Ahsoka Episode 4 has debuted on Disney+, giving fans lots to talk about thanks to its numerous big moments. From prequel parallels to boxing robots, let’s look at what made Episode 4 of the Star Wars series such an exciting installment.
Baylan Knew Darth Vader’s Secret
While dueling with Ahsoka, Baylan Skoll spoke about how everyone in the Jedi Order knew of the great Anakin Skywalker — Ahsoka’s master. It makes sense, given he was “the chosen one” and a hero of the Clone Wars. What’s more intriguing is that Skoll states that few Jedi would live to see what Anakin became. Vader’s identity is revealed in the novel Bloodline, which takes place in 28 ABY, while Ahsoka seems to be set around 9-12 ABY, so this knowledge seems rare for this time period.
This suggests that Baylan knew about Anakin’s fall to the dark side and transformation into Darth Vader ahead of most of the galaxy. This is major, as few people at the time — and even fewer surviving Jedi — were aware of Darth Vader’s true identity. Throughout both canons, characters like Tarkin and Thrawn are implied to have deduced his identity before then, but most people in the galaxy who knew of Anakin assume he died at the end of Clone Wars.
Battle Bots
More of a minor point, but seeing Huyang engage in close-quarters combat with an enemy droid made for a surprisingly engaging sequence. The various arms popping out and smacking one another was a lot of fun, bringing to mind things like Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots and Real Steel.
Huyang’s smart play to turn off the ship’s lights to draw out Ahsoka and Sabine was a nice character moment too, showing that he’s genuinely clever and that Ahsoka trusts him and his capabilities.
Thrawn and Ezra Draw Near
Now that the bad guys have the coordinates to find Thrawn and have destroyed the map orb, it seems like a reunion is close at hand. With Sabine coming along, my assumption is that she’ll be trying to escape the others to rescue Ezra while Skoll, Shin Hati, and Elsbeth rescue Thrawn.
On the other hand, we don’t know what the two missing characters have been up to since the Star Wars Rebels finale. Whether they’ve clashed with one another or come to an uneasy truce is hard to say, but I believe we’ll be finding out sooner than later.
Do It
After fighting Ahsoka and sending her off the cliff, Baylan Skoll tries to tempt Sabine into giving him the map orb after she threatens to destroy it. At one point, Skoll utters the iconic Palpatine line, “Do it,” which was said to Anakin as he chose to kill Count Dooku at the beginning of Episode III.
While it’s a common phrase, it’s usage in Ahsoka Episode 4 has me thinking it’s meant to evoke that same moment. Skoll is tempting Sabine in the same way that Palpatine tempted Anakin throughout Revenge of the Sith, promising her she can save a loved one (Ezra) by doing something she knows is wrong (giving him the map orb). Like Anakin, she gives in, though we haven’t seen how that will turn out. This also means Ahsoka’s master and student both were persuaded by the dark side in different forms, though maybe this time, Ahsoka will be able to stop Sabine before it’s too late.
The Chosen One
Finally, it’s incredible to see Hayden Christensen don his Revenge of the Sith robes. As someone who grew up with the prequels and deeply loves them despite their many issues, I was very happy to see Christensen back with that iconic look.
I’m quite interested in seeing how this interaction in The World Between Worlds will play out, as the Imperial March sting at the end of Ahsoka Episode 4 suggests this may lead to a dark moment. Given the otherworldly nature of The World Between Worlds, it’s hard to say how real this Anakin is or what time he might be from. Either way, I imagine next week’s episode will give us all plenty to talk about in regards to Ahsoka and Anakin’s dynamic.
