The Shocking Twist in Ahsoka Episode 4 That Changes Everything for the Star Wars Sequels
Sabine Wren's fateful choice in Ahsoka Episode 4 shapes the fate of the galaxy, paving the way for Thrawn's return, the rise of the Empire, and the transformation of Imperial remnants into the formidable First Order
Warning! This article contains spoilers for Ahsoka episode 4.
Summary
Sabine's choice to assist Baylan and provide him with the map to Thrawn establishes his eventual comeback and the resurgence of the Empire. The Empire's evident defeat, as reflected by their absence in the sequel trilogy, will deceive the New Republic into thinking that the Empire has been eliminated for good. This illusion will lead to their downfall and enable Grand Admiral Sloane to reshape the remaining Imperial forces from the Unknown Regions into the First Order.
Sabine Wren's pivotal decision in episode 4 of Ahsoka has significant repercussions that ultimately pave the way for the rise of the First Order in the Star Wars sequels. The New Republic's arrogance and disregard for any remaining threats leads to their downfall, providing the backdrop for the destruction of the New Republic in the subsequent Star Wars films. Despite the substantial time gap of almost three decades between Ahsoka and the sequel trilogy, many anticipated subtle references bridging the two projects. By intertwining narratives like The Mandalorian and Ahsoka within the time period between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, a cohesive link between the sixth and seventh episodes of the Skywalker Saga was naturally incorporated.
Why Sabine Chose To Help Baylan
With Ahsoka's promise to ignite a confrontation between the resurging Grand Admiral Thrawn and the New Republic, many viewers expected the show to shift its focus away from setting up Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The announcement of an upcoming Star Wars movie set in the New Republic era seemingly confirmed this assumption. However, the ending of Ahsoka episode 4 introduced a monumental decision made by Sabine Wren, a choice that will have far-reaching consequences throughout the galaxy and serve as the catalyst for the rise of the First Order in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.Sabine's Decision Sets Up Thrawn's Return - And The Empire's Rise
Sabine faced a difficult choice in Ahsoka episode 4 when she decided to assist Baylan Skoll. After Ahsoka's defeat in battle, she was thrown into the treacherous oceans of Seatos. Despite her master's urging to destroy it, Sabine chose to give Baylan the map to Thrawn instead. This was a weighty decision for Sabine, but it stemmed from her profound sense of loneliness. Baylan disclosed that Sabine's family had been killed during the devastating Purge of Mandalore, and with Ahsoka's apparent demise in episode 4, she believed that only Ezra Bridger remained as her sole connection. This realization compelled her to provide Baylan with the map and join him and his allies on their journey to locate Thrawn.
The fate of Ahsoka remains unknown, leaving the New Republic fleet unable to track Morgan, Shin, Baylan, and Sabine. However, Sabine's decision strongly suggests that Thrawn is making a comeback. With the allies of the Imperial Grand Admiral heading to his last known location and the remnants of the Empire waiting in the background, it appears that the Empire's resurgence in the galaxy is inevitable. Although there is potential for a surprising twist now that Star Wars has introduced a second galaxy through Ahsoka, the events of Star Wars: The Force Awakens demonstrate that Thrawn's efforts to rebuild the Empire ultimately fail.
Thrawn's Defeat Means The Republic Believes The Empire Is Over
With the knowledge of the broader Star Wars narrative established in the sequel trilogy, it becomes clear that Thrawn's eventual downfall comes at the hands of the New Republic. Just as Ahsoka episode 3 exposed the naivety of the New Republic in believing that the Empire was eradicated following Palpatine's defeat, it would be logical for the governing authority of the galaxy to make a similar assumption after Thrawn's defeat. As Thrawn is perceived as the last remaining Imperial Grand Admiral, his defeat would lead the New Republic to conclude that the Empire had finally been permanently vanquished.
Grand Admiral Sloane Transforms The Last Imperial Remnants Into The First Order
However, the consequences of this will prove to be the downfall of the New Republic. Unbeknownst to them, there is another Imperial Grand Admiral, Grand Admiral Sloane, operating within the Star Wars galaxy during the time of Ahsoka. Sloane, who participated in the Battle of Jakku four years prior to the events of Ahsoka, managed to escape the battle alongside Brendol Hux and a small group of Imperials. They fled to the Unknown Regions.
In the Unknown Regions, Sloane reassembled her Imperial remains and formed the First Order, which would later wage war against the galaxy in The Force Awakens. Therefore, Sabine Wren's choice to assist the enemy in locating Thrawn, in order to save Ezra, inadvertently paved the way for the Empire's resurgence in the galaxy. The New Republic, blinded by their belief that there were no remaining threats to the peace, would later fall victim to their own arrogance. This arrogance, as depicted in Ahsoka, allowed Grand Admiral Sloane to operate from the shadows of the Unknown Region, establish the First Order, and ultimately orchestrate the destruction of the New Republic in the Star Wars sequels.
New episodes of Ahsoka release every Tuesday at 6pm PT / 9pm ET on Disney+.
