This article contains spoilers for Ahsoka episode 6.
Summary
- Ahsoka introduces powerful Force-s called the "Great Mothers," who are connected to the Nightsisters of Dathomir seen in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
- The Great Mothers, similar in power to Mother Talzin, can wield Nightsister magic such as reanimating the dead and haunting specific locations or objects.
- Grand iral Thrawn allies with the Great Mothers to combat the Force, which has always been his weakness, and they may have ruled Nightsister clans across galaxies in the past.
Grand iral Thrawn during his time at Peridea, and they were the ones who summoned Morgan Elsbeth to rescue them.
Little is known about the Great Mothers at this time, but their connection to the Nightsisters of Dathomir means a lot can be deduced. The Nightsisters of Dathomir have been an establshed part of Star Wars lore since Dave Wolverton's 1994 novel The Courtship of Princess Leia, but they were changed significantly by George Lucas and Dave Filoni in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Morgan Elsbeth is the latest Nightsister in Star Wars, but the most famous is Mother Talzin, sometimes addressed as "Great Mother" herself - who offers tantalizing hints about who these new Great Mothers could be.
Ahsoka's Great Mothers Have Never Appeared Before In Star Wars History
Ahsoka introduced three new Great Mothers, named Aktropaw, Klothow, and Lakesis; names that are a riff on the three sisters of fate in Greek mythology, Atropos, Clotho, and Lahkesis. Given their rank is at least the same as that of Mother Talzin, a rival for Palpatine himself, they are likely just as powerful. This means they can wield Nightsister magick of a similar kind to the sorcery seen in Star Wars: The Clone Wars; reanimating the dead, powering up physically weaker individuals, and even haunting specific locations or objects. Grand iral Thrawn has long considered the Force his weakness, and this Force cult are clearly his way of dealing with that.
Mother Talzin Unified The Clans Of Dathomir - The Great Mothers Must Be Even Greater
Mother Talzin was the highest ranking Nightsister seen in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the so-called Clan Mother who ruled the Nightsisters and their male counterparts, the warriors called the Nightbrothers. Mother Talzin was considered a rival for Palpatine because she had successfully united the clans of Dathomir and possessed incredible power in the Force. Palpatine orchestrated an attack on the Nightsisters, with General Grievous slaughtering them shortly before the end of the Clone Wars. Jedi: Fallen Order allows players to explore the ruins of this Nightsister coven, meeting the last survivor Merrin.
Did The Great Mothers Once Rule Nightsister Clans Across The Galaxies?
According to Morgan Elsbeth, Peridea is the ancient homeworld of the Dathomiri - who rode the space whales known as purrgil to the main Star Wars galaxy and settled on Dathomir. The implication is that these Great Mothers, at least equal to Mother Talzin but potentially even greater than her, and at the very least they were likely rulers of their own worlds - if not ruling Nightsister clans across the galaxies. But this ancient connection leaves so many unanswered questions; if there used to be some sort of ancient intergalactic civilization, what happened to it? Why are there still Nightsisters in both locations? Were the Great Mothers exiled to Peridea millennia ago, locked away for the sake of galaxies, claiming they were exiled there?
Why Grand iral Thrawn Has Allied With The Great Mothers
Grand iral Thrawn has established an alliance with the Nightsisters. This is probably a defensive alliance; Thrawn was mysteriously away from Peridea when Morgan Elsbeth arrived in the Eye of Sion, perhaps implying he is fighting an unknown enemy with the help of their dark magick. There's also been intense speculation Thrawn's Night Troopers are actually undead renaimed by the power of the Nightsisters, which would explain their name. Finally, Thrawn has historically always been bested by the Force. The mystical Bendu and Ezra both are able to beat the Grand iral through their abilities to touch the Force, and Thrawn does not want to be surprised like that again. With powerful Force s on his side, Thrawn won't be as easy to catch off-guard.
How Powerful Are Ahsoka's Great Mothers?
It's difficult to say just how powerful the Great Mothers are at this point, but it is notable that they imply their power has been able to reach across the intergalactic void to "call" to Morgan Elsbeth; if that is the case, the Great Mothers must be able to expend tremendous amounts of Force energy. Luke Skywalker died projecting himself across galactic distances in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and the Great Mothers must be very powerful indeed to be able to communicate across even greater distance, albeit indirectly. They are likewise able to sense Ahsoka's approach even when she is at least a day away through hyperspace, traveling on a purrgil at phenomenal speed.
Grand iral Thrawn knows Ahsoka is coming, and he intends to use the Great Mother's magick against them. That means Ahsoka will undoubtedly show just how powerful the Great Mothers really are, when they pit their powers against a Jedi. It will certainly be exciting to learn more about them.
Ahsoka releases new episodes Tuesdays at 6 pm PT / 9 pm ET on Disney+.
