*Be warned, this article contains spoilers.*
After seven thrilling episodes, the highly anticipated finale of the live-action series, Ahsoka, aired its eighth and final episode on Tuesday, leaving fans with a much-awaited reunion of characters and the looming questions of what lies ahead for the characters in the Star Wars universe.
From the moment Ahsoka Tano stepped on screen in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated show, she was a force to be reckoned with. Thanks to her teachers, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, she quickly developed the wisdom and strength to become the Jedi she is now. Now, with her own live-action series, Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson) is ready to take on the challenge of stopping the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) and reconnecting with her apprentice, Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo). Sabine, in turn, longs to be reunited with her best friend, Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi), who has been lost with Admiral Thrawn in deep space.
Let’s take a look back at the season. It was full of exciting moments, heart-wrenching scenes, and thought-provoking dialogue. It was a season that kept us on the edge of our seats and left us wanting more. It is no wonder that the finale left fans and critics with so many burning questions.
Part One: Master and Apprentice
While a New Republic vessel is transporting Lady Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto), a cold-hearted ally of Admiral Thrawn, they are ambushed by Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) and his apprentice Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno). The two use their force powers and lightsabers to free Elsbeth. Lady Morgan makes her intentions clear to go after Ahsoka Tano, who is looking for “the map” and knows something about Grand Admiral Thrawn. Ahsoka retrieves the map and fends off droids, but escapes with the help of her droid, Huyang (David Tennant). Ahsoka is informed of her prisoner’s escape and is greeted by her old friend Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). Hera suggests Ahsoka enlist the help of Sabine Wren to find Thrawn and their missing friend Ezra Bridger.
Part Two: Toil and Trouble
The map to a second galaxy was taken by Baylon and Shin. After finding the droid responsible, Ahsoka and Sabine hack into it and learn it is from Corellia. Meanwhile, Baylan and Shin travel to Seatos with the map and locate the reflex point before contacting Lady Morgan. Ahsoka and Hera then go to Corellia and gain access to Lady Morgan’s facilities, but are met with some red tape. From there, they learn that Admiral Thrawn is in the second galaxy and how to get there.
Part Three: Time to Fly
Hera's meeting with the New Republic Senate is unsuccessful, and her son, Jacen (Evan Whitten), is inspired to be a Jedi like his late father. Sabine also expresses a desire to become a Jedi, but Ahsoka attempts to dissuade her. Ahsoka and Sabine work together to fight off Lady Morgan and her forces and take refuge in the forests of a nearby planet. Here, they encounter Purrgils, massive space whales. Huyang discovers the hyperspace ring Lady Morgan is using to allow Baylon and Shin to travel to a neighboring galaxy to find Admiral Thrawn.
Part Four: Fallen Jedi
After being attacked by Lady Morgan's lackeys, Ahsoka and Sabine set out to find a star map that would allow Morgan to jump to the other galaxy. They engage in a lightsaber duel with Shin Hati and Marrok (Paul Darnell), a mercenary hired by Lady Morgan, and Ahsoka and Baylan have a duel. Ahsoka falls into the ocean during her battle with Baylon sending her into the World Between Worlds where she finds her former master: Anakin Skywalker. Sabine is tempted by the promise of being reunited with Ezra and gives the map to Baylan, allowing herself to be taken hostage as Lady Morgan, Baylon, and Shin use the “The Eye of Sion”, the hyperspace ring, to go to Peridea, a distant planet, to where Admiral Thrawn (and perhaps Erza) is.
Part Five: Shadow Warrior
Ahsoka reunites with her former master, Anakin Skywalker, in the World Between Worlds, a multiple of pathways and doors between space and time, and remembers what happened to her in her final moments. Anakin reveals that remembering is a good sign, and begins to finish her training. Ahsoka is thrown into a flashback of the Clone Wars, while Hera and Carson Teva (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) search for them in the present. Ahsoka and Anakin are driven into another duel in the World Between Worlds (with the appearance of Darth Vader), and Ahsoka experiences a "rebirth". Hera and the crew locate Ahsoka and help her and Huyang prepare to jump into a new world with the help of a Purrgil, the space whales.
Part Six: Far, Far Away
Ahsoka and Huyang are on a mission to find Sabine, who was taken hostage by Baylan and Lady Morgan. When they arrive at Peridea, they put Sabine in solitary confinement. Admiral Thrawn makes his first appearance on the screen, and he devises a plan to have Sabine freed, and she sets off on a quest to find Ezra. After encountering nomads and other obstacles, she eventually reunites with Ezra.
Part Seven: Dreams and Madness
Hera is brought before the Senate Committee for disobeying an order and is nearly court-martialed until C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) produces data transcripts showing Senator Leia Organa, also known as Princess Leia, had authorized the mission. Chancellor Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) questions Hera about the threat of Thrawn's return and Hera advises her to prepare for the worst. Meanwhile, Ahsoka is aboard her ship where she is being trained by Anakin to trust her instincts. Ezra and Sabine travel with a Noti caravan and are pursued by Imperial fighters, from Admiral Thrawn. Thrawn finds their location and orders them to attack, but Ahsoka and Huyang intervene and fend off the Imperial forces. After a brief battle, Thrawn concedes to a small victory for Ahsoka and retreats. Ezra finally believes they will all go home.
Part Eight (The Finale): The Jedi, the Witch, and the Warlord
After reuniting on the distant planet Peridea, Ahsoka, Sabine, and Ezra make their way to Thrawn's fortress to stop the warlord from escaping the planet. They come face to face with a squadron of Thrawn's Night Troopers but are able to defeat them. However, the Great Mothers, ancient witches and allies of Admiral Thrawn, use magic to resurrect the dead stormtroopers (zombie stormtroopers). With help from Sabine, Ezra is able to board Thrawn's Star Destroyer, but Sabine and Ahsoka are left behind. They eventually defeat Lady Morgan and the remaining stormtroopers, but Thrawn, the Great Mothers, and his army escape and return to the regular Star Wars galaxy. He has plans to rebuild the Empire and is last seen on the outskirts of Dathomir.
Ezra returns to his home galaxy as a stowaway and reunites with his friends. Shin Hati is left stranded on Peridea and meets a group of bandits, while Baylan goes searching for a hidden power rumored to be on the planet. He is last seen standing amidst giant, crumbling statues depicting the Mortis gods. Ahsoka, Huyang, and Sabine are stuck on Peridea and have met up with the native Noti, bug-like aliens, resigned to their new life in a distant galaxy. However, Ahsoka's wise words to Sabine are hopeful as she says, "Erza is where he needs to be, and so are we. It's time to move on". In the episode's final moments, Anakin's Force ghost appears, showing his concern and pride in his former Padawan.
Moving Forward: The Future of Ahsoka
It is never fun to see our beloved heroes lose, while the villains prevail. However, Erza was fortunate enough to return home and be reunited with his friends, while Thrawn will seize the opportunity to restore the Empire. Yet, who really won in the end? Who achieved the happiest ending? It is difficult to say, but it is clear that both characters have gained something at the end of the series.
Lucasfilm has yet to announce whether Ahsoka will return for a second season. Above all the crazy theories we have moving forward, there is a question not a whole lot of people seem to ask: While Sabine is stranded on Peridea, who will watch her Loth-cat?
Edited by: Anwen Venn
Photo Credit: Scholarlyhexes/Wikimedia Commons