Ahsoka's Epic Star Wars Twist Sets the Stage for Unprecedented Movie Revelations

WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Ahsoka's episodes 1 and 2.

Summary

Ahsoka's introduction into a different galaxy and the resurgence of Grand Admiral Thrawn carry significant consequences for the future of Star Wars. Ahsoka plays a crucial role in the development towards Dave Filoni's upcoming Star Wars film, anticipated to be an expansive crossover uniting all the live-action TV shows.

Ahsoka's introduction to the Star Wars galaxy brings about a fresh take on the origins of the Force, intertwining with the upcoming Dawn of the Jedi film. Additionally, the emergence of intergalactic threats may result in a canonical adaptation of Legends' New Jedi Order story in Rey's upcoming film. Ahsoka's first two episodes have brought a profound and lasting impact on the Star Wars franchise, directly influencing the narrative of the next three films. Following her appearance in The Mandalorian, Ahsoka Tano now takes the lead in her own Star Wars series, serving as a spiritual successor to Star Wars Rebels. This series amalgamates elements from both animated and live-action shows, as well as the Expanded Universe, crafting a unique and original storyline. With the inclusion of another galaxy and the imminent return of Grand Admiral Thrawn, Ahsoka has intensified the excitement surrounding future Star Wars projects.

Ahsoka's first two episodes revisited popular Star Wars characters and unveiled some significant revelations. In a first for the franchise, there are hints that Star Wars may venture into another galaxy in an official storyline. Thrawn, the formidable Imperial strategist previously defeated by Ezra in Star Wars Rebels, is believed to have been sent to Peridea, a location beyond the galaxy. Once a legendary figure, the Pathway to Peridea now opens up a new corner of the universe for both heroes and villains in the Star Wars universe. This development carries significant implications for the origins of iconic Star Wars concepts and the future of the franchise.

Ahsoka Sets Up The Mandalorian Movie - And Grand Admiral Thrawn's Return

Ahsoka continues the storylines of Star Wars Rebels while also paving the way for the future of the "Mandoverse." This particular continuity of live-action Star Wars TV shows, starting with The Mandalorian and presently including The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, and Skeleton Crew, will culminate in Dave Filoni's upcoming Star Wars movie. Although the details surrounding Filoni's The Mandalorian film are scarce, it is anticipated to be a crossover spectacle, uniting all of these shows and their numerous characters. According to Temuera Morrison, the actor portraying Boba Fett, Filoni's The Mandalorian film bears resemblance to the Avengers.

Being created by Dave Filoni, the Ahsoka show naturally becomes a crucial component of the roadmap leading to Filoni's Star Wars movie. In terms of the narrative, Ahsoka may be the most significant live-action Star Wars show building up to The Mandalorian's theatrical release. While The Mandalorian started off the Mandoverse, Din Djarin's adventures have primarily existed within their own self-contained world. In contrast, Ahsoka introduces broader storylines that have a direct impact on the Star Wars universe, particularly with Grand Admiral Thrawn's comeback, which promises to be a game-changing event in the galaxy, especially given the timeline following Return of the Jedi.

Ahsoka Sets Up Ancient Secrets In The Star Wars Galaxy

Timothy Zahn's Heir to the Empire demonstrates that Thrawn is the ultimate adversary for a galaxy that has recently vanquished Emperor Palpatine. The return of Thrawn alone would sufficiently establish the foundation for The Mandalorian movie. However, Ahsoka's initial two episodes unveiled even more astounding revelations. Ezra Bridger and Thrawn were transported to an entirely different galaxy, one that completely reshapes the essence of the Star Wars universe. The Mandalorian movie has the potential to delve into this fresh Star Wars galaxy presented in Ahsoka, enabling it to narrate a tale unconstrained by the events of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Ahsoka conclusively showcased, within just two episodes, the colossal scale that The Mandalorian film can achieve.

By introducing a new Star Wars galaxy that functions uniquely from the familiar one, Ahsoka paves the way for the saga to reimagine the origins of the Force. In the original Star Wars movie, Obi-Wan Kenobi states that the Force "binds the galaxy." This revelation could retroactively establish that the Force operates differently or is at least perceived differently in other galaxies. To illustrate, it is plausible that the Nightsisters' Magick originated from another Star Wars galaxy. This would account for the stark divergence between the Nightsisters' "green energy" technique and the Force powers exhibited by the Jedi and Sith.

Ahsoka episode 2 confirms the possibility of intergalactic travel, suggesting that the Star Wars galaxy may have been visited by Force-sensitive individuals from another galaxy in the past. James Mangold's Dawn of the Jedi movie aims to explore the origins of the Force and the emergence of the first Jedi, potentially linking its discovery to this other galaxy. While connecting the Force to another galaxy carries some risks, it presents an opportunity to preserve the mystery surrounding it. Rather than retconning the Prime Jedi as an extragalactic visitor, it could be suggested that knowledge of the Force was shared by beings from another galaxy. This concept could also tie in with the Rakata from the Dawn of the Jedi comics, who were known to be among the early masters of hyperspace travel in the Star Wars canon. Ahsoka's new galaxy opens up possibilities for retconning various elements in the Star Wars universe, creating both challenges and exciting prospects.

Star Wars Is Going Intergalactic Ahead Of The New Jedi Order

In the first iteration of the "New Jedi Order" story in Star Wars, Luke Skywalker led a galaxy-wide war against the formidable alien race known as the Yuuzhan Vong. These powerful invaders hailed from a different galaxy and attacked the established worlds. The book series Star Wars: The New Jedi Order unfolded the events of the Yuuzhan Vong war, which took place twenty years after the Empire's defeat in Return of the Jedi. Presently, Star Wars is in the process of developing a movie centered around the New Jedi Order, this time with Rey Skywalker as the lead, set fifteen years after the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

While Rey's New Jedi Order movie does not necessarily align with Luke's New Jedi Order story from the Expanded Universe, its introduction of another galaxy and the existence of a connection between them creates opportunities for intergalactic threats. Although the Yuuzhan Vong are not officially recognized in the Star Wars canon, the existence of Ahsoka's new galaxy paves the way for their potential comeback. Despite the Grysks potentially replacing the Yuuzhan Vong in the Star Wars canon, there remains space for the return of these intergalactic warriors. Even if the Yuuzhan Vong do not make an appearance in Ahsoka, Rey's Star Wars movie could explore the concept of adversaries stemming from another galaxy.

The goals of Grand Admiral Thrawn remain a mystery, as Timothy Zahn's Thrawn books have yet to reach a conclusion. However, Ahsoka is taking Star Wars in a different direction by exploring another galaxy instead of the Unknown Regions. It is possible that Thrawn has discovered multiple potential threats that could eventually pose a danger to the known Star Wars galaxy, such as the Yuuzhan Vong. Regardless, the concept of intergalactic villains could greatly enhance Rey's Star Wars film. As the new movies cannot revisit the Sith, it is imperative to introduce new and imaginative adversaries. Be sure to catch new episodes of Ahsoka on Disney+ every Tuesday at 6 pm PT / 9 pm ET.