The Ending Of Ahsoka Season 1 Explained
Contains spoilers for "Ahsoka" Season 1
Creator Dave Filoni's first full live-action "Star Wars" project has come to an end with the finale of "Ahsoka" Season 1, which leaves viewers with a bunch of major cliffhangers. The core plot of the show — the search for Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi) and Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) — gets wrapped up in a decisive if not entirely satisfying way, but the real drama seems to be on the horizon. Whether that comes in a second season, "The Mandalorian" Season 4, or Filoni's planned New Republic-era "Star Wars" movie remains to be seen.
Still, there's plenty to dig into within the eight episodes of "Ahsoka" Season 1. That's especially true in the back half, as the story really picks up once all of the characters arrive at the planet Peridea in a distant new galaxy. Along the way, we get lots of "Star Wars Rebels" nods, some fun "Clone Wars" flashbacks, and a ton of new lore about the nature of the universe. All in all, it's been an eventful season, if one that stumbled at times when it came to pacing and core character development.
But what about the next chapter? Let's dig a little deeper into the ending of "Ahsoka" Season 1 and explore what really happened, what it means, and where we could be going next.
What you need to remember about the plot of Ahsoka Season 1
On paper, "Ahsoka" has two core storylines. The first is more personal and emotional, focusing on the relationship between Ahsoka herself (Rosario Dawson) and Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo). Their master-and-apprentice dynamic is meant to mirror those of past "Star Wars" stories, including Ahsoka's own relationship with Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen). Both characters have resigned themselves to lives of extreme loneliness, and Season 1 sees them slowly break down the walls they've built around themselves.
The other, bigger-picture storyline revolves around Grand Admiral Thrawn. The Imperial military genius is aiming to make his bold return to the main "Star Wars" galaxy, aided by Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto) and her Nightsister kin. Though his return could spark a whole new war, the New Republic seems willfully ignorant of the risk, preferring to live in a fantasy world where the Empire is gone forever.
In addition to these two main storylines is the journey of former Jedi Knight Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) and his apprentice Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno). At first, they seem to be regular mercenaries. But after they successfully reach Thrawn on the planet Peridea in the new galaxy, Baylan reveals that he actually has secret plans of his own. All of these arcs converge on the strange, magical planet, where Sabine finally reunites with Ezra and Thrawn prepares a mysterious cargo for his return.
What happens at the end of Ahsoka Season 1
After Sabine, Ezra, and Ahsoka are reunited at the end of Episode 7, the race to the finish is on. They know that they have to stop Thrawn, or else their entire home galaxy could suffer. Ezra builds a new lightsaber for himself in Huyang's workshop on the ship; it ends up looking just like the one his old master, Kanan Jarrus, used. Huyang tells Ezra that Ahsoka stopped training Sabine after the Great Purge of Mandalore because she was afraid she could become dangerous.
Sabine and Ahsoka reconcile, with Ahsoka forgiving her apprentice for handing over the map to Baylan and Morgan. The group is attacked by TIE fighters, knocking the ship out of commission, so Sabine, Ahsoka, and Ezra continue on wolfback. Meanwhile, the Great Mothers give Morgan Elsbeth newfound powers and the Blade of Talzin, an ancient Nightsister weapon capable of deflecting lightsaber blows. The Jedi navigate a barrage of Star Destroyer fire on their way into the Great Mothers' fortress, where they're attacked by a platoon of Thrawn's (zombie) Night Troopers.
In the climax, Ahsoka duels Morgan while Sabine and Ezra try to get aboard Thrawn's ship. Ezra manages to climb aboard, but Sabine stays behind to help Ahsoka kill Morgan. In a closing montage, we see the master and apprentice making a home among the Noti while Ezra reunites with Hera in the main galaxy, Thrawn flies to Dathomir, Shin joins a Peridea bandit clan, and Baylan continues his mysterious quest. In the final shot, Anakin Skywalker watches over Ahsoka and smiles.
Ahsoka and Sabine are trapped in the new galaxy
With a damaged ship, dwindling fuel reserves, and no hyperspace map, Sabine, Ahsoka, and Huyang are effectively marooned. They get a lucky break because Ezra had already befriended the Noti, but a bit of stability on Peridea isn't necessarily going to help them get home.
Right now, their storyline seems wide open. It could go in any number of directions. Because both Sabine and Ahsoka are such central characters, it seems unlikely that they'll stay trapped in the new galaxy forever. Perhaps they can commune with the purrgil once again to hitch a ride back to Seatos. After all, the giant space whales constantly visit Peridea and see it as a kind of holy site (or so it seems). Shin Hati probably still has a vendetta against the Jedi, and now that she (presumably) has an army of bandits at her beck and call, she could pose a serious threat.
