Ahsoka May Confirm Anakin Is A Different Kind Of Force Ghost - With Sith Powers?
Contains spoilers for "Ahsoka," Season 1, Episode 5 – "Part Five: Shadow Warrior"
This week's episode of "Ahsoka" gave fans the reunion they've been waiting for, with Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson) coming face to face with her former master, Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen). Although it's unclear how this confrontation came to be, with the World Between Worlds and the Force working in mysterious ways, Anakin, or at least a version of him, was able to return for one last training session with his former padawan.
Naturally, most "Star Wars" fans would assume the Jedi's return comes as a Force ghost, but not in the traditional sense. Typically, a Force ghost appears with training in mind, with Jedi returning to teach their former padawans a valuable lesson, as is evident with Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) in "Obi-Wan Kenobi" and Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) in "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker." Viewers see Anakin helping Ahsoka beat Darth Vader and accept her past, but doing so in a way that only Sith typically can.
Generally, projecting a Force ghost is a Jedi-only ability, but some Sith learned a similar power, allowing them to reappear in and interact with the physical world. While Luke's Force ghost could interact with the physical world too, its something fans typically associate with the Dark Side. Anakin's return comes with violence, as he physically fights Ashoka, something that most Force ghosts wouldn't be capable of. Given his relationship with both sides of the Force, it seems likely the Jedi tapped into his Sith abilities to complete Ahsoka's training, making him a much different Force ghost than "Star Wars" fans are used to.
Anakin's Force ghost has always been contentious
To become a Force ghost, a Jedi must become one with the Force at the time of their death. "Star Wars" has depicted this a few times, with Obi-Wan Kenobi's (Alec Guinness), Yoda's (Frank Oz), and Luke Skywalker's (Mark Hamill) bodies all disappearing as they enter the spiritual world. However, Anakin Skywalker's (Hayden Christensen) Force ghost has always been a bit controversial, as we never see his body disappear despite returning as a spirit at the end of "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi."
"Star Wars" has tried to fix this plot hole a few times. The legends-era book "The Rise and Fall of Darth Vader" revealed that Obi-Wan returned to Anakin as he was dying, helping his former padawan to become one with the Force in his final moments, which let him return as a Force ghost on Endor. However, technically, that explanation is no longer canon to "Star Wars" lore, with the canon book "Star Wars: The Story of Darth Vader" simplifying how Anakin became one with the Force, stating that his body disappears after he died, just off-screen.
Considering the canon explanation, it's not outrageous to assume Luke only burned Darth Vader's armor at the end of "Return of the Jedi," as Anakin's body had already disappeared. It's clever retconning on Lucasfilm's part, making Anakin's death fall in line with other Jedi, which allows him to return as a Force ghost in "Episode VI" and "Ahsoka," even if he uses some of his Sith powers to do so.