By now you have likely heard what Dave Filoni did at the Star Wars Rebels season four panel.
He wore a shirt that said Ahsoka lives?
with a question mark and after the trailer played, he had changed his shirt to say Ahsoka
lives!
with an exclamation point.
Back at Celebration 2016, Mr. Filoni already confirmed we would be seeing Ahsoka again,
but he said it might not be in the way that we expect.
So today I want to talk about what I think it means when Dave says “Ahsoka lives.”
First, to be clear, I don’t think a shirt is absolutely one hundred percent confirmation
that she survived her fight with Darth Vader.
In the press conference following the panel, he was still very coy about it all, and didn’t
even acknowledge the shirt change when he was directly asked about it.
He’s hinting at something, sure, but I wouldn’t necessarily say it means Ahsoka didn’t die.
I think it’s more likely that we will see that Ahsoka lives on in some form.
I know that doesn’t make much sense, so I’ll explain.
I do not think Darth Vader would allow Ahsoka to walk away from that fight.
In concept art for the episode, she was seen stabbed by Vader.
So I think she probably died on Malachor.
But I think we’ll see that she has found a new way to retain her consciousness or her
essence or something.
Shortly after the episode where she fought Vader, Filoni released a bunch of artwork
that he said provided hints for what’s to come for her story.
I already analyzed them in a video about a year ago, but in light of the new trailer,
I am adjusting my interpretation.
Because I think we see Ahsoka, or at least what she has become in the trailer.
In the art, I get a real sense of Ahsoka traveling basically into the underworld.
She is being guided by the convor seen in season two.
I don’t think she’s literally traveling through the depths of the Sith temple, but
rather it’s all a metaphor.
But the most important image is the final one where she is framed by a circle of wolves.
Dave Filoni openly has a huge love for wolves, and that’s been seen throughout the Clone
Wars and his wardrobe, and he always wanted to do an episode where Ahsoka rode a giant
wolf.
And what do we see in the season four trailer?
A giant wolf being ridden by Ezra and Sabine.
During our previous visit to the Lothal Jedi temple in season two, we can see artwork of
wolves on the walls.
I think the implication of that artwork is that Ahsoka is that wolf.
Now whether that means she’s been reincarnated or her consciousness is actually in the creature
or it’s just like her essence is vaguely a part of the wolf, I have no clue.
It’s also possible the wolf is like a manifestation of her spirit, and she doesn’t have a real
physical form, and she just appears to help Sabine and Ezra out of whatever dire situation
they appear to be in.
It could be any number of things, and I don’t have the answers to that.
I also don’t have the answers to how she learned to turn into a wolf.
I’m certain it has something to do with the Convor, which Filoni said was an avatar
for another being in Star Wars.
I’ve heard Stupendous Wave theorize that the convor is related in some way to the Daughter,
and I can see where he’s coming from.
The Daughter already sacrificed herself to bring Ahsoka back to life, and if her spirit
were able to survive in another form, a birdlike form, which is a form she was able to take
on, then I could see her helping Ahsoka out.
Another option I see is the Bendu.
In an interview on the Star Wars show, Filoni pointed out that wolves are seen as dangerous
animals, but also as spirit guides and that they have these light and dark sides and he
mentioned the balance of the Force, which is all very reminiscent of the Bendu.
As far as we know, Ahsoka never met the Bendu, but the first time we see that convor in Rebels
is on Atollon, and we see the Bendu with multiple convors after his introduction.
Considering Ahsoka’s neither a Jedi nor a Sith, I think the Bendu could have taken
a liking to her and then guided her through whatever underworld she had to pass through
in order to learn to retain her consciousness.
We currently only know of one way in Star Wars for Force users to live on after death,
and that’s the Force ghosts.
But Rebels, the films, and other stories have shown us more and more belief systems in the
Force.
There’s more than one way to relate with the Force, so it makes sense that there would
be more than one way to achieve eternal life to some degree.
Again, I don’t know if she has eternal life, or how much of her spirit is within that wolf,
or if she truly is a wolf at all.
I could be way off the mark, but based on the clues we’ve been given, I think it fits.
The artwork and Filoni’s comments that Ahsoka’s next appearance would be unexpected are especially
telling.
So that’s my guess.
Ahsoka is a wolf now.
If I’m honest, I think that’s pretty bizarre, but if it turns out to be true, then it’s
obvious Dave has been planning this for quite a while, and I trust the guy.
Ahsoka is his character, and even if I don’t see it right now, I think he knows what he’s
doing.
But what do you guys think?
Do you think she’s a wolf, or have I gone off the deep end?
Let me know your own thoughts and theories in the comments!
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