What might be even more interesting, though, is if Sabine and Ahsoka stay in this new galaxy. There's clearly a lot of ancient Force power on Peridea, as Baylan discovers several sites of particular interest (more on that later). Ahsoka seems content to remain there for at least the time being, and it would be a lot of fun to see them exploring the rest of this galaxy in their next installment.
What's Thrawn doing on Dathomir?
Viewers may have been surprised to discover that Thrawn's first stop after returning home isn't some Imperial Remnant headquarters, but rather, Dathomir, the home planet of the Nightsisters in the main "Star Wars" galaxy. Of course, given his new alliance with the Great Mothers, that maybe shouldn't be so shocking. The planet is known to be rich with a unique kind of dark Force magic, but most of the Nightsisters were wiped out by Darth Sidious and his forces during the Clone Wars. So why is Thrawn making Dathomir his first stop?
Well, we don't yet know what's in those piles of boxes in the cargo hold of his Star Destroyer, the Chimaera, but they look strangely casket-shaped. Ezra tells Ahsoka in the Season 1 finale that Thrawn woke up the Great Mothers from some kind of slumber, and it's possible that the boxes taken from their temple contain even more witches ready to be awakened. Maybe the Great Mothers need the magic of Dathomir to resurrect their army, or maybe something else is going on. Either way, Thrawn is clearly playing with the dark arts, and the galaxy could suffer greatly for it.
On top of all this, he still has the Imperial Remnant at his back. "The Mandalorian" Season 3 revealed that the so-called "Shadow Council" of surviving Imperial leaders were mostly awaiting Thrawn's return to make their next move. But what will it be?
Ezra Bridger finally returns home
Most of the main story threads in "Ahsoka" Season 1 end unresolved, but one that does get a happy ending is Ezra Bridger's journey home. After launching himself into hyperspace with Thrawn to save his home planet of Lothal at the end of "Star Wars Rebels," the young Jedi spent a decade living in a galaxy far, far away. Now, he's finally home.
His reunion with Hera is particularly touching for those who've seen the animated series all the way through. It's also funny to see Ezra show up in a stolen stormtrooper outfit with a stolen Imperial shuttle — something he does constantly in "Rebels." Eman Esfandi's performance is an undeniable highlight of the series, and with luck, this is only the beginning of his tenure in the "Star Wars" universe. With Ezra back home at last, he could start playing a much larger role in the overarching story of the franchise.
One storyline that seems likely down the line is Ezra meeting and training Hera and Kanan's son Jacen (Evan Whitten). "Ahsoka" Season 1 shows that Jacen has a natural predilection for the Force, and it would be a cool full-circle moment to see Ezra take on his former master's son as his own apprentice.
Baylan searches for the Mortis gods
The most curious cliffhanger at the end of "Ahsoka" Season 1 involves Baylan Skoll, who wraps up Episode 8 standing on a massive statue of the Father, one of the Mortis gods. If you haven't watched "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," his final shot might not mean anything to you, but Baylan's Mortis quest could have huge implications for the "Star Wars" universe going forward.
In brief, Mortis is a magical, hidden planet strong with the Force that was inhabited by three "Force-wielders" — powerful, ancient beings. The Father represented balance, the Daughter represented the light side, and the Son represented the dark side. After a visit from Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, and Obi-Wan Kenobi goes sideways, all three beings wind up dead. But now, decades later in the timeline, it seems that Baylan is searching for the source of their power (or something close to it).
Some have theorized that Baylan seeks Abeloth, an ancient dark Force god connected to Mortis in the old Expanded Universe. Dave Filoni has already made a lot of Legends timeline material canon again in "Ahsoka," so that doesn't seem too far-fetched. Whatever his true mission, it's fascinating to see Mortis monuments constructed in an entirely new galaxy. It's just a shame that Baylan will have to be recast for the next stage in his journey, as Ray Stevenson passed away prior to the start of "Ahsoka" Season 1.
Shin Hati strikes out on her own
Shin Hati's cliffhanger doesn't have the same mythological implications as her master's, but she still ends "Ahsoka" Season 1 in an interesting place. Abandoned by both Thrawn and Baylan by the end of the season, Shin seeks out a camp of Peridea bandits and ignites her lightsaber, presumably in an attempt to win them over and become their new leader. She clearly has a lot of unprocessed rage and pain within her, which has likely only been magnified by Baylan abandoning her and Ahsoka besting her once again. But what will she do next?
As of right now, Shin doesn't really seem like the type to have some grand plan in mind. Her short-term goal will likely be vengeance against the Jedi, and since they're all trapped on the same planet now, she could attempt something quite soon.
In classic "Star Wars" fashion, Shin seems to be at a crossroads. She could dive even deeper into the dark side of the Force, bleeding her kyber crystal completely red and becoming a primary villain in future stories. Alternatively, Ahsoka could win her over, redeem her, and bring her to the light side. A pretty passionate ship has broken out among some fans who want to see Shin and Sabine get together romantically, but that would require the dark Jedi apprentice to abandon her evil ways.
