empire Strikes Back. It’s like, ”Here comes Darth Vader, or the twin suns.”

Deana Kiner: You can hear the story and the music.

Kevin Kiner: Yeah, the music tells the story. It was a big job. And not all soundtracks do that because sometimes specifically they don’t want to do that. John Williams writes extremely expressive and dense music, and not all soundtracks do that. But this is the DNA of Star Wars and we’re sticking with that.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on  Twitter and  Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post AHSOKA Composers Kevin, Sean, and Deana Kiner on the Show’s Score, Favorite Tracks, and STAR WARS’ Musical Legacy appeared first on Nerdist.

Magistrate Morgan Elsbeth’s introduction on The Mandalorian established her as a relevant character, but not an especially interesting one. The series revealed she’d been a close ally of Grand Admiral Thrawn and possibly knew how to find him. Only, the galaxy is full of Imperial loyalists who matter only because of their proximity to important figures. Now Ahsoka has turned an unremarkable, evil bureaucrat into one of the franchise’s most fascinating and intriguing villains. Morgan Elsbeth is not just any Empire sympathizer; she is a witch from a magical race that played an important role in the franchise’s past, one thought all but extinct years ago. Morgan Elsbeth is one of Star Wars‘ few remaining Nightsisters of Dathomir.

That makes her a powerful enemy of both the New Republic and the Jedi Order she blames for her coven’s demise. But who are Star Wars‘ Nightsisters of Dathomir, and how exactly does Morgan Elsbeth connect to them? Here’s everything we knew about that infamous clan before Ahsoka and everything new the show has revealed about those Force-using magic wielders.

Who Are the Nightsisters of Dathomir in the Star Wars Universe?

Dathomir is a remote, strange planet in the Outer Rims. Its nearby star covers the misty world in an unsettling dark red light. The world also features many swamps and weird vegetation, including forests of twisted, bent trees. Dathomir is also the native planet to lots of large, terrifying insects and creatures, like rancors. It’s also the home of a legendary Sith Lord, Darth Maul.

Maul was a member of the Nightbrothers, Zabrak warriors subservient to their female counterparts, the Nightsisters of Dathomir. That powerful, ancient matriarchal ruling coven of Force-using witches—capable of incredible spells, curses, possessing others, and more—controlled the planet and their brothers with dark magic. The Nightsisters’ magic manifests in swirling green light, as seen in Ahsoka‘s second episode when Morgan Elsbeth elevated the star map.

Where Did the Nightsisters of Dathomir Learn How to Use Magic?

Dathomir itself has a strong dark side presence in the Star Wars universe, which the Nightsisters used as the source of their magic. The planet also produced many dark side users. But the Nightsisters kept their world neutral from outside politics and galactic matters. The Jedi let the Nightsisters govern themselves and generally stayed out of Dathomir’s business. That worked both ways, as denizens of the planet rarely left their strange world and rarely allowed anyone to visit.

Before Ahsoka it seemed as though the Nightsisters possibly owed their existence to the Jedi. Roughly six centuries before Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, an exiled Jedi warrior trained the Nightsisters in the ways of the Force. Legend says those who studied with her were the very first Nightsisters of Dathomir. Ahsoka has raised questions about this story. Was it a tall tale? Or did that Jedi Knight help them rediscover their lost magic? We don’t know, but in the end it was a former Jedi who destroyed them in the galaxy far, far away.

Why Happened to the Nightsisters During the Clone Wars?

The Nightsisters stayed neutral during the Clone Wars, even though they had a recent history with Darth Sidious. The Sith Lord had traded dark side secrets with the Nightsisters, though they themselves were not Sith. Their leader, Mother Talzin, let Sidious take her son Maul on as an apprentice in exchange.

The coven still remained neutral when one of their own, Asajj Ventress, became Count Dooku’s apprentice. But when Sidious, fearful of Ventress’ growing power, ordered Dooku to kill her, she returned to her home world. The Nightsisters accepted her back and swore vengeance on Dooku. To get close to the covert Sith Lord, they sent him a new apprentice secretly loyal to them. That double agent was Maul’s fellow Nightbrother, Savage Opress.

In the end, though, it was Dooku who killed the Nightsisters. After their assassination attempts against him failed, Dooku ordered General Grievous to wipe the witches out. They held off the attack initially with the help of their resurrected zombie army of the dead, in a truly creepy display of their dark powers. But only a handful of witches survived the massacre.

The clan—including Mother Talzin, who had helped restore Darth Maul’s body and mind, turned Savage into a powerful killing machine, and died in a later encounter with Dooku—nearly returned from beyond the grave via their dark magic during the Clone Wars. However, despite their incredible abilities even in death, ultimately the Star Wars‘ Nightsisters all but disappeared from the galaxy far, far away.

At least one Nightsister did serve as an Inquisitor. Her fate after the Empire’s collapse is unknown. (That’s worth keeping in mind since we have yet to learn the real identity of Ahsoka‘s Inquisitor who served Morgan Elsbeth, herself one of the few surviving Nightsisters.)

What Did Ahsoka Reveal About Morgan Elsbeth’s Work for the Empire?

Prior to Ahsoka, we knew Morgan Elsbeth had been a major Imperial official who helped build the Empire’s fleet. Her mysterious past also hinted at lasting anger and resentment over the destruction of her planet.

Now we know she controlled a major Imperial port on Corellia, homeworld of Han Solo. The New Republic converted the operation to serve its needs, but Elsbeth’s former employees who’d been kept on to keep the port functioning were secretly loyal Imperialists, some out of sincere belief, others out of greed.

On Coredllia, those Imperialists also amassed gigantic hyperdrive cores for Elsbeth to use in her massive Eye of Scion, an enormous a hyperspace transport ring. Those machines allows X-Wings to travel through hyperspace. She needed all that firepower to travel deep across the universe on the Pathway to Peridea, an ancient planet in a spiral-shaped galaxy far, far away. It’s where she believed Thrawn was. Morgan Elsbeth seemed to know that because of an ancient map the Nightsisters created long ago. But Ahsoka revealed she also had help from her own sisters.

What Was the Map Morgan Elsbeth Used to Locate Thrawn, and How Did It Relate to the Nightsisters?

When Ahsoka Tano captured Morgan Elsbeth she used non-Jedi methods to get information out of her prisoner, who otherwise would not have betrayed Thrawn. That led Ahsoka to an ancient temple on Arcana built by the Nightsisters of Dathomir. (Which we later learned was adorned with images of the Nightsisters’ Great Mothers.) There Ahsoka found an encoded star map that Sabine Wren ultimately unlocked.

Morgan Elsbeth didn’t actually know where Thrawn was when Ahsoka captured her in The Mandalorian. She didn’t even know how to find that map among the ruins on Arcana. What Nightsister Morgan Elsbeth did know, thanks to her magical connection with the Force and her far away brethren, is that it would point the way to Thrawn, who had called out to her from across space and time.

Morgan Elsbeth explained what the map meant to her Force-user mercenaries, Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati. They’d met at the reflex point on the planet Seatos where the map showed them a path created by “an ancient people from a distant galaxy.”

Baylan called it the “Pathway to Peridea,” a seemingly mythological place. But Peridea was more than just a story told by the Children of the Jedi Temple. As Morgan Elsbeth had said, it was a tale “based on truth,” and she used the Eye of Scion to go there and find Thrawn.

That’s also where Morgan Elsbeth also found the original home of Star Wars‘ Nightsisters.

Who Are the Great Mothers on Ahsoka?

Ahsoka revealed the Nightsisters’ history goes back much farther in the Star Wars timeline than we ever knew—as does their importance. Tens of thousands of years before they called Dathomir home, the Nightsisters resided on Peridea, their native planet in a distant galaxy. They had traveled to Star Wars’ galaxy thanks to “the travelers,” their term for Purrgil. This timeline seems to place their arrival around the same time as the Jedi founding.

Not all made the move, though. Morgan Elsbeth met three Great Mothers on Peridea in Ahsoka‘s sixth episode. They had come to serve Thrawn, a man with nary the power they have. The Great Mothers had helped Thrawn call out to Lady Morgan. And their visions of the future had also helped both Elsbeth and Thrawn plan his Star Wars return. The trio also knew Ahsoka Tano was on her way. However, they did not foresee every “strand” of fate, as the Great Mothers did not anticipate Sabine Wren’s arrival on the Eye of Sion. As powerful as they are, the Great Mothers have blind spots. They also know fear.

Why Are the Great Mothers Fleeing Peridea with Their Dead in Ahsoka?

Baylan Skoll says there is a power on Peridea so incredible the Great Mothers themselves fear it. They’re certainly acting that way. Whatever it is that calls out to the former Jedi in this Star Wars series, the Great Mothers aren’t answering. Instead, they are working for Thrawn to not only get him off the planet, they are going with him and taking all their dead Nightsisters with them.

Why do the Great Mothers want to leave their ancient home on Ahsoka? Why are witches powerful enough to resurrect the dead so worried about taking their deceased with them? And what does this mean for the clan’s future in Star Wars? What about Morgan Elsbeth’s potential role in the coming First Order? She thinks fate and Thrawn guarantee a resurrection of the Empire she never gave up on.

If she were any other Imperial loyalist, we might doubt her. But The Clone Wars fans know to never underestimate a powerful, angry Nightsisters with a purpose, which is especially true for Morgan Elsbeth and the Great Mothers who still prowl the universe. They are more than Thrawn’s trusted allies. They are witches who hate the Jedi. Thanks to Ahsoka, the Nightsisters are once again among Star Wars‘ most dangerous—and most interesting—groups.

This post originally published on August 22, 2023.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. Also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post AHSOKA’s Morgan Elsbeth and the Nightsisters of Dathomir Are Critical to STAR WARS’ Story  appeared first on Nerdist.

The Mandalorian‘s season three premiere was a whale of a time. Specifically it was a space whale of a time. The episode marked the live-action debut of purrgil, an important Star Wars creature first introduced in animation on Rebels. They returned in all their enormous glory during Ahsoka‘s third episode, and later on the show helped Lady Tano and Huyang go after Morgan Elsbeth on a distant planet.

Who are these giant, beautiful creatures? What makes them such a vital part of the franchise? And what is their connection with both the Force and the ancient history of the galaxy far, far away? Here’s everything we know about Star Wars‘ giant star whales, the purrgil, and what they mean to some legendary Jedi.

What Are Star Wars Giant Space Whales, the Purrgil?

In the Star Wars universe, purrgil are semi-sentient, large-headed animals who most closely resemble whales, but with some notable differences. Living in deep space, they have one cloudy blue eye on each side of their head. They also have four tentacles at the end of their long blue and purple bodies which also glow in certain parts. Purrgil also sport fins that help them fly, and some even have long whiskers.

Despite their atypical habitat, the elegant creatures with oval-like teeth still require a specific, rare green gas to breathe. Without Clouzon-36, which they can locate on planets and moons, their bodies begin to turn brown and gray. But with Clouzon-36 (the same gas used as hyperdrive fuel), Star Wars‘ purgill are able to “travel great distances” among the stars. 

The graceful but imposing creatures fly together in groups known as pods, flocks, or swarms. Before Ahsoka showed much bigger pods, they were though to be as large as 12 members.

The leader of a swarm is known as a King Purrgil. Most space whales are the size of small ships, but a type known as Purrgil Ultra can grow far, far bigger. Those majestic behemoths can reach the equivalent in length of half an Imperial-class Star Destroyer. Based on their relative size to Din Djarin’s N-1 Starfighter in The Mandalorian, Grogu likely spotted Purrgil Ultras flying through hyperspace in their very own simu-tunnel. Purrgil are not only capable of traveling at hyper speeds, though. They’re said to have actually inspired humanoids own hyperspace aspirations.

Why Are Purrgil Both Hated and Revered in the Star Wars World?

Purrgil are no strangers to the smugglers, pirates, pilots, and other travelers of the galaxy far, far away. Hera Syndulla once called the animals “dangerous” because of their proclivity to wander into hyperspace lanes. Many in the galaxy far, far away have lost their lives in crashes with purrgil. But it’s unlikely the space whales meant cause those incidents even though they have a type of intelligence unto themselves. Purrgil are not immune to injury and would not intentionally crash into anyone.

Regardless of intent, pilots hunted down and killed many of the animals to make high-speed interstellar travel safer.

Yet some think the entire galaxy owes a debt to Star Wars‘ purrgil. Some believe the creatures’ natural ability to travel through hyperspace served as a guide for sentient races to learn the ways of moving faster than the speed of light. Without purrgil, travel between star systems might still be impossible in the galaxy. It’s why some of the first hyperspace ships created in the Star Wars‘ universe were named for purrgil. Their simu-tunnels were precursors to the very hyperspace lanes they wander into.

The study of purrgil brains and bodies even led both Jedi and Sith alike to create wayfinders. Those ancient relics, which proved so important in The Rise of Skywalker, allowed Force users to navigate especially difficult expanses of space.

Where Have Purrgil Appeared in Star Wars Before?

Though mentioned in some Star Wars publishing, prior to Ahsoka most purrgil appearances primarily happened on Star Wars Rebels. The mystical space whales made a big impression during their debut on the animated series, too. Despite Hera’s fears about the creatures, Jedi Padawan Ezra Bridger and Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus persuaded the crew of the Ghost to follow purrgil. During an ensuing battle at a Clouzon-36 gas refinery under Imperial control, a purrgil saved Ezra’s life. He then saw a vision in the animal’s eye, forming a strong magical connection between the two. Ezra then rode the purrgil as it helped the Ghost take the much-needed gas.

While the otherwise serene purrgil appeared on the show multiple times, their most important moment came in the series’ finale during the Ghost crew’s greatest time of need.

