Note:
This article includes spoilers from the recently published novel, Ahsoka.
The last time I guest
posted for TheBeardedTrio.com, I wrote about
Ahsoka’s character as she introduced in the Star Wars in the 2008 Star Wars The Clones Wars Movie.
In my TheCantinaCast blog article, I discussed what Ahsoka learned from
Anakin that contributed to her continuing character growth throughout Star Wars: The Clone Wars series.
Today, I want to discuss how Ahsoka continued to develop and grow from we last
saw her in Star Wars: The Clone Wars
episode, The Wrong Jedi, to when we last
see her in Star Wars Rebels episode, Twilight of the Apprentice.
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Ahsoka Walks away from Jedi Temple Credit
Lucasfilm
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When Ahsoka walks away...
We witness Ahsoka growth throughout The
Clone Wars series from the plucky Padawan of Anakin Skywalker to a seasoned Jedi
Clone Wars Veteran with lots of military experience under her belt. However,
despite or because of this growth, Ahsoka decides to walk away from everything
and everyone she knows, especially Anakin, Rex and Obi-Wan. I can understand Ahsoka’s
need to get a better understanding of herself and her place in the Galaxy as
she told Anakin when she left him to walk down the steps of the Jedi Temple one
last time. Her decision to leave the
Jedi Temple after these events is not a surprise to me based on all that happened during the events depicted
in the final episodes of Star Wars: The
Clone Wars Season 5, what she learns from Anakin and of course her overall
character development. By this one act, Ahsoka acknowledges that even
though she has grown, matured and seen so much, she still has much to learn and
decides that this learned needs to be done elsewhere.
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Sketch of Ahsoka with her speeder by Dave
Filoni
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Living on her own in the lower levels of Coruscant…
We do not know much about this period
except for what we learned during the Ahsoka’s Untold Tales Panel
at Star Wars Celebration Europe. Dave Filoni outlined that Ahsoka has an
adventure that included a serious romance with a scoundrel named, Nix in the
lower levels of Coruscant. An animatic from those episodes shown at this panel
gave an interesting introduction to the intended love interest and what life
was like for Ahsoka after leaving The Jedi Temple. This Fangirl is disappointed that we did not
see this arc and how Ahsoka grows during her time in this section of Coruscant.
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| Sketches from The Siege of Mandalore by Dave Filoni |
We
only get a glimpse of Ahsoka during this period, but what we learn from the
Ahsoka’s Untold Tales Panel and from a
short interlude within the recently released novel, Star Wars: Ahsoka. We learn that Anakin asked Ahsoka to help
him free Mandalore from Darth Maul during what becomes the final stages of The
Clone Wars. Because of the kidnapping of
Chancellor Palpatine, Anakin needed to leave in order to mount a rescue (the
opening events of The Revenge of The Sith). However, Anakin in acknowledgment of Ahsoka’s
abilities, and growth, gave promoted her to Genral and gave her own contingent
of Clone Troopers to complete the job on Mandalore. During this Siege of Mandalore, Rex along
with his fellow Clones sported markings and colors in honor of Ahsoka. When she confronts Maul, we see her character
growth from when she is first introduced to this moment. Ahsoka is able to fight, outwit and trap Maul, effectively
ending The Siege of Mandalore. Not bad for someone who entered The Clone Wars
as a mere Padawan, huh?
Escaping
Order 66...
The novel, Ahsoka, gives us only a glimpse
on what Ahsoka thought and felt right after Order 66 was given to The Clones by
Palpatine. I am not sure if it is Ahsoka
or Rex that decided to make it look like they fought and killed each
other. However, this strategy helped
both her and Rex to escape and hide after the events of Order 66. At this
point, Ahsoka believes she has fully walked away from her life as a soldier and
a Jedi by leaving her light sabers at the grave of her closest friend, other
than Anakin.
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Star
Wars: Ashoka novel ebook cover from Patty’s Nook
|
Ahsoka becomes Fulcrum…
During the events outlined in the
recently published, Star Wars: Ahsoka,
we see that even more character growth.
