Hayden Christensen is returning to his role as Anakin Skywalker (aka Darth Vader) in Ahsoka Season 2, and the actor is looking forward to filling in more of the gaps about his Star Wars villain. Christensen is known for playing Anakin in Star Wars: Episodes I - III, and has since reprised his role in two post-prequel trilogy projects: Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka Season 1.
During the Ahsoka panel at Star Wars Celebration 2025, Christensen confirmed on stage that "Anakin will be back for season 2." Christensen's return is particularly significant for Ahsoka Tano's (Rosario Dawson) story as Anakin served as her Jedi master, which was detailed in The Clone Wars, and fans are eager to see more of their relationship in live-action.
On returning to his role in Ahsoka, Christensen couldn't reveal much, but did tease in an interview with ComicBook.com that there's "a lot that we could still explore with Vader." The actor added he was eager to get into the "rich stories" that took place in the time between Anakin's turn to the dark side in Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and his transition into Darth Vader:
"There’s a lot that we could still explore with Vader. I think from where we left off, after Episode III, and everything that he has to reconcile after he’s trapped in this new version of himself, there’s just a lot of very rich stories that we could still tell."
In Season 1, Anakin appeared to Ahsoka as a force ghost, offering her guidance when she needed it most. This also means that the mystical force plane known as the World Between Worlds could return in Ahsoka Season 2.
Ahsoka Season 1 ended with the escape of Grand Admiral Thrawn from his exile on Peridea and left Sabine and Ahsoka to find a way off the far galaxy planet. It also ended with Anakin's force ghost watching over his former apprentice, teeing up Christensen's return in Season 2.
Other Star Wars characters set to return in Ahsoka Season 2 along with Christensen and Dawson are Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi), Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen), and Baylan Skoll (who will be played by a new actor following Ray Stevenson's passing).
The second season of Ahsoka is about to begin filming, but doesn't have a confirmed release date.
Hayden Christensen’s Return Hints at a Darth Vader Appearance in Ahsoka
Christensen's return as Anakin Skywalker is one thing, but his potential appearance in the Darth Vader suit in Ahsoka Season 2 is an even more exciting prospect for fans.
Ahsoka canonically takes place after the events of Star Wars: Episode VI—Return of the Jedi, i.e., when Darth Vader has been laid to rest. However, the series has still managed to incorporate the deceased Jedi into the story via flashbacks of Ahsoka and Anakin's time together during the Clone Wars.
If Ahsoka Season 2 wants to fill in the gaps further with Anakin, showing his early days as Darth Vader following Episode III would be unexplored territory on-screen. This also seems feasible now that Anakin has been established as a force ghost and is tied to the mysterious World Between Worlds (another Star Wars enigma ripe for exploration).
Christensen has put on the Darth Vader helmet once since his final scene in Revenge of the Sith, appearing in several episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi, where he faced off against his former master, played by Ewan McGregor.
The scenes were widely loved by fans and make the prospect of Christensen reprising his dual roles in Ahsoka even more exciting. Further flashbacks with Anakin set during the prequel trilogy also open the door for exciting cameos, like Natalie Portman's rumored return to Star Wars.
