Summary
- Ahsoka: Part Five of the Disney+ series Ahsoka features a heartwarming reunion between Ahsoka Tano and Anakin Skywalker in the World Between Worlds.
- Rosario Dawson and Hayden Christensen rehearsed for their reunion and fight scene, expressing their excitement to be back together on screen.
- Dave Filoni, the showrunner, saw the opportunity to bring Anakin and Ahsoka together and thought it was "awesome."
Warning! The following contains SPOILERS for Ahsoka: Part Five — Shadow Warrior.
Ahsoka Tano and Anakin Skywalker share a heartwarming reunion in the World Between Worlds. The fifth episode of the Disney+ series Ahsoka found a unique way to reunite Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) with his one-time pupil, Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson), without relying on a flashback, or even your standard, glowing Star Wars’ Force ghost. Now, a behind-the-scenes video has been released showing Dawson and Christensen rehearsing for their reunion and training for their fight scene, as well as dishing on what it was like to share the screen. Dawson said during an exclusive interview with Entertainment Tonight:
"It was amazing to have Ahsoka and Anakin back together again."
Christensen famously portrayed the Jedi who becomes Darth Vader in Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith. And even though this isn’t his first stint playing the character on Disney+ (that was in Obi-Wan Kenobi), Christensen was more than ready to ignite both his blue and red lightsabers once more. The actor said in the same interview:
"When I got the phone call to talk about being a part of the Ahsoka project, I was thrilled."
During their mind-blowing encounter in the World Between Worlds, Anakin tries to teach Ahsoka that she must continue fighting in order to survive. And Skywalker isn’t interested in a laissez-faire lesson. No, he imposes his will and might to force his old Padawan into a grueling lightsaber duel. The final portion of the World Between Worlds’ sequence also treats Star Wars fans to something they’ve not seen in live-action before: pre-Mustafar Darth Vader wielding a red lightsaber!
Anakin and Ahsoka’s Joyous Reunion
Ahsoka’s showrunner Dave Filoni has been there with Ahsoka Tano since her very first appearance in Star Wars: The Clone Wars 15 years ago. While George Lucas was the one who urged the creation of a Padawan for Anakin Skywalker to teach, Filoni has played an integral role in Ahsoka’s development over the years. And when he saw the opportunity to reunite the show’s titular hero with her Jedi master — yeah, Anakin was a “Master” to Ahsoka despite the Jedi Council — Filoni didn’t flinch. Filoni said in the same interview:
"As I was figuring out the story for Ahsoka, I just really thought, ‘Well, there’s an opportunity. I could bring Anakin and Ahsoka together. It’s just awesome."
While Anakin and Ahsoka clearly have a long history together in the animated world of Star Wars, Christensen and Rosario have known one another many years, too. Twenty years ago, just after Hayden made his debut as Skywalker in Attack of the Clones, the two actors starred together in the docudrama Shattered Glass (2003). And Dawson thinks their friendship helped sell Ahsoka and Anakin’s on-screen reunion. Dawson told ET:
“I met Hayden when I was 16, and we were in acting school together over a summer. And to have that kind of history with him, it really was like seeing my old friend. It just was really really powerful for Ahsoka to see her guard come down. You know her as a stoic, super-powerful, on-the-top-of-it warrior, and all of a sudden she’s [a] Padawan again.”
Christensen has the opportunity in Ahsoka to portray not only the armor-clad warrior Skywalker became during The Clone Wars, but he gets to further explore the disillusioned Anakin/Lord Vader who was seduced by the Dark side of the Force — before he was imprisoned in Darth’s cumbersome, life support suit. Christensen said:
"Putting on the Anakin costume, getting to wear those Jedi robes, it kind of blows your mind every time. I just feel very grateful."
Hopefully, it won’t be the last time Star Wars fans see Christensen and Dawson share the screen again. With the netherworld of the Force, flashbacks and the World Between Worlds, there are numerous ways the duo could reunite again in Ahsoka and even beyond. Stream new episodes of Ahsoka every Tuesday at 9 p.m. EDT. on Disney+. And check out the actors' discussion video titled Anakin and Ahsoka's Reunion in its entirety below: