Ahsoka’s Jedi apprentice is nothing like we’ve seen before

The Jedi are a pretty cut-and-dried bunch in the Star Wars universe. While everyone else likes to find ways around the rules, the Jedi follow the letter of the law – often to the detriment of the galaxy, which is exactly why Ahsoka Tano quit the Order. And while she may be older and wiser now than she was then, her new TV series shows that she’s still willing to shake things up. Very quietly and unexpectedly the first episodes of Star Wars: Ahsoka make the whole concept of a Jedi apprentice more interesting.

(Ed. remark: This story contains spoilers for Ahsoka episodes 1 and 2.)

We learn quite a bit about several familiar characters in the first two episodes of Ahsokabut the most interesting revelation is that Ahsoka took Sabine Wren in as an apprentice after the events of Star Wars Rebels. Since then, the two have had a very minor falling out – leading to the temporary end of Sabine’s training – but by the end of Episode 2 they are back together as master and apprentice.

A young and talented Star Wars character becoming a Jedi isn’t anything to write home about, but a few different things about Sabine make her training unique. First of all, she is much older than the traditional interns, especially the ones Ahsoka was used to seeing. Second, and more importantly, she doesn’t seem to have any connection to the Force.

A Jedi, in training or otherwise, unable to use the Force is almost unthinkable in the ancient hierarchy of the Jedi Order. It’s also something that neither the original trilogy nor the sequel trilogy of movies showed us. If Sabine is really training to become a Jedi – and why would Ahsoka train her to become anything else? – then she would be an entirely new type of Jedi for the Star Wars universe onscreen.

Villain One did give us a few characters who believed in the Force but had no connection to it in Baze and Chirrut, but as Guardians of the Whills, they weren’t directly connected to the Jedi Order. And while they do believe in Jedi philosophy, it is more of a religion to practice than an organization to participate in.

But if Sabine truly becomes a new type of Jedi – one who can’t use the Force, but is capable with a lightsaber and wants to do good for the galaxy – who better to bring her into the fold than Ahsoka?

Devoted fans may recall that Ahsoka herself left the Jedi Order while under the tutelage of Anakin Skywalker during the Clone Wars. Always a stubborn child and a rebel, Ahsoka often defied the rules of the Order and eventually forged her own path to decency and unity with the Force. This kind of disagreement with Jedi tradition is exactly what might prompt Ahsoka to do away with the old rules and take on a Force-less padawan.

Of course, there’s still a possibility that the series will eventually reveal that Sabine is actually Force sensitive and has been that way all along, but that would be a shame. Then decide again everyone has the power and every main character is specially born, is also the most Rise of Skywalker option possible, so it should not be counted. Until then, though, it’s a very exciting place to start a show.