Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Ahsoka episode 6.
Ahsoka episode 6 revives an idea George Lucas had for Star Wars‘ ultimate ending, albeit with its own unique spin that better fits its story. Ahsoka is created by Dave Filoni, the apprentice to George Lucas’ master, which makes it particularly interesting to see how it fits his vision, and how it changes it. Nowhere is that clearer than with the reveal of a new galaxy, radically changing the framing device of this story taking place in “a galaxy far, far away.” That’s something Ahsoka episode 6, fittingly titled “Far, Far Away,” takes even further, and connects back to Lucas’ earliest plans for the franchise’s future.
One of Lucas’ early titles for Star Wars was Adventures of the Starkiller as taken from the Journal of the Whills, Saga I: The Star Wars. Obviously little of Lucas’ original Star Wars plan remained, but the Journal of the Whills was supposed to be a literal in-universe plot device. This would be a galactic history that was maintained by a group called the Ancient Order of the Whills, and would tie into the overall ending of the saga. Lucas didn’t get to fully realize this idea in his Star Wars movies, but Ahsoka does, in a way.
Huyang’s “Long Time Ago” Revives The Idea Of Droids Telling The Star Wars Story
The most interesting part of Lucas’ Star Wars 9 plan is just how the story was being passed along at the conclusion. With a jump to the far future, it would have seen none other than R2-D2 telling the Skywalker saga story to the Order of the Whills, thus cementing its place as “a long time ago.” While that didn’t happen in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Ahsoka has its own version of it as Huyang tells the story of the other galaxy, which begins, fittingly, “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.”
Huyang isn’t telling the Skywalker saga in this instance, but he’s arguably telling something even bigger. This isn’t just one family’s story, but the implication is that this is the beginning of everything. The way the story is framed certainly sounds as though the story he’s telling, which begins in a different galaxy, is core to the foundation of Star Wars‘ main galaxy, and so makes sense as a piece of history to be preserved. Indeed, Huyang still has A History of the Galaxy: Parts 1, 2 & 3 stored in his memory banks, which not only revives the idea of a droid character being the historian, but firmly establishes it as something that does happen within canon.
Ahsoka Proves George Lucas’ Original Star Wars Ending Can Still Happen
Huyang telling the story of “a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away” is not only an interesting wrinkle in and of itself, but also proves that Lucas’ original ending could still happen. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker didn’t use it, but the Skywalker saga will, in effect, continue with Rey’s New Jedi Order movie. It’s possible that could bring back R2-D2 and, in that movie or if it becomes a trilogy, have him tell the story. This could be quite fitting, as R2-D2 was somewhat overlooked in the sequels, and using this ending would restore his place as the true hero of Star Wars.
Otherwise, there is of course another option for who could tell the story: Huyang himself. Although he wasn’t present for as much of the Skywalker saga as R2-D2, he could certainly learn about it from the likes of Ahsoka Tano (and was around for much of the prequels anyway). There’s solid narrative reason for Huyang to return in Star Wars‘ future too: Rey will be building a new Jedi Order, which provides a natural role for Huyang, the droid who helps Younglings build their lightsabers and train as Jedi. Huyang’s history extends back 25,000 years, so he could connect everything together, and be the one telling the entire story of Star Wars.
Ahsoka releases new episodes Tuesdays at 6pm PT / 9pm ET on Disney+.
