Star Wars Ahsoka Season 2 Theory Points to an Even Bigger Threat Than Thrawn
The Ahsoka season finale sets up an intriguing arc for season 2 that could finally see the return of the Mortis Gods first introduced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
This Star Wars: Ahsoka article contains spoilers.
Throughout this season of Ahsoka, the planet Peridea and the galaxy it lies in have maintained an intriguing air of mystery. When the Eye of Sion and its crew finally arrive in episode 6 “Far, Far, Away,” it’s revealed that the planet was once the ancient home of the Nightsisters – witchy Force-wielders that Lady Morgan Elsbeth descends from. Baylan Skoll also mentions the childrens stories of Peridea that he grew up hearing in the Jedi Temple to his apprentice Shin Hati before he leaves her in search of a greater power on the planet.
What this greater power is isn’t fully revealed until the final moments of the Ahsoka season finale “The Jedi, The Witch, and The Warlord,” when we see Baylan standing on the stone hand of a massive sculpture, suggesting that the Nightsisters weren’t the only Force-wielders that called Peridea home – it may have also once been the domain of the Mortis Gods introduced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
The Mortis Gods, otherworldly beings who are the physical embodiments of the Force, are an important part of Ahsoka Tano and Anakin Skywalker’s past as master and apprentice. The Mortis Gods are comprised of The Daughter, who rules over life and the Light Side of the Force; The Son, who rules over death and the Dark Side; and The Father, whose job is to keep the balance between the two. During the Clone Wars, Anakin, Ahsoka, and Obi-Wan Kenobi were transported to their realm of Mortis during a time of great need. The Father could sense his imminent death and sought a replacement to maintain the balance of the Force in his absence.
The Father thought that this replacement would be Anakin, who, before his turn to the Dark Side, was prophesied to be the Chosen One who would bring balance to the Force. However, the Son sensed the darkness brewing within Anakin and sought to corrupt him. This leads to a big fight and Ahsoka’s brief death. But the Daughter infuses her essence into Ahsoka to bring her back to life, sacrificing herself to save the young padawan. Ever since Ahsoka was brought back by the Daughter, her symbol, the Morai, can often be seen flying around the former Jedi. Even though the Daughter’s physical form perished, it’s been heavily implied that Ahsoka is an avatar for her and her mission for the Light Side.
After Anakin’s appearance in the World Between Worlds in episode 4 of Ahsoka, fans theorized that he might not be Ahsoka’s former master, but rather a trick of The Son. After the death of The Daughter, The Son sought to kill his father, take his power, and leave Mortis to cause chaos throughout the galaxy. The Father sacrificed himself to stop the Son from crossing that line, an action that left the Son vulnerable to a lightsaber attack from Anakin. Despite the dying pleas of the Father, Anakin didn’t stay behind to take his place and returned to the material plane with Ahsoka and Obi-Wan.
Because Anakin was so engrossed in the Dark Side for so long before sacrificing himself to stop Emperor Palpatine and save Luke, it wasn’t far off for people to think that the Son’s influence could still be lingering within him. However, after seeing Baylan standing among the mountainous figures of the Gods and Anakin’s Force Ghost appearing on Peridea, there are some that are now theorizing that Anakin has actually taken his place as The Father and Baylan will be the avatar of the Son.
Baylan has been a complex character from the start. Rather than becoming an Inquisitor after Order 66, he instead made his way as a mercenary for hire. While he does work for Morgan Elsbeth and helps in her search for Grand Admiral Thrawn, he never really seemed to be all that interested in the Imperial cause. Helping Morgan was just a way to accomplish his own mission – which according to this theory involves tracking down the Mortis Gods, or at least their power, in the process becoming the avatar of the Son.
It also makes more sense for Anakin to be the Father than it does for him to be influenced by the Son. Like the Father, Anakin sacrificed himself to save his son and stop him from crossing a line in Return of the Jedi. According to Star Wars lore, despite his past actions, Anakin’s death restored balance to the Force. This would also help explain why he was able to speak with and help Ahsoka in the World Between Worlds, as that realm is also ruled by the power of the Mortis Gods.
Even though Ahsoka hasn’t been officially renewed for another season yet, this theory poses an interesting development for these characters that would truly bring Ahsoka and Anakin’s journey full circle if explored in season 2. The Mortis arc is admittedly one of the weirder Clone Wars storylines, but it’s been fascinating to see how Ahsoka creator Dave Filoni continues to call back to it in projects like Rebels and now Ahsoka. Thrawn is already a formidable villain for both galaxies to face, but if the Son returns, he could pose an even greater threat to the peace the New Republic is trying so hard to hold on to.
Star Wars: Ahsoka is streaming now on Disney+.
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Brynna Arens (she/her) is a freelance writer who studies movies, TV, and pop culture through an intersectional feminist lens. She'll watch almost anything tbh, but it's…