Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD for Episode 7 of Ahsoka on Disney+, called "Dreams and Madness."
After finally introducing Ezra Bridger and Grand Admiral Thrawn into live-action in the previous episode, Ahsoka brought Lady Tano herself far, far away to Peridea while also sparing a bit of screentime to check back in with Hera and Mon Mothma in Coruscant. As the penultimate episode of Season 1, "Dreams and Madness" had to keep the story moving while also setting up the finale with a cryptic ending. As a Star Wars Rebels fan, I found myself catching some clues and throwbacks from the series that I don't think are all coincidences this late in the game.
The Episode 7 ending has more questions than answers, as nobody seems to have an idea of what Baylan Skoll is up to, Shin Hati is in the wind, Ahsoka and Co. are nearly out of time, and Ezra's optimistic delivery of "I think I might be going home after all" can be taken as a reason to be hopeful... or a sign that disaster is definitely going to befall him now that he said that out loud.
And since characters like Baylan Skoll, Shin Hati, Morgan Elsbeth, the Great Mothers, and even Enoch are Star Wars newcomers (aside from Elsbeth's brief Mandalorian appearance) in a show that has only run for seven episodes so far, there's only so much informed speculation we can do about what they'll do next. That's not the case with the Rebels characters, and I'm banking on at least some the scenes that involved these Rebels-related clues and reminders paying off, for better or worse.
Ezra Doesn't Need His Lightsaber
Despite Sabine trying to return the lightsaber with a small horde of enemies attacking, Ezra declared that he could rely on the Force to fight, and then immediately proved himself right, even if he did have to pick up a blaster by the end. This tracks with Ezra's actions in the Rebels finale when he used the Force rather than a weapon to save the day (and the galaxy) from Thrawn, which in turn mirrored Kanan using the Force to save his family after losing his own lightsaber.
It's a throwback to the fourth season and sets up Ezra's role in potentially using the Force more importantly than fighting in the finale. Assuming everything somehow works out for him, Sabine, and Ahsoka in the finale with time to spare, they have to get back to their old galaxy somehow, and he's the expert at talking to purrgil. Plus, he could always build a new lightsaber with an apprentice when he gets home... but I'll get to that scenario in a bit.
Thrawn Is Hera's Rebels Nemesis
I've felt from the start that the hunt for Thrawn should have been Hera's story at least as much as Ahsoka's after he was set up as her nemesis in Star Wars Rebels. It initially seemed like Ahsoka was just going to ignore that, but "Dreams and Madness" actually nodded to their history. Not denying her personal investment in stopping Thrawn, Hera told Mon Mothma that they have to "prepare for the worst and hope for the best." Mary Elizabeth Winstead's performance sold that line as coming with plenty of history and pain behind it, rather than just a general updating her chancellor.
And Hera didn't mess around when it came to Thrawn in Rebels. That Ahsoka line to Mon Mothma strikes me as a clue that Hera may have the cavalry ready to attack Thrawn if he does manage to return to his former galaxy in the finale. Plus, even if Senator Hamato Xiono still has it out for Hera, she has Leia on her side (albeit off screen) and Mon Mothma trusts her judgment. And then there was an update from Sabine that drops another clue, which leads us to...
Zeb Is Training Recruits
Garazeb Orrelios was actually the first Star Wars Rebels character to appear in live-action with the exception of Chopper in Rogue One, but his cameo in The Mandalorian didn't give away much other than that he was working as a pilot for the New Republic. While he hasn't appeared in Ahsoka yet, Sabine provided a helpful update for Ezra: Zeb is training recruits. Does that mean that he's conveniently on Coruscant, ready for Hera to call upon him and his recruits for help? It does not. Is it fun to imagine Jacen was hanging out with Zeb anyway while Chopper was with Hera during her questioning? It sure is.
The mention of Zeb training recruits feels too specific to not pay off in some form or other in the finale or beyond. His story could have been that he was just a pilot for the New Republic, since that was how he appeared in The Mandalorian. Or he could have been on Lira San for a visit, since that was his Rebels ending. Ahsoka set him up as somebody active in the New Republic, with resources.
Thrawn Has A History Of Letting His Enemies Live
Thrawn has repeated over the past couple of episodes that killing Ezra, Sabine, and now Ahsoka doesn't actually have to be a priority, since he'll just be able to strand them on Peridea to live out the rest of their days in exile while he returns to his former galaxy. This focus on the bigger picture tracks with Thrawn's actions in Rebels, such as when he allowed Hera and the Ghost to escape Ryloth instead of easily shooting them down.
Sometimes this is for the purpose of learning about the enemy and it pays off... and sometimes he ends up sent to another galaxy by a teenage Jedi and a bunch of space whales for ten years. In all seriousness, though, Thrawn's ability to prioritize without ego is a big part of why he's such a great villain.
Looking back to Rebels, letting Hera escape Ryloth ultimately led to Thrawn defeating the rebels and nearly killing most of the Spectres before Imperial incompetency led to defeat at the end of Season 3. In Ahsoka, however, not insisting on Ezra, Sabine, and Ahsoka's confirmed deaths might backfire on him pretty spectacularly, especially with Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati as variables.
Sabine Didn't Tell Ezra About Jacen
Ezra listed off what Sabine had told him about all the changes since he'd been gone: Hera was commanding a fleet, Zeb was training recruits, the Emperor was said to be dead, there was a New Republic, etc. He even asked if that was everything, and I think it's safe to say that he would have mentioned Hera having Kanan's son if Sabine had told him about Jacen. I take this as Sabine saving the news to either surprise Ezra with meeting the youngster or let Hera tell him.
And since this happened in the same episode where it was downright weird that neither Sabine nor Ezra mentioned Kanan when they talked about her having some Jedi training before becoming Ahsoka's apprentice, I can't help but feel that Kanan's conspicuous absence from the storytelling combined with Sabine not telling Ezra about Jacen means that the reveal I've been waiting for is being saved for the finale.
Could all of this be way too optimistic about me, and Ezra's line about thinking he's going home is actually a sign that the opposite is going to happen in the finale? Sure. I know perfectly well that the season could end in the kind of tragedy that wouldn't happen on Rebels with its place on Disney XD, and these moments could be throwbacks and character consistency rather than clues of anything.
But while the plot thread running through Ahsoka is about preventing Thrawn's return, the emotional thread is about recovery and healing. Ahsoka's time in the World Between Worlds was about recovering from her Anakin baggage and choosing to live in the present. Sabine's mission was quite literally about recovering Ezra when he was counting on her. And Jacen has been built up as a symbol of hope for the future.
For me, that points toward a finale that doesn't end in utter tragedy, but instead Ezra returning home and perhaps bringing the story full circle by training his former master's son. And if that's wishful thinking ahead of a major tragedy... well, I'm going to enjoy it while I can. Find out what's next for Ahsoka, Ezra, and Sabine (and whether I'm being wildly over-optimistic here) with the Season 1 finale of Ahsoka on Tuesday, October 3 at 9 p.m. ET with a Disney+ subscription.
