Things About Ahsoka Tano Only Clone Wars Fans Know
First introduced as a way to give Anakin Skywalker some responsibility for once, Ahsoka Tano evolved into a fan-favorite character over the course of the decade plus that it took "Star Wars: Clone Wars" to wrap up. She is Anakin's Padawan turned mysterious force user that has shown up in "Star Wars: Rebels" and "The Mandalorian" and is even getting her own Disney+ show in 2022.
Watching Ahsoka grow up has been an absolute joy — even for fans who thought she was only good for terrible nicknames when she first debuted in "The Clone Wars" movie in 2008. Who knew she would become one of the most badass — and sympathetic — Force users in the history of the franchise. However, "Star Wars" fans not in touch with the animated side of the franchise might be confused as to why this character is getting her own show. For folks interested in checking out "Star Wars: Ahsoka" that don't want to sit through dozens of hours of TV, here are the basics. These are the reasons "Clone Wars" fans love Ahsoka Tano.
George Lucas named the character and decided her role
Dave Filoni is the creative lead most responsible for the characterization of Ahsoka Tano over the years. But her inclusion in the universe is actually all thanks to "Star Wars" creator George Lucas. The big man in charge had an important character in mind that he wanted in "Clone Wars:" a Padawan for Anakin Skywalker. That character ended up being Ahsoka.
Lucas wanted Anakin to have an apprentice to explain his character development that happens behind the scenes between "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith." Giving him an apprentice would make him more disciplined and turn him from the childish teenager he was in Episode II to the slightly more mature young adult we see in Episode III.
Lucas also wanted the apprentice to be a girl to appeal to his daughters. The character's original working name was "Ashla," but this was later changed to Ahsoka by Lucas himself. Turns out a lot of early decisions about the character were made by Lucas.
She was discovered as a child by Jedi Master Plo Koon
While Ahsoka was introduced in "The Clone Wars" as Anakin's plucky apprentice with an unhealthy bloodlust for battle droids, her origins weren't explained until later. Admittedly a great deal of her backstory isn't detailed in "Clone Wars" and remains relegated to comics and other supplementary material. What "Clone Wars" fans do know is that in addition to Anakin there is another Jedi Master important to Ashoka: Plo Koon.
Plo Koon, the extremely cool Kel Dor Jedi Master that sits on the council in the prequels and "Clone Wars," is actually the one who discovered a young Force-sensitive Ahsoka Tano. In "Rising Malevolence ” we see Plo meeting an adorable child Ahsoka while on a mission to the Togruta homeworld Shili. Sensing her potential, the Jedi Master took her back to the Jedi Temple to be formally trained in the way of the Force.
Instead of the traditional Padawan braid Ahsoka wears special beads
There are many traditions among the Jedi Order of the Old Republic. One of the most visually notable is that of the Padawan braid. In "The Phantom Menace" we first see the Padawan braid on Obi-Wan Kenobi. And then again when Anakin has one in "Attack of the Clones" which he later sheds so he could change his hair style once again for "Revenge of the Sith." This Jedi tradition was upheld for centuries before the end of the Order and the formation of the Empire. When a Padawan has earned the rank of Jedi Knight they are allowed (and required) to shed the braid.
Jedi like Ahsoka belonging to the Togruta species and sporting the Akul-tooth headdress (as well as any other species without hair) are not able to braid their hair. Instead, they wear traditional Jedi Silka beads. In "Clone Wars" — especially the early seasons — you can see Ahsoka wearing the beads of a Padawan learner.
If not for Ahsoka, Chewbacca might not have been around for the original trilogy
"Star Wars" is no stranger to fan service and character cameos across generations of the series. Given that history, the character that makes an appearance In a Season 3 "Clone Wars" episode titled "Wookie Hunt" wouldn't surprise any seasoned "Star Wars" fan. Ashoka teams up with Chewbacca for a brief time in this adventure. In fact, she goes further than meeting Chewie, Ashoka rescues the Wookie from capture.
At the start of the episode, Ahsoka and a group of younglings board a Separatist dropship in an attempt to rescue what is presumably a group of prisoners. When she gets down to the rescue, it turns out that strangely enough Chewie is the only one imprisoned on the ship. The rest of the episode is a feel-good adventure where "Clone Wars" fans get to see an unlikely friendship between fan-favorites form. If not for Ahsoka's heroic rescue, Chewbacca's life could've gone in a completely different direction far, far away from the likes of Han Solo and the Millennium Falcon.
She left the Jedi Order behind in "Clone Wars"
In one of the best arcs in "Clone Wars,” Ahsoka has to make a choice between being true to herself or being true to the Jedi Order. A Hitchcock-inspired mystery leads her to shocking truths that shake her faith in the order and result in the wise Jedi leaving her master Anakin behind and forging her own path.
This was — for a short time — the show's farewell to Ahsoka. It served as an emotional send-off as well as a way to get her firmly away from the Jedi by the time Order 66 was carried out. After the show was canceled in the middle of the production of Season 6, fans thought this would be the last they'd see of the warrior.
In recent years Ahsoka has been showing up more often — most notably in the finale of "Clone Wars" after the show was rebooted for Disney+ for its final season. Rosario Dawson was the first actress to play Ahsoka in live-action, appearing in a great episode of "The Mandalorian."
She held her own in duels against Darth Maul and Darth Vader
Real "Clone Wars" fans know that Ahsoka Tano is not-so-secretly one of the most powerful warriors in the galaxy. She has fought many a treacherous villain, but Ahsoka's biggest claim to fame is that she stood her own against two of the most powerful Dark Side Force users in the galaxy. No, prequel fans, we aren't talking about Dooku. Sadly those two never fought in a duel during the seven seasons the show ran.