How Did Purrgil Help Ezra Bridger Stop Grand Admiral Thrawn?

Star Wars Rebels ended with the denizens of Lothal trying to free the planet from the Empire’s grip. Without a fleet of its own to match the one Grand Admiral Thrawn commanded, Ezra Bridger and his friends needed help.

For that, Ezra turned to the purrgil, which he summoned to fight back against Thrawn in a surprise attack. The Star Wars space whales worked with the Rebel forces to destroy many of the Imperial ships serving as a blockade.

But with Thrawn around, Lothal would never have been safe. That led Ezra Bridger to concoct a secret plan to sacrifice himself, saving his friends and his planet. He used the Force to make three purrgil Ultra attack Thrawn and his ship.

The purrgil took hold of the Grand Admiral and jumped into hyperspace, taking both Thrawn and Ezra with them to an unknown region of the Star Wars universe.

In Star Wars Rebels‘ final scene Sabine Wren and Ahsoka Tano set out to find Ezra, whose whereabouts still remained unknown at the start of Ahsoka. The live-action series then revealed just how far away the creatures had taken Thrawn and Ezra.

What Was the Significance of Purrgil Appearing on The Mandalorian?

There were two likely reasons purrgil made their live-action debut on The Mandalorian in such a quick manner, and they are not mutually exclusive. The first is that the purrgil offered a way to establish yet another connection between the show, Star Wars Rebels, and Ahsoka. When Rosario Dawson first brought Ahsoka Tano to live-action on The Mandalorian, she was seeking information about the location of Thrawn. She had not given up hope of finding her friend Ezra, either. Dawson’s former Jedi and her Padawan Sabine resumed their hunt for both the Grand Admiral and Ezra on Ahsoka.

Lucasfilm is not shy about having their Star Wars shows’ plots overlap in significant ways, and the dual appearances of purrgil in live-action certainly accomplished that.

But the sight of purrgil might ultimately prove important to The Mandalorian‘s little green star. We know from Ezra Bridger’s experiences with those magical animals that they have a special connection with Force users. And since they’re rarely spotted traveling at hyperspeed, it’s significant a powerful little Jedi saw them flying alongside him. Purrgil might one day prove to be as significant in Grogu’s life as they were in Ezra’s.

They’ve proven to be that important in Ahsoka’s.

What Did Ahsoka Reveal About the Importance of Purrgil in the Galaxy’s Ancient Past?

Before Ahsoka most of the biggest questions about purrgil had to do with their potential future in Star Wars. Will Grogu eventually meet them and become friends with the space whales? Will they bring Ezra Bridger back to his home galaxy so he can meet other surviving Jedi? Might those beautiful tentacled beings who travel among the stars fight alongside Grogu and save Mandalore the way they saved Lothal? Could they help stop Thrawn once more?

But while seeing purrgil for just a brief moment on The Mandalorian raised countless possibilities for what role they might still play in Star Wars, their role on Ahsoka gave us reason to look back at the role the space whales played long ago. Huyang revealed the Jedi Archives contain record of old intergalactic hyperspace lanes. The galaxy far, far away once had established space roads to entirely different galaxies, including the Pathway to Peridea. And those hyperspace lanes, whose existence changes everything we know about the galaxy far, far away, were based on the natural migration paths of purrgil.

Not only did those Force-sensitive explorers inspire hyperspace travel, they once connected distant galaxies throughout the universe. Those lost galaxies contain secrets about Star Wars‘ past that not even the Jedi know about. That involves how “the travelers” helped the Nightsisters leave their native world of Peridea and travel across the universe to Star Wars‘ galaxy far, far away.

That important planet is also where purrgil go to die. Peridea’s low orbit area is a graveyard littered with the star whales’ bones. Is that because purrgil return to their home to die? Or did they chose that ancient wasteland as their final resting place for another reason? Every new piece of information about the lives of purrgil raises new questions, some of which we might never get answers to.

Ahsoka did confirm something about them we learned during their first appearance on Star Wars Rebels is still true. It’s the reason purrgil can be a Jedi’s greatest ally.

How Did Ahsoka Make a Connection with Purrgil?

Ahsoka‘s fifth episode saw Anakin Skywalker give his former Padawan her final lesson. That trip through her past trauma helped Ahsoka lift the shadow over her heart, and when she emerged from the World Between Worlds Ahsoka she was able to do something we’d only seen Ezra Bridger do before. She used the Force to make a strong spiritual connection with a Purrgil Ultra who agreed to take Ahsoka, Huyang, and their ship into deep, unknown hyperspace in across galaxies. The purrgil made it possible for Ahsoka Tano to go after Sabine Wren and the Eye of Sion. Without the creatures who saved Lothal, Ahsoka never would have found Ezra Bridger, either.

The purrgil fled Peridea after leaving hyperspace to find an Imperial minefield waiting for them in Ahsoka. Where did they go? Are they on to yet another distant galaxy we don’t know about? Will the purgill return on Ahsoka to bring their Jedi friends back to their home galaxy? Or has their time on the show come to an end?

We don’t know yet, but we do know purrgil are even more important to Star Wars’ story—its past, present, and future—than we ever could have imagined when they first took to the sky on Rebels.

This post originally published on March 1, 2023.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at  @burgermike, and also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post What Are STAR WARS’ Purrgil? Everything You Need to Know About AHSOKA’s Space Whales appeared first on Nerdist.

We’ve got a bad feeling about this, Star Wars fans! With only one episode left before the finale, Ahsoka’s penultimate episode set the stage for what could be an epic and heartbreaking Empire Strikes Back moment. Kyle Anderson heads to the World Between Worlds to break it all down on today’s episode of Nerdist News!

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One of the best parts of Star Wars: Ahsoka so far has been seeing the sheer amount of love for past animated Star Wars projects like The Clone Wars and Rebels. The flashback in episode five featuring a teenage Ahsoka (Ariana Greenblatt) and her mentor Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) during the Clone Wars sent fans into the stratosphere. Seeing Clone Wars-era Anakin as a hologram in episode seven just fueled the demand even more. Many fans created some incredible fan art. Some are even calling for a full live-action “remake” of The Clone Wars series, which, in our opinion, is totally unnecessary. However, flashbacks to the Clone Wars would solve a big problem: how to crack Obi-Wan Kenobi season two. A second season is not in the works as far as we know. However, if it was, the Clone Wars is right there.

Season 2 of Obi-Wan Kenobi Should Be a Flashback Clone Wars Adventure

The first season of Obi-Wan Kenobi saw the long-awaited rematch of Obi-Wan and Darth Vader. Set 10 years after Revenge of Sith, and nine before A New Hope, it reunited actors Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen after 17 years. And based on comments made by both actors since, they are itching to do it all again. But how? Another rematch between Ben and Vader would cheapen their final showdown in A New Hope. So why not do a season of Obi-Wan Kenobi that, at least primarily, takes place during the events of the Clone Wars?

A flashback season would allow McGregor and Christensen to act together as more than adversaries. We only really saw them as friends and allies in live-action in the first half of Revenge of the Sith. In Attack of the Clones, their Master and Padawan relationship was much more prickly.

Of course, if it’s Obi-Wan Kenobi season two, then the story would have to center on Obi-Wan. But there could easily have been an adventure we didn’t know about during the Clone Wars that was formative to Obi-Wan. Depending on when the episodes were set, we could also possibly get a live-action version of Obi-Wan’s great love, the Duchess Satine Kryze. There’s a tremendous opportunity there to get Ewan McGregor to explore a part of Obi-Wan that he never got a chance to in live-action—the romantic hero.

Obi-Wan Kenobi Season 2 Could Have a Post-Season 1 Framing Device

There could even be an opportunity to make the series a sort of sequel to the first season of Obi-Wan Kenobi. We think it would really push it to have Obi-Wan leave Tatooine during exile again for another adventure. However, it would be interesting if adult Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson) came to him. It’s never been confirmed, either on Ahsoka or Star Wars Rebels, if Ahsoka ever found out Obi-Wan Kenobi was still alive. While he wasn’t her master, the two were friends. And her ally in the early rebellion, Bail Organa, does know where Obi-Wan is. Bail might have cause to tell her, forcing her to seek him out. An Ahsoka and Obi-Wan reunion set before the time of Rebels could be a framing device for an excellent flashback tale.

Of course, such a season could scratch a lot of Star Wars fan’s “pie in the sky” wants off the list. We could see a live-action Asajj Ventress at last. Samuel L. Jackson has long wanted to play Mace Windu again, and has been pretty public about it. This could allow for it in a way that doesn’t undo his death scene in Revenge of the Sith. Heck, why not throw in Master Yoda as well? The list of prequel-era characters served better by The Clone Wars animated series is long.

Of course, the biggest obstacle would be the sheer amount of digital de-aging. And Star Wars has a spotty track record with this. But if they can figure out a way to make it happen and look decent enough? We think fans would overlook some imperfections here and there. In the end, it’s really all about getting the characters together. And in that respect, we think Obi-Wan Kenobi season two can deliver in a way that would make Star Wars fandom jump with joy.

The post How AHSOKA Could Pave the Way for OBI-WAN KENOBI Season 2 appeared first on Nerdist.

Although she only appeared for barely more than a minute in Return of the Jedi, briefing the Rebel Fleet about the attack on Endor, the character of Mon Mothma is crucial in Star Wars. Not only did she get to deliver that iconic line about how “many Bothans died to bring us this information” she gave a face and voice to Rebel Alliance leadership. Since then, Mon Mothma has appeared in a prominent way in many Star Wars stories. And now, Mon Mothma is one of the main characters in the Andor series. Additionally, Mon Mothma has also appeared on Star Wars: Ahsoka, as the leader of the New Republic. But her history stretches back to almost the very start of the Skywalker Saga.

Jump to: Who Is Mon Mothma // Mon Mothma Star Wars Appearances // Mon Mothma in Andor // Mon Mothma’s Husband // Mon Mothma’s Daughter, Leida // Mon Mothma’s Evolution into a Leader // Mon Mothma in Ahsoka

Who Is Star Wars’ Rebel Leader, Mon Mothma?

Mon Mothma was a member of the Galactic Senate in the dying days of the Republic. She represented her home system of Chandrilla. Along with Padme Amidala, she was one of the youngest persons ever elected to the Senate. Mon Mothma, along with Padme and Bail Organa, were a part of the Loyalist Committee, a group of senators dedicated to preserving the ideals of the Republic. Despite their opposition to the Separatist movement, they fiercely opposed the ongoing conflict, hoping to end it through diplomacy.

Mon Mothma During The Republic’s Last Days

Seen mainly in the background, Mon Mothma appeared in a speaking role only in deleted scenes for Revenge of the Sith. She appeared in one crucial deleted Sith scene in particular, where she and several other senators met in secret. Among them were Bail Organa and Padme. They discussed the growing authoritarian movement within the Republic, which a mere few days later would grow into the Empire. We saw the planting of the seed of what would become the Rebellion in that one scene. For many years, Mothma remained as a part of the new Imperial Senate, secretly working against them from within.

Mon Mothma Forms Star Wars‘ Rebel Alliance

For years, Mon Mothma tried to fight the system in a peaceful way. However, war was inevitable. Over a decade later, Mon Mothma publically left the Imperial Senate and formed the Rebel Alliance. Despite misgivings from some of her generals, Senator Mothma was behind Star Wars’ Operation Fracture. This was a secret operation to extract Imperial scientist Galen Erso so that he could confirm to the galaxy the existence of the Death Star.

However, despite being swayed by Galen’s daughter Jyn Erso’s pleas to take the battle to the Empire, Mon Mothma felt the odds were against them. (Luckily, Erso and Cassian Andor go anyway). After the Battle of Scarif, where the Rebels won a victory at great cost, the Galactic Civil War was officially in full swing. And Mon Mothma became not just Chancellor of the Rebel Alliance, but also their Commander-in-Chief. She led the Alliance all the way to ultimate victory on Endor.

Mon Mothma After the Battle of Endor

In the era after the defeat of Emperor Palpatine, Mom Mothma was elected as the first Chancellor of the New Republic. Instead of housing the seat of government on Coruscant, as it had been for thousands of years, the first home of the New Republic was now on Mothma’s homeworld of Chandrilla. She later advocated moving it to Hosnian Prime. Mon Mothma invoked the rule of having a rotating seat of government for the New Republic, keeping it away from Coruscant. Mostly as a way of disassociating from the Empire of old.

Mon Mothma: Chancellor of the New Republic

During the rebuilding of the Republic, Mon Mothma made some key mistakes which cost the Star Wars universe. Mistakes that lead to a new wave of tyranny across the galaxy. Because the militarization of the former Republic allowed for the Empire to happen, Mon Mothma advocated for decreasing the New Republic fleet by 90%. This allowed member systems to have their own defense forces. A good idea in theory, but one which proved to be unwise.

This led to the breaking of two factions within the Senate. The Populists, who believed each world should have more autonomy, of which Mothma was a vocal proponent, and the Centrists, who argued that a stronger central government was needed. One with a stronger military. Elements of those Centrists would ultimately back what became the Neo-Imperialist First Order. They covered most of this in canon novels, like Bloodline, and various comics as well.

How Did Mon Mothma Die in Star Wars Lore?

Mon Mothma’s death, at least in canon, has yet to be recorded in Star Wars. In older, now non-canon Legends material, she died after serving as the New Republic’s Chief of State for many years. In the new canon, she served as Chancellor of the New Republic after the Battle of Endor, similarly to Legends. After many years, she stepped down from her post because of an ongoing illness. But we never found out if she died from it or not.

Mon Mothma’s Star Wars Appearances

Which Star Wars Movies Is Mon Mothma in?

