Warning! This article contains spoilers for Ahsoka episodes 1 and 2.
David Tennant’s Huyang in Ahsoka proves the interesting fact that one of the Jedi Order’s first teachers is a droid. Since Ahsoka‘s marketing began positioning the show as a sequel to Star Wars Rebels, much of the interest regarding characters has centered on the latter show’s returning players. However, one of the more interesting returning characters from earlier Star Wars projects is David Tennant as Professor Huyang.
Huyang first appeared in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, also voiced by Tennant in the animated show. Surprisingly, the character was revealed to return in Ahsoka‘s first trailer despite not playing a role in Star Wars Rebels. By the end of Ahsoka episodes 1 and 2, Huyang’s alliance with Ahsoka, Hera, and Sabine was solidified, with his interesting conversations with the latter proving that the Jedi’s first teacher is actually a droid.
Professor Huyang Is One Of The First Instructors For Jedi Younglings
Despite this being reaffirmed in Ahsoka, Star Wars: The Clone Wars actually showcased that Professor Huyang is one of the first mentors for a Jedi youngling. Huyang’s main role in the Jedi Order before Order 66 revolved around youngling’s lightsabers. After the Gathering, the adventure the younglings undertake on the planet Ilum that sees them obtain their first Kyber crystal, Huyang is responsible for teaching the young Jedi how to construct their own lightsabers.
Huyang held this position for thousands of years in the Jedi Order. As such, Huyang was around during the time of the High Republic and even mentored Jedi as old as Master Yoda on how to build Kyber-based weaponry. David Tennant’s character in Ahsoka continues this with his knowledge of lightsabers in Ahsoka episodes 1 and 2 providing Easter eggs to the characters past. His knowledge of such, as well as his mentoring of Sabine, proves that even a droid is capable of being one of the first teachers of aspiring Jedi.
Huyang Comments On Sabine’s Force Sensitivity… But He’s A Droid
Another interesting element of David Tennant’s Huyang in Ahsoka episodes 1 and 2 was his comments to Sabine. One of the prevalent theories surrounding Sabine in Ahsoka was that she would be revealed as Force-sensitive due to her training under the show’s titular Jedi. In Ahsoka episode 2, Huyang seemingly nullified these rumors by scathingly stating to Sabine that her Force aptitude was completely inferior to any Jedi the droid has ever mentored.
This is even more interesting when remembering the fact that droids cannot be Force-sensitive. A being’s connection to the Force comes through the microscopic organisms known as Midi-chlorians, something droids do not possess. As such, Huyang’s ability to sense Force-aptitude alongside his teaching of Jedi younglings in lightsaber construction which is so intrinsic to the Force through Kyber crystals is made all the more intriguing in Ahsoka, with David Tennant’s character hopefully able to delve more into these elements going forward.
New episodes of Ahsoka release every Tuesday at 6pm PT / 9pm ET on Disney+.