A story of masters and apprentices
At its core, "Ahsoka" is a show about masters and apprentices — about what it takes to truly mentor someone, and about how we deal with the mistakes of those who taught us. Primarily, we see Ahsoka's unprocessed baggage regarding Anakin and how that baggage impacts her relationship with Sabine. Ahsoka feels guilty for abandoning her old master, but she's also terrified of what happened to him. She believes that her legacy, like his, is only death and war, and she's scared to train Sabine again because she can't bear losing another person she cares about to the dark side.
In a way, Baylan and Shin's relationship is actually the healthiest master and apprentice dynamic in the show. There's a mutual respect between them, and Baylan tells Shin repeatedly how much he admires her strength. Sure, he abandons her at the end, but more because he understands that her path leads in a different direction than his own. He doesn't want to load her down with his own issues. Instead, he chooses to equip her as best he can to go out into the world and make her own future.
Unfortunately, "Ahsoka" doesn't do a very good job of tying these threads together. There's no real lasting message at the end of Season 1 other than a vague notion that we should support and forgive the people in our lives — even when they do stupid things.
Balance in all things
Along with the theme of masters and apprentices is the theme of balance in "Ahsoka" Season 1. Prior to her encounter with Anakin in the World Between Worlds, Ahsoka is closed off and stoic. She's cut off everyone in her life aside from Huyang and seems scared — though she won't admit it — of allowing herself to get close to people again. After reliving her childhood, though, and dueling with Anakin's ghost, she emerges with a newfound peace and serenity. Even after being trapped on Peridea at the end of "Ahsoka" Season 1, she seems completely calm and even happy.
The series admittedly does a poor job of making this arc textual. You kind of have to read between the stilted lines. But the intended message, it seems, is that there's a balance between fighting for what's right and accepting the things we can't control. In the world of "Star Wars," that translates into a general faith in the Force.
The more interesting exploration of balance comes via Baylan Skoll, who belongs to neither the old Jedi dogma nor the strict Imperial loyalty of Thrawn. He wants to be something in the middle, and he trains Shin to be something even greater, but his story gets cut off abruptly before we're really able to make a judgment call on his character.
What has the cast and crew of Ahsoka said about the ending?
Due in part to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes limiting press access to writers and actors, the cast and crew of "Ahsoka" haven't said much about the end of Season 1. However, both Dave Filoni and Rosario Dawson have previously alluded to things that could be coming in the future.
Dawson clearly believes that Season 1 isn't meant to be the end. "I got my ice-packs ready to go for Season 2 and beyond!" she told Empire prior to the show's premiere. "I'm ready. I'm excited. I'm willing." Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, she said she really hoped that Season 1 would land well with fans: "That means A) we get to do more and B) we've honored the legacy of this character and this journey, and I know that's what we intended to do."
Filoni also spoke with Empire about his ongoing role in the "Star Wars" universe. While we don't know exactly what his planned "Star Wars" movie will be about, it's confirmed that it will be set in the same time period as "Ahsoka" and "The Mandalorian," likely featuring characters from both shows. Filoni told Empire, "You're looking for those moments that define an era, and that's what the films really should be about — whether it's characters coming together, or a defining moment." With Thrawn now back in the main galaxy with an army and dark magic at his side, it seems increasingly likely that he will be part of the "defining moment" of the upcoming film.
What the end of Ahsoka Season 1 could mean for the franchise
As of right now, there's been no official word of an "Ahsoka" Season 2 from Disney or Lucasfilm. The show wasn't announced as a limited series the way "Obi-Wan Kenobi" was, but it also didn't come guaranteed with another season like "The Mandalorian" or "Andor." Social media posts from official "Star Wars" pages referred to the Season 1 finale as a "series finale," but those posts were either quickly changed or deleted.
In all likelihood, Disney is still trying to figure out what to do with "Ahsoka." Lucasfilm could give it a second season, recast Baylan, and continue exploring the mysteries of Peridea and the new galaxy. Alternatively, "The Mandalorian" Season 4 could speed-run conclusions to those storylines and wrap everything up quickly in time for Dave Filoni's movie. Lastly, all three projects could happen, with "Ahsoka" Season 2, "The Mandalorian" Season 4, and the upcoming "Skeleton Crew" series all building up to the cinematic climax.
Regardless, the "Ahsoka" Season 1 finale puts some big stuff on the table. Baylan's quest for the Mortis gods (or whatever exactly he's looking for) could lead to some huge revelations about the overriding mythology of "Star Wars," and Thrawn looks ready for a major campaign against the New Republic that could involve its own new lore about dark Force magic.