Two different actresses have portrayed Mon Mothma in Star Wars movies. First, British actress Caroline Blakiston played Mon Mothma in Return of the Jedi. Then, over twenty years later, Genevieve O’Reilly took on the role of a younger Mon Mothma in Revenge of the Sith. When Rogue One: A Star Wars Story came around a decade later, O’Reilly returned to the role. Thus far, the character has appeared in three different Star Wars films but has been played by two actresses.

Which Star Wars Animated TV Series Is Mon Mothma in?

Mon Mothma appears in over a dozen episodes of The Clone Wars, all of which showcased her efforts in the Senate between the events of Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. Here, she was voiced by Kath Soucie. We next saw Mon Mothma on TV in Star Wars Rebels, voiced by Genevieve O’Reilly. She appeared in an important role in the season three episode “Secret Cargo,” which took place about two years before the events of Rouge One/A New Hope.

In that episode, the now Imperial Senator Mothma publicly spoke out against the genocidal campaigns of the Emperor. Knowing this one act finished her days in the Senate, she formally left the Empire. Onboard the bridge of the Ghost, she sent out a message on the Holonet, one where she asked all rebel cells to unite under one banner to topple the Empire. At this moment, the Rebel Alliance was born. Mothma appears in several more episodes in a leadership role in season four of Rebels.

Mon Mothma in Disney+’s Rogue One Spinoff Series, Andor

O’Reilly returned to the role she played in Revenge of the Sith, Rogue One, and Rebels for the live-action series Andor. The series begins five years before Rogue One, and Mon Mothma is a sort of co-lead in Andor. From her perspective, we’ll see the rise of the Rebellion from the side of those within the Empire. In an interview with Slashfilm, O’Reilly said the following:

She is still that very dignified senator, but we get to see the woman behind the robe. We get to see a private face of Mon Mothma. We get to flesh out not just the senator, not just the would-be leader of the Rebel Alliance, but also the woman.

O’Reilly added that “we find her in Andor very alone, living in a world of orthodoxy and construct. We see a woman who has had to navigate her ideals and beliefs within systems of oppression.” Season two of Andor will overlap with the events of Rebels, so we may see Mon Mothma’s formation of the Rebel Alliance in Star Wars live-action.

Married Life on Coruscant: Mon Mothma’s Husband, Perrin Fertha

Something we learned in Andor about the future Rebel leader is that Star Wars’ Mon Mothma is married. In episode four of the series, we meet her husband, Perrin Fertha (Alastair Mackenzie). Unlike his wife, he seems more interested in a life of luxury on Coruscant than in fomenting rebellions. Given that when we Mon Mothma in Rebels, she seems very single, we’re guessing this marriage may not last on the show. We just hope Perrin doesn’t betray Mon Mothma and her Rebellion efforts.

Additionally, O’Reilly noted to Entertainment Weekly:

We see her talking to senators, and then we meet her at home with her husband,” O’Reilly teases. “We see the public and the private. We see her literally and figuratively take off her cloak and reveal herself as a woman in a way we’ve never seen before.

Mon Mothma’s Daughter, Leida Mothma

Another new character, introduced in episode five of Andor, is Mon Mothma’s teenage daughter, Leida Mothma, played by Bronte Carmichael. She seems as dismissive of her mother as her father is, and frankly, a bit of a brat. The character originally appeared in Legends canon, in a 1993 Dark Empire sourcebook, and she was still a part of her mother’s life after the events of the original trilogy.

Of course, as we well know, current Star Wars canon may draw inspiration from Legends, but they often take it in their own direction. Perhaps Leida sides against her mother in the upcoming conflict? That seems to be the direction her father is headed towards. We certainly don’t see either Mon Mothma’s husband or child with her in Rebels or Rogue One. That alone doesn’t bode well. Leida also has a brother in canon, but it remains to be seen if he’ll appear as well.

From “Mild Irritation” to Rebel Leader in Andor

After the Aldhani incident in episode 7 of Andor, Mon Mothma visited her ally Luthen (Stellan Skarsgard), wondering if he was behind it all. He pretty much confirmed it for her, and she then became terrified of the Imperial crackdown that she knows is coming soon. But she also realized it was time to step it up when it comes to the Rebellion. Ahldani was a point of no return.

At one of her husband’s parties, she reunited with a childhood friend from her homeworld of Chandrila, Tay Kolma. He’s a banker and not exactly a big fan of the Empire. She confides in him that she needs his help in pulling funds from her family’s fortune. Funds that she all but confirms will go to the burgeoning Rebellion. He becomes the first person she allows into her life as a double agent.

Mon Mothma tells Tay that the Empire may see her as just “an irritation,” but she plans on being much more than that to them. Andor reveals to us how Mon Mothma is distracting the Empire with harmless antics of seeming good will, but really she is taking large strides for the Rebellion and crucially maintaining a source of money for them. By the end of the season, she’s willing to marry off her daughter to the son of a criminal because it will be lucrative for her cause.

Mon Mothma in Star Wars: Ahsoka

In episode three of Star Wars: Ahsoka, Mon Mothma appeared, albeit in hologram form. This marks the first post-Return of the Jedi appearance of Mon Mothma, and the first time O’Reilly has played her in an era after the Battle of Endor. Mon Mothma’s appearance in Ahsoka takes place over a decade since the events of Andor. Mon Mothma is now Chancellor of the New Republic, although not Supreme Chancellor, as Palpatine tainted that title forever. With several high-ranking senators at her side, Mon Mothma hears the request for aide from General Hera Syndulla, who asks for Republic military help in the search for Grand Admiral Thrawn.

Although Mon Mothma is sympathetic to Hera’s cause in Ahsoka, having witnessed the dangers of Thrawn herself in the time of Star Wars: Rebels, she ultimately has to give in to the wants and needs of the worlds in New Republic jurisdiction. Worlds who do not want to get involved in another long, bloody conflict. We see Mon Mothma again in Ahsoka episode five, and she continues to question Hera’s decision and desire to pursue Morgan Elsbeth and Thrawn. Her scene concludes by telling Hera that she may lose her command.

Mon Mothma in Ahsoka Episode Seven

In Ahsoka episode seven, Mon Mothma returns alongside the rest of the New Republic council. This time she presides over the tribunal as they determine whether Hera was wrong to ignore their initial decision about pursuing Morgan Elsbeth at Seatos and whether she should thusly lose her command. Mon Mothma again is sympathetic to Hera’s desires to stop General Thrawn’s potential return but is rendered inert by the senators around her, especially Senator Xiono.

Thankfully, C-3PO intervenes in a surprise Star Wars cameo. He is sent by Senator Leia Organa and relays that Leia would like to assure the rest of the senators that she approved Hera’s mission as the ultimate leader of the Defense Council. Mon Mothma takes the opportunity to clear Hera Syndulla of any wrongdoing. Afterward, she approaches Hera and tries to ascertain how real the threat of Thrawn is. It’s unclear whether Mon Mothma fully believes that he can return at the end of Ahsoka‘s penultimate episode.

Mon Mothma Future Star Wars Appearances

It remains to be seen if Mon Mothma will return further in Ahsoka or any other Mandalorian-era Star Wars series. But as leader of the galactic government, it’s almost guaranteed that she has to factor in somehow. It’s really a matter of when, not if.

We fully expect Andor to flesh out the character of Mon Mothma more than any Star Wars media before it when it returns for season two, and Ahsoka will only add to her characterization. We can’t wait to see how this character will continue to evolve.

Jump to: Who Is Mon Mothma // Mon Mothma Star Wars Appearances // Mon Mothma in Andor // Mon Mothma’s Husband // Mon Mothma’s Daughter, Leida // Mon Mothma’s Evolution into a Leader // Mon Mothma in Ahsoka

Originally published on August 30, 2022.

The post Who Is ANDOR and AHSOKA’S Mon Mothma: The STAR WARS Rebellion Leader, Explained appeared first on Nerdist.

Ahsoka’s third episode marked the franchise’s first-ever live-action appearance of an original Star Wars Resistance character, Senator Hamato Xiono. Senator Xiono (played by Nelson Lee) debuted on the sequel trilogy-era animated series via hologram. He’s the father of Star Wars Resistance‘s main character and hero, Kazuda Xiono. Senator Xiono’s tense meeting with General Hera Syndulla on Ahsoka wasn’t just a fun crossover, though. It showed how Xiono’s refusal to take Hera’s warnings seriously will one day lead to his home world’s destruction in The Force Awakens. And Ahsoka further underscored this point by having Xiono appear again in its seventh episode, bringing with him much the same foolishness. Let’s dive into Senator Xiono’s role in Ahsoka, his Star Wars history, and his ultimately tragic story.

Who Is Ahsoka‘s Senator Xiono?

New Republic Senator Hamato Xiono represented Hosnian Prime, a major Core Worlds planet. Ahsoka revealed the wealthy, well-connected, regal politician also held an even higher position in the fledgling government. Senator Xiono was part of a small group of influential Senators who worked as both advisors and decision-makers alongside Star Wars‘ Chancellor Mon Mothma during the New Republic’s early years.

Ahsoka carefully notes that Xiono attained his spot in Mothma’s inner circle despite not having fought against the Empire during the Galactic Civil War. Hera Syndulla accused him of sitting out the conflict to see who won, but it’s not clear why Senator Xiono didn’t rebel against Palpatine. Hosnian Prime was close to Coruscant, the seat of the Emperor’s power. It might have been all but impossible for Hosnian Prime to rise up without causing its own destruction.

That danger might explain Senator Xiono’s past inaction in the Star Wars world, which would have seemed prudent to him once the Empire collapsed. It clearly did not prevent his people from electing him to serve as Hosnian Prime’s Senator for decades. But it did prove a harbinger of how Xiono would serve his New Republic.

When Did Senator Hamato Xiono Make His Star Wars Debut?

Senator Xiono first appeared in the Star Wars universe on the animated series Star Wars Resistance, which took place 25 years after Ahsoka. Xiono (voiced by Tzi Ma) originally appeared via a scrambled hologram during the show’s first season. While we couldn’t see his face during that call, we could hear him scolding his son for working with the “extremist” Resistance group. Senator Xiono had previously secured a position for his son in the New Republic Defense Force Academy. That resulted in Kazuda joining the government’s Starfighter Corps.

Star Wars Resistance made it clear that Senator Xiono wanted his son to serve the New Republic, which he hoped to keep out of a war with the First Order. Only war—and worse—would ultimately find Senator Xiono in Star Wars‘ world.

What Happened to Hosnian Prime in The Force Awakens?

Senator Hamato Xiono’s Hosnian Prime was so important in Star Wars, it ultimately became the capital of the New Republic. It was also part of the rotation of planets that temporarily hosted the Galactic Senate. All of which made it a primary target of the First Order. The fascist group took aim at Hosnian Prime and four other planets in the Hosnian System when it used Starkiller Base. That fatal blast, seen across the galaxy, destroyed all five planets along with the New Republic’s Fleet that had been based on Hosnian Prime.

Hamato Xiono and his family only survived because they’d been off-world during the attack. And yet, despite the annihilation of his planet and his people, mirroring the moment in Ahsoka, Xiono still could not bring himself to fight. When he contacted his son to let him know he was alive, Xiono implored his son to run rather than fight with Star Wars‘ Resistance. He even blamed Kazuda for making his family a target.

Ahsoka Reveals The Tragedy of Senator Xiono’s Own Failures

Now, thanks to Ahsoka, we know Senator Xiono’s failures were not just limited to later in life. Nor was his cowardly response to Hosnian Prime’s destruction a single dereliction of duty. He was never capable of doing the job the galaxy and his people needed him to do when it needed Xiono most. He always failed to see the danger posed by Imperial loyalists and the First Order that sprung from them. The Senator was so desperate to avoid war that he helped usher in its arrival.

In Ahsoka‘s seventh episode, Senator Xiono recounts Hera’s story of Morgan Elsbeth, Seatos, and Ahsoka as if it is a fairy tale and accuses Hera of acting selfishly. Xiono refuses to even consider that General Thrawn could return. Xiono even seeks to rid Hera of her command, but luckily Leia interferes via a well-timed interjection from C-3PO.

If Senator Xiono had taken General Syndulla’s warnings seriously during the time of Ahsoka, he might have saved his home and millions of lives. If he hadn’t been so intent on punishing Hera for trying to disrupt his presumed peace, maybe he could have helped ushered in a different fate. Instead, he helped ensure its destruction and an era of death in the galaxy far, far away. It’s a sad end for a Senator who could never recognize what so many others desperately tried to make him see.

Originally published on August 30, 2023.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on  Twitter and  Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

The post Senator Xiono’s Live-Action Debut on AHSOKA Makes His STAR WARS Story More Tragic appeared first on Nerdist.

A highlight of Ahsoka‘s seven episode was getting to watch Anakin Skywalker return one more time. This time however, not in the World Between Worlds. Ahsoka was actually watching him in an old training hologram, recorded decades before. Hayden Christensen returned to play his younger self, tutoring his Padawan apprentice. He even mentioned how Ahsoka might have to face certain foes in battle, name-dropping Clone Wars villains General Grievous, Dooku, and Asajj Ventress. But Ahsoka watching a training holo from her old mentor is actually a call back to Rebels season two, episode 18. You can watch the moment in question below:

At the point that Ahsoka is watching this hologram in Rebels, she suspects that her old Master is actually alive. In fact, she sensed he was alive when she made contact through the Force with Darth Vader earlier that season. But she’s also a bit in denial at this point about what she felt coming from the mind of the Sith Lord. She wouldn’t find out for sure until she faced Vader in battle in the Rebels episode “Twilight of the Apprentice.” Thanks to Rebels, we know that Anakin making holograms for his apprentice was not something invented solely for Star Wars: Ahsoka.

