In the World Between Worlds in Ahsoka, master and apprentice engage in a lightsaber duel all intended to teach one last lesson. As Ahsoka Tano fights Anakin Skywalker, there are a couple of real interesting parallels to another Star Wars lightsaber duel: Luke Skywalker versus his father, Darth Vader, aboard the second Death Star in Return of the Jedi.
“I won’t fight you”
The first is a real subtle one, but as Anakin ignites his lightsaber, Ahsoka tells him, “I won’t fight you.” In response, Anakin simply says, “I’ve heard that before.” But where has he heard it before? Remember, this series takes place approximately five years after the events of Return of the Jedi, and in that film, Luke confronts Vader aboard the Death Star. After a lightsaber duel, Luke tells his father that he feels the good within him. As Luke hides, and Vader taunts, Luke replies, “I will not fight you.”
In this episode, it seems like a clear indication that this is actually Anakin, and that it’s actually him as a ‘Force ghost’ like manifestation, since he remembers that encounter with Luke. But it’s also a cool nod to the encounter with Luke, where just like Ahsoka didn’t want to fight her master, neither did Luke want to fight her father. Neither were given that choice. And as Vader continued to taunt Luke, he lured the younger Skywalker to the edge of darkness.
That’s where the second, and far more significant, connection comes into play.
“I am a Jedi”
In Return of the Jedi, in response to Vader’s threatening taunts, Luke unleashes on him in anger and hatred, following the very path Yoda had warned him about. He defeats Vader, disarms him (literally), and stands with lightsaber ignited ready to strike and kill. But instead of going through with it, Luke deactivates his lightsaber and throws it away. It is then – and only then – that Luke defiantly declares to Emperor Palpatine, “I am a Jedi, like my father before me.” It is, I believe, the most important scene in the entire Star Wars saga. By fighting, Luke is brought to the precipice of darkness. He’s become a powerful warrior, but it’s through fighting and embracing his anger that Luke is about to lose. In refusing to fight any longer, throwing away his weapon, Luke embraces his destiny as a Jedi. He wins by putting down his saber, because in doing so he refuses to give in to the same darkness that consumed his father.
Now think back to Ahsoka. The main aim of the lesson Anakin is teaching her is about her fear of becoming like him. It’s this fear that has caused her to lose trust in herself, lose trust in others, lose trust in the Force. She’s closed herself off from anything that might resemble Anakin’s fate. She feels guilt over what happened to him, and feels fear that she’ll become just like him. So what happens is Ahsoka then must confront her greatest fear, as Anakin manifests as his dark side self. Just like Luke in The Empire Strikes Back had to face his greatest fear in the cave on Dagobah, and just like Rey had to do the same in The Last Jedi on Ahch-To, Ahsoka has to confront what she fears most. And Ahsoka, like Luke, defeats Vader, disarms him, and holds a lightsaber ready to strike and kill. As if the imagery wasn’t already clear, the fact that Ahsoka holds a red lightsaber, and her eyes reflect Sith eyes, drives home the reality: if Ahsoka strikes Anakin down, she will indeed have embraced the very darkness that consumed him. Her worst fears will have come true.
But instead, Ahsoka deactivates the lightsaber and throws it away. It is then – and only then – that Anakin tells her, “there’s hope for you yet.” Why? Because she has resisted the darkness, faced her greatest fear and not fallen in, proven just like Luke did that she truly is a Jedi – what a Jedi should be.
Star Wars Thoughts 