Thoughts upon finishing an episode of The Clone Wars:
ME: I want to pet the top of Ahsoka’s head, don’t you?
MY HUSBAND: No! That’s gross!
ME: Why gross? It looks warm and smooth. Ahsoka wouldn’t be slimy.
MY HUSBAND: NO. GROSS.
*irritated silence*
ME: Well she’d probably kill me if I tried it anyway.
Ahsoka is the Sophia Petrillo of the Star Wars universe
It’s a good thing Ahsoka Tano and her pettable head is so loveable because she’s seen more action in the Star Wars timeline than nearly any other. We first meet her as Anakin Skywalker’s apprentice during Clone Wars, but her age suggests she’s not much younger than her master.
With her own live-action series on the way, Ahsoka has also popped up in Rebels, and The Mandalorian, plus a handful of canon mentions in books and video games. She’s everywhere. She’s the Sophia Petrillo of the Star Wars universe.
The timeline of Ahsoka’s life coincides with Rogue One, which means she’s eligible to appear on Andor. She outlives Obi-Wan Kenobi, so it’s entirely possible that she will reunite with him on Kenobi.
Ahsoka in Boba Fett’s Book?
Ahsoka also likely lives long enough to show up in The Book of Boba Fett, which is thought to appear after or congruent with the timeline of The Mandalorian.
As we draw closer to the premiere of The Bad Batch, it’s fair to ask what role Ms. Tano, if any, might play within it. The series is set just after the Clone Wars, during a largely missing part of Ahsoka’s story. We might see more of her here.
Rangers of the New Republic, originally thought to be a Cara Dune vehicle, might well shift to at least an occasional Ahsoka appearance.
We don’t know much about the Lando Calrissian series (Lando), but Ahsoka’s lifeline parallels his for quite some time as well, at least until the events of The Mandalorian. While we know Lando survives until the plotline of Rise of Skywalker, it’s unknown when the series is set, although rumors point to his younger days.
Ahsoka, of course, was his contemporary at the time of Solo, and it’s entirely possible their paths crossed.
Details on the feature-length film Rogue Squadron are sparse as well, but its title hints at a timeframe set in the Imperial period—perhaps after Rogue One, but before A New Hope. Luke Skywalker’s association with Rogue Squadron means that the group existed by ABY 0. We’ll find out in 2023.
Hunting Thrawn
What Ahsoka’s appearance in The Mandalorian made clear was that her mission to find Grand Admiral Thrawn isn’t anywhere near finished. The story of whether she perishes in the attempt to defeat him will likely be the focus of her Disney Plus series.
A clip of Ahsoka’s voice joining those of Jedi who had passed on was heard at the end of Rise of Skywalker, suggesting that her life ended sometime between the events of The Mandalorian and the end of the sequel trilogy.
However, as Rebels revealed with its Master Yoda voiceovers, it’s entirely possible for a living Jedi to project his or her voice to a Force-sensitive person. Whether or not Ahsoka has also acquired this ability is the question. It’s possible she could acquire it during Kenobi.
Taika Waititi is also working on a feature-length film, and it’s not out of the question for the droid-friendly Ahsoka to pop up in A Droid Story, as well as the anime-powered Visions.
In fact, the only new Star Wars series Ahsoka likely won’t appear in is The Acolyte, which is set during the High Republic—long before she was born. But I wouldn’t put anything past her.
More to teach us
Ahsoka’s growth, combined with her compassion and gradually acquired calmness in the face of a threat, renders her perhaps the most positive female role model within the Star Wars universe.
Her hard-won wisdom is on display in The Mandalorian when she refuses to train an over-attached Grogu, and despite experiencing tremendous pain, she avoided succumbing to the Dark Side when her Jedi master did not. She has more to teach us.
It began as Luke Skywalker’s universe, but Ahsoka Tano isn’t just living in it. She’s ruling it.
All Star Wars content is currently streaming on Disney Plus.