Ahsoka spoilers follow.
Ahsoka on Disney+ has continued to expand on our favourite padawan-turned-knight-in-exile's adventures, teasing us with hints of her past only dedicated viewers of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels may know.
Episode four, 'Fallen Jedi', answered many questions, like who was the mysterious masked Marrok? Seemingly he was a nightbrother animated by the nightsisters of Dathomir, specifically Morgan Elsbeth – judging by the green smoke that evacuated their body after a fatal strike from Ahsoka.
It was also revealed that Sabine's family, the famed Clan Wren of Mandalore, lost their lives in the genocide explored in season three of The Mandalorian. And it's hinted Ahsoka could have possibly prevented this tragedy, adding another layer of unexplored intrigue between padawan and master.
However, all viewers were left asking the same question: how has Anakin Skywalker returned to us in the form of Hayden Christensen? Christensen previously portrayed Anakin in Episodes II and III, Obi-Wan Kenobi and a voice cameo in Episode IX.
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What to Read Next
Episode four sees Ahsoka facing off against Baylan Skoll in an intense lightsaber battle on a cliff face over the only copy of a map leading to Grand Admiral Thrawn and Ezra Bridger. Ahsoka seems distracted, is injured and eventually winds up overpowered and thrown into the hostile ocean below, presumably dying.
Sabine continues to fight, thinking her master is gone. However, she eventually concedes to Skoll and Shin Hati, hands over the map and agrees to join them on their journey to find Thrawn, in the hopes of reuniting with Ezra Bridger.
We see Ahsoka waking in a strange, celestial place and hear a familiar voice call out 'Hello Snips'. Snips is the nickname Anakin gave Ahsoka soon after their first meeting, based on his new padawan's snippy attitude.
Ahsoka turns to see Anakin Skywalker standing before her. Notably, not in the robes we see in his final appearance, but an appearance Ahsoka is likely to remember. He then reveals he didn't expect to see her so soon. Ahsoka looks confused, shocked, scared and intrigued all at once. The episode ends with Darth Vader's theme play as the screen fades to black.
But we can explain what exactly happened to our hero:
Where are Anakin and Ahsoka?
It appears they have found themselves in the World Between Worlds, first introduced in the fourth season of Star Wars: Rebels. Hold on because it gets wild.
What is the World Between Worlds?
The World Between Worlds exists within the force and links all moments in time and space together.
The pathway Anakin and Ahsoka stand on suggests they are deep within the World Between Worlds, atop an interconnection between timelines, with many others crossing behind them.
In Star Wars Rebels, we see Ezra Bridger discovering the key to the World Between Worlds, unlocking and entering it. He looks through a portal to witness the fateful fight between Ahsoka and Darth Vader, having taken place two seasons earlier and drags her into the World Between Worlds to save her life.
Ezra debates saving his master Kanan Jarrus from his death, as he had Ahsoka, but with Ahsoka's guidance, he decides against this.
Both leave the World Between Worlds, though Ahsoka later discovers another portal.
Is Ahsoka dead?
Recent Star Wars novels imply that the World Between Worlds isn't simply a place that connects time and space but possibly serves as an afterlife within the Force. So, yes, maybe Ahsoka is dead.
However, it wouldn't be her first death. Ahsoka died for the first time within Star Wars: The Clone Wars whilst on Mortis, a strange planet imbued with the Force. Ahsoka was resurrected by the Daughter, a representation of the light side of the Force, forever tying her to the Force itself.
Ahsoka's second death was in the above-mentioned battle against Darth Vader, presumably prior to Ezra's intervention from the World Between Worlds, which avoided this coming to fruition. It's debatable if she would have died in this fight, but it's safe to say we're now looking at Ahsoka's third skirmish with death.
And with four episodes left, it's safe to say this death will not be permanent.
Why isn't Anakin a Force Ghost?
In the past, we've seen many fallen Jedi return in a transparent form with a blue glow surrounding them (in fact, we saw Anakin do just this in the 2004 re-release of Return of the Jedi). However, it's likely that due to being in some sort of Force afterlife, Anakin can present himself in full.
What next?
Episode five of Ahsoka will see the creator of the character and series showrunner, Dave Filoni, return to the director's chair. Filoni is famed for exploring the mysterious and magical elements of the Force, so it's likely we'll be finding out more next week, during the fated reunion of master and padawan.
Ahsoka is available on Disney+, with new episodes releasing on Wednesdays.
