Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Obi-Wan Kenobi.

The Ahsoka series, confirmed to debut on Disney+ in 2023, may see the return of Rebels’ Jedi Ezra Bridger - but he might be drastically different from the plucky hero last seen jumping into hyperspace. Anticipation has been building for the Ahsoka series since the character’s first live-action appearance in The Mandalorian season 2. This was only heightened during the Star Wars Celebration’s Mando+ panel, where creators Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni released footage from Ahsoka and confirmed Rebels’ Ghost Captain Hera Syndulla and Mandalorian Sabine Wren would both appear in the series.

Sabine was last seen in Rebels, where she and Ahsoka agreed to find their friend Ezra Bridger and the Empire’s Grand Admiral Thrawn, both of which were pulled into hyperspace after Ezra successfully saved his friends from an Imperial attack. The confirmation of Sabine’s appearance has led to speculation that Ahsoka will act as a Rebels sequel and follow the pair's pursuit of Ezra and Thrawn. Ezra was also seen on a mural depicted at the end of the Ahsoka footage shown during the Mando+ panel, further hinting that he will appear in the series.

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Throughout Rebels, Ezra was often caught between his Jedi training and a strong connection with the dark side of the Force, similar to the push-and-pull between light and dark experienced by the prologue movies and Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ Anakin Skywalker. With the help of his friends, Ezra always corrected his path, but after being left with only Thrawn as a companion (assuming he also survived), Ezra may have fallen deeper into the hold of the dark side. While it is likely Ezra will feature in the Ahsoka series, it may be as a villain rather than the Jedi hero last seen in Rebels.

Why Ezra Could Be A Villain In The Ahsoka Show

Ahsoka Tano and Ezra discuss the Force at Chopper Base in Star Wars Rebels

In Rebels, Ezra retrieved a Sith Holocron from Malachor alongside the infamous Sith Apprentice Darth Maul. Wanting to keep his friends and home planet Lothal safe, Ezra often used his connection with the dark side of the Force to access the Holocron and harness its power and knowledge. He was always guided back to the light side by his now-deceased Jedi Master Kanan Jarrus, yet without Kanan, it is possible Ezra succumbed to the dark side that has always called to him.

The isolation from his friends and the trauma of Kanan being killed by the Empire may have also compounded over time, driving Ezra to the same desperate state Anakin was in when he turned to the dark side in an attempt to save Padme. Being trapped with Thrawn over the last 10-15 years could have also impacted Ezra’s state of mind. Maybe he turned to Thrawn as a mentor and friend in the absence of his former Rebels family, or perhaps he was pushed to save himself by murdering Thrawn, something a Jedi would not condone. There is no telling how much Thrawn has influenced Ezra during the 10-15 years since his disappearance.

With the confirmed reappearances of Sabine and Hera, coupled with the thrilling cameos of Qui-Gon Jinn and Palpatine in the recent Obi-Wan Kenobi series finale, it is highly plausible that the ever-popular Ezra will make an appearance in Ahsoka. Given the uncertainty of Ezra’s journey since the conclusion of Rebels, there is no telling what his character will be like when and if he returns. One thing is certain though – if Ezra does come back as a villain, it would not be the first time a cherished Jedi hero converted to the dark side in Star Wars.

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