Ahsoka mentioned in the episode how Anakin recorded some 20 of these for her during her training. The one she was watching in episode seven was but the last of them. But, that means there are 18 more of these we haven’t seen, which they could show us over time. Or, they may choose to keep them a mystery. We just know that after the last few episodes of Ahsoka, we’re down for more Hayden as Anakin any way we can get him. We’ll happily take more training holograms if that’s how it can happen.

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“What I seek is the beginning, so I may finally bring this cycle to an end.”

Ahsoka‘s Baylan Skoll isn’t interested in ruling like Thrawn. The former Jedi Knight has a far more ambitious goal, one that will free the galaxy from war between Jedi and Sith. He believes the power he needs to achieve his plan can be found Peridea, but what exactly is “the beginning” he seeks on that ancient wasteland? If the old fairytales are true, Baylan Skoll might be looking for the very source of the Force itself. Here’s everything we know about who Baylan Skoll is, his role as an Ahsoka antagonist, and his place in the greater Star Wars universe.

Who Was Baylan Skoll Before Ahsoka?

Before Ahsoka, Baylan Skoll was a young Jedi Knight and General in the Clone Wars. He was roughly the same age as Anakin Skywalker during the galactic conflict.

Somehow Baylan Skoll not only survived Order 66, he learned what became of Anakin. Few people ever discovered Anakin Skywalker was Darth Vader. Knowing what became of the most famous Jedi and Anakin’s role in destroying the Order changed Baylan Skoll’s entire outlook on life.

Why Did Anakin Skywalker Cause Baylan Skoll to Lose His Faith?

Baylan Skoll lost his “faith” in the Jedi. Their failures during the Clone Wars, combined with Anakin’s role in causing so much horror, destroyed Baylan’s entire belief system. Baylan Skoll still misses “the idea” of what the Order was supposed to be as guardians of peace and justice. He wishes the Jedi had lived up to its best ideals, which he still sees as noble. It’s why, on Ahsoka, Baylan Skoll has shown an unexpected amount of reverence for the Jedi, including for Ahsoka Tano herself.

Still, he doesn’t miss “the truth” of what the Jedi became. Baylan Skoll said that “weakness” is the real Jedi legacy, one shared by Anakin and Ahsoka. It’s a legacy of arrogance and rigid dogma that resulted in death and destruction. He believes Jedi failure was so ingrained in the Order that when Baylan Skoll fought Ahsoka, he called their battle “inevitable” because Jedi only know violence.

The warrior believed in the Jedi so much the pain over what they became still hurts. The only time Baylan Skoll ever showed real emotion on Ahsoka is when he got angry while fighting Lady Tano, and when he made clear he’s no longer a Jedi. However, his obvious hatred for Anakin Skywalker and comments about the Empire also indicates he has no love for Sith, either.

Would Baylan Skoll have lost his faith completely if he had never learned about Anakin Skywalker’s fate? We don’t know and probably never can. What is clear is that knowledge sent Baylan down a path few others have ever walked.

Is Baylan Skoll a Grey Jedi or Sith?

Baylan Skoll is “no Jedi.” But despite murdering people in cold blood, he’s not like a Sith Lord, either. He has ethics and is not seeking power for his own benefit. Baylan thinks war is “evil” even if necessary. He also keeps his word (to a point) with captured enemies and doesn’t kill unless he thinks he must. And he wants something better for the galaxy than what the Jedi and Sith have given it.

Baylan Skoll has his own moral compass that puts him somewhere between the Jedi and the Sith on Ahsoka. He’s pragmatic rather than having a strict ideology. His approach is Machiavellian, where the ends justify the means, because he believes “one must destroy in order to create.”

What he seems to want to create is a future free of the death and destruction that burned down everything he’d ever known.

Baylan Skoll would seem to stand along the proverbial middle point between light and dark. That, along with his orange lightsaber, has led to some to ask if he qualifies as a Gray Jedi. The concept of a Jedi who straddles the light and dark sides of the Force comes from Star Wars Legends. It’s not part of Disney canon, and some don’t even believe Gray Jedi ever existed, and the term is meaningless.

Therefore, Baylan Skoll is not a Gray Jedi because they aren’t a thing. He only shares a few similarities with that nebulous definition anyway. He’s something else entirely, something that makes him one of the most interesting and unique Force users in Star Wars history. He’s a powerful, practical warrior who believes it doesn’t matter whether Jedi or Sith rule the galaxy because the existence of both means war is always on the horizon. That is unless he can end the cycle forever.

That quest is what brought him to Peridea.

What Is “The Beginning” Baylan Skoll Seeks on Ahsoka?

Baylan Skoll did not go to a distant wasteland just to bring back Thrawn. Baylan Skoll went to Peridea, a “land of dreams and madness,” because it calls out to him. Something “stirs” in the Nightsisters’ original home. Whatever that is, it’s powerful enough the Great Mothers want to flee Peridea.

Baylan Skoll doesn’t fear what he hears in Ahsoka‘s distant galaxy. He wants to use that immense power to end the vicious, inevitable cycle of war Jedi and Sith have created in his own galaxy. To do that, he seeks “the beginning,” and the Jedi and Sith began with the Force during a time when the Pathway to Peridea first opened.

Baylan’s plan—driven by a desire to end the Jedi, Sith, and possibly even other Force users and the galaxy they’ve created—raises monumental questions about all of Star Wars. Is Peridea where the Force began? The very center of it? Or is it simply where Jedi and Sith first discovered that immense power? And what would it mean if Baylan Skoll found “the beginning” of the Force, which exists everywhere, on Ahsoka? How could someone even destroy something that powerful and omnipresent, something every living thing carries inside them? Or could it be the Great Mothers are fleeing their planet because the Force is becoming too powerful for everyone? Something too dark even for them? Something that would destroy Baylan Skoll if he locates it in Ahsoka‘s finale?

The future of the galaxy far, far away hangs in the balance on Peridea, but not because Thrawn is back. The Grand Admiral seeks a power that is fleeting. Baylan Skoll is on a very different path, one that he must walk alone without his apprentice Shin Hati. He let her go to earn her position in the new Empire while he seeks something that predates the Jedi and the Sith. It’s something Baylan believes will put an end to both forever.

Originally published on September 20, 2023.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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Ahsoka takes place just nine years after A New Hope, a period of optimism when heroes of the original Star Wars trilogy worked to rebuild the galaxy. Those icons served alongside other major figures of the post-Empire era, including main characters from Disney+’s live-action shows. One such legend, Luke Skywalker, already made his presence felt during this time with cameos on both The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. But while Lucasfilm brought back the famous Jedi by digitally de-aging Mark Hamill, the studio used a different approach to show how another Skywalker served the New Republic in her own way. Ahsoka‘s seventh episode paid tribute to the late Carrie Fisher by having C-3PO represent Senator Organa at a public hearing. C-3PO’s Ahsoka cameo reminded us why Princess Leia has always been Star Wars‘ greatest hero.

Hera Syndulla’s seemingly inevitable court martial disappeared like a purrgil into hyperspace when C-3PO unexpectedly arrived at her hearing during the Ahsoka episode. Mon Mothma and high-ranking members of the Galactic Senate had called Hera to answer for her unsanctioned mission to Seatos. With an indignant Hamato Xioni ready to bring down the proverbial hammer on Hera for disobeying orders, Leia provided her fellow Rebel and old friend retroactive cover. Threepio presented the committee with an obviously doctored data transcript. It said Senator Organa “personally sanctioned” Hera’s undertaking to Seatos previously. To explain the Ahsoka misunderstanding C-3PO also said Leia had been “unaware” Xiono had already voted against such a mission.

Senator Xiono’s indignation and strong objections didn’t matter after that. He does not have the standing and influence of Senator Organa. Leia’s evidence was enough for the Chancellor (who knew what was really happening) to clear Hera Syndulla of all wrongdoing.

But in classic Leia fashion, she also threw in an extra dig at Xiono and the other incompetent senators who are dooming the New Republic to fail. She both bested and reprimanded them in a way only Leia Organa could. She not only absolved Hera of guilt, she tactfully criticized the committee for trying to stop the righteous mission. C-3PO told the Ahsoka council, “Senator Organa is willing to overlook this misstep but asks that you address any further concerns to her directly in her role as leader of the Defense Council.”

It was a perfect end to a perfect message. Without even being in the room, Leia Organa made her full presence felt, in a scene that captured everything we loved about Carrie Fisher’s Princess. More importantly, that moment served as yet another reminder the galaxy never had a better, more dependable hero than Leia.

As soon as she was old enough, Leia Organa began risking her comfortable life to serve the Rebellion. Her bravery helped save the galaxy from Palpatine. She then nobly and ably served the New Republic when others willfully ignored existential threats. And she started the Resistance when she recognized her government wasn’t up to the challenge. Without her unwavering dedication even when all hope seemed loss, her training of Rey, and her ultimate sacrifice to rescue her son’s soul, the First Order would have won. Without Leia Organa, Sheev Palpatine would have ruled over his evil Empire forever.

Unlike so many other great heroes she served with, Leia did all of that without ever walking away from her responsibilities. Not even for a moment. While powerful Jedi went into hiding or seclusion, she was on the front lines. While her husband couldn’t handle losing their son to the dark side, Leia stayed and led. And while other politicians buried their head in the sand, she rose to the occasion. She was the hero friends and strangers alike could always count on, especially when they needed her most. She was there in the biggest moments, like on Endor and Crait. And she was there in the smallest, like when her friend needed help in court.

The Princess who became a Senator and a General spent her whole life giving the galaxy everything she had to offer. She did so no matter the personal cost. From inspiring and keeping the spark of hope alive, to organizing and getting tangible results, she did it all. Always.

That dedication—along with her pitch-perfect ability to do the right thing in the funniest, smartest, most entertaining way possible—is why she was and always will be Star Wars‘ best hero. And that’s true even if she sends C-3PO to speak on her behalf.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on  Twitter and  Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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In the time period that covers The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and now Star Wars: Ahsoka, we’re right in the thick of the earliest days of the New Republic. The former insurgents of the Rebel Alliance formed this government and former Rebel leader Mon Mothma is their Chancellor. But as we’ve seen so far, especially in the most recent episode of Ahsoka, this New Republic is a very weak government. So much so, that when the First Order utterly destroys the New Republic in The Force Awakens, some 20 years later….it’s going to be hard to argue that they didn’t have it coming. We aren’t talking about the billions of innocents who died thanks to Starkiller Base. But the actual government? Sorry, but they made their own bed… and here’s why.

Even before Ahsoka, The Mandalorian showed how terrible the New Republic was at recognizing any emerging threat. They recruited several former Imperials into the New Republic ranks via their Amnesty Program. On paper, there’s nothing wrong with that. After all, the Empire conscripted millions of people into serving them, and most probably didn’t have Imperial loyalties. They had no choice. But enough did have fascist ideologies, like Elia Kane (Katy O’Brian). So it’s shocking that their vetting process was so extremely lacking. They ignored the rise of Moff Gideon simply because he was too far away to be a threat to the core worlds. This was an early example of their extreme short-sightedness. But in Star Wars: Ahsoka, it gets worse.

Ahsoka Shows the New Republic Ignoring the Threat of Thrawn

In episode three of Ahsoka, we see how General Hera Syndulla (May Elizabeth Winstead) pleads with Chancellor Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) and several New Republic senators for military aid in seeking out Grand Admiral Thrawn. But the New Republic bureaucrats scoff at the idea that Thrawn is even still alive, much less still a threat. Mon Mothma seems like she knows better, having encountered Thrawn’s military prowess during the events of the Galactic Civil War. But she ultimately has to give in to what her constituents want. And the New Republic must deny Hera any help in the search for Thrawn. We see the New Republic’s representatives act very similarly in episode seven of the show as well. At best, the majority appears to find Hera to be overreacting, and at worst, they actively seek to punish her for her warnings and foresight.

Here’s the thing, though. At some point, either in Ahsoka or in the future movie that Dave Filoni has planned, Thrawn will make himself known as a true threat to the galaxy again. This is a given. And we know that he’ll eventually be defeated, die, or retreat again into another galaxy. We know this because two decades or so later, around the time of the sequel trilogy, Thrawn is not a threat anymore. But all of that makes the New Republic’s eventual failure with the First Order even more embarrassing.

The New Republic’s Failures in Ahsoka Ultimately Lead to the First Order

In the sequel trilogy, we know that the New Republic has an extremely small military. In canon novels like Bloodline, we discovered that the Senate believed that a centralized military fleet would be too much like the previous Empire. Thus, they reduced the New Republic military by 90%. On one level, we get this edict. The Rebellion went through a long and bloody war. Most citizens would want to get back to how things were before Palpatine turned the Republic into a fascist regime. But as the saying goes, you can never go home again. The galaxy changed, in many ways, for the worse. Pretending otherwise was foolish.

Ignoring the threat of neo-Imperials out in the galaxy was colossally dumb. It was also colossally dumb to believe that bankrolling a small Resistance would be enough to defeat a faction like the First Order. Because of this willful ignorance, the First Order used Starkiller Base to wipe out the New Republic capital, Hosnian Prime. Not to mention several neighboring worlds. We should note, a senator who appears in the third and seventh episodes of Ahsoka, Senator Hamato Xiono (Nelson Lee), debuted on the sequel trilogy-era animated series Resistance. He was the father of that show’s lead character, Kazuda Xiono. Senator Xiono’s casual dismissal of Hera’s warnings in Ahsoka episode three ultimately leads to his home world’s destruction in The Force Awakens, although he himself survives.

