The Life of Ahsoka Tano

Happy Ahsoka Tano Day! Eighteen years ago today, Ahsoka Tano first appeared in promotional material for STAR WARS: The Clone Wars. Which later came out on August 15, 2008. Introducing Anakin Skywalker’s padawan, and soon-to-be beloved Star Wars character. While the original intention of Ahsoka may not have been canon to the world (or galaxy) of Star Wars at the time, there is no question that she is canon now, and not going anywhere anytime soon. Thank the maker.

To celebrate, we’re breaking down the life of Ahsoka in chronological order. While this is not an exhaustive list of every appearance she has made, it touches on some key moments, and reminds us just how important she is in this ever-growing galaxy.

Ahsoka Tano is voiced by Ashley Eckstein, Played by Rosario Dawson, and created by George Lucas and Dave Filoni. Loved by all.

Tales of the Jedi, Episode 1: Life and Death (2022)

36 BBY, Ahsoka is born on the planet Shili. Her species is Togruta, and she shows force sensitivity as a baby. While with her mother, as an infant, they suddenly came face to face with a sabretooth tiger-looking creature. Despite Mom’s best efforts, Ahsoka is taken by the tiger, and Ahsoka bonds with it. Then rides back to her village. When the mother questions how this was possible, the old wise woman in the village says, “Ahsoka is a Jedi.”

Clone Wars Movie (2008)

Anakin Skywalker is assigned a padawan sent by Yoda, and he’s none too pleased about it. It’s Ahsoka! This is the first time Star Wars fans ever met the young Togruta. Together, Anakin and Ahsoka rescue Jabba the Hutt’s son, Rotta, despite Dooku and Asaj Ventress’e’s attempts to stop them. The duo was trying to make Jabba the Hutt think the Jedi had kidnapped his son, to try and get Jabba on the side of the separatists. In the end, despite Anakin not wanting a padawan, they work well together, save Rotta, and begin to bond as master and padawan.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the series (2008-2020)

Of the 133 episodes, Ahsoka Tano showed up in 70 of them. This series takes place between Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. However, the last 4 episodes take place simultaneously during Episode III, and are best viewed like so.

In this series, Ahsoka and Anakin grow close. He affectionally calls her “Snips,” and she calls him “Skyguy.” As evidenced by the name of the series, they are in the middle of the Clone Wars. Ahsoka is often fighting alongside a clone trooper, Captain Rex. Who can actually be seen on Endor during Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (some may disagree, but it’s canon to me).

While she earns the respect of the clone army by fighting off General Grievous, she also makes some big mistakes. During her battle as commander, Ahsoka ignored a direct order to retreat, which cost many lives she was responsible for. This taught her more than anything someone could have told her. 

The voice of Ahsoka, Ashley Eckstein, and other Clone Wars voice actors will be at MEGACON Orlando this year

Throughout the series, Ahsoka doesn’t just learn battle strategies. She also knows quite a bit about politics thanks to Padmé Amidala. Who also helped her see the human side of the separatists. The skills she picked up helped her in many different situations, such as when she was kidnapped by Trandoshans and led a revolt. A revolt where she met Chewie! She also learned to be a teacher. Alongside some Jedi younglings, she and Professor Huyang (the droid in Ahsoka, voiced by David Tennant) went to Ilum. On Ilum, the younglings learned that their kyber crystals in their lightsabers call to them. 

Despite all the good she had done, when she was framed for bombing the Jedi Temple, it seemed all the Jedi believed she had done it, except for Anakin. She was determined to prove her innocence. Despite Anakin’s pleas, the Jedi kicked Ahsoka out. Anakin never gave up and did prove her innocence, but it was too late, as Ahsoka did not want to come back. This was just one of many situations that led Anakin to question the Jedi and lean to the dark side

As Ahsoka ventures into the galaxy as a citizen, she decides to live a quiet life in secret. This doesn’t last long. She teams up with Bo-Katan Kryze. They had previously met when Bo-Katan was on Death Watch, and Ahsoka was a Jedi. There were more enemies than friends then. However, they both quit those groups and teamed up because they had a common enemy. The enemy of my enemy is my friend… Darth MAUL! 

The Last 4 Episodes of STAR WARS: The Clone Wars (2020)

Again, these 4 episodes take place during the events of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. For a full guide on how to properly watch time-wise, click here.

Anakin and Obi-Wan finish up a mission on Yerbana, when Anakin gets a notification that someone named Fulcrum is using his frequency. They think it’s Saw Gerrera, but it’s AHSOKA! Skyguy is thrilled and shocked to see Ahsoka. He learns the reason for the call is Darth Maul. Anakin believes this is fate as to why Ahsoka left the Jedi. It was so they could finally take down Maul, for good. 

Ahsoka does not greet Anakin as warmly as he does her. When the clone troopers see Ahsoka, they salute her, as if she never left the order. We then get an adorable scene where many of the troopers have donned their helmets Ahsoka style. Anakin then gives her back her 2 lightsabers. 

