Audiences were quite familiar with Anakin Skywalker by the time Star Wars: The Clone Wars (the animated feature film, then the five season television series) premiered, having already watched his rise, fall, and redemption over the course of the first six Star Wars films. But as The Clones Wars revealed, there was still an important chapter of Anakin's life left to be told - his time mentoring his Jedi padawan, Ahsoka Tano.
When The Clone Wars was canceled, fans were left guessing about what happened to Ahsoka after she left the order, as well as if and when she ever saw her old master again. Star Wars Rebels picks up the mantle of Clone Wars and, though not a direct continuation, the series includes many of the characters first introduced during Clone Wars - most notably Ahsoka, now no longer a Jedi but a leader within the growing rebellion.
Since then, Ahsoka has been on a collision course with the Sith lord, Darth Vader - her former friend and master, now twisted by hate and a villain more powerful than anyone she or her fellow Rebels have fought before. Star Wars Rebels' one hour finale has these two coming face to face, and as the video above teases, their meeting will be all about the years of history between them.
With six films of development under his belt, Anakin's character had been pretty thoroughly explored, but pairing him with a young apprentice added a whole new layer. Through exploring Anakin and Ahsoka's teacher/student relationship, audiences saw Anakin in a new light; as a man with valuable wisdom to pass on who cared deeply about his apprentice's training and well-being. Ahsoka, too, grew from rash young girl into an exceptionally brave Jedi, and quite possibly the person closest to Anakin outside of Padme and Obi-Wan.
Clone Wars and Rebels showrunner Dave Filoni recently teased that Ahsoka saw Anakin again after they parted ways when she left the Jedi order, saying there's a "very critical piece of her story" left to tell. This has led many to believe Ahsoka has known Anakin was Darth Vader all along, or at the very least suspected it. But if she's been aware of the truth, why hasn't she tried confronting him before? Or did she previously try stopping Vader, only to learn she still had much to learn in the ways of The Force? Ahsoka may no longer be a Jedi, but she's clearly still a talented Force wielder. Perhaps she's been training all these years for the moment she'd see her old master again?
The forthcoming meeting between Ahsoka and Darth Vader will no doubt be intense and emotional - for the characters and their fans. With so much of Ahsoka's future unknown, and so much of Anakin's already certain, it seems very possible Vader will cut down his former apprentice, just as he does his master only five years later.
Star Wars Rebels continues with ‘The Mystery of Chopper Base’ next Wednesday @9:30 on Disney XD. The two-part finale, 'Twilight of the Apprentice' airs March 30th.
Star Wars: Episode 7 – The Force Awakens is now in theaters, and will be followed by Rogue One: A Star Wars Story on December 16th, 2016, Star Wars: Episode 8 on December 15th, 2017, and the Han Solo Star Wars Anthology film on May 25th, 2018. Star Wars: Episode 9 is expected to reach theaters in 2019, followed by the third Star Wars Anthology film in 2020.
Source: Disney XD