In 2008, Star Wars fans were surprised to discover that Anakin Skywalker trained a Padawan. This Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, made her less than sparkling debut in an animated feature about saving a Huttling named “Stinky.” This underbaked pilot for Star Wars: The Clone Wars, released in cinemas to a tiny audience (it made $35 million domestically), introduced the duo of Snips and Skyguy in what I would call a Test of Patience.
If Star Wars has anything to teach us, it’s that patience is rewarded. The Clone Wars rocky debut on the big screen led to a revolution in Star Wars storytelling on the small screen. Ahsoka Tano became the standard bearer of what this new storytelling approach could achieve. Star Wars fans have seen grow her from infancy in Tales of the Jedi to Galdalf the White at the end of Rebels; from petulant teen to paragon of virtue.
This makes Ahsoka unique in the pantheon of Star Wars heroes. Almost every other major character we’ve met in the main series Star Wars is, essentially, an archetype. Luke is the Dreamer until he is the Hero and then he is the Legend. Leia is the Princess and then the Wise Leader. Anakin is the Fallen Hero. The entire Solo movie is based on the idea that Han Solo has his archetype mixed up: he believes he is the Outlaw, but Qi’ra knows he is, in fact, The Good Guy. You could make Tarot Cards out of them. You could write their story on a cave wall. The Son redeems the Father. The Scoundrel marries the Princess. (Even The Mandalorian has become beloved because he is The Parent.)
Ahsoka Tano doesn’t work this way.