We think it’s safe to say the First Order only emerged because a threat like Thrawn must have come very close to victory over the New Republic. The First Order higher-ups could look back and figure out what mistakes he made and avoid them. The New Republic witnessing a threat like Thrawn, or even just hearing about what he had planned, should have been enough for a complete rethinking of their “no significant military” policy. Instead, they ignored it all and buried their heads in the sand. And by the time of The Force Awakens a few decades later, billions paid the price for it. The New Republic’s extreme denial of credible threats led to its demise.

Will the galactic government we see in the upcoming Rey-centric New Jedi Order movie be any better? That movie will be set fifteen years after the fall of the First Order, as seen in The Rise of Skywalker. So we hope whatever new government is formed is not as blind to threats as the New Republic clearly was. Also, maybe this time call it the “Galactic Alliance.” The word Republic might be tainted now. Between the failures of the Old Republic in the prequels and the new Republic in the current series like Ahsoka, let’s hope something better finally emerges for the galaxy far, far away.

Originally published on August 31, 2023.

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We’ve all known the Star Wars galaxy has its own form of jazz music since we first heard the cantina band in A New Hope. Eventually, Lucasfilm revealed the actual name of this form of jazz popularized by bands like Figrin D’an and the Modal Nodes in the Mos Eisley Cantina. And it was quite an unfortunate one. See, in the Star Wars galaxy, they call that space jazz “jizz.” Yes, someone back in the day gave “jizz music” the stamp of approval. But according to a report in the A.V. Club, it seems Lucasfilm might be phasing out the name “jizz music” and replacing it. A recent Star Wars book refers to the space jazz as “jatz” music.

The name “jizz” first turned up in a kid’s novelization of Return of the Jedi back in the ’80s, and the immature among us have been finding amusement in it ever since. (Yes, including our very own Dan Casey, as you can see in the clip above in which Alden Ehrenreich discovers jizz music.) But in the recently released short story collection From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi, a story by Lucasfilm’s creative art manager Phil Szostak tells a tale about how Max Rebo (you remember, the blue alien Muppet-looking guy) wound up playing at Jabba’s palace. At one point in the story, Max mentions “one of any number of jatz standards he knew by heart.”

And there you have it. Jatz seemingly replaced jizz. To be fair, Szostak is quite aware of the previous name and appears to have fun with it in his story. He writes that jatz “came to be known by many names, some less palatable than others.” Jatz wasn’t made up just for Szostak’s story. The term has appeared in Star Wars fiction before, going back to the ’90s. But it now seems to be fully replacing jizz.

We can’t really say that we blame the powers that be here. But those of us who get perverse joy in telling unsuspecting fans this wild but true Star Wars factoid? You can’t take that away from us. We know it happened.

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Since the start of Ahsoka, Mandalorian warrior, Jedi trainee, and former rebel Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) has been single-minded about her objective. For Sabine, it’s to find her old friend Ezra Bridger, who exiled himself, and Imperial Grand Admiral Thrawn, into unknown space at the end of Star Wars Rebels. When we meet Sabine again in Ahsoka, years have passed since she lost her Ghost crewmate. But despite training as a Jedi under Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson), Sabine Wren still had one goal in mind—find Ezra. She even allowed ex-Jedi mercenaries Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) and Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno) to find Thrawn in order for her to locate her friend as well. And in episode six of Ahsoka, “Far, Far Away,” the reunion between Sabine and Ezra finally took place.

Sabine Is Taken to Grand Admiral Thrawn, Demanding to See Ezra

Taken to the planet Peridea in another galaxy, as a willing prisoner of Baylan Skoll and Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto), Sabine confronts her old enemy, Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen). Since she helped Skoll by not destroying the orb that contained the map to Peridea, Baylan promised to allow Sabine the chance to find the lost Ezra. Thrawn lets Baylan keep his word to Sabine (to an extent). He gave her an animal called a howler and intel on Ezra’s location. She journeys into the wilds of the planet looking for her friend.

As she travels across the bleak terrain of Peridea, Sabine encounters bandits and then a species called the Noti. The aliens look like adorable anthropomorphic snails. They can curl up into their shells and hide from predators, appearing to be rocks. If it sounds like the trolls from Frozen, well, it’s because they’re very much like the trolls from Frozen. When Sabine tries to talk to the Noti she encounters, she notices it is wearing a symbol of the Rebel Alliance. She realizes this creature must know Ezra. She follows the Noti to his village, a settlement of several homes that look like larger versions of their shells. Soon, Sabine discovers her old friend from the Ghost crew, Ezra Bridger, is living among the Noti. Eman Esfandi plays adult Ezra.

Sabine Wren and Ezra Bridger Reunite At Last in Ahsoka

Seeing one another after a decade, Ezra and Sabine finally have their reunion in Ahsoka and hug it out. Ezra is now a full-grown man, as it’s a been a decade since the events of the Rebels finale. Sabine hesitates to tell Ezra details about how she found him, probably realizing that he’ll be deeply disappointed knowing her actions might help bring Thrawn back home. How that conversation will go down will have to wait, as right now the two old friends are just happy to see each other.

Unknown to Sabine and Ezra, Thrawn has sent Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati out to kill them. Thus, Thrawn sort of keeps Baylan’s word by allowing her to find her missing friend. What he forgot to mention was he’d be willing to kill her right after. But we have a feeling neither of these old friends is going down so easily.

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Welcome back to the galaxy far, far away, Star Wars fans! This week’s episode of Ahsoka was filled with some major jaw-dropping moments as one of the universe’s biggest villains made his triumphant return, but did it also set up an even greater evil yet to come? Dan Casey heads to Peridea to break it all down on today’s episode of Nerdist News!

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In episode six of Ahsoka, we heard a term we’ve never heard before in the saga for a Jedi. When Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno) asked her master Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) if he ever knew Ezra Bridger personally, he said he didn’t. He said that “he was a breed of Bokken Jedi,” trained “in the wild,” outside the strict rules and regulations of the Jedi Temple. The word “Bokken” is actually a Japanese term, used to describe a wooden sword used for training in kenjutsu. This would not be the first time Star Wars has taken a Japanese word and uses it to describe something else. Here’s what Ahsoka‘s new term “Bokken Jedi” might mean in the Star Wars universe.

Both “Bokken” and “Jedi” Are Derived from Japanese Words

Ever since Star Wars’ early days as an idea in George Lucas’ brain, the franchise has used Japanese terms to describe things. Even the word “Jedi” was a riff on the Japanese term “jidaigeki” meaning period drama, usually ones about samurai. It’s possible that Bokken Jedi is merely an insulting term coined by Baylan Skoll and not an official Star Wars designation. But if Bokken is an actual Jedi term in the galaxy far, far away, then it’s one that describes most of the important Jedi Knights in the entire saga. If legit, then Ezra Bridger, Luke Skywalker, and Rey Skywalker were all Jedi trained in the Bokken way. Ahsoka was training Sabine Wren this way, too, out in the wild, far away from the stricter codes of the Jedi Temple.

In the prequel trilogy, we learn Jedi trained under a very strict method that existed for a thousand generations. The Jedi Order adopted them as small children, probably around three to four years old. As Younglings, Master Yoda gave them basic lessons in the Force. Then, upon entering puberty, they began an apprenticeship under a Jedi Master as their Padawan learner. After a period of time as a Padawan, they each face their personal trials, and graduate to the status of Jedi Knight. This was the training method of Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and to a certain extent, Anakin Skywalker. But Star Wars‘ Bokken Jedi walk a different path.

Ezra, Luke, and Rey Might All Be “Bokken Jedi”

After the fall of the Jedi Order in Revenge of the Sith, the handful of remaining Jedi couldn’t be so precious about the rules. If they encountered someone Force-sensitive, they put aside concerns about whether they were too old or even too emotional. Kanan Jarrus wasn’t even a full Jedi Knight in Star Wars Rebels when he started training 14-year-old orphan Ezra Bridger. Even Yoda, the epitome of the Jedi Order itself, had to throw those rules out to train an adult Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back. And even though Luke tried to establish a proper Jedi Temple, by the time Rey came to him, not only was she an adult, she’d had no formal Jedi instruction at all. When Luke became one with the Force, his sister Leia continued Rey’s training. Even though she herself never fully became a Jedi Knight. Since these Star Wars Jedi are shaped so differently, it would make sense to give them the new designation of Bokken Jedi.

Bokken Jedi May Be the Future of the Order

These three Bokken Jedi were the saviors of the galaxy. Ezra saved Lothal from Thrawn, Luke saved the entire Galaxy from Vader, and Rey stopped Palpatine. Meanwhile, the Jedi trained under the strict codes of the Order? Well, Count Dooku, trained in the temple under its rules, and went to the dark side. Obi-Wan’s inflexibility helped to push Anakin to the dark side as well. Even the Grand Inquisitor was a Jedi Temple Guard, who no doubt grew up and trained in the Temple himself. If anything, living a previous life outside the Jedi only made Ezra, Luke, and Rey better Jedi than most. All were tempted by the dark side, and all resisted in the end. Hopefully, when Rey trains her new generation of Jedi, she’s a little more “Bokken,” and a little less “Old School Jedi Temple.”

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After waiting for five whole episodes of Ahsoka, the Star Wars galaxy’s most infamous blue man has finally arrived. That’s right, we’re talking about Grand Admiral Thrawn, played by Lars Mikkelsen. Who, of course, also voiced the character on Star Wars Rebels. The search for Thrawn has been the basic plot of Ahsoka, with former Nightsister Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto) searching for her former master. Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) and her allies have been trying to stop Morgan from finding Thrawn and reigniting another galactic war.

Grand Admiral Thrawn Was in Exile on the Planet Peridea

As we learned from previous episodes, when young Ezra Bridger commanded the space whales called purrgil to yank Thrawn and his Star Destroyer away from Lothal into parts unknown in the finale of Rebels, they wound up in another distant galaxy. The only way to access that galaxy was with a hyperspace ring, which Morgan Elsbeth built above the planet Seatos. Via an ancient star map, Morgan discovered the exact coordinates of Thrawn’s current whereabouts: a planet called Peridea where Thrawn was in exile for a decade, since before the events of A New Hope.

Once Morgan Elsbeth, ex-Jedi Baylan Skoll, and Shin Hati arrive on Peridea, three Dathomirian Nightsisters greet them. The episode revealed Peridea is where the Nightsisters came from, long before migrating to Dathomir eons ago. And some still remain on Peridea. That’s when Thrawn’s Star Destroyer appeared above them all. Thrawn painted the Chimaera with the symbols of the Chiss, Thrawn’s people from the Unknown Regions. It also looked terribly damaged, no doubt from the purrgil who brought the ship there in the first place over a decade earlier.

Thrawn’s Star Destroyer and Stromtroopers Have Seen Better Days

When Thrawn first appeared, he was wearing his standard white Grand Admiral uniform, and didn’t look worse for wear after a decade in exile. His fleet of stormtroopers however, were much worse for wear. Red bands held the armor together, and strange gold material sealed the cracks, like kintsugi. The troopers seemed to have a cult-like devotion to their commanding officer, chanting “Thrawn! Thrawn! Thrawn!” as he walked the deck of the Chimaera to greet his rescuers. One of the stormtroopers, Enoch, seemed to be his right-hand man. This character wore a gold mask superimposed on an old stormtrooper helmet. We’re not sure if he’s a former trooper, or something else.

Although Thrawn agreed to help Sabine Wren, now a prisoner of Elsbeth, find her old friend Ezra Bridger, he claimed to not know where Ezra was. Or if he was even still alive. But he gave Sabine their last known intel on where they thought Bridger may be. However, Thrawn asked Baylan and his apprentice to kill both Sabine and Ezra once Sabine found him. But he seemed far less concerned with getting revenge on the Jedi who stranded him than with getting back home. The Mandalorian’s third season showed us the Imperial Shadow Council is patiently waiting for Thrawn to return and rebuild the Empire.

Thrawn Sees Himself as the “Heir to the Empire”

A decade in exile didn’t seem to crack Thrawn’s cold and collected demeanor. He still came across as the calculating tactical genius from Star Wars Rebels, not to mention several Timothy Zahn novels. He’s never been the kind of character to lose his cool, even in the most dire of circumstances. We’ll see if that changes when he faces off against Ahsoka Tano, who is now hot on his trail. She’s made it her mission to stop him from returning to the galaxy we know, and naming himself “Heir to the Empire.” But we have a strong feeling Thrawn isn’t going to let any Jedi stop him from achieving his goal.

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Seeing Ahsoka Tano and Anakin Skywalker together in live-action in the fifth episode of Ahsoka instantly became a top-tier Star Wars moment. It’s something few fans ever dreamed of seeing happen, even just a handful of years ago. In a new behind-the-scenes video, we see how Hayden Christensen and Rosario Dawson reunited for the latest episode. And yes, we say reunited, because these two have known each other in real life since they were both teenagers. Watch the video below.

As Rosario Dawson explains in the video, she met Hayden Christensen in a summer acting class when she was only 16. That would have been a year after she made her acting debut in the indie ’90s film Kids. So yes, this was a reunion for their respective characters, who had last seen each other in battle in the Rebels episode “Twilight of the Apprentice.” But it was also a reunion for these real-life friends as well. Only now, as Master and Padawan, clashing sabers in an otherworldly plane. As they say, the Force works in mysterious ways.

One interesting tidbit we caught was Hayden Christensen between takes mentioning that Anakin saying “I’ve heard that before,” in response to Ahsoka saying “I will not fight you” was a genuine recollection of Anakin’s. This would refer to when Vader heard Luke say, “I will not fight you, father” in Return of the Jedi. Since Ahsoka was not there for that fight, she did not know of this exchange. This could confirm that this Anakin is not just a mental projection of Ahsoka’s. Or just an aspect of the World Between Worlds. It’s the Anakin Skywalker we’ve always known. Or, at least, that’s how Hayden Christensen is playing it. We choose to defer to the Chosen One on this one.

