TV Review: ‘Ahsoka’ Season 1, Episode 5 — An Episode Long In The Making
by Frank Martin
The ending Ahsoka‘s fourth episode left off in a big way. Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) returned to Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson) via the World Between Worlds. It wasn’t immediately clear within the cliffhanger how their interaction would play out. Fortunately for Star Wars fans, episode five delivered in a number of tremendous ways. But that wasn’t the only detail of the episode that fans can get excited over. Kanan (voiced by Freddie Prinze Jr. on Star Wars Rebels) and Hera’s (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) son Jacen (Evan Whitten) also had time to shine as it was revealed he has a connection to the Force just like his father. There wasn’t much progression in terms of the main plot, but there was enough character development and fan service to make it a standout.
Hera arrives on the planet to find the bad guys gone and both Sabine (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and Ahsoka nowhere in sight. Trusting her son’s connection to the Force, Hera begins flying over the ocean in search of a clue. Meanwhile, Ahsoka continues in the World Between Worlds with Anakin. After dueling, Ahsoka is sent back to her younger self during a Clone Wars battle. She and Anakin talk about what it means to be a Jedi during the war. Later, they interact during another battle as Anakin’s dark impulses begin showing. After learning her lesson from Anakin, Ahsoka is saved by Hera and members of Phoenix Squadron. She then uses the Purrgil to chase after Sabine and the others.
There is plenty of opportunity for fans to see Anakin and Ahsoka interacting in animation. But this was the first time they actually got to experience it in live action. It didn’t have the same scale or grandness of the animated scenes in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, but it oddly works here because it was meant to be something like a vision. Ahsoka grew over time and into becoming the person she is now, but she still hasn’t experienced a firm level of closure with Anakin’s teachings. This episode was a chance for her to get that closure while also reconciling with the Sith Anakin eventually became.
Ahsoka streams Tuesdays on Disney+.