I felt a bag of mixed emotions after the fifth episode of Ahsoka, "Shadow Warrior."
On one hand, I was obviously excited to see Hayden Christensen reprise his role as Anakin once again. Watching a live version of Anakin and Ahsoka interact was charming, especially because Ahsoka is much older at this point, as Anakin comically pointed out. Theirs quips and exchanges felt right at home, as if they didn't skip a beat all these years later. The dialogue brought such a satisfying conclusion of sorts to their arc. Fans of The Clone Wars were rewarded quite nicely, and the cool dual visual tricks were awesome in those brief, short moments.
But on the other hand, that was sort of my problem with this episode. It was too short. I wanted so much more. Normally I would blame myself because I look too into things and build up my expectations. WandaVision in particular comes to mind because I was so pumped to break down every single little possible Easter egg and blow it out of proportion. But I don't think that's what I did here. The fourth episode of Ahsoka ended with an incredible stinger, so naturally we were all hyped for what was sure to be an emotional, or as Dave Filoni apparently put it when asked about this episode, a spiritual, experience. And while it was mostly incredible and filled with deep, rich themes, a part of me is concerned we won't get any more of that, and that's depressing.
But one thing at a time. When Ahsoka first talks to Anakin after waking up in the World Between Worlds, she remembers her fight with Baylen Skol. Anakin then tells her there is still a chance for her to live.
So what exactly happened? Did Anakin save her from the fall off the cliff by bringing her to the World Between Worlds?
Even the little we've seen in the cartoons about the World Between Worlds isn't super clear. How does one even get there? In one episode, Ezra is simply there while meditating, and he talks to Yoda, who's sort of there as a Force ghost. In another episode, Ezra is physically there; he even pulls Ahsoka through a portal and brings her out from a specific moment in time (she was fighting Darth Vader and learning his true identity at the time).
Somehow in Ahsoka, though, we sort of get something in between that. Clearly the whole things wasn't just in her mind. Jacen hears the lightsabers clashing from the cliff above the water, clearly indicating Ahsoka's encounter with Anakin took place in a physical realm and not just in a dream. So how did Ahsoka get to the World Between Worlds? It's likely that Anakin pulled her into it just as Ezra did, but we just didn't see portals the way we saw them in animation. It's possible the live-action version simply shows these transitions differently. At one point, while Ahsoka and Anakin were dueling, Anakin cuts the bridge and sends Ahsoka into a free fall. But her fall seems mystical in nature; when she awakens, we are taken to a live-action retelling of a Clone Wars scene. Did she go through a portal to get there? Or was the ensuing Clone Wars scene just in her mind at this point? I would argue the latter because she is holding onto the guilt she feels for being responsible for other peoples' death, even though it was a time of war. "Mistakes cost lives," Ahsoka says.
Anakin tells her he has come to complete her training and, in true Sith form, gives her a choice in the form of an absolute: live or die.
"I won't fight you," Ahsoka says, to which Anakin replies "I've heard that before." That line seemingly is referencing what Luke Skywalker said to Vader at the end of Return of the Jedi (the Internet incorrectly brought up some lines in The Clone Wars; that was not what he referenced).
And therein is her lesson, and it's such a powerful lesson, one that is repeated throughout all of Star Wars. She can't run away from her responsibilities out of fear, and she can't let the sorrow of loss keep her from doing what is right. She blames herself for the deaths of so many clone troopers during the Clone Wars. In this show, it's implied she takes blame for whatever it is that happened between her and Sabine - whether because she didn't want to turn Sabine into a "soldier" or risk losing or any number of other reasons - which led to Ahsoka quitting on her. Jedi are trained to let go of what they love for a reason. It's not that they don't want to express sympathy or grieve, but the Jedi Order has always known that getting too close to what you're fighting can compromise your ability to make the toughest of decisions for the greater good.
Here is where it gets even better. Ahsoka is deflated at the notion of having a Padawan, but only training her in the art of war. So much is made about the Jedi calling themselves "Keepers of the peace, not soldiers," yet Anakin thought that that idea simply wasn't true (which is why the council thought he was such a risk and ultimately why Anakin was vulnerable to the Emperor). Ahsoka doesn't want to go down that path because she knows the destruction it will incur, and yet, choosing not to fight seems to be an even worse alternative. It's such a genius piece of writing that juxtaposes what is right and what is necessary, all while dealing with the emotional turmoil that goes into making those kinds of decisions, knowing full well the possible catastrophic ramifications.
When Anakin tells her to fight, Ahsoka chooses to fight because she has finally realized that choosing not to fight will only make it easier to allow evil to prevail. That's what made the timing of that shot of Hayden Christensen turning into Darth Vader as he walked into the explosion so stinking good! Ahsoka partially blames herself for Anakin's turn to the dark side because she ran away from the Jedi Order. Perhaps if she was around, she could've turned him back or kept him from turning in the first place.
The live-action rendition of a Clone Wars battle scene was fun. The little girl playing young Ahsoka didn't look or move quite right to me, but she mostly pulled off playing the character at that age nicely. The live-action clip of the Siege of Mandalore was also cool, especially when Ahsoka slashed some Mandalorians. It made sense that Anakin didn't know what was going on during the live-action version of The Siege of Mandalore. Initially I was confused because, if this is really happening, how would Anakin (who was not around for that battle) know to take her to that battle? But I don't think it's an inconsistency.
By the end of their fan-servicey tour, Ahsoka steps up and is ready to take on her responsibilities. Now, Ahsoka The White (seriously, she looks like she graduated in the same way Gandolf did in Lord of the Rings) is ready to take the Purgill and find Sabine. That was another reason I had mixed feelings. I was ready to see this new galaxy the season has been building towards the whole season. Guess I'll just wait for next week's episode. I have more anticipation for next week's episode than I've had for anything Star Wars related since maybe The Force Awakens. This show continues to impress while covering a lot of ground and appealing to the core fans quite a bit more than the casual fans (though anyone can still enjoy what's happening).