Throughout the later seasons of "Clone Wars," the rivalry between Ahsoka and Darth Maul (reborn and no longer Sith — now just "Maul") grows with each passing encounter. In the final arc of the series the two duel in one of the most impressive fights in "Star Wars" history.
Later on, in "Star Wars: Rebels," Ahsoka gets the opportunity to face off against her own past in the Season 2 finale "Twilight of the Apprentice." She held her own and even scored a few hits in a duel against Darth Vader. If that's not impressive, then nothing is.
Ahsoka died and was resurrected on Mortis
In another one of the best arcs on "Clone Wars," our principal trio of Jedi find themselves on the planet Mortis. In this series of episodes Ahsoka, Anakin, and Obi-Wan meet a trio of mystical Force users. Known only as the Father, the Daughter, the Son, these all-powerful characters are physical representations of the different sides of the Force; the Daughter is the Light, the Son is the Dark, and the Father is the concept of balance.
These episodes go some wild places — including Anakin having a vision of his future as Vader — but one of the most emotional moments is Ahsoka's death. In "Altar of Mortis" the Son, having fallen almost completely to the Dark side, kills Ahsoka and the Daughter. In a vulnerable moment, Anakin sobs and begs for Ahsoka's life back. In her dying breath, the Daughter transfers the last of her life force to Ahsoka and saves her.
In later episodes of "Clone Wars" (as well as on "Rebels" and "The Mandalorian") you might occasionally glimpse Morai, Ahsoka's owl-like companion. First seen on Mortis during these episodes as the Daughter's companion, Morai has been with Ahsoka since her resurrection. Fans postulate that this is could be a reincarnation or form the Daughter takes now that she is with Ahsoka always.
Ahsoka and Clone Captain Rex escaped Order 66 together
It was in the series finale arc where Ahsoka and Rex's characters were given some final resolution. These two had been the primary characters introduced in "Clone Wars" and they ultimately became the show's heroes. Over the years the young Jedi and Clone Captain grew closer and closer. When Ahsoka returned to the Republic military during that final arc, she and Rex were reunited in a beautiful moment of tribute as the clones came out wearing helmets bearing Togruta facial markings to honor her.
The duo's friendship was tested in the final two episodes of the show when Order 66 was executed. In "Shattered" (the second to last episode) Ahsoka helps Rex fight his inhibitor chip. This allows the two to flee to a surgical lab onboard the ship and remove Rex's chip permanently.
In "Victory and Death," the series finale, Ahsoka and Rex escape a crumbling Republic cruiser in thrilling fashion. In the end, Ahsoka has to make the choice to finally capture Maul or save Rex from imminent death. In a character-defining moment, Ahsoka chooses to save her friend and the two disappear into the galaxy.
She uses a special form of lightsaber combat known as Jar'Kai
When Ahsoka was introduced, she was seen sporting a standard green lightsaber. This would go on to be her primary saber throughout her life, but starting in season 3 of "Clone Wars" it was joined by another shorter lightsaber and a new combat style for the emerging Jedi.
This shorter, Mello Yello flavored blade is what is known as a shoto lightsaber. This sick addition to her style required some serious training, though. Ahsoka had to learn the lightsaber combat style known as Jar'Kai. This is a common technique for dual-wielding lightsaber users and was also employed by Asajj Ventris in "Clone Wars."
Fun fact: Ahsoka even got some personal training from Master Yoda on Jar'Kai. This is depicted in an animated short from "Star Wars: Forces of Destiny." Later on in her life, Ahsoka's Kyber crystals would change, giving her sabers different colors over the years.
She wasn't always one of the most beloved Jedi by fans
Seeing Ahsoka Tano's full arc throughout "Clone Wars" it is clear she is one of the most complex Jedi characters in "Star Wars" history. She is likable, brave, and defied all expectations to forge her own path as a force user divorced from the Jedi. The promise of a Disney+ show starring Rosario Dawson reprising her role as the ex-Jedi is one of the most exciting things a "Clone Wars" fan could ask for. But at the beginning, many of those same fans now clamoring for Ahsoka's solo show thought she was just plain annoying at first.
This was especially true after the theatrical release of "The Clone Wars." In that first movie, she was snippy (pardon the pun) and overconfident. The short movie, just shy of 100 minutes, could never convey the amount of depth and nuance her character received over multiple seasons of television. At the start, it was just "Snips" and "Skyguy" and we can't lie; We are very happy to leave those days behind.
Ahsoka most likely knew about Padme and Anakin
It is never confirmed outright, but "Clone Wars" heavily implies that both Obi-Wan and Ahsoka are a little keen on what's going on between Padme and Anakin. The secret marriage shockingly never gets exposed despite the young couple being fairly obvious about it frequently on the show. Given how close Ahsoka ends up being to Anakin — not just as an apprentice but also a friend — it's a bit of a no-brainer she would be clued into their relationship with each other.
This theory is more or less confirmed in a later "Star Wars" animated series. An episode of the short anthology series "Forces of Destiny" has Anakin and Padme trying to sneak off on a mission with just the two of them, but not before Obi-Wan sends a certain Padawan along. Things go sideways — as they inevitably always do — and the trio is forced to fight their way out of a sticky situation. In the aftermath, Ahsoka sees Anakin embrace Padme. Later, Padme tells Ahsoka that she and Anakin make a good team. Ahsoka smirks back, "I could say the same about the two of you."