As they await approval to go to Mandalore and help Bo, they get a notice that General Grievous has attacked Coruscant. Obi-Wan favors Coruscant over Mandalore, and Ahsoka is not happy about that. As a result, Anakin promotes Rex and has him take some troopers with Ahsoka. Before taking off, Obi-wan does give the heads up that he killed Maul once,  and it didn’t stick, so maybe capture him this time instead. 

The battle begins on Mandalore. Ahsoka finds Maul, who was hoping for KENOBI!!! Maul tells Ahsoka that soon the Jedi and the Republic will no longer be the controlling interest in the galaxy, and that Darth Sidious will take over. He then manages to escape. Ahsoka learns the Jedi have heard of this, but since Dooku is dead, they can’t get more info.

Obi-Wan then tells Ahsoka that Anakin has been spying on Palpatine, which she knows he doesn’t like. Suddenly, Maul and Ahsoka can sense the shift in the dark side when Anakin turns to Palpatine. After an epic battle, Ahsoka captures Darth Maul. However, there is no time to celebrate as Ahsoka is surrounded by clone troopers, and Order 66 has just been executed. 

We see Rex shake, trying to fight the command. Find FIVES, he says. With that info, Ahsoka frees his mind, and they try to save the other troopers. As the ship goes down, Rex and Ahsoka escape most impossibly ever. Cut to Rex glancing over at Ahsoka, who stares at a graveyard of clone troopers she fought next to for years. Many of whom had paint on their helmets to honor her. She drops her lightsaber.

The last scene takes place after the credits have rolled for Episode III. We see Stormtroopers, not clone troopers. They’re surrounded by snow and the wreckage from the crash that Ahsoka and Rex survived. Darth Vader shows up. He finds Ahsoka’s lightsaber and lights it up. He stares at the bird…commonly seen with Ahsoka, and walks away. Then, a close-up of an Ahsoka-painted clone trooper helmet shows the reflection of Vader as he walks away.

Tales of the Jedi- Episode 5, Practice makes perfect (2022)

This story takes place during the Clone Wars series. Ahsoka is still training as a Padawan of Anakin. As Obi-Wan and Anakin observe her progress, Obi-Wan praises her talents and skills. However, Anakin is not being complimentary. He thinks she’s too good for the padawan test, so he decides to properly challenge her.

Together they go and meet Captain Rex and some clone troopers. She must defeat them all. She keeps getting knocked out, and Anakin explains this is the best way he can protect her… to prepare her. She gets better… and then Rex knocks her out. Cut to the day Order 66 was executed. Rex and Ahsoka go up against the same clone troopers who, years ago, trained her…. And Rex tells her, “Let’s hope all that training pays off.” So in the end, Anakin did save her.

TALES OF THE JEDI Episode 6 – Resolve (2022)

Bail Organa and Mon Mothma are at the funeral of Padme Amidala. Ahsoka is there, too, but she is hiding. Bail tells her she shouldn’t have come, and there was nothing she could have done. But Ahsoka says Padme was her friend. Bail then gives her something for Ahsoka to be able to contact him if she ever needs to…She goes back to her ship, where Rex is waiting. They fly off.

Ahsoka the novel by E.K. Johnston

Alone and trying to live a normal life, she goes by the name Ashla. As “Ashla” is hiding, she makes friends and a life for herself, only to have the empire show up. She then, of course, finds herself fighting the empire as they try to ruin the planet she is living on, as they drain the planet’s resources to make food tablets for their military. Given no choice, she ends up showing her Jedi powers, making her a target. 

Senator Bail Organa is looking at a report about this planet, as he heard about the Jedi. Leia is in the room, and this had to be relevant as he knows she may soon exhibit the same powers. He deletes the report and contacts Captain Raymus Antilles to get R2-D2 for a mission. Meanwhile, the Inquisitor known as the Sixth Brother is looking for this Jedi. When he finds Ahsoka, she wins, he dies, and she takes his red lightsabers, mediates and heals the crystals, turning them white. So… now she has 2 white light sabers again. 

As things settle, Bail tells her he’s putting together a rebellion. She tells him her new friends want to join, and she realizes she can’t just hide. So she’s down, especially when he says he wants to protect force-sensitive kids. Senator Organa inducts Ahsoka into the Rebellion, and she tells him to call her Fulcrum.

STAR WARS Rebels (2014 – 2018)

The Rebels are working with “Fulcrum.” She is providing info to the Ghost Crew, and she shows up in person in season 1, episode 15. Her first of 14 episodes in this series. 

While fighting with the ghost crew against the empire, Ahsoka senses something strong. She and Kanan together reach out to the force, as Ezra says he feels it! Cold, dark, strong… then we see Vader say, “The apprentice lives.” Ahsoka screams and passes out. When she comes to, she claims she doesn’t know who it was, but it seems she may be in denial. 

Later, as Rex is also working with the ghost crew, he and Ahsoka have a reunion. She then takes off on a familiar mission with the rebels. They’re going to rescue force-sensitive younglings before the inquisitors get them… something Ahsoka did with Anakin at one point in Clone Wars. They rescue the kids. Woohoo! 