The post Go Behind the Scenes of AHSOKA’s Anakin and Ahsoka Reunion appeared first on Nerdist.

Among all the fun Star Wars Easter eggs and callbacks to The Clone Wars in the fifth episode of Ahsoka, titled “Shadow Warrior,” we also got an iconic Star Wars character a shout-out: none other than Princess Leia Organa. Or, at this point in her life, Senator Leia Organa of the New Republic. X-wing pilot Carson Teva (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) mentions Senator Organa by name to Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). He tells Hera that Senator Organa was covering for them and their unauthorized mission, likely in the senate chamber. We could chalk this up to Leia being a badass as usual. However, the truth is she too would have a personal investment in this mission. And it’s not just to protect the galaxy from Grand Admiral Thrawn. Because as Star Wars Rebels once showed us, Leia knew the Ghost crew, and Ezra Bridger, personally.

Teenage Princess Leia Worked With the Ghost Crew in Star Wars Rebels

A teenage Princess Leia appeared in the second season Star Wars Rebels episode “A Princess on Lothal.” She’s voiced by Julie Dolan, who also voiced her in the Disney Parks attraction Star Tours. The events of this episode take place about four years before the events of A New Hope. A 15-year-old Leia undertakes a mission for the Rebellion for her father, Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan. After the Phoenix cell loses several ships in battle with the Empire, Bail Organa concocts a plan to help them. The plan has his daughter Leia escorting several Alderaanian ships to Lothal, and then allowing the rebels to steal them. At this point in the timeline, Leia is not a part of the Imperial Senate yet. She’s just her father’s aide.

Princess Leia and Ezra Bridger Formed a Bond in Star Wars Rebels

Due to several mishaps, our Rebels heroes have to stage Leia’s kidnapping as well as steal the ships, so it looks like she’s a loyal Imperial representative on Lothal. It gives her plausible deniability. Leia’s true role as a part of the Rebel Alliance is not uncovered until A New Hope. During this mission, Princess Leia bonds with young Ezra Bridger. He is going through a tough time because he’s found out his parents are dead. During a hopeless moment, Leia assures Ezra that despite all the losses, this is a fight worth having.

Leia and Ezra have a few other things in common, although neither knew it when they met. For starters, they’re almost the exact same age. Ezra was born on “Empire Day,” the day Palpatine declared himself Emperor and transformed the Galactic Republic into the Galactic Empire. Leia and her twin brother Luke were born roughly a day or so later. Both events were pivotal scenes in Revenge of the Sith. And of course, both teenagers are also strong in the Force.

Leia Defying the New Republic Foreshadows Her Role in The Force Awakens

Given her mission with Ezra and the Ghost crew, it makes perfect sense why years later, Leia would see Ezra as more than just a faceless name. Of course, unlike other members of the New Republic Senate, she actually fought on the front lines of the Galactic Civil War. She would recognize a threat like Grand Admiral Thrawn more than other senators. Many of them likely stood on the sidelines during the conflict, waiting to see who would come out on top. But Leia would have a personal interest in the young man she bonded with in the early days of the Rebellion, and want to see him rescued. Especially since he sacrificed himself to save Lothal from the Empire years prior. The act of heroic self-sacrifice is something Leia Organa would ever forget.

Leia’s defiance of her fellow New Republic senators also foreshadows her role in the sequel trilogy. She recognizes a true threat when she sees one. She also trusts decorated officers like Hera Syndulla to have good judgment. If Hera thinks Thrawn is a threat, then Leia trusts her. It completely lines up with Leia decades later. When the New Republic is equally in denial of the First Order threat, she leaves and helps form a private Resistance. One can see how even a few years after Return of the Jedi, Leia was already frustrated with the short-sighted bureaucracies of the New Republic . Something Hera said in Ahsoka, “Once a rebel, always a rebel,” will always apply to Leia Organa.

The post How AHSOKA Shows Princess Leia’s Longtime Bond with the STAR WARS REBELS Characters appeared first on Nerdist.

Ahsoka made good on its promise to bring more than important Star Wars‘ characters back to the screen. The show also introduced one of the franchise’s most important locales to live-action. In Ahsoka, the mystical Star Wars realm known as the World Between Worlds returned to our screens. First introduced in Star Wars Rebels, it’s a plane that exists outside of space and time. But that’s the most basic way to understand a realm that is difficult to understand and even harder to define.

How does Star Wars‘ World Between Worlds work? What is its connection to the Force? And what makes it so important to both the galaxy far, far away, and Ahsoka Tano personally? Here’s everything you need to know about the World Between Worlds from Star Wars Rebels, everything we’ve learned about it from Ahsoka, and everything we don’t know just yet about the mysterious realm.

What Is Star Wars‘ World Between Worlds?

In the Star Wars universe, the World Between Worlds is an ethereal dimension intimately connected to the Force. It’s a collection of “pathways and doors” that exists outside of time and space. Physically the World Between Worlds looks like it’s floating in outer space. And thanks to the countless stars that dot its exterior, it resembles a reverse, moon-sized glass snow globe.

Ezra Bridger also heard voices speaking to him from the past, present, and future inside the World Between Worlds. But others would hear different people speaking to them if they visited. They would also have very different experiences.

Also known as the Vergence Scatter (per the Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: The Visual Dictionary), the World Between Worlds’ translucent pathways react like water when someone walks on them. At the end of those pathways are portals that can transport travelers across both short and vast physical distances. Star Wars‘ World Between Worlds can also move people through time.

What Are Loth-Wolves’ Connection to the World Between Worlds?

Like purrgil, Loth-wolves have an intimate connection to the Force. But where those magical space whales can travel at hyper speeds, Loth-wolves can travel through the World Between Worlds.

Loth-wolves saved rebels on Lothal by moving them halfway across the planet in a moment via the World Between Worlds. (Initially, no human rider remembered or understood exactly what had happened.)

Loth-wolves can easily enter the World Between Worlds because they themselves are keys to the realm’s doors. Ezra Bridger’s own journey into that dimension—which he had made in different ways prior without knowing it, like when he got his lightsaber’s kyber crystal and when he spoke to Yoda on Dagobah—showed how Loth-wolves make travel into the plane possible. They’re essentially living portals.

How Did Ezra Bridger Access the World Between Worlds on Star Wars Rebels?

Ezra Bridger used the Force and a painting at the Jedi Temple on Lothal to open a portal into the World Between Worlds. That massive work of art depicted the Force-connected Mortis gods—the Father (Balance), the Daughter (Light), and the Son (Dark). The painting also included a pack of Loth-wolves and a bird on the Daughter’s shoulder.

Ezra placed his hand atop the Daughter’s to open the gateway to the World Between Worlds. When he touched her open palm the painting began to move. The Loth-wolves then walked away from the mural. Ezra followed them and discovered they had formed a walking circle on a rock that created an unseen door for Ezra to walk through so he could enter the realm. The stormtroopers that tried to follow him could not use it. Even though the portal remained open, the troopers crashed into the stone.

Inside the World Between Worlds, Ezra saw other portals to times and places in the Star Wars world. That included one that showed him an event that had happened two years prior.

How Did Ezra Save Ahsoka Tano From Darth Vader Inside the World Between Worlds?

Inside the World Between Worlds Ezra saw Morai—a convor bird that frequently accompanied Ahsoka Tano—above a portal. A similar (the same?) convor bird was also in the painting of the Mortis gods on Lothal. It sat atop the Daughter’s shoulder.

That portal then went from black to showing Ezra an event that had happened two years earlier inside a Sith temple. He saw Ahsoka dueling Darth Vader on Malachor, a fight Ezra did not witness in person despite also being on the planet when it happened.

Moments before Vader struck a fatal blow to Ahsoka, Ezra instinctively reached through the portal and pulled Ahsoka inside with him, saving her life. Fans of Star Wars Rebels knew Ahsoka Tano had ultimately survived that encounter, but her friends thought she had died.

What Happened With Ezra and Ahsoka Inside the World Between Worlds?

Neither Ahsoka nor Ezra understood exactly where they were. (The sacred ancient Jedi texts contained information about the World Between Worlds, but many of those remained lost or hidden until Luke Skywalker found them following the collapse of the Empire.) Fortunately for both of them, Ahsoka quickly understood the ramifications of their situation.

After saving Ahsoka, Ezra was eager to use a different gateway to save another one his dead loves ones from their fate. Another portal then seemed to give Ezra that chance. It revealed one of the worst moments in his life, when his Jedi Master, Kanan Jarrus, sacrificed himself to save Ezra, Hera Syndulla, and Sabine Wren.

Ezra wanted to pull Kanan into the World Between Worlds, same as he did Ahsoka, but she told Ezra that he would doom them all if he did. Without Kanan’s sacrifice the rest of them would have died.

Would interfering with that moment have created a paradox? If Ezra died in the past, would he have been around now to save Kanan in the first place?

We never got any answers to the obvious questions raised by messing with events of the past because Ezra let his Master go. But it’s also not clear if Ezra even had the option to save Kanan. First, because it’s not clear anyone can change the past. But also because the portal that beckoned Ezra to save Kanan might have only been a ruse by Palpatine.

How Did Palpatine Attack Ezra and Ahsoka in the World Between Worlds?

Palpatine had been trying to access the World Between Worlds via the Mortis painting on Lothal. His advisor, Minister Veris Hydan, was futilely trying to discover how to open a gateway when Ezra Bridger snuck onto the site with Sabine Wren and did it himself.

Without his own door, Palpatine tried to use Ezra to let him in. The Emperor seemed (though it’s never been definitely claridied) to create the image of Kanan’s death to make a connection with Ezra. The Emperor then used that partial pathway to attack Ezra and Ahsoka. Palpatine sent a massive energy force into the World Between Worlds and used the blue flame-like tendrils to start dragging Ezra Bridger to him. But Ahsoka severed the connection with her lightsaber, preventing Palpatine from using Ezra to enter the World Between Worlds.

The two Jedi then fled the World Between Worlds, with each returning to the same location and same place in the timeline they had come from. Ahsoka followed Morai through the gateway Ezra had pulled her in from back to return to the now desolate Malachor.

There she descended further into the Sith Temple, just as viewers had seen her do two years earlier. This was the last shot of Ahsoka in season two of Star Wars Rebels.

This is what viewers saw after she left the World Between Worlds in season four. It connects her journey in this episode to her disappearance two years prior.

Ahsoka did not travel forward through time after entering the World Between Worlds, she just went outside of time briefly. (At least, she didn’t move through time during this trip.)

Ezra then returned to his timeline—two years past where Ahsoka went—back to Lothal. That prevented Palpatine from accessing the mystical realm. Ezra then closed the gateway in the real world before either destroying or burying the entire Jedi Temple.

The amount of time (relative to themselves) both Ezra and Ahsoka experienced inside the World Between Worlds seemed to be how much time passed during the real world. Vader was long gone by the time Ahsoka got back to Malachor, and Ezra’s friends had made their way towards the painting by the time he returned.

What Happened to Ahsoka After She Left the World Between Worlds?

Ahsoka Tano is one of the greatest and most important characters in Star Wars history. And yet we know very little about her life during one of the galaxy far, far away’s most important eras. We don’t know what happened to her after she left the World Between Worlds and before her reappearance during Star Wars Rebels final sequence, which takes place much later after Palpatine’s (original) death. That’s a gap of roughly seven years, a time when the Rebels defeated the Empire.

The only clue we have about what she did after going deeper into that Sith Temple comes via canonical Dave Filoni-illustrated digital Topps trading cards. Yes, seriously.

The first four of Filoni’s 10 Ahsoka cards show her duel with Vader and her arrival at the triangle door on Malachor, all of which we know definitely happened. The others, many of which feature her following Morai, therefore seem to indicate what happened after she walked down them. She waded through water (an aspect that has taken on far greater importance after Ahsoka), then went up another flight of stairs. There she discovered yet another portal that took her back into the World Between Worlds.

Why did she go right back to that dimension? Why did Morai lead her there? What did she find when she went in? Where and when in the timeline did she exit from? She seemingly wasn’t around aided in the Rebel Alliance’s fight in the Galactic Civil War. She only officially reemerged when she joined Sabine Wren’s quest to find Ezra Bridger after the Empire’s collapse.

When we finally saw Ahsoka during Star Wars Rebels‘ final scene, she was clad in all white and holding a staff. If that outfit and her entire story of coming “back” from the dead sounds a lot like what happened with Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings, that’s because it is. Dave Filoni has explicitly described Ahsoka’s journey and role in the franchise as being similar to the legendary wizard of Middle-earth.

An unaired scene Filoni shared between Ahsoka and Bendu, a magical Force-sensitive creature, indicates the Ahsoka we knew metaphorically died on Malachor, much like Gandalf the Grey was different when he returned to the world as Gandalf the White. (Ahsoka abandoned this look at the start of her Disney+ show, but returned to it after her second on-screen journey there.)

Like Gandalf, Ahsoka also knows why true evil must never gain access to power no one should have.

Why Is the World Between Worlds So Dangerous in the Star Wars Universe?

Veris Hydan was unable to open a portal to the World Between Worlds for his Emperor, but not from a lack of trying. Under threat of torture he forced Sabine Wren, an artist of great renown, to try and help him decipher the Mortis painting’s meaning.

During their time together, Hydan explained to Sabine why Palpatine wanted access to the dimension that serves as a nexus of all time and space. His words were one of the many ominous insights we have about the dimension’s terrifying possibilities.

“He who controls it controls the universe,” Hydan said of Star Wars‘ World Between Worlds. Palpatine, who resurrected himself decades later, also described the World Between Worlds as “a conduit between the living and the dead.” And Ezra heard the image of the Son, who represents the dark side of the Force, ominously say, “The future, by its nature, can be changed.”

