Ahsoka: A Suspicious Lightsaber Duel Detail May Prove A Wild Star Wars Theory True
The "Star Wars" live-action universe continues to grow as Rosario Dawson returns to bring Ahsoka Tano to life once again for her own spin-off series. While we already got a chance to meet the character in live action on "The Mandalorian," the first two episodes of "Ahsoka" introduce us to a handful of new characters, including Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) and Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno), and a few live-action interpretations of animated characters, including Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). But one character, the mysterious Marrok, has fans thinking they're anything but new, with some fans believing that it is the return of the long-lost Ezra Bridger.
In one scene, Ahsoka finds herself on a platform where she comes face-to-face with an all-black-clad villain who looks to be an old Imperial Inquisitor. During the confrontation, the two match movements and techniques with dueling lightsabers, but there are some subtle hints that Marrok is not trying that hard to dispatch Ahsoka. He seems to focus less on attacking with his double-bladed lightsaber and more on kicks and using it to block. At one point, he even destroys his most significant advantage, a droid that is fighting alongside him, evening the odds.
Of course, these are subtle observations that may be the product of fans' overthinking and desire to see the return of a beloved character. However, some clues in Ezra's character arc and ending on "Star Wars: Rebels" lend a little bit of credibility to the theory that this new nemesis is the former Jedi.
Ezra Bridger may fit perfectly
On "Star Wars: Rebels," Ezra Bridger (Taylor Gray) is an orphan who finds his way onto the rebel ship Ghost, at which time he is discovered to be Force-sensitive. He is soon taken on as an apprentice by Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus (Freddie Prinze Jr.), spends time with fellow Padawan Sabine (Tiya Sircar), and even trains under Ahsoka (Ashley Eckstein) herself. He also develops a connection to the dark side, leading fans to believe that he is likely the true identity of Marrok.
"I have a lurkering [sic] suspicion that the masked inquisitor, Marrok, is actually Ezra Bridger," u/Vector_Sigma_ shared, pointing out that the stunt performer in the suit, Paul Darnell, has a similar build to "Ahsoka" Ezra actor Eman Esfandi. While there could definitely be something to this theory, others believe that it would cheapen his story arc — Ezra doesn't necessarily have to have been swayed to the dark side after disappearing with Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen).
There's someone else it could be
Not everyone likes the idea that Marrok is Ezra. Redditor u/Darth_Neek argued, "Ezra was better than that. He was better than Luke and better than any other Jedi. He did the right thing, no matter the cost." Some fans even have someone else in mind from the past: none other than "Star Wars" Legends character Galen Marek, aka Starkiller.
Redditor u/Vegetable-Abroad3171 shared the theory before claiming that "Star Wars" big wig Dave Filoni admitted wanting to show the latter character as an Inquisitor on "Rebels" and pointing out the similarity between the names Marrok and Marek. However, many comments on the thread argue that significant changes would have needed to be made to the character to make it make sense.
Whether this turns out to be Ezra Bridger, Galen Marek, or someone else entirely, the appearance of the mysterious mercenary gives fans something intriguing to follow as the story unfolds on "Ahsoka."