Warning! This article contains spoilers for Ahsoka episodes 1 and 2.
Summary
- The Ahsoka show retcons elements of Star Wars Rebels, bringing previously animated characters into live-action and changing the established timeline.
- Sabine and Ahsoka's part of the Rebels epilogue is split in two, with changes to Sabine's appearance and reaction to Ahsoka's arrival.
- Ahsoka reveals Sabine has settled into civilian life and focuses on finding Thrawn, while Sabine's priority is still finding Ezra. Rebels' epilogue sets Sabine up as the leader, but Ahsoka takes a more central role in Ahsoka.
The Ahsoka show has retconned elements of Star Wars Rebels’ ending and epilogue, necessitated by changes to the canon that have been implemented since Rebels ended five years ago. Ahsoka acts as a direct sequel to Rebels – it has brought characters that were previously only seen in animation into live-action for the first time since the Ghost crew overwhelmed Grand iral Thrawn on Lothal in the Rebels finale and the Empire was defeated in its entirety in Return of the Jedi. However, Ahsoka also works as a pseudo-sequel to The Mandalorian (and technically, The Book of Boba Fett), forcing Ahsoka to change the previously established timeline.
Ahsoka is part of the so-called Mandoverse, a portion of the Star Wars timeline on Disney+ that explores the galaxy’s history in the New Republic Era. During this time, the galaxy is still recovering from the Empire’s dictatorial reign, as the New Republic struggles to maintain order and prevent another war. It is because of Ahsoka’s connection to The Mandalorian and the show’s core purpose of setting up Grand iral Thrawn as the new overarching villain in the Star Wars universe that Rebels’ ending and epilogue were forced to change. While many of these changes may seem minor, they might have bigger implications for the story moving forward.
9 Ezra Left A Private Message To Sabine In Star Wars Rebels' Ending
In Star Wars Rebels’ series finale, “Family Reunion – and Farewell,” the young the Mandalorian Sabine Wren on a different hologram communicator.
In the original hologram from Star Wars Rebels, Ezra says to Sabine: “, I’m counting on you,” echoing a sentiment he had said to her earlier in the finale episode. In the new hologram in Ahsoka, he says, “As a Jedi, sometimes you have to make the decision no one else can,” and “I’m counting on you to see this through.” Sabine and Ezra were always close – best friends, and now, Ezra’s holo message confirms that he thought of her as a sister. Ezra leaving a private message for Sabine reiterates why she’s so desperate to find him, and why she’d set off with Ahsoka Tano to do so despite their current differences.
8 Sabine & Ahsoka's Star Wars Rebels Epilogue Has Been Split In Two
Essentially, Sabine and Ahsoka’s part of the epilogue has been split in two. The first shot of Rebels’ epilogue sees Ahsoka’s T-6 shuttle, escorted by two X-wings, flying over the communications tower and towards Lothal’s Capital City as Sabine looks on. This shot is recreated in Ahsoka with a few major differences: Sabine’s hair is long instead of short, she’s not wearing her Mandalorian armor, and her reaction to Ahsoka’s arrival differs from her reaction in Star Wars Rebels.
While the first half of Sabine and Ahsoka’s Rebels epilogue is shown in Ahsoka episode 1, the second half isn’t shown until the final scenes of episode 2. Now, Sabine has once again cut her hair and donned her Mandalorian armor, mirroring her look from Star Wars Rebels’ original epilogue, and she meets up with Ahsoka at Sabine’s family mural. This is all very similar to the actual Rebels epilogue, but splitting the sequence in two does indicate a major change to the Star Wars timeline.
7 Ahsoka Reveals Sabine Has Settled Into Civilian Life
In Ahsoka, Sabine is first introduced with long hair, wearing civilian clothing instead of her Mandalorian armor. During her time with the Rebellion, Sabine was always clad in her armor, ready for a fight at a moment’s notice. The change in wardrobe and hairstyle signifies Sabine’s new role in the galaxy after the Empire’s defeat. Presumably, Sabine’s change in attire happened after she and Ahsoka split from each other as master and apprentice. So if she isn’t fighting for the Rebellion as a Mandalorian, and she isn’t training to be a pseudo-Jedi, who is she? A civilian, free to live her life as she pleases. That doesn’t mean, however, that she was entirely content. She clearly still misses Ezra, haunted by his disappearance in her dreams.
6 Sabine Has A Very Different Reaction To Seeing Ahsoka's Ship
It’s not just Sabine's civilian clothing and the longer hair that represent a big change in how Ahsoka adapted Rebels’ epilogue. The way Sabine glances at Ahsoka’s approaching ship is very different, too. Instead of looking determined because she’s prepared to embark on an important mission, Sabine views Ahsoka’s ship with a look of skepticism, perhaps even annoyance. Sabine’s reaction to Ahsoka’s ship speaks volumes about their dynamic in the Ahsoka show. While they do end up working together again, Sabine may always be somewhat apprehensive given their rocky past.
This change affects a parallel in Star Wars Rebels, too. In the epilogue, just before Sabine sees Ahsoka’s ship arrive, she looks at Lothal’s plains and newly revitalized Capital City from the communications tower with a look of longing. This paralleled a scene with Ezra Bridger in Rebels’ pilot episode “Spark of Rebellion,” as he, too, looked out over Lothal from that same tower with a forlorn look in his eye. Though this effective parallel between Sabine and Ezra is now less impactful because of the retcon, this may have been done with purpose. The Ahsoka premiere focuses on parallels between Sabine and her previous mentor, the Jedi Kanan Jarrus, instead, drawing attention to her relationship with him, perhaps as a way of honoring his memory.
