Warning! SPOILERS for Tales of the Jedi.Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi has revealed more about Ahsoka Tano’s backstory and her parentage. Tales of the Jedi features three new shorts concerning Ahsoka’s life from the time she was born up to and including her life after the horrific events of Order 66. Learning so much about Ahsoka in Tales of the Jedi, particularly from the time before she joined the Jedi Order sets her apart from her Jedi counterparts, whose childhoods before being brought to the Jedi Temple have rarely been discussed or portrayed at all in Star Wars canon. Ahsoka’s Master, Anakin Skywalker, is the most notable exception, providing an interesting parallel between the Master and Padawan duo. Tales of the Jedi’s Ahsoka-centric episodes offer a better understanding of Ahsoka’s kindness, her connection to the light, and her steadfast determination.
The first Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi episode, “Life and Death,” delivers a brief but impactful glimpse at Ahsoka’s life before she joined the Jedi Order, including the village she grew up in, who her parents were, and how it was discovered that Ahsoka was connected to Star Wars‘ Force. Learning these things about Ahsoka sheds new light on her character, especially her Force connection with other living creatures. Here are three key points that Tales of the Jedi has revealed about Ahsoka’s previously unknown backstory.
Ahsoka Was Born In A Small Togruta Village
Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi revealed that Ahsoka was born in a small Togruta settlement on the planet Shili, surrounded by lush green forests, mountains, and plenty of wildlife. The Togruta live in houses seemingly constructed with clay, topped with roofs made of wooden shingles, fitting well into the natural surroundings. The village is not large, and rather surprisingly, Togruta children aren’t really seen throughout the first of the Tales of the Jedi episodes, making it understandable that the announcement of Ahsoka’s birth is a celebratory affair for the whole settlement. The Togruta village where Ahsoka was born does have its own Elder, though, a kind woman named Gantika, who is also the first to realize that Ahsoka has a connection to the Force. The first Tales of the Jedi episode makes it clear that the Togruta in Ahsoka’s village all look out for one another – as soon as tragedy befalls, they are all willing to drop everything and help solve the problem.
Ahsoka’s Mother Was A Skilled Hunter
After the opening title sequence for Tales of the Jedi, the “Life and Death” episode shows Ahsoka’s mother holding little Ahsoka in a baby carrier. Ahsoka’s mother, who is named Pav-ti, discusses with her partner Nak-il a tradition that happens when a Togruta baby has recently had its first birthday. Pav-ti is to go on a hunt, accompanied by Ahsoka Tano, so that they may honor their ancestral spirits. During this hunt, it becomes clear that Pav-ti is quite skilled. She successfully kills a kybuck on the first try. Not only that, but later, when Ahsoka and her mother are attacked by a large, tiger-like creature, Pav-ti can hold her own against it, using a combination of weapons and fighting techniques.
From the events of the Tales of the Jedi episode, it would seem that all the Togruta in the village are skilled hunters in their own right, as Ahsoka’s father Nak-il and the others come to Pav-ti’s aid to frighten the creature away. Unfortunately, not much else can be learned about Nak-il from this Ahsoka-focused Tales of the Jedi episode. Though, it is possible that Ahsoka’s father was a builder of some kind, as he is shown to be making repairs on their roof before Pav-ti and Ahsoka leave for the hunt.
Ahsoka’s Force Connection Was Discovered When She Was A 1-Year-Old
Though Ahsoka’s mother puts up a brave fight against the massive creature that attacks them in the first Tales of the Jedi episode, Ahsoka is still taken by the creature deep into the forest. Though the audience already knows that Ahsoka will survive this encounter, the tension in this scene is still palpable, and it culminates in a beautiful and formative moment in which Ahsoka makes her first Force connection with a living creature. Even as a baby, Ahsoka was able to calm the creature down long enough for it to return her to her village and her parents, riding on its back all the way home. Pav-ti is undeniably grateful that Ahsoka was brought home safely, but understandably questions how it is possible, and Gantika is the one who provides an answer: “Ahsoka is Jedi.”
Ahsoka’s encounter as a baby with this terrifying creature provides an interesting parallel with another corner of the Star Wars universe. In The Book of Boba Fett, Grogu is shown to connect with Boba’s enormous rancor through the Force as well. It’s possible that connecting with creatures is one of the most common ways for infants to make their abilities known. Ahsoka later goes on to develop an important bond with another Star Wars creature, namely the convor Morai, an owl-like bird that watches over Ahsoka and has a strong connection with the Force. Though most Jedi are capable of connecting with living creatures, not all Jedi get the hang of it to the same degree, and Ahsoka uses it more than most, bested perhaps only by Ezra Bridger.
Tales of the Jedi’s deep dive into Ahsoka’s infancy provides an interesting look at how different her life would have been if she didn’t have the innate ability to connect with the Force. She likely would have lived a similar life to that of her parents, peaceful, but small. As audiences know, Ahsoka became a pivotal character in the Star Wars story and the galaxy wouldn’t be the same without her, making Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi’s informative first episode even more riveting.
