Ahsoka

(Warning! Spoilers for Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Ahsoka Tano are ahead.)

It was preceded by the shocking (Obi-Wan Kenobi knew that Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala were together!) and had a wasted episode (one ended with Ahsoka the Martez sisters in the same place that they started). But once the old, old Lucasfilm logo was adorning the screen (let alone the Clone Wars logo being red), we knew we were in the end game now for Star Wars: The Clone Wars – and it was exciting.

And there was a lot to take away from those final four episodes. Here are three items that I took away.

Ahsoka taught me to be kinder to the psychologically influenced

Ahoska
Commander Ahsoka Tano returns to her troops. (Image: DIsney/Lucasfilm)

The second-to-last episode of the entire series, Shattered, features clone troopers giving into their programming to execute Jedi. Ahsoka has compassion for them, knowing that they have simply been programmed. (Further, she saves Rex, getting his programming chip out of his brain.) She has compassion for the clone troopers even though some tried to kill her, too.

While “programming” may be a bit science fiction-y, I believe psychological influence, at least, is real and that someone can be psychologically influenced. Ahsoka’s example regards a larger conversation around that influence and what organizations that do it do to their members. And, how others not as psychologically influenced should regard those who are.

Ahsoka’s example in Shattered is a highly positive one. She recognizes that others have influenced the clone troopers, rather than blame the troopers for their actions.

It is true that external forces are a huge factor in molding folks.

Why was Maul hunted by clone troopers in Order 66 given that he wasn’t a Jedi?

And we’re not even asking why Ahsoka was hunted by clone troopers given that she wasn’t a Jedi, having left the Jedi Order.

(Troopers turn on Maul the moment Darth Sidious issues the order to them.)

Maul was never a Jedi. In fact, he was a Sith! And even though he decided later he didn’t like the Sith, he never became a Jedi.

The show is great and a few arcs, including the one to end the series, are incredible. But Maul having been hunted by clone troopers as part of Order 66 when he wasn’t a Jedi is a huge flaw.

Would Ahsoka have been as shocked as she was in Star Wars Rebels that Anakin is Darth Vader given that she heard when he betrayed the Jedi?

Rex; Ahsoka; Clone Wars
Image: Luasfilm Ltd.

Presumably through the Force, Ahsoka hears the moment that Anakin turns on Jedi Master Mace Windu from Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.

This has implications for the Star Wars timeline later, when Ahsoka and Vader are flying in ships in close proximity and Ahsoka learns the terrible truth about Vader’s former identity. (Except, that’s just it: did she “learn” it more then or years earlier?)

What do you think? Does Ahsoka show a good example of how to regard the psychologically influenced? Is Maul being hunted as part of Order 66 a big story flaw? Does Ahsoka hearing Anakin betray the Jedi create a plot conflict in Star Wars Rebels? Comment below!