Hayden Christensen is returning to Star Wars in the Ahsoka Disney+ TV series - and his return may well have been set up by the comics. As the Chosen One, Anakin Skywalker was destined to bring balance to the Force. Lucasfilm has never been entirely clear just what that means, but it appears to involve the destruction of both the Jedi and the Sith, and an opportunity for the galaxy to start again.

The story of Anakin Skywalker ended on the second Death Star. There, Darth Vader turned on Emperor Palpatine out of love for his son - an act that not only redeemed him in regards to the Force, but also proved to be a setback from which the Sith never truly recovered. And yet, surprisingly, it's recently been revealed actor Hayden Christensen will return to Star Wars in the Ahsoka Disney+ TV series. That show is set five years after the events of Return of the Jedi, and while this could simply be a series of flashbacks, another exciting possibility is that Anakin Skywalker will be coming back as a Force Ghost.

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This may well have been set up by IDW's Star Wars Adventures: Ghosts of Vader's Castle. The book sees Darth Vader's old servant Vaneé attempt to resurrect his master through the dark side, but fortunately, the people he has tricked into heading to the planet Mustafar are guided at the right moment by the shimmering blade of a lightsaber shining in the Mustafarian mists. In a delightful twist, it's ultimately revealed to be Anakin Skywalker's Force Ghost.

Anakin Skywalker became a Force Ghost at the end of Return of the Jedi, confirming he had been redeemed by his act of love for his son. Star Wars: The Last Jedi revealed that, unlike in the old Expanded Universe, Force Ghosts can manifest for decades after their deaths, and they have the ability to manipulate the natural world around them. In the case of Star Wars Adventures: Ghosts of Vader's Castle, Anakin clearly allowed others to see his lightsaber blade when they needed to, further suggesting a Force Ghost can show itself to anyone - not just family members or even those strong in the Force. Meanwhile, it also hints Anakin's Force Ghost is striving to continue redeeming the legacy of Darth Vader, ensuring a group of people survived his old servant.

Anakin Skywalker's Force Ghost could be pursuing the same agenda in the Ahsoka Disney+ TV series, and it would make sense for him to ally with his old apprentice. This would allow him to heal the relationship he had with Ahsoka, which came to a head during Anakin's time as a Sith Lord when the two battled on Malachor in Star Wars Rebels, and - after the power-up Force Ghosts received in Star Wars: The Last Jedi - he would be a powerful ally indeed. Star Wars has always been a transmedia initiative, and it would be exciting to see these threads tie together.

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