Spoilers for the first two episodes of Disney+’s Ahsoka lie ahead, so read on at your own risk.
Ahsoka finally made its long-anticipated debut, and the two-episode series premiere delivers plenty of Star Wars goodness that’s sure to excite fans. In the lead-up to the show, what had a number of fans most excited about the show was its connections to the animated series Rebels. Of course, given that it’s set within the same timeframe as The Mandalorian, it has connections to that as well. The character of Morgan Elsbeth represents a piece of connective tissue between the two streaming series. Surprisingly though, the latest show just revealed that Morgan has ties to a mythology highlighted in Star Wars: The Clone Wars (which is streamable with a Disney+ subscription). And I’m hoping this link is explored further.
What Connects Morgan To Star Wars: The Clone Wars?
Morgan Elsbeth – played by Diana Lee Inosanto – debuted in The Mandalorian Season 2 episode “Chapter 13: The Jedi.” Established as the cruel Imperial Magistrate of Calodan on the planet Corvus, she was overthrown due to Ahsoka Tano and Din Djarin’s efforts. Few details have been revealed about Morgan’s backstory at this point, with the most notable arguably being that she once worked for the (now-missing) Grand Admiral Thrawn and helped rebuild the Imperial fleet. It would now seem that there’s more to her than meets the eye, though.
The series premiere of Ahsoka, “Part One: Master and Apprentice,” sees the titular heroine traveling to an ancient temple and recovering a star map that may lead to Thrawn. She's successful and, later on, Morgan, ex-Jedi Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) and his apprentice Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno) all visit the site. It's there that Hati inquires about the history of the location, and Morgan reveals it was built by her ancestors -- the Nightsisters of Dathomir! Interestingly though, when Shin refers to her as a witch, Morgan simply says she's a survivor.
She does have the powers of a witch, though. In the second episode, "Part Two: Toil and Trouble," Elsbeth rendezvous with Hati and Skoll, after the former retrieves the map from Sabine Wren. It’s there that she uses magic to access the map and reveal where Thrawn might be. All in all, this is a pleasantly surprising tie-in, especially for someone like myself who’s watched Clone Wars and read a few Star Wars comics. And if you’re part of the uninitiated, don’t worry, because we’re going to discuss who these characters are.
Who Are The Nightsisters And How Do They Factor Into Star Wars Lore?
The Nightsisters or the Witches of Dathomir were introduced decades ago during the Star Wars Expanded Universe continuity, which was eventually deemed non-canon. The group of sorceresses remained in the fold under the Disney era, though, thanks to being introduced into The Clone Wars ahead of Lucasfilm’s sale to Disney. In short, the group are dark Force-users, who channel energy from a substance known as magical ichor, which flows within their planet. The most prominent clan to be depicted in recent SW media is that of the all-powerful Mother Talzin.
Though the sisters have appeared in comics and video games over the past few years, Clone Wars marked their most prominent appearances. That’s because it was revealed that former Sith Asajj Ventress was a native of Dathomir and that Talzin was the mother of Darth Maul and Savage Opress. She was ultimately the one who restored Maul, who was left physically and mentally damaged after his duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Ultimately, many of the Nightsisters were massacred due to the actions of Count Dooku and General Grievous. This actually tracks with what was already known about Morgan Elsbeth, as Ahsoka Tano revealed on The Mandalorian that her people were wiped out during the Clone Wars. Now, we don’t know if her clan dwelled on Dathomir proper, but it’s possible that they were, at the very least, connected to the denizens of that planet culturally.
Why I’d Love For Ahsoka (Or Another Show) To Dig Deeper Into This Portion Of Morgan’s Backstory
The Nightsister-centric episodes featured on Clone Wars were very intriguing, as they introduced a more unusual side of the galaxy far, far away. In addition, it’s rare that fans get to see pure magic and sorcery (which is somewhat mixed in with the Force) depicted in Star Wars. Now that viewers know of Morgan’s ancestry, I’d love to see that part of her history covered a bit more. Lightsaber battles are sure to play heavily into the remainder of Tano’s series though, amid blade battles, it’d also be great to see her use her supernatural powers in a more defensive way.
That seems more probable than a cameo from the spirit of Mother Talzin. But again, with the franchise growing in different ways, I don’t see why a production focusing on the remnants of the Nightsisters couldn’t become a reality. Elsbeth could certainly be involved, assuming she survives the events of Ahsoka. Regardless of whether that actually happens though, I’m pleased with the little piece of connective tissue we have.
Ahsoka premieres new episodes on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Disney+ as part of the 2023 TV schedule. Do yourself a favor and also keep your eyes on upcoming Star Wars TV shows and movies.
