Ahsoka Episode 3 Star Wars Easter Eggs & Key Details You Might’ve Missed

Summary

• Ahsoka episode 3 is filled with Star Wars Easter eggs and references, reshaping the franchise’s history and setting up an intergalactic adventure for Ahsoka.
• The training scene in Ahsoka episode 3 incorporates Japanese martial arts techniques that inspired George Lucas when creating Star Wars, honoring his original vision.
• The episode introduces the New Republic Defense Fleet and features familiar faces like Mon Mothma and senator Hamato Xiono, expanding on the political landscape of the Star Wars universe.

This article contains spoilers for Ahsoka episode 3.Ahsoka episode 3 is absolutely packed with Star Wars Easter eggs and references, with subtle lines of dialogue that completely reshape the franchise’s history. Anakin Skywalker’s Padawan has come a long way since her debut in 2008’s Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated movie, and it increasingly looks as though she’ll travel further than anyone could have expected. The Ahsoka Disney+ TV show is setting her up for an adventure of intergalactic scale.

Ahsoka episode 3 is an action-packed chapter in this story, with the Jedi finding themselves caught in the crosshairs of Shin Hati, Marrok, and other agents of Morgan Elsbeth. By the time the episode ends, the scene is set for a dramatic confrontation between Ahsoka and Baylan Shin – an Order 66 survivor who, it’s already confirmed, actually knew Anakin Skywalker himself. Here are all the key Star Wars Easter eggs and references in Ahsoka episode 3.

11 Sabine’s Jedi Training Finally Honors George Lucas’ Japanese Inspiration

Ahsoka episode 3 opens with an extended training scene, with first Huyang and then Ahsoka attempting to help Sabine learn both to use her lightsaber and access the Force. It’s particularly notable for incorporating common training methods used in Japanese martial arts – entirely appropriate given this served to inspire George Lucas in the first place. The wooden blades are officially named “bokken,” the name of a wooden sword used for traiining in kenjutsu.

Ahsoka encourages Sabine to cover her eyes, a technique she calls “Zatoichi.” This is a fictional swordsman created by novelist Kam Shimozawa, Zatoichi lost his sight as a child through illness, but trained as a swordsman regardless, and became star of a long-running series of Japanese movies. These had a massive influence on George Lucas when he created Star Wars, and it’s great to see them officially acknowledged.

10 Ahsoka Gives The Perfect Description Of The Dark Side

While training Sabine, Ahsoka gives the perfect description of the nature of the dark side. Anger and impatience, she explains, can give a quick power boost – but they cost a Jedi their balance. This is very much how George Lucas himself understood the dark side, and it’s thrilling to hear his logic represented in official Star Wars canon.

9 Ahsoka Episode 3 Shows The New Republic Defense Fleet

Ahsoka episode 3 swiftly moves to the New Republic Defense Fleet, with Hera Syndulla – still based at Home One – called into a meeting with a Senate Committee to argue her case for battling Thrawn. Star Wars: The Force Awakens had previously hinted the New Republic did not have a fleet, but that’s clearly not the case. Star Wars: Timelines suggested this entire Defense Fleet was based at Hosnian Prime when the planet was destroyed.

8 The Senate Committee Includes Two Familiar Faces

The Senate Committee inclues two very familiar faces. The first is Genevieve O’Reilly’s Mon Mothma; she originally played the part in a deleted scene in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, but was brought back for Andor and Ahsoka. Mon Mothma was a senator who played a key role in establishing the Rebel Alliance, and she went on to become chancellor of the New Republic. As seen, though, the New Republic’s politics have made life difficult for Mon.

The second is senator Hamato Xiono, whose son Kaz will be the star of the Star Wars: Resistance animated TV show. The Ahsoka plot is influenced by Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn trilogy, books that are no longer considered canon, and Xiono appears to be playing the role associated with the corrupt politician Borsk Fey’lya. In Legends, Fey’lya – who would eventually become chancellor himself – was ambitious and self-interested, refusing to believe the Empire was a threat.

7 Ahsoka Episode 3 Introduces Hera’s Son, Jacen Syndulla

Ahsoka episode 3 finally introduces the live-action Jacen Syndulla. The son of Hera and Jedi Padawan Kanan Jarrus, Jacen has already been confirmed to have the ability to call upon the Force. It’s unknown whether he’ll wind up at Luke Skywalker’s Jedi Temple, though – hopefully not, because if so he may have become one of Kylo Ren’s victims.

6 Huyang Hints Jedi Standards Were Rewritten A Thousand Years Ago

Huyang has served the Jedi for 25,000 years. Interestingly, he notes that Jedi standards had held firm for a millennium – which suggests those standards were only codified a thousand years ago. This was after the defeat of the Sith, which led to the reformation of the Republic. It would appear Jedi protocols prior to this were very different.

5 Huyang Also Hints There Have Been Other Mandalorian Jedi

Speaking to Ahsoka, Huyang also notes there have been “few” Mandalorian Jedi. This comment in itself rewrites Star Wars history, because until now only one has been known – Tarre Vizsla, the Jedi who forged the Darksaber. Huyang appears to be pointing to a much more complicated history between the Jedi and the Mandalorians, with other Mandalorians joining the Jedi as well.

4 Shin Wears A Clone Wars Jedi Headset

Many Force-sensitives number among the most dangerous and skilled pilots in the galaxy, largely because of their Force-enhanced reflexes. Shin is no exception, although one detail does stand out; she wears a Clone Wars-era Jedi headset, of the type seen in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. It’s possible she was given this by her master,

3 Huyang Confirms The Eye Of Sion Is A Hyperspace Ring

Huyang confirms the Eye of Sion is indeed a giant version of the Jedi hyperspace ring. Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The High Republic transmedia initiative has revealed the history of the hyperspace ring; it was actually associated with a group of space pirates known as the Nihil, and must have been subsequently adopted by the Republic. Now it’s been significantly enhanced, with the goal of reaching an entirely different galaxy.

2 Star Wars Finally Shows A Live-Action Purrgil

Star Wars‘ space whales, the purrgil were introduced in Star Wars Rebels – massive creatures that can jump to hyperspace under their own power. Their live-action debut was teased in The Mandalorian season 3, but they finally appear in all their glory in Ahsoka episode 3. They’re beautifully rendered, a true testament to the skill of the VFX teams who worked on Ahsoka.

1 The History Of The Star Wars Galaxy Is Blown Wide Open

Finally, Ahsoka episode 3 confirms a theory that purrgil travel between the galaxies – and that their migration routes were the basis for ancient hyperspace lanes across the intergalactic void. Excitingly, though, dialogue from Ahsoka reveals this doesn’t just involve Peridea. It seems the history of the Star Wars galaxy is more complicated than anyone knew before, with the inhabitants of many galaxies crossing the void in ancient history. This, naturally, raises the intriguing question of just why that changed.

New episodes of Ahsoka release every Tuesday at 6pm PT / 9pm ET on Disney+.