We’re a bit on the fence about Ahsoka at this point. Some of it is Star Wars at its best but, as with so many of the Star Wars series we’ve seen on Disney Plus to date, it’s frustratingly inconsistent. This week, for example, was spent reminding people about Anakin Skywalker. There are spoilers for the latest installment ahead.
Perhaps we’re being a little harsh. As we explained in our Ahsoka episode 5 recap, there’s an emotional catharsis in revisiting the Clone Wars, even if it does often feel like a karaoke version of one of the best TV series made for Star Wars fans.
Intriguingly, the episode also proves that one of the best Star Wars villains, Emperor Palpatine, actually had a point in one of his most devious monologues. That’s according to Darth Thunder on Twitter, who connected the events of Ahsoka’s latest installment to a speech in Revenge of the Sith.
In the prequel movie, Palpatine tells the young Jedi Anakin about the Sith lord Darth Plagueis, who used the dark side of the Force to prevent those he loved from dying. Anakin, fearing the death of his wife Padme due to some horrifying visions, is fascinated about learning to do this, but Palpatine says no Jedi would teach him how to do it.
According to Darth Thunder: “Anakin now possesses the power Palpatine promised him. The power to save the ones he cared about from dying.”
Anakin effectively saves Ahsoka from death during the scenes in The World Between Worlds, albeit through the medium of lightsaber fighting rather than a more subdued Jedi lesson. But there is one thing Palpatine absolutely got wrong: it’s the light side of the Force that gives Anakin this ability, not the dark power of Darth Vader.
Ahsoka creator Dave Filoni seems keen to use this new series to explore the nature of the Force, as well as giving some of the best Star Wars characters ever added character depth. The Ahsoka cast are reshaping what it means to be a Jedi, and that’s fascinating. We just need the story to move a little faster.
For more Star Wars, check out our guides to the Star Wars cast and how to watch the Star Wars movies in order, as well as all of the new Star Wars movies we know are in the pipeline. You can also explore how Obi-Wan’s forgotten enemy nearly killed him long before Vader.
We’ve also explained why we don’t care about Thrawn as much as Filoni wants us to care. Sorry, Dave. Elsewhere, check out what else is new on Disney Plus this month.