Summary
- Anakin and Ahsoka formed a tight bond as master and Padawan, with their personalities and qualities aligning well.
- Their relationship was tested during the Mortis arc, but they refused to give up on each other despite the challenges.
- Anakin's unwavering and belief in Ahsoka was evident when she was framed for a crime, leading him to uncover the truth and protect her.
With Ahsoka's premiere on the horizon and Anakin Skywalker making his return, it may leave some unfamiliar with Star Wars: The Clone Wars wondering how close the master and Padawan were. While The Clone Wars as a whole is fun and should definitely be watched to get to know Ahsoka Tano better, there are a few arcs from the show that really highlight the relationship between Ahsoka and Anakin. A few key episodes in the show's successor, Star Wars Rebels, bring the pair back together, though this time as adversaries.
It's unclear when Hayden Christensen will appear as Anakin Skywalker in Ahsoka, or what the scope of his role will be, but the show promises to feature duo together for the first time in live-action. With such a long history, it’s hard to pinpoint a particular moment that defines their camaraderie and friendship more than any other, as there are many times when Anakin and Ahsoka learned from one another and came to the rescue despite seemingly insurmountable odds. Here are seven moments that have defined Ahsoka Tano and Anakin Skywalker’s relationship in Star Wars.
7 Anakin & Ahsoka Meet On Christophsis
The Clone Wars movie set the table for the all seven seasons of the show. The film introduced Ahsoka Tano into the Star Wars galaxy as Anakin Skywalker’s Padawan, assigned to him by Master Yoda. At first, Anakin rejected the idea of having a student, believing he wouldn’t be a great teacher and that Ahsoka should instead be the Padawan of Obi-Wan Kenobi. After just a short time together, though, Anakin realized they shared many qualities, and she could benefit from a mentor similar to herself. Ahsoka was eager, reckless, and undisciplined, much like Anakin. However, those traits are among the reasons that Anakin was such a good Jedi and master to Ahsoka.
Ahsoka’s wits were pivotal in the Republic's victory at the Battle of Christophsis. Though she initially caused more harm, Ahsoka managed to save her master and destroy the Separatist shield, which allowed Obi-Wan to lead the clone army to victory. Immediately after their first, Anakin and Ahsoka formed a tight bond built on personality. From their creating iconic nicknames for one another in Snips and Skyguy to Anakin boasting that Ahsoka could never make it as Obi-Wan’s apprentice, audiences were quickly informed that the relationship would be one of the most important in the show.
6 Mortis Tests Anakin & Ahsoka's Relationship
The three-episode Mortis arc from The Clone Wars season 3 tests Ahsoka, Anakin, and Obi-Wan in ways they had never encountered before. The Son, a living embodiment of the dark side, corrupts Ahsoka and eventually kills her. Anakin’s scream when Ahsoka died is heartbreaking and shows that even though he’s a fairly hands-off teacher, he cares deeply for her. Through the spirit of the slayed Daughter, Anakin restores life to his Padawan; he never tells Ahsoka that she had died, however, as he wanted to protect her, and instead hugs her and says that she’d be all right. This arc demonstrated that Anakin and Ahsoka refused to give up on one another, even when all seemed lost.
5 Ahsoka Is Kidnapped By Trandoshan Hunters
The final two episodes of The Clone Wars season 3 see Ahsoka kidnapped by Trandoshans and being hunted for sport. Along the way, she meets Jedi younglings who were similarly captured, and together they save themselves and defeat the Trandoshans. While Ahsoka was fighting for her life, Anakin was consumed by anxiety. He felt that her disappearance was his fault, but was comforted when Plo Koon asserts that his teachings are exactly what will bring her back. When the two are reunited, Ahsoka credits her survival to Anakin's tutelage and thanks him. Though his formal response is “You’re welcome, my Padawan,” Anakin’s face is one of pride and relief to have Ahsoka back.