As Kanan, Ahsoka, and Ezra struggle to figure out how to defeat these inquisitors, and essentially Vader, Ahsoka mentions that this would be a time in the past that she would seek out Obi-Wan or Yoda for advice. Kanan responds… let’s go ask Yoda! So they go to a Jedi temple because last time they were there, Yoda reached out to them. So the 3 decide to mediate and hope it happens again. Ahsoka has a vision about Anakin, asking Ahsoka where she was when he needed her. In the vision, he turns into Vader. They do make contact with Yoda, who tells them to go to Malachor.

CELEBRATING Star Wars at Walt Disney World

Ahsoka gives Rex an update, and he’s very concerned about Ahsoka, prompting Ezra to wonder. Then we learn Malachor is off limits to Jedi. Once they arrive, Ezra touches something he shouldn’t, and they fall into a Sith temple. Their goal is to learn about their enemy to defeat them. They’re attacked by an inquisitor who is hunting a shadow. The shadow being, Darth Maul, who now claims he is simply Maul. 

Vader shows up. Ahsoka tells him, there’s no way he could be her master because he is so cruel. Vader says he destroyed Anakin Skywalker, to which Ahsoka says she’ll avenge his death. He then replies that “Revenge is not the Jedi Way.” To which his former padawan responds, “I am no Jedi.”

They go saber to saber… she hears Anakin’s voice as his helmet gets hit, and suddenly she is in a void… a space between spaces. Turns out, an Ezra older than the one she was just with pulled her into the world between worlds to save her. Palpatine suddenly finds them in there and tries to grab Ezra, so they run in different directions to different portals as Ezra tells Ahsoka… FIND ME! She says she will.

The finale shows her and Sabine taking off. This happens after Ezra disappeared with Thrawn to save everyone else… and that takes us to The Mandalorian.

The Mandalorian – Season 2, episode 5: The Jedi  (2020)

Ahsoka is in the city of Calodan on the forest planet of Corvus because Morgan Elsbeth is there, and her master is Grand Admiral Thrawn. That is who disappeared with Ezra, whom Ahsoka promised she would find. Meanwhile, Din Djarin is looking for a Jedi to return “the child” to, and Bo-Katan tells him where to find her.

Ahsoka bonds with “the child” and tells Mando his name is Grogu. She also explains what happened to him during Order 66. Ahsoka tests Grogu and decides he’s just too attached to Din Djarin. Despite his helping her to arrest Elsbeth, she can’t train Grogu. She says she’s seen what having attachment feelings can do to a fully trained Jedi, so he should just let Grogu’s power fade. However, she does send him to the planet Tython. There’s a strong connection to the force there, and Grogu can reach out through the force and find another Jedi. “May the Force Be With You.”

The Book of Boba Fett – Episode 6: From the Desert comes a Stranger (2021)

This was more of a cameo than anything. We see Ahsoka with R2-D2, and she makes a comment about Luke being like his father as he tries to train Grogu. More than anything, this scene felt like it was showing Ahsoka fans that her story as Anakin Skywalker’s padawan is now truly canon to the Star Wars universe.

STAR WARS: Ahsoka (2023)

I’m going to keep this part brief. However, if you want to dive deeper into the live-action Disney+ Ahsoka, check out the article Travis dropped this morning by clicking here.

So we start with basically a live-action version of the end of Star Wars Rebels. Ahsoka and Sabine (now master and Jedi apprentice) want to save Ezra; however, they are also concerned that a return of Thrawn will usher in the recently defeated Empire. They want Morgan Elsbeth (from The Madanlorian) because they think she will lead them there. After some chaos and Sabine getting kidnapped, Ahsoka ends up in the world between worlds again. While there, she sees Anakin. He’s there to finish her training. “One is never too old to learn, Snips.”

We get some kickass flashbacks, as Anakin once again trains his padawan for what’s to come. After her training, she gets Sabine back and then rides a pod of purrgils to the planet where Ezra and Thrawn are. Ezra has become one with the locals, and Thrawn continues to be Thrawn. He bombs the purrgils with the help of some witches, causing their landing to be anything but smooth. Ahsoka finally keeps her promise and finds Ezra.

Ahsoka ends up defeating Morgan Elsbeth (again), but Thrawn escapes with a stowaway… Ezra, who makes it back to Hera and Chopper. However, Ahsoka and Sabine are now stranded. But not before Thrawn tells Ahsoka via comms that he knew her master, and concluded she would behave similarly. He then comments that she may end up like him, and leaves it with “Long Live the Empire.” 

Then we close with Anakin’s force ghost watching over Ahsoka and Sabine. To be continued in season 2.

Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker

When Ray hears all the Jedi, Ahsoka is one of them!!! Even if she is no Jedi, she’s still one with the force and the force is with her.

For more from Lauren, check out ‘Hops GEEK News.’

What’s your favorite Ahsoka Tano moment? Let us know!