The Epic Showdown: Ahsoka’s Dark Side vs Thrawn’s Ultimate Threat

Though Ahsoka never interacted with Grand Admiral Thrawn in Star Wars Rebels, she has searched for him since The Mandalorian season 2, hoping to prevent his return to the prime Star Wars galaxy.

She understands Thrawn’s capabilities as a cunning adversary, given her strengths, just as he grasps how far she will go to thwart him. Thrawn gained this insight after meeting Ahsoka’s former Jedi Master, Anakin Skywalker, as detailed in the canon novel Thrawn: Alliances.

During the Clone Wars, Thrawn and Anakin cooperated briefly on the planet Batuu while each pursued a separate unapproved mission. Thrawn witnessed Anakin’s immense power and unorthodox tactics firsthand. Later, as one of the few who knew Darth Vader’s true identity, Thrawn has now used that knowledge to taunt Ahsoka.

1. Has Thrawn Exposed Ahsoka’s Greatest Fear?

In the Ahsoka finale, as Ahsoka and Sabine pursue Thrawn’s Star Destroyer, Thrawn gloats by opening a channel to their ship before jumping to hyperspace.

During this exchange, he discloses to Ahsoka that he knew Anakin Skywalker and was privy to Darth Vader’s true identity.

Thrawn states: “I know you because I knew your master. I concluded your strategies would be similar. One wonders just how similar you might become.” The sinister implication behind Thrawn’s words is evident. He believes Ahsoka could still succumb to the dark side as her master did, which had always been one of Ahsoka’s deepest fears.

She believed she abandoned Anakin when she left the Jedi Order at the end of Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 5, forcing him on a path to darkness. Ever since, she’s lamented her time with the Order, reflecting on how, instead of being taught to become a peacekeeper, she’d only ever fought in a war, being made responsible for battles and bloodshed as a teenager.

How could she not fear becoming someone as terrifying as Vader when Anakin Skywalker, one of the bravest and most powerful Jedi the Order had ever known, also fell victim to the temptations of the dark side? How could she not be afraid to fall to the dark side when all she’d ever experienced as a child was violence during the Clone Wars, betrayal by those she trusted the most, and grief for her friends?

Ahsoka Has Already Proved She Won’t Go Down Anakin’s Path

Despite Ahsoka’s focus on Thrawn’s return, the show also explores Ahsoka’s character growth. In episode 5, “Shadow Warrior,” Ahsoka is confronted with her past, her bond with Anakin, and her deepest fears in the World Between Worlds.

Her history and legacy have long haunted Ahsoka. Since learning Vader’s identity in Star Wars Rebels season 2, she has avoided meaningful connections like with her Padawan Sabine Wren, instead hunting threats across the galaxy in a misguided attempt to atone for perceived sins.

However, Ahsoka examines how her past has shaped her in the World Between Worlds. She sees the battles forced upon her as a child and her growth under Anakin’s training and realizes she is more than she was conditioned for. While the Order and Anakin trained her as a warrior, Ahsoka discovered her empathy and kindness.

Her final lesson with Anakin taught her that although her past is part of her identity, she can change her future.

Ahsoka now knows that she is more than just Anakin’s Padawan. Instead of killing him in the World Between Worlds, she chose to live and honor his teachings. Her experiences in Ahsoka episode 5 changed her forever.

Now, she’s “Ahsoka the White,” no longer burdened by her past but instead accepting of it. She understands that Anakin’s fall to the dark side was a consequence of his choices, just as much as Palpatine’s will. She is not her master, so she can make her own choices as she embraces becoming a beacon of light in the galaxy rather than being self-destructive.

Thrawn’s Threat Was A Last Wound By A Skilled Strategist

Thrawn is a formidable foe because he is willing to exploit his enemies’ vulnerabilities. He studies their history and connections, wielding that insight to undermine their resolve.

This is evident in his tactics; he meticulously researched Twi’lek culture in Star Wars Rebels to fracture their rebellion on Ryloth. As an Imperial Officer, Thrawn doesn’t rely solely on brute force. He also employs psychological manipulation, playing mental games and preying on his opponents’ deepest fears.

Thrawn’s taunt about Anakin is intended to rattle Ahsoka’s confidence, aware she could become a formidable adversary if she returns to the prime Star Wars galaxy. Thrawn leaves nothing to chance. He will leverage any advantage, and knowing Anakin’s fate is powerful ammunition.

Although Luke Skywalker ultimately redeemed Anakin in Return of the Jedi, Thrawn could still inflict harm by exposing Vader’s identity as the Imperial Remnant seeks to expand its influence. After the Ahsoka finale, Thrawn has reaffirmed his reputation as a cunning and intimidating threat.

2. About Ahsoka

Ahsoka is an American limited series developed by Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni for Disney+.

It is part of the Star Wars franchise and a spin-off from the series The Mandalorian, taking place in the same timeframe as that series and its other interconnected spin-offs after the events of Return of the Jedi (1983), while also serving as a continuation to the animated series Star Wars Rebels.

The series follows Ahsoka Tano as she investigates an emerging threat to the galaxy following the fall of the Empire.