The World Between Worlds, in ways we don’t yet (and might never) fully know, is just like the Force itself. It can be used for either knowledge or destruction. It’s neither inherently good or bad; the people who use its power determine that. No wonder Filoni has said “One of the things [Palpatine] knows about it” is that it provides an opportunity for him to control “through time and space, different events through the Force.”

All of which raises an obvious question without a clear answer.

Is the World Between Worlds Star Wars Time Travel?

That obvious question has two obvious answers: yes and no. If Ahsoka had followed Ezra back through his own portal on Lothal, she would have traveled two years into her own future. That sounds like the type of thing Palpatine believes he could have done if he found his own key into the realm. He wanted to stop old enemies and future ones from ever fighting him. He wanted both ancient lost knowledge and insights that lay well beyond his own years. The Emperor’s plans almost certainly included nightmares we can’t fully imagine.

Taylor Gray, the voice of Ezra on Rebels, also said Filoni explained the World Between Worlds as “essentially a place where you can go and access anything.” Filoni also told him, “Time is not a concrete thing. Time is flexible, you can go forwards, backwards, any which way.”

Just because it seems like someone can/should be able to use that realm to hop around time and change events in the past, present, and future doesn’t mean they actually can. That includes Force users as powerful as Palpatine or Yoda. But even if they can, the World Between Worlds is not necessarily “time travel” the way we think of it. The Force is never that simple.

Inside the World Between Worlds, Ahsoka told Ezra, “In my experience, when you think you understand the Force, you realize just how little you know.” And the more you try to understand the World Between Worlds, the more you realize how little you know and how much you might never learn. After Ahsoka we very likely will still have many unanswered questions about the World Between Worlds, how it works, and how it can be used because some answers will never exist.

But Ahsoka has revealed even more about that nexus of space and time. Palpatine was right; it is a conduit between the living and the dead. That’s how Anakin Skywalker was able to give his Padawan one final lesson.

What Has the Ahsoka Series Revealed About the World Between Worlds?

The Disney+ Star Wars series Ahsoka introduced a new doorway to the World Between Worlds. When Lady Tano fell into the waves below the Henge on Seatos, she fell into the World Between Worlds. Just like it had long ago when Ezra pulled her in, the World Between Worlds saved Ahsoka’s life. Seatos’ Henge, “built by an ancient people from a distant galaxy,” has clear connections with the Force we don’t yet fully understand.

The importance of how Ahsoka returned to the World Between Worlds quickly gave way to the importance of who she found there. Her former Master, Anakin Skywalker, greeted Ahsoka inside that realm that truly is a conduit between the living and the dead like Palpatine said.

Once Anakin realized Ahsoka was not dead like him and could return to the world of the living, he gave her a “final lesson” that gave us more insight into the World Between Worlds.

That lesson forced Ahsoka to travel back through her own memories as a young Padawan. (An experience that was not literal time travel.) During her mystical journey into her Star Wars past, Ahsoka both inhabited her younger self and maintained her older memories. She was both young and old at the same time. How? Because the seemingly impossible is anything but in the World Between Worlds.

Anakin used that nexus of space and time to make Ahsoka face the ghosts of her past and deal with the trauma that had caused Ahsoka to shutter her heart to any emotion. Once she finally she was ready to face the future. After Anakin left her, Ahsoka saw the World Between Worlds fade away as she returned to the waters of Seatos.

The portal she used didn’t close entirely behind her when she entered, though. Force-sensitive Jacen Syndulla heard the lightsaber battle Ahsoka had with Anakin inside the World Between Worlds. That was not something anyone knew was possible before. The World Between Worlds might be outside of space in Star Wars world, but sound and feeling can flow between both.

What other possibilities we haven’t even considered remain a secret? Will that be the last time Ahsoka travels there? How might her meeting with Anakin have connected to her mysterious Topps trading card trip there long ago? Can other dead figures be found in that surreal dimension? And what role might it play in Palpatine’s eventual return? Those are just some of the many questions we still have about Star Wars‘ World Between Worlds, a place that raises more of them every time it gives us answers.

Originally published on June 6, 2023.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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Welcome back to the galaxy far, far away, Star Wars fans! The reunion between master and apprentice came to a head in this week’s episode of Ahsoka, but what did Anakin’s final lesson truly mean? Dan breaks it all down in today’s Nerdist News!

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The closing moments of Star Wars Rebels introduced Spectre-7, the unexpected new crew member of the Ghost. That was the codename of young Jacen Syndulla, the son of Hera and the late Kanan Jarrus. During Jacen’s debut Sabine Wren said he was “born to fly, just like his mother.” Now Ahsoka has revealed he’s a lot like his father, too. His dad was a great Jedi Knight, and Jacen is poised to follow in dad’s heroic Star Wars footsteps.

Who Is Jacen Syndulla and What Is His Star Wars Rebels History?

Prior to his live-action (and speaking) debut on Ahsoka, Jacen Syndulla’s only Star Wars appearance came in a single scene during Star Wars Rebels‘ finale. A closing montage narrated by Sabine Wren provided viewers an update on what happened to the members of the Ghost following the Empire’s defeat four years after the primary events of the show ended.

It turned out Hera Syndulla had secretly been pregnant when Kanan Jarrus gave his life saving his loved ones. Shortly after Kanan’s death (and Ezra Bridger’s’ disappearance along with Thrawn) Hera gave birth to her and Kanan’s son. She named her green-haired boy Jacen, who resembles his human father more than his Twi’lek mother.

Ahsoka has now confirmed a possibility Sabine hinted at on Rebels when she said “we all know what [Jacen’s] father was like.”

Who Are Jacen Syndualla’s Parents?

Jacen’s parents, Hera Syndulla and Kanan Jarrus, were not only in love, they were the leaders of the Rebel cell known as the Spectres. It operated out of the Ghost in the years preceding the Galactic Civil War that brought down the Empire. The two found each other while each trying to find their own way alone in a war-torn galaxy.

Hera Syndulla

Jacen’s grandfather, Hera’s dad, was the famous Twi’lek freedom fighter Cham Syndulla. Their complicated relationship led Hera to leave her home world of Ryloth. But despite their differences Hera was a lot like Cham. She continued fighting the Empire. That’s how she met Kanan Jarrus. Their love changed not only their lives but the fate of the galaxy far, far away.

Read more about the life of Jacen’s mom with our deep dive primer on Hera Syndulla.

Kanan Jarrus

Kanan Jarrus’ real name was Caleb Dume. He was a Jedi Padawan during Order 66 and his Master gave her life saving his. Caleb then went into hiding, changed his name to Kanan Jarrus, and turned his back on the Jedi. He didn’t find his way back to the Force until he met Hera.

Kanan eventually took on Ezra Bridger as a Padawan and was dubbed a Knight himself during a mystical sequence inside a Jedi Temple. The brave Jedi’s own ultimate sacrifice saved the lives of the Ghost and the unborn son he didn’t know about.

Read more about Kanan Jarrus and his heroic death in our piece on why the late Jedi could still appear on Ahsoka.

Is Jacen Syndulla Force-Sensitive and Will He Become a Jedi?

As Huyang said at the Henge on Seatos, Jacen Syndulla has “abilities.” The now (roughly) ten-year-old child is strong in the Force just as his father Kanan was. That wasn’t a guarantee, however. Despite Luke, Leia, and Ben Solo’s own genetic Force-sensitivities, not all children of Jedi inherit their Force-using parents abilities.

Only, Jacen might even have more natural talent in the Force than his dad. Without any training Jacen was able to hear Ahsoka Tano and Anakin Skywalker’s lightsaber duel in the World Between Worlds, a dimension that exists outside of time and space.

Jacen Syndulla’s no Jedi yet, but he told his mother he hopes to become one someday. While Huyang said he won’t train the boy (just that he can show him how to build a lightsaber) we doubt the droid would deny someone as powerful and eager to learn as Jacen.

It’s also possible a reinvigorated Ahsoka “I choose life” Tano will take him on as a Padawan someday, possibly soon. And if she or anyone else does (well, besides Luke Skywalker and his doomed Academy we hope), Jacen might one day help another famous Jedi restore the Jedi Order.

Could Jacen Syndulla Appear as a Jedi in Rey’s New Star Wars Movie?

Twenty-five years after Ahsoka‘s first season Rey will defeat Palpatine once and for all. She’ll do so with the help of countless ships. Among those that answer the call at Exegol will be the Ghost, which appeared in The Rise of Skywalker.

We don’t know who was flying it that fateful day. Hera will be old by then, but could still be very much alive, as will Jacen Syndulla, who might ultimately be the Ghost‘s captain by then.

Will Jacen also be a Jedi Knight by then, too? If he is he might be destined to help Rey once more. She is going to try and restore the Jedi Order in an upcoming movie. She’ll need as many Jedi as she can to train a new generation. And those who know the history and legacy of the Jedi and who they were at their best will be her greatest allies.

Who better to fill that role than Jacen Syndulla, the son of two great rebel heroes with their own legacy that will live on in the galaxy far, far away forever?

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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Talk about a Lando Calrissian spinoff movie starring Donald Glover began when 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story arrived in theaters. Eventually a potential Lando Calrissian movie became a greenlit series. In 2020 Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy announced the development of a Lando show for Disney+. Since then fans have waited for Disney to kick things into hyperdrive. Now the Lando series’ latest update might be the clearest sign yet it will really happen, just not anytime soon. It has now been reported that Donald Glover himself is now co-writing the show for Disney+ with his brother Stephen Glover. But it’s possible the Lando series will actually return to its original movie form.

Haunted Mansion director Justin Simien’s week took an unexpected turn a while back. It was revealed that he was no longer writing the Lando series for Disney. That might not have been as big a surprise for him as we thought. Shortly before the news about the Glover brothers broke, Simien told The Hollywood Reporter he was still attached to pen the series. Since then Above the Line, who broke the news of Glover’s new role, reports Simien left the project last summer because of his Haunted Mansion duties. (Why be evasive about the Lando series? Simien likely didn’t want to announce news Disney didn’t want out in the world just yet.)

That secret timetable also answers the obvious questions about how Glover and his brother Stephen, with whom Donald has collaborated with before (Atlanta, Swarm), agreed to write the show despite the current WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Disney hired the two before either began. But until each has resolved, we’re no closer to actually seeing the Lando series than we were before this report came out.

Additionally, it’s possible the Lando series won’t even be a series anymore. Recently, Stephen Glover noted on an episode of Pablo Torre Finds Out, which we saw via Deadline, “It’s not even a show…The idea right now is to do a movie.” He concluded though that little was certain, offering, “Right now, because of the strike, it’s like telephone.” And it certainly feels that way.

The good news is that Donald Glover’s new role in series, movie, or whatever else essentially guarantees he’ll reprise the role as young Lando Calrissian. That was still technically in doubt. Whether Glover’s involvement in the Lando series means Billy Dee Williams will also appear as the elder hero of the Rebellion is yet unknown. (But we hope he will.) Just getting one of them back in the smuggler’s cape will be a better than getting neither of them. Hopefully, Disney will stop changing the deal and get Lando off the ground.

Originally published on July 28, 2023.

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Ahsoka‘s fifth episode saw Anakin Skywalker complete his former Padawan’s training with a unique “final lesson.” Ahsoka Tano’s dead Master used the World Between Worlds to make his apprentice face the many demons of her past. Those demons included him, their relationship, the failings of the Jedi Order, and a legacy of death and war. But what exactly did Anakin mean when he told Ahsoka she had to learn to “live or die?” What was the true purpose of Anakin’s last lesson? He needed Ahsoka to remember who she really is by remembering one of Star Wars most enduring and important ideas: you can only move forward by learning from the past, not by hiding from it.

To understand Anakin’s ultimate lesson you need to understand who Ahsoka was a long time ago and why she had changed so much. Young Ahsoka was not afraid to show her emotions. Rather than behave like a traditional, stoic Jedi, she was more like her Master. Most Jedi considered emotion a weakness, but the kind-hearted, passionate Ahsoka drew strength from hers. Her emotions made her a great hero.

Anakin saw that in his apprentice immediately. During her Star Wars introduction in The Clone Wars movie, when she became his apprentice, Anakin told Ahsoka, “You’re reckless, little one. You never would have made it as Obi-Wan’s Padawan. But you might make it as mine.” Her “snippy” attitude is why he affectionately called her Snips, and their similarities are why they formed a special bond.

The emotion that defined and drove young Ahsoka—the very things that made her a brave Jedi—were on display in those living memories in the World Between Worlds. That version of her also stood in stark contrast to the older Ahsoka we’d come to know on the show. Before Ahsoka‘s fifth episode, Rosario Dawson’s live-action Ahsoka—most often seen with her arms crossed in quiet contemplation—seemed to lack any emotion. She had aged into the exact type of Jedi who would have trained her to let go of the very feelings that gave her strength.

Anakin understood why she’d changed. On an unconscious level, Ahsoka had, too. That’s why she subconsciously chose those two memories to relive. They exemplified what she feared enough to stop feeling at all. The first memory, the Battle of Ryloth, marked her first time commanding troops. Her mistakes resulted in many deaths and overwhelming personal guilt. Anakin tried comforting Ahsoka afterward, but knowing what the Clone Wars led to made his words ring hollow. The Jedi had no business serving as generals on one side of a war. They were guardians of peace with a duty to protect everyone. Instead, Ahsoka’s entire training revolved around killing and survival.

That collective loss of Jedi purpose and focus ultimately led Ahsoka to leave both the Order and Anakin. Ahsoka’s friend, a disenchanted Jedi Knight, turned on the Order and framed Ahsoka for her crimes. When the Jedi charged Ahsoka, it resulted in Lady Tano quitting. And those Jedi failures during the war, which led to the Order’s near annihilation, also helped push Anakin to become Darth Vader, a destiny that flashed before Ahsoka’s eyes inside her memory because those failures haunt her.

