Star Wars Unveiled Its First Live-Action Nightsister Decades Before Ahsoka

Article Overview

The Nightsisters, a group of Force-sensitive witches, made their live-action debut in a Star Wars Legends property before appearing in The Mandalorian and Ahsoka.

The majority of the Witches from Dathomir, which includes the Nightsisters, proficiently wield the dark side of the Force and pose a formidable threat similar to the Dark Lords of the Sith.

In the new Star Wars canon, the Nightsisters have undergone substantial alterations, featuring a revised background and being revealed as a distinct species from Dathomir rather than humans.

The Star Wars Legends continuity introduced a Nightsister, preceding the appearances of Morgan Elsbeth in The Mandalorian and Ahsoka. This debut occurred in Dave Wolverton's Legend-era novel, The Courtship of Princess Leia, where the Nightsisters were one of the sub-cultures within the Witches of Dathomir. The dangerous planet of Dathomir, located in the Outer Rim, was governed by various clans of Force-sensitive human witches. Among them were the Nightsisters, who possessed the ability to harness the Force, a phenomenon witnessed in live-action long before.

While most Witches of Dathomir utilized the natural state of the Force and adhered to the motto "never concede to evil," coined by the rogue Jedi Allya, the Nightsisters diverged. They embraced the dark side of the Force, with some even rivaling the threat posed by the Dark Lords of the Sith. Interestingly, due to a retcon, one of these Nightsisters made an appearance in a live-action production outside of the original and prequel Star Wars movies. Specifically, this occurred in Ewoks: The Battle for Endor, released in 1985.

Charal Was The First Live-Action Nightsister...Introduced 38 Years Ago

In Ewoks: The Battle for Endor, a villainous group called the Sanyassan Marauders is led by a mysterious witch named Charal. She has the ability to change her appearance and transform into a raven by using a talisman. In the Star Wars universe, "magick" is simply a manifestation of the Force. Initially, Charal was portrayed as a regular human with dark side powers. However, other material from the Legends era later revealed that she was actually a Nightsister who ended up stranded on Endor after leaving Dathomir. This change in her backstory was fitting because Charal's dark powers and appearance closely resemble those of other Nightsisters from the Legends era.

Interestingly, the talisman of the raven, which is imbued with the dark side, did not originally belong to Charal. For some unknown reason, she left the Nightsisters and stole the talisman before leaving Dathomir. As one of the leaders of the Sanyassan Marauders, Charal frequently encountered the Ewoks from Bright Tree village, as depicted in Zack Giallongo's Star Wars: Ewoks—Shadows of Endor. However, Charal's ultimate fate remains uncertain, as she becomes permanently trapped in raven form when her talisman is destroyed.

How The Nightsisters Have Changed Since Charal's Debut

In 2014, the Star Wars canon underwent a significant revision, resulting in a comprehensive reimagining of Nightsister lore. In the third season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the character Asajj Ventress was transformed into a Nightsister, deviating from her previous portrayal as a Rattataki in the Legends canon. Moreover, the Nightsisters themselves were redefined as a distinct species known as Dathomirians, replacing their previous classification as humans. Additionally, the appearance of the planet Dathomir underwent substantial visual changes compared to its depiction in the Legends canon. Ahsoka further adds that the Nightsisters were not exclusive to Dathomir, as the Dathomirian species originated from the extragalactic world of Peridea. A powerful alliance between the Nightsisters and Grand Admiral Thrawn, established by Ahsoka, indicates that the Witches of Dathomir will continue to contribute to the future of Star Wars in live-action storytelling.

Editor's P/S

As a Star Wars fan, I am thrilled to learn about the origins of the Nightsisters and their connection to the upcoming Ahsoka series. The Nightsisters, a group of Force-sensitive witches, made their live-action debut in the 1985 film Ewoks: The Battle for Endor, where they were portrayed as a formidable threat.

The Nightsisters were originally introduced in the Star Wars Legends continuity, where they were depicted as a sub-culture within the Witches of Dathomir. In this continuity, the Nightsisters were human witches who embraced the dark side of the Force. One of the most notable Nightsisters from the Legends era is Charal, who appeared in Ewoks: The Battle for Endor. Charal was a powerful witch who could change her appearance and transform into a raven using a talisman.

In the new Star Wars canon, the Nightsisters have been retconned as a distinct species known as the Dathomirians. This change was made in the third season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, where the character Asajj Ventress was transformed into a Nightsister. The Nightsisters are now depicted as a powerful and mysterious species with a rich history and culture.