One keySabine Wrenscene inAhsokacompletely changed the nature of Force Ghosts inStar Wars. Force Ghosts have been increasingly prevalent inStar Warsmovies and TV shows. The original trilogy confirmed that Master Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Anakin Skywalker had all become Force Ghosts, andStar Warshas since added Qui-Gon Jinn, Luke Skywalker, and Leia Organa to that list.
Controversially,Return of the Jediadjusted Anakin Skywalker’s Force Ghost so that he was portrayed by Hayden Christensen. Despite the controversy, it’s clear thatStar Warsis running with that concept. After appearing inthe World Between Worldsand finding closure with Ahsoka Tano (although, notably, that was not Anakin’s Force Ghost—it’s not entirely clear what that was), Anakin appeared as a Force Ghost on Peridea intheAhsokafinale.One key aspect of this scene has completely redefined Force Ghosts, though, which has fascinating implications forStar Wars’future.
Sabine Proved You Don’t Need A Personal Connection To Sense A Force Ghost
Sabine Was Able To Sense Anakin On Peridea
At the very end ofAhsoka, as Sabine Wren and Ahsoka Tano accept that they are now trapped on Peridea, Sabine senses something in the Force. Although Sabine is not sure what it is, Ahsoka steps forward and smiles, and it is then confirmed to be Anakin Skywalker as a Force Ghost. What made this scene particularly shocking isSabine Wren was able to sense Anakin Skywalker’s Force Ghost despite having no personal connection to Anakin.
This is the first time inStar Warsthat this has happened. Luke was able to see Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Yoda, all of whom he shared a direct relationship with. Obi-Wan was likewise able to see Qui-Gon Jinn inObi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda was able to see Qui-Gon inStar Wars: The Clone Wars, and Rey was able to see Luke and Leia on Tatooine inStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. To date, Sabine sensing Anakin is the very first example of someone sensing a Force Ghost to whom they have no connection.
Sabine sensing Anakin is the very first example of someone sensing a Force Ghost to whom they have no connection.
Why Could Sabine Sense Anakin… When Obi-Wan Struggled To Sense Qui-Gon?
Obi-Wan Struggled To Connect With Qui-Gon Until The End Of Obi-Wan Kenobi
One of the subplots ofObi-Wan Kenobiis Obi-Wan’s inability to connect with his former master, Qui-Gon Jinn. This comes as a bit of a shock, because 10 years had passed sinceStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, and it was in that movie that Yoda informed Obi-Wan of this training he intended Obi-Wan to have (presumably, how to become a Force Ghost himself once he died). Despite his best efforts,throughout that decade, Obi-Wan never managed to make contact with Qui-Gon’s Force Ghost.
Obi-Wan cut himself off from the Force to hide from the Empire, so that may explain why he was unable to connect untiltheObi-Wan Kenobiending, whereas Sabine was able to sense Anakin without any effort. That still feels quite odd, though, as Sabine was confirmed to be very minimally Force sensitive inAhsokaand wasn’t trying to connect with Anakin at all. Even with Obi-Wan’s diminished connection to the Force, surely he was tapping into the Force to attempt making contact with Qui-Gon. Nevertheless, he was unable to do so until after he had gone on this journey.
Jedi Force Ghosts Explained: Origin, Powers, Meaning & All Canon Reveals
Force Ghosts have been part of Star Wars lore since Obi-Wan’s death in A New Hope - and canon has revealed a lot about how they really work.
Rey Can Learn From ALL The Force Ghosts, Not Just Luke & Leia
This Opens Up A Number Of Opportunities For Star Wars' Future
This update to how Force Ghosts work inStar Warscould have massive implications moving forward, especially when it comes to Rey’s upcomingStar Warsmovie, rumored to be titledStar Wars: New Jedi Order.If Sabine could sense Anakin without having any connection to him, then Rey could theoretically connect with any number of Force Ghosts. This could mean Rey receiving guidance from Obi-Wan, Yoda, or Qui-Gon Jinn (or anyone else who became a Force Ghost, perhaps including Jedi who have yet to appear on screen).
This update to how Force Ghosts work inStar Warscould have massive implications moving forward.
This guidance would be particularly useful if the rumored title is indeed the title of Rey’s movie, heavily hinting she will be establishing her own Jedi Order. It’s also clear that actors for many of these characters are open to coming back, making this even more feasible. This would also be one way for Rey’s movie to feel more connected to all that came before, including what came before the sequels, which may win some audiences over even with so much negativity still surrounding the sequels.
It remains to be seen whether this will become a pattern or if Sabine’s ability to sense Anakin was a one-off. Hopefully,Star Warswill continue to play with this idea, as it opens up a host of exciting possibilities moving forward. This one Sabine Wren moment fromAhsokamay have truly changed Force Ghosts inStar Wars, the implications of which may only be beginning.
