Star Wars officially explained why Hayden Christensen's Anakin Skywalker had a cameo in Disney+'s Ahsoka finale.
Anakin's biggest role came in the fifth chapter as the famed Jedi guided his former Padawan through a series of Clone Wars flashbacks in the World Between Worlds, leading to valuable lessons and the pair even coming to blows.
He would later appear in Episode 7 as a hologram in a pre-recorded training video where he referenced three major The Clone Wars villains before coming to Ahsoka as a Force ghost in the season finale.
Anakin's Ahsoka Finale Cameo Gets Officially Explained
A recap of the Ahsoka finale - Episode 8, "The Jedi, the Witch, and the Warlord" - from the official Star Wars website offered an unsurprising explanation for Hayden Christensen's Anakin Skywalker cameo in the climactic chapter.
After Grand Admiral Thrawn escaped to the original galaxy in the Ahsoka finale, taking Ezra Bridger in tow and leaving Ahsoka Tano and Sabine Wren trapped on Peridea, the titular Jedi was greeted by a rather familiar face.
Having reassured Sabine that Ezra had made his way home, Ahsoka told her apprentice, "Ezra is where he needs to be. And so are we. It's time to move on," hinting at a greater purpose for them on Peridea.
As the pair set up camp in the far, far away galaxy with the Noti, Ahsoka looked out into the night sky after Sabine clearly sensed something where she caught a glimpse of the Force ghost of Anakin Skywalker, smiling and watching over her.
Star Wars' recap of the episode referenced Anakin's Force ghost appearance, confirming how he appeared to her to signal "that she’s exactly where she is supposed to be:"
"The convor Morai and the Force spirit of Anakin Skywalker both appear to give Ahsoka Tano signs that she’s exactly where she is supposed to be. With this simple wisdom, reflected in images that show Baylan on his journey, Shin igniting her lightsaber as she enters the bandit’s camp on Peridea, and Thrawn and the Great Mothers arriving at Dathomir, it seems like everyone is in agreement."
Will Anakin Return in Ahsoka Season 2?
While Ahsoka, Sabine, Baylan, and Shin may not have trapped themselves on Peridea on purpose, at least in the eyes of the Force, the group is exactly where they need to be. So what happens next?
Well, the events on Peridea are next expected to be explored either in Ahsoka Season 2 - which just received a promising update - or the upcoming MandoVerse theatrical movie from Dave Filoni.
By all accounts, based on the ancient statues Baylan discovered, Peridea appears to be connected to the Mortis gods - the Son, the Daughter, and the Father - who represent the dark, light, and balance in the Force.
A running theory among fans is that Ahsoka is teeing up a new trip of Mortis gods following the death of the originals in The Clone Wars, with Ahsoka replacing the Daughter, Baylan the Son, and Anakin the Father.
So, looking at the popular theory, Hayden Christensen may just be getting started in the MandoVerse and will probably be back as Anakin for Ahsoka Season 2 and possibly Filoni's MandoVerse blockbuster.
After appearing on Disney+ across both Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka over the last year, Lucasfilm looks to be eager to keep Christensen around in a major way; perhaps fans will even one day get the Darth Vader show many have been craving.
Ahsoka is streaming now on Disney+.