4 Ahsoka Is Framed For Bombing The Jedi Temple
When Ahsoka Tano was framed by Barriss Offee for bombing the Jedi Temple, Anakin was the only person who believed in her innocence. While it was heartbreaking to see Ahsoka flee her master and the Jedi while on the run, Anakin respected and understood her quest to find the true criminal. It was Anakin’s relentless drive to acquit Ahsoka that would lead him to discovering that Barriss was the real perpetrator of the bombing. If Anakin hadn’t cared so deeply for his Padawan, she would have taken the fall for a crime she didn’t commit.
The end of The Clone Wars season 5 sees Ahsoka Tano leave the Jedi Order, a shocking decision that altered the course of Star Wars history. The ordeal was seen as another step towards Anakin Skywalker falling to the dark side, and for years that’s how Ahsoka’s story ended. Ahsoka’s journey would later continue with her return in Rebels and The Clone Wars' revival for its final seventh season in 2020.
3 Anakin & Ahsoka Reunite Before The Siege Of Mandalore
After agreeing to help Bo-Katan Kryze retake Mandalore from Darth Maul, Ahsoka Tano reached out to her former master for help. Anakin’s expression when he saw her was one of shock, a rare moment he was rendered speechless. He was concerned for her wellbeing and inferred that she was back and reing the Jedi. However, Ahsoka initially came off cold to him. She still respected her former master, but was wary of the Jedi and placed primary focus on her mission. Her annoyance with the Order came to a head when Obi-Wan and Anakin’s troops were rerouted from Mandalore to save the Chancellor, who had been kidnapped on Coruscant.
Anakin, recognizing and appreciating Ahsoka’s frustration, divided his 501st legion and formed the 332nd, with clone Captain Rex given command. Anakin then gifted Ahsoka her old lightsabers, telling her he made some improvements. When Ahsoka lights them up, both of her sabers glow blue, rather than their old green and yellow-green. While Anakin and Ahsoka’s reunion is short-lived, it would be the last time the pair saw one another for over fifteen years, and the next time they met, sharing an unknowing goodbye as friends. It’s a bittersweet reunion, as just a few days after these moments, Anakin would fall to the dark side and Order 66 took place.
2 Darth Vader Discovers Ahsoka Survived
The finale scene of The Clone Wars sees Darth Vader finding the wreckage of Ahsoka’s Star Destroyer, the Tribunal. In the scene, Vader uncovers Ahsoka’s lightsaber and believes her to be dead. Vader continues to think this apprentice is gone until Rebels season 2, episode 2, when Ahsoka and Kanan Jarrus reach out through the Force to discover the identity of the attacking Sith Lord. Ahsoka recognizes Anakin's presence and becomes so overwhelmed that she es out. At the same time, Vader learns that his former apprentice lives and reports as much to the Emperor, who believes Ahsoka could be the key to finding other lost Jedi.
1 Ahsoka & Darth Vader Duel On Malachor
Ahsoka and Vader’s final meeting comes in the Rebels season 2 finale “Twilight of the Apprentice.” Gone was the playful banter of Snips and Skyguy, replaced by Vader arriving on Malachor with the intention of killing his former apprentice. Ahsoka’s insistence on avenging her master’s death is honorable, even when Vader taunts her that revenge isn’t the Jedi way. The remark leads to Ahsoka’s iconic comeback: “I’m no Jedi.” Vader would go on to beat Ahsoka, the episode leaving viewers to assume she was killed. However, Ezra Bridger saved Ahsoka in the World Between Worlds, and she avoided perishing at Vader’s blade.
The evolution of Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano’s relationship is tragic, and there are many directions it can turn in Ahsoka. Even though Anakin returned to the light, it’s possible that Ahsoka cannot find it in her to forgive him. Despite this, live-action flashbacks to the Clone Wars era are likely, which will show better days. The bond shared between Ahsoka Tano and Anakin Skywalker has become one of the most important in Star Wars, and that legacy will continue in a meaningful way in Ahsoka.
