Ahsoka Leaving Luke Skywalker In Boba Fett Is Massive For Star Wars
Warning! SPOILERS for The Book of Boba Fett.
The Book of Boba Fett has brought many surprises to the show's viewers, most notably Ahsoka's unexpected appearance and departure in episode 6 - a move with that has massive implications for Star Wars. Ahsoka entered the show seemingly to visit Luke Skywalker, the son of her former master. Her departure from the episode - and thus from Luke Skywalker - was a sad one, as they discussed far less that what many had hoped or expected, given her history with Luke's father. Altogether, her brief appearance and sudden exit may have a major impact on the future of Star Wars.
Ahsoka’s farewell to Luke and his newly established Jedi Order perfectly mirrors her previous departure from the Old Jedi Order in The Clone Wars, offering The Book of Boba Fett an opportunity to comment on her character development since then. Ahsoka left the Jedi Order in Clone Wars due to her disenfranchisement from the dogmatic and untrusting ways of the Jedi council, seeking a different and unique path for herself. While Luke setting up a new Order would be a perfect opportunity for her to come back to the Jedi, her decision to leave once again not only shows the depth of her character, and her unique approach to the Force, but subtly sets up the future of Star Wars in a massive way.
Ahsoka has a whole story and purpose of her own waiting in the far reaches of the galaxy, and with pivotal characters close to Ahsoka’s story, such as Sabine Wren, Ezra Bridger, and even Thrawn, who are thus far nowhere to be seen, it’s very likely they are on standby waiting to resume Ahsoka’s story. It’s a delicate way of ushering in the new, allowing Ahsoka to replace Luke in Thrawn's original Star Wars story (as told in the books), while saying farewell to the old, as represented by Luke Skywalker himself. This also allows Luke's story to focus on his new Jedi Order.
While Ahsoka doesn’t say where she is going, or what she is up to, viewers can make a strong inference. In The Mandalorian season 2, Ahsoka drops a big name when questioning the Magistrate: Grand Admiral Thrawn. While it is yet to be revealed whether or not Ahsoka has found Ezra Bridger, who initially disappeared alongside Thrawn in Star Wars Rebels, Ahsoka could either be continuing her search for Ezra alongside Sabine Wren, or they could already be working together to bring him down. Ahsoka’s appearance in The Book of Boba Fett is a welcome surprise and finalizes the setup for her future in the Galaxy.
As to why she leaves Luke and the Jedi behind, this is not only because she is off to fulfill her ongoing mission but because she technically has already left. Ahsoka hasn’t been a Jedi since mid-way through the Clone Wars, decades prior to the events of Boba Fett. She has continued to expand on who she is as a person and as a character separate from the ways of the Jedi and its code. This latter part is incredibly important for the growing storm and the ever-expanding conflict that Ahsoka is set to be the center of. Jedi are supposed to be peacekeepers, void of attachments, yet Ahsoka is not only attached to her past but also her friends, Ezra and Sabine - and, perhaps most importantly, her adversary, Thrawn. There’s a chance Ahsoka isn’t really looking for Thrawn but rather Ezra. Yet, no matter which one is true, she cannot pursue her own missions and desires from the confines of the Jedi Order.
Perhaps the most important component of Ahsoka’s ongoing story within the Disney+ shows is Grand Admiral Thrawn. A character that is currently shrouded in mystery within the live-action Star Wars shows, Thrawn has already proven himself an important component of the Galactic Empire before the finale of Star Wars Rebels. Within his own book series, Thrawn has also proven himself to be an incredibly capable commander. Ahsoka has already revealed her pursuit of the villain. While the intent of her mission isn’t yet clear, it is presumably related not only to her search for Ezra Bridger but to the plan that Thrawn has in action. Star Wars is adapting the Thrawn Trilogy to the new canon, or so it seems, and while many alterations seem to be taking place, Ahsoka is set to stumble across his plans and schemes, if she hasn’t already.
With the Magistrate "still in business" in The Mandalorian season 2 and working for Thrawn, it is clear that he has elevated himself to a higher position of power within the Star Wars galaxy. The irony of this setup of Thrawn as a villain to match Ahsoka, and no doubt a slew of other characters that have been introduced, is that Thrawn has his own villain, the Grysk Hegemony. Which of the two will end up being the bigger villain within the narrative is unclear, but the Grysks are certainly a threat to the galaxy as far as Thrawn is concerned. With Ahsoka on his trail, and Rebels already bringing his story to life, Thrawn is set to be a major threat in Star Wars.
While in Star Wars Legends Luke is front and center as the galaxy's hero to combat Thrawn’s resurgent Empire, this will not be the case moving forward. The ultimate precedent set by Ahsoka’s departure from Luke and his Jedi Order is how this ushers live-action Star Wars into new, unexplored territory. The Disney+ shows seem intent on reviving the story beats of Legends. However, they're also weaving these beats into new storylines, with fresh characters and story arcs, including live-action Ahsoka. Luke’s story is to culminate in the sequel trilogy, seemingly separate from the politics and conflicts of this inter-trilogy period of the Star Wars timeline, and with Thrawn being the key to Star Wars’ future, at least in this era, someone has to step up to take Luke’s original place.
Ahsoka lacks the restrictions of a code compared to Luke, who is naturally burdened by the evolution of his own Jedi journey. Thrawn lacks a fundamental link to the Sith, or even the Force in general, and therefore the story of him as a villain doesn’t require a hero - and certainly not a Jedi. Thrawn’s motivations more accurately make him an antagonist, and Ahsoka fills the boots of the perfect protagonist to counter him. Her force-sensitive nature makes her a powerful opponent to Thrawn, all while lacking the political shackles of a Jedi title. Ahsoka’s story is already tied to Thrawn, much in the same way it is tied to Ezra and Sabine. Where Ahsoka is going after Boba Fett’s episode 6 is unclear, but it seems to be most certainly in the direction of Thrawn.
Ultimately, Ahsoka leaving Luke and the Jedi behind again is a subtle hint to her character’s development, but more importantly the departure of the Star Wars story from its original hero. It’s a way of introducing Ahsoka and Thrawn to the center stage of the impending galactic conflict, while setting Ahsoka’s story up for the pursuit of her long lost friend Ezra, as well as the introduction of more characters previous seen in animation. Perhaps even Star Wars' video game characters can be brought into the fold. Ahsoka leaving Luke and the Jedi behind in The Book of Boba Fett is carries a lot of meaning for the future of Star Wars in general.
New episodes of The Book of Boba Fett every Wednesday on Disney+.