25 Essential Episodes of Ahsoka Tano’s Life
It’s Ahsoka time! The beloved animated character is stepping into the limelight with her live-action series premiering on Disney+. From her humble roots starting in The Clone Wars movie, she has risen in prominence to become one of the most important characters in all of Star Wars.
It’s an excellent time to dive into the important moments of her journey throughout her appearances. This list won’t include books or comics, though Ahsoka by E.K. Johnston is an insightful read, and the adaptation will be featured. Here are the 25 essential episodes of Star Wars television in the life of Ahsoka Tano.
1 – “Life and Death” – Tales of the Jedi
The anthology series Tales of the Jedi focused on Count Dooku and Ahsoka. While the show did wonders for Dooku, Ahsoka’s stories dove into narratives fans already knew. The exception was the first episode, “Life and Death.”
The episode gives the audience a rare side of a Jedi story: who are their parents? It features Pav-ti and Nak-il, who are Ahsoka’s mother and father. Pav-ti takes her daughter hunting, giving the toddler her first lessons. It’s a fascinating look because there are parts of Ahsoka in both of her parents.
2 – “Storm Over Ryloth” – The Clone Wars
Season one of The Clone Wars gets a lot of flak as the weakest season, but it’s arguably the one where Ahsoka does a ton of character growth. She starts in The Clone Wars movie and season one with little experience and is thrown headfirst into an intergalactic war. In “Storm Over Ryloth,” she’s overly confident, which leads to half of her men getting killed. It’s a significant blow and a harsh lesson for her as she has to pick herself back up and keep fighting.
3 – “Weapons Factory” – The Clone Wars
The Geonosis arc is one of the best early arcs of The Clone Wars. It pushes Ahsoka, Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and everyone involved to their limits. “Weapons Factory” is one of the two episodes focusing on Ahsoka, with “Brain Invaders” being the other.
“Weapons Factory” serves two purposes. The first checks in on how much Ahsoka has grown over two seasons, and the other introduces a vital character in Ahsoka’s story: Barriss Offee. The two opposite padawans are given a mission, forcing them to work together and become friends.
4 – “Heroes on Both Sides” – The Clone Wars
“Heroes on Both Sides” is considered one of the best episodes for Ahsoka and one of the essential entries for The Clone Wars. Padmé Amidala takes Ahsoka behind enemy lines to speak with an enemy senator. Pamdé's point is that the senator was once part of the Republic and is still her friend despite their political differences. It’s a crash course in politics for the Jedi as Ahsoka realizes the war she’s fighting isn’t so black and white.
5 – “Altar of Mortis” – The Clone Wars
The Mortis arc fundamentally changed Star Wars and is considered one of the groundbreaking moments in the franchise. While the three episodes all have massive implications, the second entry in the arc “Altar of Mortis” is the big one for Ahsoka.
Corrupted by the Dark Side, Ahsoka dies on Mortis. Distraught, Anakin pleads with the literal god of the Light Side, the Daughter, to help save his Padawan. The Daughter transfers the last of her life into Ahsoka, resurrecting her.
This moment has rippling effects throughout the rest of Ahsoka’s story. There is a species of bird in Star Wars called a convor, and one goes by the name of Morai. This creature has a spiritual connection to the Daughter. Morai is a spirit guide for Ahsoka across all of her shows after this moment, and there are often convorees present in her major appearances like The Mandalorian.
6 – “Wookiee Hunt” – The Clone Wars
The back half of The Clone Wars season three is Ahsoka’s time to shine. Those final eight episodes from Mortis, through the Citadel arc, to the two-part finale are all significant moments in her journey.
It all culminates in “Padawan Lost” and “Wookiee Hunt.” Ahsoka is captured by hunters and allies herself with a group of Jedi padawans to survive. Out of the two, “Wookiee Hunt” is when Ahsoka steps up. She takes on the burden of leadership to lead her peers into battle and get them to safety.
These episodes were the halfway point of The Clone Wars‘ original run on Cartoon Network, and it was a fantastic bookmark of where Ahsoka was in her character arc.
7 – “Tipping Points” –The Clone Wars
The first arc of season five holds so many implications for the franchise. The Onderon story introduces Saw Gerrera, a major player in the Rebellion, Andor, and Rogue One. It is the birthplace of the Rebel Alliance, as seen in The Bad Batch. For Ahsoka, this arc challenges her with romantic feelings, letting go of attachments and the weight of mistakes on the battlefield.
It all crashes down on her in the last episode, “Tipping Points.” With the planet of Onderon revolting thanks to Ahsoka and her team’s actions, the episode is very much its namesake as the scales of war teeter back and forth. Ahsoka suffers a horrible loss of a friend, which could be easily written as her fault. Onderon is a slog for the character and an arc that lingers with Ahsoka for some time.
