In an age whereStar Warsfans cannot seem to agree on anything, one thing that fans can agree on is just how awesome Ahsoka Tano is. The fierce warrior was reckless enough to be a perfect match for Anakin Skywalker as his apprentice inStar Wars: The Clone Wars, and has gone on to be an essential ally to the crew of the Ghost inStar Wars: Rebels.
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The gap betweenThe Clone WarsandRebelsis filled by young adult author E.K. Johnston’sStar Wars: Ahsoka.The book checks in on Tano in the aftermath of the Great Jedi Purge, as well as answers some burning questions fans may have. Here are six reasonsStar Wars: Ahsokais essential reading for Ahsoka Tano fans.
6Ahsoka’s Life On The Run From The Empire
After the fall of the Jedi Order, Ahsoka has elected for a life in hiding. When the Empire is near, she departs, even abandoning the people that she had become attached to in her travels. In the beginning of the book, Ahsoka abandons the Fardi family, which have looked out for her, when festivities begin for Empire Day, the anniversary of Palpatine’s New Order.
Ahsoka must also hide her Jedi Powers. The Inquisitors are on the hunt for any survivors of Order 66, so revealing herselfas a Jediwould not only endanger herself, but also those around her, including the Fardi’s Force-sensitive child.
5Order 66 Has Left Its Mark On Ahsoka
The Great Jedi Purge has left Ahsoka emotionally scarred. She wonders about all the Jedi and innocents who have died at the hands of the Clone Troopers, the soldiers that the Jedi had once trusted. Even when she meditated, she could feel the loss, the emptiness of not sensing the other Jedi, or Anakin Skywalker.
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Ahsoka struggles to leave her life in the Jedi Order in the past, not even allowing herself to builda new lightsaber, but she fails to do so. She knows that she will always be connected to the Force, whether she wants to be or not.
4Ahsoka Makes New Friends
Ahsoka manages to scrape out a living for herself, offering her services as a mechanic in exchange for supplies. On the remote farm moon of Radaa, she finds work from a farm girl named Kaeden. She ends up befriending her and her sister, as well as their crew of farmers.
Ahsoka carves out a peaceful life for a time, helping out the locals and meeting withher new crewat the local watering hole. After the suffering she experienced in The Clone Wars, it is nice to see her have a moment of happiness.
3Star Wars: Ahsoka Is The Birth Of Fulcrum
InRebels, Ahsoka is revealed to be the mysterious informant known as Fulcrum. The name would be used by others throughout Disney’s Star Wars timeline, includingRebels’Imperial AgentCallus andRogue One’s Cassian Andor.
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InStar Wars: Ahsoka, fans get a glimpse of how she took up the name Fulcrum in the first place. She sought a way to helpBail Organa’s fledgling Rebellion, but she didn’t consider herself a Jedi anymore. She ends up deciding to act as a communications relay, and gave herself the code name ofthe private relayshe and Anakin Skywalker had used during the Clone Wars.
2Star Wars: Ahsoka Is Basically Clone Wars Season 6.5
Before Disney gaveStar Wars: The Clone Warsa proper conclusion with Season 7, this was Clone Wars fans’ glimpse into how everything ended.
Star Wars: Ahsokafeatures what would become iconic moments in theStar Warslore, including her finalbattle with Darth Mauland her leaving behind her lightsabers at the faked grave of Captain Rex. There is also an internal monologue of Anakin Skywalker just before he meets who would be his new apprentice. While the scenes do not match up one to one with the show, they do show what was going on through the characters’ heads, and set up things to come for the franchise.
1Ahsoka Gets Her White Lightsabers
When Ahsoka appears inStar Wars: Rebels, she brandishes a new pair of white lightsabers. Whilevarious lightsaber colorshave appeared throughout the history of Star Wars lore, this is the first time they appeared in Disney’s new timeline.
Star Wars: Ahsokareveals how she came upon these lightsabers, which ties into Disney’s explanation for why Sith wield red lightsabers, through the process of “bleeding,” or corrupting kyber crystals, giving them their red color. Through a confrontation witha deadly Inquisitor, the Sixth Brother, Ahsoka destroys his lightsabers and purifies the crystals, giving them their white glow that they produce.
