The following story contains spoilers for Ahsoka Episode 4, “Fallen Jedi.”
WHILE THE FIRST three episodes of Ahsoka, Disney+’s latest Star Wars series, moved at a bit of a slower pace than some may have expected, the fourth episode, titled “Fallen Jedi,” went entirely the other way. The 40 minute runtime was filled to the brim with story developments, character moments, and, oh yes, lightsaber duels. Lots and lots of lightsaber duels.
Perhaps the episode’s most notable merging of all three of those things came about two thirds of the way in, when Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) finally met the dark Jedi mercenary Baylan Skoll (the late Ray Stevenson). While the episode had other lightsaber duels happening—one between Ahsoka and the inquisitor Marrok that she easily won, another between Sabine (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and Baylan’s apprentice Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno) that was more of a stalemate—this one was the most evenly matched, and, without question, the most compelling.
Ahsoka and Baylan at this point are mirror images of one another; both have turned their back on the structure of the Jedi order and taken their skills and powers in different directions. While both have become disillusioned, Ahsoka continues to pursue her own vision of justice, while Baylan has seemingly given up and just gone to the highest bidder (who, in most cases, would seem to be sided with the dark side).
And by the end of their fight, Baylan’s strength is too much for Ahsoka; she can’t hold him off any longer, and he forces her directly off a cliff as a horrified Sabine watches from afar. Sabine, frozen with fear—but with the map to Ezra and Thrawn in her hand—doesn’t know what to do. And then Baylan gets the map from her too. It would seem that the bad guys are going to win, and that Ahsoka—if Sabine can believe her own eyes—is dead.
But is she?
Did Ahsoka Tano die in Episode 4 of Ahsoka?
Let’s just nip this one right in the bud: no, Ahsoka Tano did not die in Episode 4 of Ahsoka. This series is eight episodes long, and there remains a major possibility that Ahsoka will show up again in the future (perhaps more seasons of Ahsoka, perhaps in someone else’s series, and perhaps in the Dave Filoni movie that has already been announced). You really think the character that the show is named for is going to be dead dead half way through? No. No you don’t. You know better than that—we believe in you.
Now, having said that, for narrative purposes, yes, it does seem like Ahsoka is “dead”—or something close to it—right now. She’s in the World Between Worlds, which is essentially akin to Marvel’s Ancestral Plane, which is why she’s been greeted at the conclusion of the episode by her old master, Anakin Skywalker. In other words: she may be “dead,” but she’s definitely not dead. This is, essentially, a plot device to allow the living and the dead to convene.
When we pick up in Episode 5, she’s probably going to learn a lesson, and then “return to life” and continue her journey to thwart evil. Ahsoka will likely play a key role as we continue to flesh out the time period between the original and prequel Star Wars trilogies.
So, if you’re wondering whether Ahsoka died, the answer at this moment in time may literally be “yes.” But this is her show, and it’s only halfway over. She will be back.
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Evan is the culture editor for Men’s Health, with bylines in The New York Times, MTV News, Brooklyn Magazine, and VICE. He loves weird movies, watches too much TV, and listens to music more often than he doesn’t.
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