8 – “A Test of Strength” – The Clone Wars
The Youngling arc in season five is fun. It was a backdoor pilot that never moved forward, but it still had some elements that have been brought back in other series. Ahsoka is a teacher in the story, guiding a group of Jedi younglings to find their kyber crystals to craft their lightsabers.
In terms of the importance of the Ahsoka series, the second episode of the arc introduces Professor Huyang, voiced by David Tennant. As the droid professor is returning to the series Ahsoka, this is a great episode to revisit to understand how he and Ahsoka interact.
9 – “Sabotage” – The Clone Wars
“Sabotage” is the first episode of Ahsoka’s departure from the Jedi Order. It’s the setup for the bigger story focusing on Ahsoka and Anakin investigating a bomb attack at the Jedi temple. As they discover new evidence, it seems a Jedi is behind the attack.
One funny moment is when Ahsoka discovers that the Jedi pay people horrifically low wages. Non-Jedi citizens work at the temple and can barely survive on their paychecks. Anakin writes it off that it’s “an honor” to work for the Jedi Order, and this point does not sit well with Ahsoka.
One fun side fact is this entire arc is an homage to various Alfred Hitchcock movies.
10 – “The Jedi Who Knew Too Much” – The Clone Wars
Here is the true beginning of the end of Ahsoka’s time with the Jedi Order. Ahsoka is framed for the bombing of the Jedi Temple, which pits her against Anakin, the Jedi Order, and a young Admiral Tarkin. Ahsoka goes on the run, with only Anakin believing she's innocent.
11 – “To Catch a Jedi” – The Clone Wars
Throughout The Clone Wars, Plo Koon is a Jedi Master who is significant in Ahsoka’s life. He’s the one who discovered her as a Force-sensitive toddler and brought her to the Jedi Order. After Anakin and Obi-Wan, Plo Koon is the next important figure in her life and is present throughout the entire series.
Ahsoka is on the run in “To Catch a Jedi,” with Anakin and Plo leading the hunt to find her. Neither of her masters believes she is guilty, but they must do their duty in bringing her in. It’s a daring cat-and-mouse game of an episode.
12 – “The Wrong Jedi” – The Clone Wars
The most crucial moment of the life of Ahsoka Tano is “The Wrong Jedi.” When the Jedi Order refuses to listen to her about her innocence, they cast her out of the Order. Thankfully, Anakin kicked in the door just in time to show the real culprit was Barriss Offee, Ahsoka's friend from the Geonosis arc. The Jedi High Council dares to look at Ahsoka and basically say, “Whoops! Our bad! Come be a Jedi again! No hard feelings, right?”
Ahsoka’s faith in the Jedi is shattered by this time, and she walks away from the Order. After this moment, Ahsoka has not considered herself a Jedi in all of her appearances.
13 – “Gone with a Trace” – The Clone Wars
The first episode of Ahsoka’s Walkabout arc has Ahsoka surviving in the real world for the first time. With no experience of making money, getting a job, or being a normal citizen, she stumbles to make it by.
The audience also gets to see the background work of Palpatine taking effect. The soon-to-be Emperor has spent seven seasons using the Clone Wars to sew public doubt about the Jedi Order. When Ahsoka meets two sisters, Trace and Rafa, she’s shocked to hear Trace state that the Jedi started the war with the Separatists, and the young woman dislikes the Jedi. Palpatine’s propaganda has worked, which helps with the destruction of the Jedi in a few episodes.
14 – “Old Friends Not Forgotten” – The Clone Wars
Part one of The Clone Wars series finale is full of emotional tragedy. While the characters don’t know it, the audience knows the show is stepping into the timeline of Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. This episode is the last time Ahsoka sees Anakin as himself before falling to the Dark Side and becoming Darth Vader.
15 – “The Phantom Apprentice” – The Clone Wars
“The Phantom Apprentice” is one of the best-written pieces of Star Wars ever created. Not just for The Clone Wars; all of Star Wars.
It’s a showdown between Ahsoka and Darth Maul, something foreshadowed in Star Wars Rebels, and it brings to the table such emotionally and morally complicated storytelling. Maul tries to convince Ahsoka to team up with him to stop Palpatine. She almost agrees until she finds out that Maul wants to kill Anakin, who Palpatine has groomed into becoming Darth Vader.
The tragedy is that Maul is right, but no one sides with him because he’s a villain. Ahsoka chooses love and friendship that day, and it’s a choice that dooms the galaxy.
16 – “Shattered” – The Clone Wars
This is the Order 66 episode, so it's full of death and destruction. We’re firmly in Revenge of the Sith as Ahsoka feels Order 66 rippling across the Force and fights for her life and her friend, Captain Rex, as all the clones turn on her. It’s harrowing as she does everything possible to save Rex and herself.