At the beginning of that story, Ahsoka believes that she has fully walked
away from her life as a soldier and a Jedi. However, It is through her actions and
experiences during the events depicted in the Novel that teach Ahsoka that even
though she may have walked away from her previous life, what she learned is
still carried with her. Ahsoka’s decision to become Fulcrum is a direct result
of her growth through the events of the Clone Wars through her discovery of
what role she should play in the fledging Rebellion against The Empire.
Rescuing
The Ghost crew at Mustafar…
When Kanan was first captured by The
Empire, Fulcrum advised Hera not to risk the entire team, especially Ezra, in a
rescue attempt. However, the crew of The
Ghost ignored this advise and attempted to rescue their Jedi friend
anyways. When things looked bad for The
Ghost crew’s escape, Chopper called on Fulcrum to help them out. This resulted in Fulcrum joining in the
rescue. Once everyone was safe, Fulcrum
revealed her true identity, Ahsoka Tano, former Jedi Padawan of Anakin
Skywalker. This introduction showed
Ahsoka’s outward appearance changes, but only gave a hint as to what other
changes she has from the last time we saw her in Star Wars The Clone Wars until
now.
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| Ahsoka, Hera and Kanan in Star Wars Rebels credit Lucasfilm |
Learning more about Ahsoka…
During the events Star Wars Rebels season 2, we see some of Ahsoka’s character growth from Clone Wars to Rebels that was not
apparent when she was first re-introduced into the Star Wars Saga. We see her
mentoring Kanan and Ezra in the ways of the Jedi, even though she does not see
herself as a Jedi. We see her doing
investigations and figuring out what is happening, especially with the force
sensitive children. We also see her
trying to find out just who that Sith Lord is and what really happened to her
former Jedi Master, Anakin Skywalker.
Based on what we see from the season 2 episodes, we realize that Ahsoka,
not only grew up physically, but also mentally and spiritually.
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| Ahsoka learns more about Darth Vader in Star Wars Rebels credit Lucasfilm |
Twilight of the Apprentice…
When we realized that both Ahsoka and
Darth Vader were in the same proximity, we knew that Ahsoka was going to be learning
some painful truths. From the first
touch of their minds in the Star
Wars Rebels Season 2 episode to the vision Ahsoka received in the Jedi
Temple on Lothal, we see her struggling with what each of these revealed to
her. However, when she confirms the
truth that The Sith Lord is indeed her old Master Anakin Skywalker, we the
audience feel her heartbreak. During
their battle, Ahsoka declares that she is not going to leave Anakin again, despite
what he has become. Declaring that Ahsoka will take revenge for Anakin’s sake because
she is no Jedi. Proving that the
attachment that formed between them during The Clone Wars is still very
important to her despite what happened.
The
ambiguity of her ultimate fate…
Dave Filoni said during the Ahsoka’s
Untold Tales Panel that he purposely left her fate up to the audience. If
they believed Ahsoka is alive, he will not dissuade them from that belief, same
for those that believe she died.
Dave
Filoni said during the Ahsoka’s Untold Tales Panel that he purposely left her
fate up to the audience. If they believed Ahsoka is alive, he will not
dissuade them from that belief, same for those that believe she died. To me
this is the same as when Ahsoka walked away from the Jedi Temple in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. We the audience did not have any idea of her
fate until she appeared in Star Wars
Rebels. Therefore, I am not
surprised that we the audience still do not know Ahsoka’s ultimate fate after
the fateful events on Malachor.
What do you think of Ahsoka’s
development from The Clone Wars to Rebels?
Do you agree with me or do you have
another opinion?
Patty Hammond (@pattyBones2) is the Everyday Fangirl
from Michigan who has a disguise as a mild mannered data analyst. Patty
is very active in the Star Wars community. You can find her posting about Star
Wars and much more on her blog EverydayFangirl.com and of course on Twitter
@Pattybones2
The Bearded Trio - The Site For Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, John Williams and a whole lot more.
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