Thanks to a series of flashbacks, fans were transported to the Clone Wars during the fifth episode of Dave Filoni's Ahsoka series.
This comes after the series' mind-blowing conclusion to Episode 4, in which Hayden Christensen's Anakin Skywalker was seen interacting with Ahsoka for the very first time in live-action.
However, this Episode 4 appearance of the fan-favorite Jedi was short-lived, with fans only getting a brief, "Hello Snips" from Christensen's character as well as a few other short lines of dialogue before the episode ended.
But all that was to step up, what was expected to be an Episode 5 of epic proportions, as the beloved Master and Padawan traverse the mysterious World Between Worlds.
Ahsoka's Clone Wars Flashbacks Explained
After falling into the World Between Worlds (a plane outside of time and space), Ahsoka's fifth episode fully dove into the era-hopping possibilities of this little-explored corner of the Star Wars universe.
This sequence showcased a series of flashbacks to Ahsoka Tano's time as a Padawan in the Clone Wars (with a younger version of the Jedi being played by Barbie and Avengers: Infinity War star Ariana Greenblatt), alongside Hayden Christensen back as Anakin Skywalker.
These flashbacks highlighted several missions seen in The Clone Wars animated series (which Filoni helmed for all seven of its seasons), as Ahsoka learned one final lesson from her master.
The first of these flashbacks saw Ahsoka and Anakin on their first mission, as the young Padawan confronted her Master about the losses they had suffered during a battle with the Separatist Droid Army.
It was here where Ahsoka's mentor told her the costs of war and the Jedi's place in the galaxy:
"Listen, I'm teaching you how to lead, how to survive, and to do that you're going to have to fight."
From there, fans were transported to Ahsoka's last mission seen in The Clone Wars series (aka the Seige of Mandalore), before going into a battle between Rosario Dawson's version of the titular hero and her master.
This whole sequence was meant to bring Ahsoka out of the shadow she had been living in since she last saw Anakin/Vader in the Star Wars Rebels animated series.
In one final lesson, Ahsoka realizes what it truly means to be a Master to a Padawan, and what she needs to do for her mentee Sabine given the incoming conflict with the villainous Thrawn.
What Is Next for Ahsoka?
Now that Ahsoka has gotten her one last lesson from her Master, reliving key moments from her tenure alongside Anakin, it is time for her to finally be the mentor she's destined to become.
This new and improved Ahsoka looks to be feeling lighter, and better prepared for her mission, knowing what needs to be done should conflict come to a head.
Rosario Dawson's titular Jedi almost has the look and feel of Gandalf the White from the Lord of the Rings franchise, another all-powerful character who realized upon conquering death, that he could do just about anything.
And now that Ahsoka (and her droid companion Huyang) are headed for the far reaches of the known Star Wars universe aboard the hyperspace-faring Purrgil, she will need to put what she has learned into practice as she tries to be a better master for Sabine.
Plus, add in the fact that this journey across hyperspace will likely bring Ahsoka, Sabine, and the villainous Baylan Skoll face-to-face with the long-feared Grand Admiral Thrawn, and one can see that in these last few episodes, employing this renewed sense of leadership will be no easy task.
New episodes of Ahsoka stream every Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET.
