The Shocking Truth Behind Ahsoka's Refusal to Train Grogu Revealed in Star Wars
Ahsoka's hesitation to train Grogu stems from her fear of failing him due to her commitment issues and his strong attachments Does Grogu's connection remind her of past experiences with Sabine and Ezra?
Summary
Ahsoka's refusal to train Grogu is attributed to her fear of his strong attachment to Din, which could lead him to the dark side.
Ahsoka's pattern of struggling to uphold commitment in her training relationships is apparent in her interactions with Sabine and her own training under Anakin.
Ahsoka's apprehension in training Grogu, driven by her fear of failure and guilt over not being present for Anakin, resulted in her reluctance to take the risk and potentially repeat past errors.
Star Wars has revealed the true reason behind Ahsoka's decision to refuse training Grogu. In episode 5 of The Mandalorian season 2, titled "Chapter 13: The Jedi," Ahsoka and Din Djarin come together with the understanding that she will train Grogu. However, after learning more about Grogu's backstory and testing his Force abilities, Ahsoka declines the opportunity. She attributes her decision to the strong bond between Din and Grogu, fearing that it could lead Grogu down a dark path. Instead, she advises them to go to Tython and let Grogu choose his own destiny. It is there that Grogu connects with Luke Skywalker and continues his Jedi training.
In episodes 1 and 2 of Ahsoka, it is revealed that despite her concerns, Ahsoka has trained a Padawan before. She had an extensive partnership with Sabine Wren after the events of Star Wars Rebels. However, their relationship is shown to be strained in Ahsoka, as Sabine is no longer under Ahsoka's mentorship. A conversation between Ahsoka and Hera confirms that Ahsoka decided to step away from her training with Sabine, mirroring her own experience with Anakin. This consistent pattern of struggling to maintain training commitments reflects Ahsoka's choices in The Mandalorian.
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Ahsoka Seems To Have Commitment Issues
Since the Clone Wars, Ahsoka has maintained a distance from others. She abandoned her master and her Padawan. Despite striking a deal with Din to train Grogu in exchange for his assistance in capturing Nightsister Morgan Elsbeth, she handed Grogu over to someone else. This behavior undoubtedly stems from the hardships she endured surviving Order 66 and losing many of her close connections. However, her reluctance to fully commit to endeavors and relationships reveals the extent of fear that has accumulated within her over the years.
This made it hard for Ahsoka to comprehend the notion of assuming the responsibility of another Padawan, particularly one like Grogu who had also lived through Order 66. By this point, she had already experienced failure in her commitment to a Padawan, and she was not prepared to take that risk again. With only a few Jedi remaining in the galaxy, the prospect of training someone who had received instruction from highly skilled masters like Yoda was intimidating. Ahsoka's history of struggle with commitment issues explains her refusal to mentor Grogu, although another fear of hers may have also played a role.
Grogu's Attachments Made Ahsoka Afraid Of Failure
After discovering the fate of Anakin firsthand, Ahsoka shouldered a heavy burden of guilt for abandoning her master during his time of need. Failing Anakin haunted her, and witnessing his transformation intensified her fear of repeating such a failure. This fear resurfaced when she observed the deep bond between Grogu and Din, as she couldn't bear the thought of letting Grogu down as she believed she had done with both her master and apprentice.
Much of this fear is evident in Ahsoka's conversation with Din regarding the matter in The Book of Boba Fett season 1, episode 6 "From the Desert Comes a Stranger." When Mando directly queries Ahsoka about her acceptance of Luke training Grogu, despite her refusal to do the same, Ahsoka maintains that it was Grogu's choice and beyond her control. This reveals that if faced with the same decision again, Ahsoka would persist in declining to train Grogu, just as she did on Corvus. The haunting memories of past failures she had witnessed and experienced prevented her from fully committing to something that reminded her of those shortcomings.
Did Grogu's Attachments Remind Ahsoka Of Sabine & Ezra?
Sabine has been made aware of the significance of Ezra Bridger, a Jedi who went missing, by Ahsoka. Their bond in Star Wars Rebels has emphasized this importance. Despite Sabine's disconnection from the Force, her attachment to Ezra is so strong that she can hear his calls. Ahsoka's decision to distance herself from Sabine might have been driven by the fear of history repeating itself, similar to what happened to Ahsoka's own master, considering Sabine's anger and grief over Ezra's absence. Therefore, it is possible that Grogu's attachment to Din reminded Ahsoka of Sabine's situation, triggering a cycle of fear that led her to decline the opportunity to train Grogu.
Ahsoka's life has been anything but easy, and her resistance to taking on the responsibility of training is a direct result of the traumatic experiences she has endured as a survivor. Grogu, being the only known member of Yoda's species besides Yoda himself and Yaddle, adds to Ahsoka's fears that she may fail him and witness his descent to the dark side due to his strong inclination to protect his father. This fear may have also played a part in Ahsoka's hesitation towards Sabine, causing her to distance herself from Grogu even more. As the Ahsoka series progresses, we may see parallels between what happened with Sabine and Ahsoka's decision not to train Grogu, further connecting different eras within the Star Wars universe.