17 – “Victory and Death” – The Clone Wars
“Victor and Death” brings The Clone Wars to a close. The show's final episode wraps up this chapter of Ahsoka’s life as she sets off with Rex on a new path. It’s also the only time we see Anakin fully as Darth Vader in the series, ending this chapter of his life too.
18 – “Resolve” –Tales of the Jedi
The finale episode of Tales of the Jedi tackles an adaptation of Ahsoka, the novel by E.K. Johnston. “Resolve” hits the main points of Ahsoka hiding from the Empire, how she connected with Bail Organa, and why she officially became a leader in the Rebel Alliance.
It’s a nice cliff notes version of the story. Still, the novel is a much better exploration of Ahsoka’s psyche in the early days of the Empire, along with her paranoia of being discovered as a Jedi.
19 – “The Siege of Lothal” – Star Wars Rebels
Even though Ahsoka appears as the mysterious Fulcrum throughout the first season and makes her full debut in the finale, the season two opener, “The Siege of Lothal,” is her first full appearance in Star Wars Rebels. As an adult and a leader of the Rebel Alliance, it’s a new role for the character as she guides the Ghost crew.
She also has a near brush with Darth Vader, who realizes his once Padawan is still alive. This moment makes Ahsoka question her belief that Anakin died in Order 66.
20 – “The Future of the Force” – Star Wars Rebels
Despite her being a supporting character in this episode, “The Future of the Force” lets the creators show off how far Ahsoka has grown. She’s not an inexperienced teenager anymore and easily defeats two Imperial Inquisitors. It’s a fantastic fight that also highlights her unique white lightsabers, something fans had waited to see her wield on screen.
21 – “Shroud of Darkness” – Star Wars Rebels
The Jedi Temple on Lothal is one of the most vital locations in Star Wars Rebels. In “Shroud of Darkness,” Ahsoka visits the temple with Jedi Kanan Jarrus and his Padawan Ezra Bridger. Each Force user has their own visions, and it’s here that Ahsoka learns the truth that Anakin has become Darth Vader.
22 – “Twilight of the Apprentice” –Star Wars Rebels
“Twilight of the Apprentice” was a reunion a decade in the making. It’s the fateful showdown between Darth Vader and Ahsoka as they confront each other. The episode has everything a good season finale should have as it leaves the heroes in a dark place, brings Darth Maul back into the mix, and has one of the best lightsaber brawls of the franchise.
The chef’s kiss is the return of Matt Lanter, who voiced Anakin throughout The Clone Wars. When Vader’s mask breaks, Lanter’s voice comes out of Vader, not James Earl Jones, which is the chilling cherry on top.
23 – “A World Between Worlds” – Star Wars Rebels
“A World Between Worlds” is another canon-defining episode. Introducing time traveling into the franchise (thankfully, the creators closed that loop), Ezra is able to save Ahsoka from the events of “Twilight of the Apprentice.” It also fully introduces Morai as Ahsoka’s spirit guide, reminding the audience of her connection with the Daughter.
24 – “The Jedi” – The Mandalorian
Ahsoka's first episode in live-action introduces Rosario Dawson to the role. It’s a new take on Ahsoka thanks to the point of view character in The Mandalorian being Din Djarin, who knows nothing about Jedi. The Clone Wars was often from Ahsoka’s point of view, and Star Wars Rebels had other Force users looking in at Ahsoka’s story. The Mandalorian is the first time a complete outsider gets to witness the character, which is a unique spin on the former Jedi. Din's point of view gives Ahsoka a different vibe which is fascinating to watch.
25 – “From the Desert Comes a Stranger” – The Book of Boba Fett
By far, the highlight of “From the Desert Comes a Stranger” is having Ahsoka and Luke Skywalker in the same scene together. It is a triumph of technology to bring young Mark Hamill to life and have him be a fully realized character. The emotional resonance of Ahsoka now being a mentor to her master’s son is powerful. Luke clearly wants her guidance and knowledge, and Ahsoka gives just enough so he can grow on his own path.
It’s a tease of what kind of character Ahsoka could be in her titular series. Ahsoka is the oldest and farthest in the timelines she’s ever been, so it’ll be fascinating to watch where she goes next.
Hope Mullinax is a freelance writer with over ten years of experience working for various publications. She’s the Site Expert at Dork Side of the Force, a Freelance News Writer for Collider, and the Animation Staff Writer at The Geeky Waffle. When she’s not writing, she loves on her cats, collects Pokémon cards, and rolls dice on For Light and Dice, a Star Wars TTRPG podcast.