“Ahsoka confronts her past, while Hera and her allies undertake a rescue mission.”
The map to Thrawn lays sliced in half after Baylan Skoll destroyed it in episode four. Hera lands and discovers the scene empty, reporting to Carson that they missed the party. There’s no one scanning on the planet — which is a bad sign for Ahsoka and Sabine. Hera allows Jacen to come off the Ghost with the instruction that he needs to stay with Chopper. A small noise alerts Hera, motioning for her son to hide. She discovers it is Huyang, who is holding Sabine’s helmet and solemnly expresses that he asked them to stay together.
In the World Between Wars, Ahsoka continues to reunite with her former Master, Anakin Skywalker. The two enter the same banter they did during Ahsoka’s training with ease before Anakin tells Ahsoka that she lost a fight, igniting her memory. He tells her that her remembering is good because it means she still has a chance to live and that he’s there to finish her training.
“It’s a little late for that.”
“One is never too old to learn, Snips.”
“Alright. What’s the lesson, Master?”
“Live … or die.”
“I won’t fight you.”
“I’ve heard that before.”
Master and Apprentice enter into a duel, much as they have before in this particular line of Jedi.
Huyang tells Hera that the map is broken beyond repair, and hopes that Ahsoka and Sabine are aboard the ship as the alternative, which becomes more likely with each passing moment, is much worse. Carson relays that Senator Organa (if you heard a sob right there it was me, by the way) is covering for them but can’t do so much longer before people start asking questions. Hera says they could maybe benefit, but the conversation is interrupted by Jacen saying there’s something wrong with the water and that he can feel it. Chopper isn’t picking anything up on the scanner, but Jacen knows what he’s feeling and implores her to listen to the waves, saying he can hear lightsabers in the waves crashing. With her son’s instruction, Hera is able to focus and hear the sounds of the duel Ahsoka finds herself in.
Hera instructs Carson to have the squadron fly low over the water and tells her son he did a good job, which prompts Huyang to confirm what Jacen has been waiting for.
“Jacen has abilities. His father, Kanan Jarrus, was a Jedi.”
Ahsoka and Anakin continue to duel and when it appears that Ahsoka has gotten the upper hand, Anakin cuts the bridge beneath them and sends Ahsoka hurtling into space, through a beautiful mix of pink clouds until she lands beneath. The scene she lands in is from the Clone Wars, herself and her Master appearing much younger — so young, in fact, it’s during one of their first missions, the Rhyloth Campaign. Ahsoka follows her Master and the clones into battle and Anakin insists that this is her training when she expresses her confusion.
In another flash forward, Ahsoka (still seen as a young Padawan) comforts an injured clone until Anakin tells her the battle isn’t over yet. Ahsoka expresses her guilt over the wounded and that she feels it’s her fault, but Anakin comforts her in the best way he knows how — assuring her they’re doing the right thing as Jedi. When Ahsoka expresses that she may just want to stop fighting, Anakin says that if she does that she will die. As he walks forward his silhouette is outlined by the fiery carnage, flashing briefly to the iconic silhouette of Darth Vader.
The X-Wings continue to fly over the water and while Carson is worried about managing their fuel, Hera insists the search radius is widened. On board, Hera tells Huyang that Carson is right and that reveals that the mission was unauthorized. While it makes her doubt herself as a General and the actions she takes,
“Is there a chance they’re out here?”
“Always.”
Huyang seems hesitant to speak too much on Anakin Skywalker, only providing that Ahsoka’s former Master was “intense” when asked by Hera. Jacen says Chopper sees something in the water and that to see it they’ll have to get as low as they can to the water, right above the surface.
Back in the Clone Wars, Captain Rex compliments Commander Tano on her lightsaber skills before departing to secure the area. Ahsoka stands and observes until her Master, who has now returned to his Revenge of the Sith-like appearance, joins her and says he doesn’t recognize the battle. That’s because we’re witnessing the Siege of Mandalore, and the pair had split up by then. He tells her that she did well before he compliments her training and tells her she’s part of a legacy. Ahsoka, however, feels her part of that legacy is death and war.
