Hayden Christensen Returns to the Star Wars fold as Anakin Skywalker in Disney+'s Ahsoka, but will it be before or after Anakin became Darth Vader? The series takes place five years after the events of Return of the Jedi, placing it directly in the same period as The Mandalorian. Starring Rosario Dawson as the title character, Ahsoka Tano, the latest Star Wars series comes from writer Dave Filoni, who is also the executive producer alongside Jon Favreau.
Dawson first appeared as Ahsoka in The Mandalorian season 2, episode 5, "Chapter 13: The Jedi" when Mando brought Grogu to her, thinking she was the Jedi he needed to entrust with the force-empowered child so he could learn to use his powers, a role later taken up by Luke Skywalker himself in The Mandalorian. However, Ahsoka appeared in Star Wars canon long before The Mandalorian. In fact, she made her first appearance in 2008's Star Wars: The Clone Wars as a teenage Padawan learner to none other than Anakin Skywalker himself.
Christensen had already been announced as returning to the Star Wars fold in Disney+'s Obi-Wan Kenobi, which takes place decidedly after Anakin had transitioned into Darth Vader, though this doesn't negate seeing Anakin out of helmet and mask when in the meditation chamber first shown in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. However, Ahsoka takes place years after Darth Vader has died, so why is Christensen returning? Star Wars: Return of the Jedi may hold the answer: in the digitally altered re-release, Christensen replaced Sebastian Shaw as Anakin's force ghost, who Luke found residing with Obi-Wan and Yoda after the empire had been defeated. With Anakin redeemed and force ghost-enabled, it would make perfect sense for the master to look after his old apprentice.
Obviously, Christensen's Anakin could return in flashbacks as either Darth Vader or pre-Sith Skywalker. However, a present-day force ghost interacting with Ahsoka could be quite compelling. Ahsoka wasn't involved in the events of Return of the Jedi, so it's uncertain if she knows Anakin's role in the resistance's victory. Just because Anakin shows up in force ghost form doesn't mean Ahsoka will welcome him. Darth Vader and Ahsoka faced off in Star Wars: Rebels, and it was made clear there was a plenty of accumulated animosity between the two. Anakin may have to win Ahsoka back if he wants to be part of her journey again.
Even so, why does Anakin make an appearance? Typically force ghosts appear when their apprentice is in need of a course correction. It's certainly within the realm of possibility to suspect Ahsoka will need guidance over the course of adventures in her own series, and Christensen's appearance would be a welcome link to the feature film universe. Not to mention, it could offer an opportunity to see a version of Skywalker not seen before: the wisdom-dropping Jedi he would have become had his path not diverged to the dark side.
Christensen's return to Anakin/Vader in the ever-expanding Star Wars TV show universe brings with it exciting opportunities to explore just how one deals with a past littered with as many mistakes as Anakin's life included. A force ghost on a path for redemption is a new concept for Star Wars and Ahsoka offers the perfect vehicle to explore such stakes. At the very least, Christensen's return to his mentee Ahsoka should be a cathartic experience for the estranged Jedi, as her master became the most feared Sith in a galaxy far, far away.