The second memory Ahsoka relived from her past was even more important to her learning the lesson Anakin was teaching her. The “successful” Siege of Mandalore came at the end of the Clone Wars. It’s where Darth Maul tempted Ahsoka to join him. More importantly, it also took place at the same time Anakin Skywalker lost himself to the dark side, something Ahsoka always blamed herself for. Maybe if she had stayed with Anakin, he would have been with her on Mandalore like she made true in her memory. If he had been there, he might never have joined Darth Sidious, and she would have saved Anakin and the galaxy from darkness.

That also might have saved Sabine Wren’s family. The Siege of Mandalore was a ruse that delivered the planet to Palpatine, which decades later resulted in Moff Gideon destroying it. Had Sabine’s family not died alongside millions of other Mandalorians, she probably never would have handed Baylan Skoll the star map to Thrawn. She might have even finished her Jedi training the first time.

That’s if Ahsoka was even capable of training Sabine anyway. Her conversations with Anakin in the World Between Worlds revealed that, while Sabine might not have been ready to embrace the Force, Ahsoka was likely not fully committed to teaching a Padawan. Ahsoka was too afraid of passing on the lessons of death and war she’d learned. It was the very thing Baylan Skoll accused her and her Master of doing.

All of which gets to the real purpose of Anakin’s lesson for Ahsoka. He needed to show Ahsoka how her past had turned her into something she’s not. She had become a type of “Shadow Warrior,” the episode’s title. Ahsoka Tano had become shadow of herself and the Jedi she’d once been because of her past demons.

Ahsoka was so much like Anakin, and she saw what happened to him. He gave into his emotions. Fear led him to anger. Anger led to hate. Hate led to the dark side. Ahsoka Tano was so afraid, and felt so much guilt over Anakin’s embrace of the dark side, that she feared following the same path. So rather than risk that fate, she cut herself off from emotion entirely. She stopped feeling anything lest she feel too much. It was self-preservation from her own pain and to stop herself from becoming a bad person, but in doing so, she killed the person she’d been. Her desperation to avoid the darkness walled her off from the very light that made her who she was. Ahsoka Tano, as we knew her, had chosen death.

Anakin’s final lesson was meant to lead Ahsoka to find her true self again. And he did that by forcing her to understand that their combined legacy—his legacy, her legacy, and the legacy of the Jedi—is not a legacy of failure any more than it is one of success. That legacy is defined by both, same as him. You can’t try and separate them, because if you hope to hold on to the good inside you, you must also hold on to the bad. They’re parts of the same whole. Light cannot exist without dark, same as the Force in balance. And just like the Force is not inherently good nor bad, neither are people. They are defined by what they do.

Ahsoka couldn’t understand that when she looked at Anakin, the Jedi, or herself. Not only did that result in her shutting herself off from her own emotions, it stopped her from growing, because learning from mistakes make us better, just as Anakin said on Ryloth. That’s an important Star Wars legacy unto itself. As Yoda will one day say to Luke Skywalker, “The greatest teacher, failure is.”

When Ahsoka couldn’t reconcile Anakin Skywalker was both hero and villain, he made her face the dark side of him. It was the only way to stop Ahsoka from cutting her heart off from life and hiding from all her pain. It was the only way to stop her from being afraid of the past and the future.

Anakin forced her to face all her demons from the past, the legacy she is part of, her sadness, her fear, and the guilt she carried. Doing so finally let Ahsoka feel something again. At first, all she felt was anger as she brought Darth Vader’s lightsaber up to Anakin’s neck. But only by experiencing real, raw emotions again was she finally able to comprehend her Master’s final lesson. “I choose to live,” she said, letting him go. As she had a long before life wore her down, Ahsoka found strength not in receding from her feelings but by embracing them. In doing so, she rediscovered who she has always been in her heart: a great Jedi.

That’s how she acted in that moment and after when she gave herself over to the purrgil. She did not strike down Anakin, just as Luke Skywalker did not strike down his father when he saved the galaxy from Palpatine or saved the Jedi Order by refusing to fight his nephew. And she had faith in the Force as a giant space whale whisked her away to an unknown destination.

Having learned Anakin’s lesson, Ahsoka is now ready to carry on the great tradition of the Jedi at their best, a legacy and purpose it forgot about during the Clone Wars. She can do that because she finally understands that goodness is just as much a part of her as everything the Jedi, Anakin, and she did wrong.

Ahsoka had killed the person she was. She had chosen to die rather than live with her demons. Now she has chosen to live, and right when the galaxy needs a great hero to stand up to Thrawn. Her training is complete. There’s hope for her yet.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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The fifth episode of Ahsoka, “Shadow Warrior,” was a treat for fans of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) relives some of her most memorable and traumatic moments from the animated series, thanks to some mind-bendy World Between Worlds occurrences. She goes back to when she was a teenage Padawan under the tutelage of Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen). As an apprentice, she’s played by Barbie and Avengers: Infinity War’s Ariana Greenblatt. But these weren’t just random moments from the years-long Clone Wars we saw Ahsoka relive. They were specific references to battles that took place over the course of the animated series—ones which had a profound effect on her. These are the Clone Wars arcs that Ahsoka revisited in its fifth episode.

The Battle of Ryloth (Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 1)

The first battle Ahsoka finds herself in is the battle of Ryloth. We saw this battle in a sequence of episodes in Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ first season. These were “Storm Over Ryloth,” “Innocents of Ryloth,” and “Liberty on Ryloth.” In this arc, the forces of the Separatist Army invade the home planet of the Twi’lek people, named Ryloth (naturally). Anakin Skywalker (Matt Lanter) and his new apprentice Ahsoka (Ashley Eckstein) lead a squadron of fighters against a Trade Federation battleship. Neimoidian Captain Mar Tuuk commanded the ship.

Although we never saw Anakin and Ahsoka in the ground battle in those episodes, we know they were there. So the World Between Worlds sequence on Ryloth fits right in, taking place between scenes. The animated series introduces us to Cham Syndulla, the resistance fighter and father of Ahsoka’s ally, General Hera Syndulla. Ahsoka says this was one of her earliest campaigns fighting in the Clone Wars. Therefore, it was very traumatic for the young teen Padawan. It makes sense she’d find herself right back there.

The Siege of Mandalore (Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 7)

The next battle we see Ahsoka relive as her younger self takes place at the very end of the Clone Wars. In fact, it’s in the show’s seventh and final season. Ahsoka, no longer part of the Jedi Order, leads a squadron of Clone Troopers to liberate the planet of Mandalore. During the Siege of Mandalore, former Sith Lord Darth Maul stole the Darksaber from the Mandalorian group Death Watch.

As their leader—thanks to acquiring the Darksaber—Maul transforms Death Watch into his own personal army. He uses them to take over Mandalore for his own Shadow Collective. These episodes of The Clone Wars are both the final episodes aired and the last chronologically. They consist of “Old Friends Not Forgotten,” “The Phantom Apprentice,” “Shattered,” and “Victory and Death.”

Mandalorian Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) leads the resistance against Maul. She was the sister of the late Duchess Satine Kryze, who ruled the planet and was a pacifist. Bo-Katan asks for the Republic’s assistance in freeing her homeworld. She gets help, but from only Ahsoka and Captain Rex and his squad. Ahsoka fights Darth Maul in these episodes, who tries to tempt her to the dark side of the Force. The Siege of Mandalore takes place at the same time as Revenge of the Sith.

In the episodes, we see how Ahsoka has to deal with her own clone troopers turning against her during Order 66. It would certainly be one of the worst moments of her life, and one can see why she returned to it in the World Between Worlds. Until she reconciled with the events of that battle, which kept her away from her Master at his most crucial moment, she was never going to be able to grow past it.

Finally, because of “Shadow Warrior,” it seems Ahsoka is ready to let go of these past traumas and grow into the Jedi she was always meant to be.

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On the surface than Star Wars and Twin Peaks don’t have much in common. The only connection that Twin Peaks co-creator David Lynch previously had to the galaxy far, far away is that George Lucas once asked him to direct Return of the Jedi. But recent developments in the Star Wars lore, first in Star Wars Rebels and now in Ahsoka, have shown that someone on staff at Lucasfilm maybe loves Lynch and Mark Frost’s seminal cult series Twin Peaks. Because there are some direct parallels between Star Wars’ mysterious World Between Worlds, and the mythology of the Black and White Lodges of Twin Peaks. But first, we must explain what each of these otherworldly Lodges are. You might want to read our own Michael Walsh’s excellent analysis of just what Star Wars’ World Between Worlds actually is, and then come right back here.

The Origins of Twin Peaks‘ Black Lodge

In Twin Peaks, the otherworldly plane called the Black Lodge and its opposite, the White Lodge, originated in legends of the Native American Nez Perce tribes. These tribes once inhabited the region of Washington State where the town of Twin Peaks currently is located. The legends described the Black Lodge as a realm of evil, one souls must pass through on their way to perfection. Anyone who entered would meet their “shadow self,” or dark doppelgänger. If someone who visited the Black Lodge did not face that evil with perfect courage, it would “annihilate their soul.” At least according to stories told by Twin Peaks’ Deputy Hawk (Michael Horse).

Twin Peaks presented the Black Lodge as an endless series of red-curtained corridors, with a chevron-patterned floor. Inside, a cackling Little Man inhabited the Red Room, and what appeared to be many dead characters from the series. Predominantly, murder victim Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee). We’d eventually discover that one could enter the Lodge through access points in the real world. But it first appeared in Twin Peaks in the form of dreams. First, the dreams of murder victim Laura Palmer in the film Fire Walk With Me. Later, the dreams of the man investigating her murder, Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan), in the show’s third episode.

Twin Peaks‘ White Lodge, Explained

The Black Lodge itself was the “shadow self” of the benevolent White Lodge. That Lodge was talked about in the original Twin Peaks series, but never actually seen on-screen. However, a realm that almost certainly is the White Lodge finally appeared in the 2017 revival Twin Peaks: The Return. It is populated by helpful entities, chiefly “the Fireman,” also known as the gentle Giant in the original series. From the White Lodge, different time periods can be accessed in our world as well.

Although the Lodges are in other planes of existence, one can access them through portals in the physical “real” world. Agent Cooper discovers an ancient Nez Perce cave petroglyph which indicates where the entrances to the Lodges are. We discovered in Twin Peaks that the Black Lodge was located in a circle of sycamore trees in Ghostwood forest. A pool of dark liquid was at the center of the circle.

In the 2017 series, a grove with a large tree husk nicknamed “Jack Rabbit’s Palace” was seemingly the entrance to the White Lodge. In the center of that grove was a pool of white liquid. This indicated it was the opposite of the Black Lodge.

How Star Wars: Ahsoka’s World Between Worlds Echoes Twin Peaks’ Lodges

In Rebels, we discovered the World Between Worlds, another reality that Jedi Ezra Bridger was able to access. Much like Twin Peaks’ villainous Windom Earle, Emperor Palpatine was seeking to access this mystical plane, and use its power for himself. Our heroes had to find a way to get there first. In both Rebels and Twin Peaks, illustrations on a cave wall indicated where someone could find the portal entrance. Much like the town of Twin Peaks was an out-of-the-way, rural community in North America, Lothal, where a doorway to the World Between Worlds is located, is an out-of-way rural planet.

In Star Wars, echoes of the past and future can be heard within the World Between Worlds, as it is a fixed point in all time and space. The two Lodges in Twin Peaks also exist outside linear time, and beings both living and dead co-exist there. Beings within can communicate to the past from the future, and vice versa. It can also access previous points in history, as we saw when Ezra pulled Ahsoka out of her duel with Darth Vader in Rebels. In The Return, Cooper travels to the past and pulls Laura Palmer out of time hours before her murder, via the Lodge. Whether it was Black or White Lodge remains unclear.

Although the entities within the Lodges can leave, they usually need human host bodies to do so. But they also exist outside their realms via wildlife, particularly, owls. In Star Wars, the Loth wolves seem like representatives of the World Between Worlds, and can travel between both the physical realm and the other place. The convor, which looks like an Earth owl, also seems to represent the nexus realm in a way, although the convor seems more tied to the world of Mortis (which itself has a mysterious connection to the World Between Worlds).

Ahsoka’s “Shadow Warrior” Further Explores the World Between Worlds

In Ahsoka’s fifth episode, “Shadow Warrior,” Ahsoka Tano finds herself in the World Between Worlds again. This happens after nearly dying in battle with ex-Jedi Baylan Skoll. She sees her long-dead master Anakin Skywalker seemingly alive again in that realm. Or, at least, she meets an aspect of him that lives within the World Between Worlds. They leave it pretty open to interpretation. An argument can be made that within the World Between Worlds, she must confront her own “shadow self” to live. Though, unlike in Twin Peaks, it’s not represented as a separate entity.

Whether Ahsoka is seeing what her Master wants her to see by reliving her past during the Clone Wars or is traveling through her own history remains unclear. This kind of ambiguity is unusual for Star Wars, but it’s very Lynchian. What does seem clear is that Ahsoka’s body remained on the planet Seatos while her mind and soul traveled to the World Between Worlds. This is similar to how, when Cooper or Laura Palmer usually find themselves in the Black Lodge, it is when they are unconscious and dreaming.

Of course, it’s not a one-for-one comparison. As far as we know, there is only one World Between Worlds. The Black and White Lodge are two sides of the same coin while being their own separate spaces. They each have their own aesthetics. The World Between Worlds only has one side, but it contains everything dark and light within it. Much like Twin Peaks pushed the boundaries of what television storytelling could be, Ahsoka is now pushing what storytelling in Star Wars could be.

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