“But you’re more than that. Because I’m more than that.”
“You are more, Anakin. But more powerful and dangerous than anyone realized.”
“Is that what this is about?”
“If I am everything that you are …”
Anakin, expressing his dissatisfaction, returns Ahsoka to her training … this time igniting the iconic red lightsaber and donning the appearance he did when he fought his Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, on Mustafar — including the Sith eyes. He sends Ahsoka back to the astral World Between Worlds and continues their duel, telling her that she lacks conviction and overpowering her, until she turns his own lightsaber on him. She draws closer before tossing his lightsaber aside, announcing that she chooses to live.
Anakin retreats and his eyes return to their normal state, saying there’s hope for her yet before disappearing as cracks of thunder sound in the distance. As the stars begin to fall, Ahsoka wakes to find she’s standing and sinking in water until she is floating beneath the surface, the state her physical body is truly in. Her eyes open to a pilot retrieving her from the water and she is returned to the surface safely. As she wakes she says her Master’s name.
Jacen celebrates that they retrieved with Ahsoka before the squadron has even landed. Ahsoka wakes with a soft smile on her face and rises to Huyang welcoming her back. Huyang catches Ahsoka up with her rescue, mostly thanks to Jacen of course, and asks if she can provide any information on what happened to Sabine. She emerges from the ship to Jacen and Chopper playing, though Jacen quickly runs to her to for a warm embrace, saying he heard Ahsoka fighting — which is incredible considering it was happening in the World Between Worlds. Ahsoka uses a Force Echo on the map (something we’ve seen Cal Kestis do in the Fallen Order and Survivor games) to sense what happened in the area after she’d been pushed from the cliff. Unfortunately, this reveals that Sabine went with Baylan willingly with the promise of reuniting with Ezra.
As if the bad news isn’t enough, a New Republic fleet is also on the way … and it doesn’t appear they’ve come to help. The sound of purrgil overhead catches Ahsoka’s attention. Hera and Ahsoka have instructions to return with the fleet because unfortunately the Senate Committee are going to decide if Hera’s position should be permanently suspended and Ahsoka will need to testify. When things are looking their worst, Ahsoka returns to the ship to spark hope.
“I know how to follow Sabine.”
Hera and Huyang aren’t sure about Ahsoka’s plan — which is apparently to follow the purrgil since she believes they will be navigating from where hyperspace was opened up most recently — to Thrawn’s location. Now in Ahsoka the White clothing, Ahsoka exits to stand atop the ship until she comes face-to-face with a purrgil. Hera implores Carson to keep the incoming fleet from disrupting the pod, which contains dozens of the massive creatures — the most we’ve ever seen on a screen.
Carson distracts the fleet by saying Hera’s location is classified and that he cannot allow them to approach until he receives confirmation the mission is complete. When forced with the ultimatum of being stripped of his title, Carson relents though he feels the Fleet Command will not believe him.
Ahsoka is using the Force to speak to purrgil in the hopes that they will take her to the location they seek. Her plan yields results and her ship is allowed to enter the mouth of a large purrgil.
“You’re certain they know where Sabine was taken?”
“I have no idea.”
“What?”
“No idea. We’ll just see where it goes.”
“It could go anywhere.”
“I know. But it’s better than going no where.”
Hera reaches the Fleet Command to warn them they should clear the path for the purrgil, who then watch on in wonder as the massive animals navigate around them. With the purrgil about to jump, Hera and Ahsoka bid their goodbyes with Ahsoka promising to find Ezra and Sabine.
New episodes of Star Wars: Ahsoka are released Tuesdays on Disney+ at 6 p.m. PST/9 p.m. EST. Stay up to date on the series with episodic recaps from Nerds & Beyond week to week here.
