Ahsoka Episode 5: Unveiling Shadows - The Heart of Star Wars in 'Shadow Warrior'

Arguably the best Star Wars episode yet, Star Wars: Ahsoka, Episode 5, aptly titled "Shadow Warrior" is a captivating journey on the unexplored territories of the Jedi lore with breathtakingly beautiful visuals and epic fan service.

Warning. Spoilers follow!

Picking up immediately where we left off, we get beautiful aerial shots of Seatos and the tumultuous ocean waves which hint at the overall depth this episode throws at us. Next we see Hera, Jacen & Chopper arrive, having "missed the party" at the cliff edge from the previous episode. A lonely Huyang is skulking against a rock, facing the ocean with Sabine's Mandalorian helmet and the solemn words "I told them to stay together...but they never listen. They never listen". 

Next we get transported back to Ahsoka who finds herself in the "World between worlds" with her former master, Anakin Skywalker, played by a bedazzlingly CGI de-aged Hayden Christensen who goes on to instruct his former padawan with one final lesson in order to "complete her training". The lesson, in itself, is simple: Live or die - which carries the overall Sith philosophy of dealing in absolutes, a precursor to the scenes that follow and a warning to Ahsoka that this was her deciding and final lesson.

The scenes within the "World between worlds" are visually stunning akin to a galactic planetarium but with a certain empty eeriness that adds to overall enigma of the place. As the former master and apprentice battle, their lightsaber's clashing is contrasted by the waves of the ocean of Seatos and we see Jacen hone his inherit Jedi abilities to tune in and "hear the lightsabers", proving that Ahsoka is somewhere in the depths.

A nice side easter egg was the line by Commander Carson Tavo that "Senator Organa" was running interference for General Syndulla, As we know Filoni's Mandoverse is set after the events of Return of the Jedi, which means that, in this timeline, both Leia and Luke (and Han, Chewie, Threepio and R2D2 for that matter) are alive. We have seen Luke show up in the Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett and holding thumbs we get to see more of Leia as well! Leia and Hera are of course close friends, as seen in the animated series Star Wars Rebels.

Jumping back into the ocean, we see Ahsoka face her own spiritual journey as she engages in battle with Anakin. Just as it seems she has the upper hand with her quip of "Looks like you don't have much else to offer", Anakin slices the platform ground, sending Ahsoka spiraling downwards and straight back into...The Clone Wars!

When she comes around, we see a much younger, child version of Ahsoka, deep in the heat of battle with loads of fan service and easter eggs for fans of the animated series. We also get to see a side that the animated series may have touched on but never really truly hit as hard - the effects of war, loss and death. It is made even more horrific by the fact that Ahsoka is but a child at the time, as she was during the Clone Wars but for me, this was real gut puncher. "We lost so many..." says Ahsoka as she tearfully holds the hand of a dying clone trooper. Questioning the rationale of war, Ahsoka prods her master with a "What if I want to stop fighting" to which Anakin responds with a "Then you'll die" Again, the absolute Sith philosophy. And, as the lightning crackles, we see a familiar silhouette of Darth Vader in place of her former master.

Next we cut back to some quite moments between Hera and Huyang on the planet Seatos before we're back into battle with "Snips" and "Skyguy". This time it's the Siege of Mandalore and Ahsoka is in full Jedi battle mode, cutting through super commandos with her duel lightsabers and a cool pop-in cameo from Commander Wrex. As Ahsoka again questions the rationale of war and death and her part in all of it, Anakin commends her as being a true "warrior", just as he trained her to be, part of a legacy between master and student which she inherited much like he did from his master. The "warrior" is a cool throwback to Yoda's line "Wars not make one great".

As Ahsoka renounces war, she reminds Anakin of how dangerous and powerful he became, the memory of which appears to irritate him, causing him to draw his lightsaber again, this time it glows red instead of blue, indicating the dark side. "I gave you a choice. Live....or die!"

Then we're transported back into the "World between worlds" as Ahsoka now battles a very Darth Vader-ish version of Anakin, complete with glowing eyes. Ahsoka wins the battle but instead of striking down her former master, she instead "chooses to live" and we see the dark side dissipate from Anakin. His final words to Snips are "There's hope for you yet" and he fades away as Ahsoka is revived and reborn through water in a truly mesmerizing scene.

When next we see Ahsoka, she's wearing white, a similar Gandalf-like transition into a higher spiritual plane and more in tune with the force. First, she uses he abilities to pick up an "impression" on the broken orb to determine what befell Sabine. After this, we see her on the wing of her starship (she seems to have a thing for riding outside of her ship) and tuning in with a school of purrgill, the hyperspace navigating whales from Rebels. The interaction between Ahsoka and the larger purrgill was a neat throwback to her first appearance in "Tales of the Jedi". Ahsoka and Huyang fly into the mouth of a larger purrgill and with a final "May the force be with you" are blasted off into hyperspace in search of Sabine and, hopefully, Ezra.

This episode showcases the power of storytelling within Star Wars, using every frame to convey a profound narrative. It's a reminder that Jedi are more than warriors; they are guardians of the Force. "Shadow Warrior" stands as Ahsoka's finest episode, offering a deep dive into her character. 

In the Disney era of Star Wars, there have been both gems and disappointments. Ahsoka's journey seems to be heading in the right direction, with each episode demonstrating remarkable direction and execution. "Shadow Warrior" marks a turning point where the magic of old blends seamlessly with today's standards, promising an exciting journey ahead.