Dave Filoni explains why Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) refused to train Grogu in The Mandalorian. After receiving his mission from the Armorer (Emily Swallow) to reunite "the Child" with the Jedi, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) set out on a quest to find one. Before they crossed paths with Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), however, the Mandalorian and Grogu (aka Baby Yoda) found Ahsoka first in Corvus.
Introduced as Anakin Skywalker's (Hayden Christensen) Padawan in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Ahsoka's character was fleshed out across the series and its spinoff, Star Wars Rebels. Unfortunately, following a misunderstanding and mishandling of events by the Jedi High Council, Ahsoka decided to leave the Jedi Order after becoming disillusioned. While no longer a Jedi, the Togruta could have still taken it upon herself to help Din and take Grogu to train in The Mandalorian. Instead, however, she refused, sensing his attachment to his newly-found father figure in Din. However, now the real and practical reason why Ahsoka really refused to take on "the Child" has finally been revealed.
According to The Art of The Mandalorian season 2 (via The Direct), Filoni has explained Ahsoka's decision in The Mandalorian. While her actions are in part due to the show's storyline and plans to bring in Luke Skywalker, it also boiled down to Filoni's plan for Anakin's old Padawan. According to him, taking care of Grogu simply isn't a part of Ahsoka's future story. Read his full comment below:
"There were a lot of debates about [Ahsoka Tano pointing the way to Luke Skywalker]. And Jon and I went back and forth, because if [Ahsoka can't take Grogu], then who will? ... Taking care of the Child is not her destiny. That's not what I've been planning for her to do [laughs], so I can't change it up."
Filoni's answer may be simple and direct, but it makes sense. Lucasfilm essentially used The Mandalorian to debut Ahsoka in live-action version to set up her upcoming self-titled Star Wars spinoff show. Plot details for the Disney+ series are still scant at the moment, but a recent report claims that principal photography might begin in April. Ahsoka recently showed up in The Book of Boba Fett, confirming her ties to Luke Skywalker. Now, however, the character is off on her own mission. While not much has been revealed about it thus far, the fact that Ahsoka is looking for Grand Admiral Thrawn suggests that she might be searching for Ezra Bridger in her Disney+ series.
Ahsoka's decision to refuse to train Grogu herself also makes sense when considering what happened to Anakin. As her character says in The Mandalorian, "the Child" is too attached to Din, the way his old master was to those very important to him. Ultimately, Ahsoka was proved right. Even with Luke training Grogu, The Book of Boba Fett saw the creature choose to give up his chances of being a proper Jedi and join Din in his adventures instead in The Mandalorian season 3, cementing Filoni's comments that Grogu is simply not Ahsoka's destiny.
Source: The Art of The Mandalorian season 2 (via The Direct)
