The fourth part of Star Wars: Ahsoka gets audiences closer to the back half of the season with a shocking cliffhanger that speaks for itself.

Spoiler warning: Do not read without watching tonight’s episode.

With the way that this episode ends, everyone is going to be tuning in next week. If you haven’t started on Ahsoka yet, now is the time to do so. And yes, you’re going to want to watch a certain episode from the fourth season of Star Wars Rebels. In short, you’re going to want to become very familiar with The World Between Worlds. I’ve been wondering when we would see this mysterious place in live-action and the time has finally come.

But before I get to what everyone is talking about tonight, there are multiple lightsaber battles taking place as Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) and Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) make an effort to stop Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto). Meanwhile, Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Chopper, and Jacen Syndulla (Evan Whitten) head off in the Ghost with Phoenix Squadron. The Senate wouldn’t approve anything so Hera–once a rebel, always a rebel. heads off on her own. A familiar face from The Mandalorian, Carson Teva (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee), joins them in their efforts. A few other X-wing pilots are with them but the massive hyperspace ring dooms most of the rescue mission. Unfortunately, Zeb is not one of them. Maybe we’ll see him before the end of the season?

They make a lot of efforts in stopping Morgan from finding the coordinates and stealing the map. These efforts fail but it also comes with a cost. Ahsoka goes head to head with Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) but it’s a losing effort on her costs. She ends up being pushed over a cliff and left for dead. Meanwhile, Sabine is taken as Baylan and Shin’s (Ivanna Sakhno) prisoner. When Baylan first mentions Anakin Skywalker, it gives us hope of flashbacks to the Clone Wars. Alas, this is not meant to be. Could we see them during future episodes? One can only hope so. I mean, earlier dialogue during TV spots allude to the Clone Wars.

During the end of the episode, Ahsoka comes to but she’s within the World Between Worlds. How does she get there? We hear the words, “Hello, Snips,” and immediately know that Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensten) is nearby. “I didn’t expect to see you so soon.” I love every bit of Rosario Dawson’s acting in this episode. She experiences just about every emotion in response to seeing her former master, who would later become Darth Vader.

It’s five year’s after Anakin’s death in Return of the Jedi. I have questions–he’s wearing his black Jedi robes from Revenge of the Sith. Is this an Anakin that is one with the Force or is he at a different part in his life? What is he doing there? If he is a Force Ghost, why does he not look like a Force Ghost in the World Between Worlds? Is he the Fallen Jedi in the episode title? The Vader theme plays at the end, which could suggest something sinister at play. I expect we’ll know more about the situation next week.

There were rumors about scenes taking place on Mustafar but we shall see. Maybe we’ll see something next week but who knows. In Dave Filoni I Trust.

As a series, Ahsoka is closer to finding Grand Admiral Thrawn–and presumably Ezra Bridger–but this episode marks a welcome return of a familiar face.

CREATOR/HEAD WRITER: Dave Filoni
DIRECTOR: Peter Ramsey
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Dave Filoni, Jon Favreau, Kathleen Kennedy, Colin Wilson, Carrie Beck
CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Karen Gilchrist
CAST: Rosario Dawson, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ray Stevenson, Ivanna Sakhno, Diana Lee Inosanto, David Tennant, Evan Whitten, and Hayden Christensen

Disney+ premieres new episodes of Ahsoka on Tuesday nights at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT. Episode 4 – Grade: 4/5

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