5 Ahsoka's Lothal Is In Better Repair - Signifying A Change In The Star Wars Timeline
When Ahsoka and Sabine meet each other by the mural to set off on their journey to find Thrawn and Ezra in Ahsoka’s second episode, the tower they find themselves in is pristine. In the original Rebels epilogue, however, there is still damage to the structure and rubble piled up by the entrance. This would indicate a change in the timeline. Where Rebels’ epilogue likely took place nearer to the defeat of Grand iral Thrawn on Lothal and the events of Return of the Jedi, Ahsoka seems to take place a good few years later, after the city has had ample time to rebuild and clean up all damage sustained from the battle against the Empire. As such, it’s currently unclear how long Ezra (and Thrawn) have been missing.
4 Ahsoka Is Yet To Become Ahsoka The White
In the Rebels epilogue, Ahsoka is wearing a resplendent white robe and carrying a simple, yet elegant staff when she meets Sabine by the painted mural. In Ahsoka, the former Jedi is in her usual gray outfit, carrying only her lightsabers at her hips. This, of course, also represents a significant change to the timeline. Ahsoka’s Gandalf-like transformation has been discussed many times in the lead-up to the Ahsoka show, where her change from “Ahsoka the Gray” to “Ahsoka the White” could symbolize her overcoming her most arduous trial – surviving a duel with Darth Vader and learning of his true identity – and gaining more knowledge of the Force by coming into with the World Between Worlds.
While the audience didn’t truly get to see how these events affected Ahsoka’s transformation in Rebels, this journey will, presumably, now be shown in the Ahsoka show. While Ahsoka not wearing white in this particular scene is a big retcon, it will be better for her character development in the long run. Ahsoka may no longer be a Jedi, but this journey she’s about to embark on may make her something more. Rather than see the end result alone in Rebels, Ahsoka's journey in Ahsoka will likely tell the transformative tale of the former Jedi becoming "Ahsoka the White."
3 In Rebels' Epilogue, The Focus Is On Finding Ezra - Not Thrawn
Sabine’s narration over the Rebels epilogue makes it very clear that her and Ahsoka’s focus is on finding Ezra, not Thrawn, despite them disappearing together. Ezra was always “counting on [Sabine] to see it through,” and Sabine takes that to mean she needs to be the one to locate him. There is no mention of Thrawn in the original epilogue at all. It’s all about bringing Ezra home to his family, where he belongs.
In Ahsoka, however, the focus is on finding Thrawn before his ally Morgan Elsbeth can initiate another war between the New Republic and the Imperial Remnants. Locating Thrawn would logically lead to Ezra, or at least clues to his whereabouts, a bonus of sorts in the grand scheme of things. This change was necessary because of Ahsoka’s first live-action appearance in The Mandalorian season 2; her encounter with Elsbeth and asking about Grand iral Thrawn’s whereabouts led to this retcon.
While Ahsoka is mostly intent on finding Thrawn – despite her promising to find Ezra after he saved her in the World Between Worlds – Sabine’s focus is undoubtedly on finding Ezra. She understands the potential consequences of another war, but she wants her friend back more than anything. Ezra is presumed dead by Sabine and Hera Syndulla, but the star map Ahsoka locates makes finding their friend equally important as halting Thrawn's return.
2 Rebels' Epilogue Sets Sabine Up As The Leader, Not Ahsoka
The focus being on Thrawn and not Ezra also led to another change. In the Rebels epilogue, it’s implied that Sabine is the one who decided to go after Ezra, and Ahsoka is there to help because she promised she would. In the epilogue, Sabine says, “One day, I realized there was more to it. There was something else I was meant to do... Ezra is out there somewhere, and it's time to bring him home.” She’s initiating the quest to find him, coming to a new understanding of his cryptic words.
Now, however, Ahsoka’s the one who brings up the possibility of finding Ezra because she has found a map to Thrawn, going to Sabine for help in cracking it. The dynamic has been flipped around. This change isn’t entirely surprising, however. The show is called Ahsoka, after all. The Ghost crew might be an integral part of the story, but she is still the titular character, and as such, must be more important in moving the plot forward.
1 Huyang Has Been Added To Ahsoka & Sabine's Quest
Another major retcon to the Star Wars Rebels epilogue is that the ancient droid Huyang will be ing Ahsoka and Sabine on their quest. While this doesn’t necessarily change the story, his presence will alter their dynamic during the trip and also reinforce the idea of Sabine being Ahsoka’s apprentice. He instructed younglings on how to construct their first lightsabers for centuries while the Jedi Order still existed, and helped them understand their place in the galaxy. Perhaps he can do the same for Sabine as she struggles with her identity. Is she a Jedi Padawan – albeit one without a natural affinity for the Force – a Mandalorian, a rebel, or something new?
While some of these Star Wars Rebels retcons are more major than others, they all add to the story currently being explored in Ahsoka. Ahsoka’s journey as a former Jedi, Sabine’s place in the world, and Ezra’s fate are all affected because of these changes. Many were necessary, though, to keep the show in line with the new canon established by Disney+. If Ahsoka is to be part of the Mandoverse and integral to setting up the Heir to the Empire storyline, then there’s no getting around changing a few key moments from Star Wars Rebels’ epilogue.
Ahsoka releases new episodes Tuesdays at 6pm PT / 9pm ET on Disney+.