If there’s one thing Star Wars fans are good at, it’s coming up with elaborate theories. One particular instance centers around Marrok in Ahsoka, the mysterious Inquisitor who in the first two episodes didn’t say a single word – but whose design looks really cool.
Now, admittedly, the name Marrok is quite similar to Galen Merrick, also known as Starkiller from Legends games. So some fans have speculated that Ahsoka might be bringing in Starkiller, Darth Vader’s apprentice, to this series. It would be interesting to see Vader’s apprentice versus Anakin’s apprentice, but I’m quite skeptical about this being the case. And I’m especially skeptical about the the info that’s fueling the renewed interest in this theory.
Sam Witwer was credited as providing “additional voices” in the first two episodes of the series, and Witwer also voiced Starkiller in The Force Unleashed. Coincidence? Yeah, probably. Because what fans need to know is that Witwer has been in an overwhelming percentage of Star Wars projects since Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012.
That includes in animated shows (The Clone Wars, Rebels, Resistance), video games (Battlefront, Battlefront II, Squadrons, Jedi: Fallen Order, Jedi: Survivor, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga), VR games from ILMxLAB (Secrets of the Empire, Vader Immortal), LEGO specials (Terrifying Tales), as well as Solo: A Star Wars Story and Jedi Temple Challenge.
Beyond that, Witwer has commonly received an “Additional Voices” credit on major Star Wars projects, including The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker, Rogue One, Solo, and The Mandalorian. He also had uncredited roles in The Book of Boba Fett and Andor.
So my point in all of this is that seeing Witwer’s name somewhere in the credits for a new Star Wars project should be the least surprising element of the series, as he’s been in almost everything they’ve done in the Disney era. And for the most significant of those projects – the live-action films and shows – Witwer has very routinely been credited as providing “additional voices”. Which is the exact same credit he received in the first two episodes of Ahsoka.
Fan speculation online is fun and part of what makes the Star Wars fandom so great, but it’s important to speculate responsibly, and a little bit of background information shows that Witwer’s appearance in the credits here is nothing unusual. Besides, even if he is playing Marrok, I’m not sure being credited for a voice role in episodes where Marrok doesn’t say a single line is the clue people seem to think it is.
Sam Witwer is great, and I’m so glad for his involvement in Star Wars. In particular, his voice portrayal of Maul in The Clone Wars, Rebels, Solo, and more is a large part of why the character has such a compelling arc since his introduction (and quick demise) in The Phantom Menace. Witwer’s performance as Maul is terrific, and he’s also nailed the voice of Palpatine in other media too – in addition to tons of other voices. And while it would quite interesting to see there be a twist in Marrok’s backstory, I’m not expecting it. And I certainly don’t think Witwer being credited for the episodes is any sort of indication of it.
Star Wars Thoughts 