This article contains spoilers for Ahsoka episode 8.

Summary

• Ahsoka season 1 finale ends with the return of Grand iral Thrawn, posing a greater danger to the Star Wars galaxy.
• Ezra Bridger, who now works with the New Republic, holds the key to warning about Thrawn's return.
• Peridea is revealed to be connected to the Mortis gods, and Anakin Skywalker's Force ghost suggests Ahsoka's role in bringing balance to the Force.

Ahsoka season 1 ended with the triumphant return of Nightsisters of Dathomir, Peridea appears to be a planet steeped in the dark side of the Force, and it has served as a place of exile for both Grand iral Thrawn and three surviving Great Mothers of the Dathomiri.

The thrilling Ahsoka finale saw Ahsoka, Sabine, and Ezra work together to try to prevent Grand iral Thrawn leaving Peridea and returning to the galaxy, where he would inevitably take command of the Imperial Remnant. The odds were against them from the start, not least because they found themselves going up against Nightsister magick none of them had ever encountered before - but that has long been associated with the Nightsisters in Star Wars lore. Ahsoka is an unusual Star Wars story, in that - like The Empire Strikes Back - it ends with the villains victorious.

Grand iral Thrawn Successfully Returns To The Star Wars Galaxy

Grand iral Thrawn's allies are able to run interference long enough for the Chimaera to dock with the Eye of Sion, and the ship jumps to hyperspace - with the hyperspace fluctuations once again rocking Ahsoka's Jedi T-6 Starfighter. The heroes have failed in their mission, and now the Star Wars galaxy is in greater danger than ever before - because Grand iral Thrawn can take charge of the Imperial Remnant, and he is not distracted by the ways of the Sith. Ruthless and efficient, Thrawn will no doubt quickly quell any potential rivals in the Empire, and he will surely work closely wiith the Imperial Shadow Council to undermine the New Republic.

Fortunately, the Star Wars galaxy does have some warning. Sabine successfully unlocked her Force potential, and boosted Ezra Bridger on to the Chimaera. Taking on a stormtrooper disguise (one of his old tricks), Ezra made the trip home and slipped away, returning to the New Republic. While Ahsoka preferred to operate independently, Ezra is a Jedi who is surely willing to work with the New Republic; the final scenes deliberately inverted Baylan's arrival on a New Republic prison ship in Ahsoka episode 1, subtly confirming this is indeed the Jedi the galaxy is looking for. It will be fascinating to see whether he chooses to work with Luke Skywalker and his new Jedi Order, or whether the two operate independently.

Ahsoka Episode 8 Hints At Peridea's Greatest Secret

The final scenes of Ahsoka's finale confirm the secret of Peridea; it is somehow tied to the Mortis gods, mysterious avatars of the Force seen in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Baylan traveled to Peridea claiming this was the place where the cycle of light versus dark began, and it seems he isn't exaggerating. The interesting question is whether Peridea is simply a place associated with the Mortis gods, or whether it is in fact the planet Mortis itself. One of the most powerful Force vergences of all, Mortis is occasionally accessible from the main Star Wars galaxy, through mystical and unexplained means.

Baylan is shown standing near statues of the Mortis gods: the Father, the Son, and the Daughter. These three entities represented different aspects of the Force; the Daughter stands for the light side and the Son for the dark side, with the Father maintaining the balance of the Force. They died during the Clone Wars, symbolizing the loss of balance in the Force, and it was strongly hinted that Anakin Skywalker's destiny was somehow tied to Mortis. The statue of Daughter has been damaged, perhaps hinting Peridea was the place where the balance of the Force was first lost - where the darkness lashed out.

The link to the Mortis gods helps understand the nature of the Nightsisters (and particularly the Great Mothers), whose complexions have always resembled that of the Son. This had been previously overlooked, but it is now significant given the Nightsisters originate from a world close to the Mortis gods; they were presumably tied directly to the Son, using their magick to tap into his power. It's a subtle detail, but it ties everything together well.

Anakin Skywalker's Force Ghost Watches Events Unfold On Peridea

Hayden Christensen's Anakin Skywalker has had a lingering presence in Ahsoka, and he returns again in the Ahsoka finale - as a silent observer, sensed by Sabine but unseen by Ahsoka. Force ghosts are not rooted in time, meaning Anakin chose not to interfere because he knew Ahsoka needed to be on Peridea. His presence strongly suggests Ahsoka is somehow tied to the theme of balance, and that this Disney+ TV show is exploring Anakin's continuing legacy - his role as the Chosen One, destined to bring ultimate balance to the Force.

Anakin's Force ghost is in the robes of a Jedi Master, unlike the mysterious vision seen in Ahsoka episode 5. This is significant, because - as recently noted in Mike Chen's short story "Brotherhood" in From A Certain Point Of View: Return Of The Jedi - these robes were the Force's way of acknowledging his redemption. As he died, Anakin finally learned the lesson that had eluded him all his life; how to let go, how to let things without raging against circumstances. This was all he needed for the Force to recognize him as a master. Anakin's presence fits well thematically with the Mortis gods, because they were essentially the fulcrum of balance. It's possible the Chosen One prophecy itself will be coming into play on Peridea; "A Chosen One shall come, born of no father, and through him will ultimate balance in the Force be restored."

Ahsoka is written by Lucasfilm's Dave Filoni, who's known for his love of The Lord of the Rings (Ahsoka's transformation, into Ahsoka the White, is a clear homage to Gandalf). In J.R.R. Tolkien's classic novels, the action is divided between different and distinct locations; the battle against Sauron's armies is important, but the fate of all Middle-earth is decided on Frodo and Sam's quest to Mordor. The pattern fits here as well; Ahsoka sets up a story set in two galaxies, with the war against Thrawn fought in one and Ahsoka and her friends potentially deciding the balance of the Force in another.

All episodes of Ahsoka are available to stream on Disney+.