“I won’t leave you! Not this time.”– Ahsoka Tano

“Then you will die!”– Darth Vader

This dialogue [from Star Wars Rebels: “Twilight of the Apprentice” | Season 2 Finale] between former master and apprentice is stunningly chilling, so much so, it’s remarkable that such spine-tingling emotion is felt through characters of animation. Dave Filoni has a magical gift that makes a viewer forget that he/she is watching a cartoon, well, at least from my point of view.

That being said, it’s no wonder that there have been a plethora of articles, podcasts, and video blogs alike pertaining to the Season 2 Finale of Star Wars Rebels: “Twilight of the Apprentice.” But after a week-and-a-half of processing this magnificent episodic culmination of this past Rebels season, I’m ready to dive-in and explore something that has piqued my interest from the first viewing [yes, I’ve watched it more than once. Surprised?]

Knowledge

 

“What kind of knowledge?”- Ezra Bridger

“The forbidden kind, to defeat your enemy, you have to understand them.”- Ahsoka Tano

Sounds familiar, vaguely, but it falls in-par with what we already know of the original Star Wars trilogy [from a certain point of view]. And yes, this sort of thing, seeking forbidden knowledge, was frowned upon in the prequels [referenced in the novelization of Revenge of the Sith by Matthew Stover]. Hence the phrase: it is not the Jedi way. That also explains the look of concern on Kanan’s face when Ahsoka explains their focus for this journey to Malachor. You must unlearn what you have learned, so to speak – it is a turning point for them [mostly for Ahsoka and Kanan], the Jedi or at least, the old ways of the Jedi.

“You can’t stop change anymore than you can stop the suns from setting.”– Shmi Skywalker

In order for them to succeed [at least in their mindset], they must go into this with open minds and be willing to accept both sides of the force; the light and the dark side. It’s portrayed beautifully, from a scenic standpoint and yet, not a word is spoken. But if you look at how the Sith temple allows small droplets of light to cascade into the cruxes of the darkness, it’s almost thematically poetic. As Ezra pauses to touch the light, literally, it symbolizes how the dark embraces the light and how it brings it forth from the center of itself, but one lone candle is enough to hold it back [Matthew Stover]. In other words: both the light and the dark are temporary, but it takes courage and understanding to accept that both are necessary, both must be acquired and only through that knowledge can balance be achieved.

Wisdom

 

“Sith holocrons are keys that can open many doors.”- Maul

Sith Temple on Malachor | Star Wars Rebels Season 2 Finale: Twilight of the Apprentice

Keys to knowledge come in many shapes and in many forms, even in our world. That being said, the resemblance between both worlds [the Star Wars universe and our own] is uncannily symbolic. The pyramid, yes, we see it with the historical monuments of the Egyptians for burial tombs and places of worship. Breaking it down, the origins of the shape itself, it comes down to this: a key to ‘Knowledge and Resurrection’ – which reminds me of this:

“First comes the day

Then comes the night.

After the darkness

Shines through the light.

The difference, they say,

Is only made right

By the resolving of gray

Through refined Jedi sight.”

―Journal of the Whills, 7:477

[Alan Dean Foster’s novelization of Star Wars: The Force Awakens]

It is also said, that the Sith holocrons cannot be opened by a Jedi and it takes a “master and an apprentice” to unlock their data, information, or knowledge in order to gain its wisdom. And that vital fact(s) segues me to my final thoughts or rather, more questions. Yes, let the Star Wars ambiguity rage on!

Descending into Darkness

 

I won’t leave you! Not this time. Ahsoka meant this, I have no doubts about it either and yes, I think she held true to her word too. Lady Tano knew exactly what she was getting into the moment she had her vision on Lothal: “There’s still a way.” Like someone who will come after her [Luke], she too, did not believe destroying the man who had once mentored her was the only solution to resolving the unbalanced force. Conflicted by the revelation of truth, that Anakin Skywalker is indeed Darth Vader, Ahsoka vows to see this-one-out to the finish – even force pushing Ezra away and shutting the temple door on their paths for good or at least that’s how it seems. My own interpretation saw it like this: she was protecting both sides, the future of what the Jedi will become [Ezra] and the man she once trusted with her life [Anakin].

The explosion of the Sith Temple on Malcahor: Yes, that’s left for interpretation too and I still feel that they [Ahsoka and Anakin/Darth Vader] helped each other in order to survive. After all, it does take a “master and an apprentice” to unlock the Sith knowledge of the temple and if I may be so bold to point out, the Sith Temple [and holocron too] is a pyramid. Also note, Ahsoka represents the light while Darth Vader is the dark, and together they could equate a temporary balance. But again, no choice goes without consequence or repercussion, and even sacrifice. How will that impact the galaxy going forward? Guess we’ll have to wait until Season 3 of Star Wars Rebels, but for now, Ahsoka’s fate is undetermined. Oh, it’s not over yet! Her journey continues and the uncertainty [ambiguity] of what that entails sets us free.

… “because of you, I did survive.”- Ahsoka [TCW series]

The Cantina Cast

The wretched hive your Jedi Master warned you about!

*You can find Becca on Twitter  or at any of these affiliated outlets:  or contact Becca directly via email at or and to read more of her Star Wars ruminations, check out Becca’s Chava Chats at coffeewithkenobi.com & TheBeardedTrio.com