Ahsoka's Line About 'Non-Traditional Jedi' Goes All The Way Back To Yoda

The TV series "Ahsoka" may have some terrible pacing and glacially slow dialogue deliveries, but it also provides the purest "Star Wars" story we've seen since the sequel trilogy ended. The show features exhilarating space battles — both in and out of spaceships! — while also connecting the original and sequel trilogy in a thrilling way that exposes the systematic flaws of the New Republic.

But what is most exciting about the Dave Filoni-created show, so far at least, is the way it is interrogating the very idea of the Jedi and who gets to be one. After the prequel trilogy (and also "Rise of Skywalker") turned Force-sensitivity into a matter of blood cells and royal bloodlines, "Ahsoka" reiterates what the very first "Star Wars" movie taught audiences — that the Force is inside everyone. Granted, not everyone can master this mythical energy, but with enough discipline and training, you can at least sense the Force. This is a game-changing development for the galaxy far, far away, as the show finds its namesake, Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson), setting out to train her Padawan Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) in the Jedi ways even though she's yet to feel the Force (no matter how much Ahsoka's droid companion Huyang is against the idea).

While the notion of someone who absolutely cannot use the Force being trained to be a Jedi (and doing so well into adulthood) may be unusual for "Star Wars," it makes perfect sense for Ahsoka — a character who has never abided by the rules of the Jedi Order, and who herself was preceded by a long line of unconventional Jedi.

When discussing how unorthodox Sabine's training is in episode 3, "Time to Fly," Huyang admits that Ahsoka does come from a lineage of "non-traditional" Jedi — one that's rather impressive when you think about it. After all, Ahsoka's master was none other than the Chosen One, Anakin Skywalker, and the guy who eventually became a Sith Lord who all but wiped out the Jedi. What's more, the master of Anakin's master, Qui-Gon Jinn, was considered as rebellious as Anakin himself, a Jedi who was constantly fighting with the Jedi Council. This itself makes sense considering Qui-Gon was trained by Count Dooku, who also became a Sith Lord after growing disillusioned with the Council. As for Dooku, his master was none other than Yoda, and we know how non-traditional and weird his teaching methods can be.

All that lineage paid off in Ahsoka, who, when you look back at her career and upbringing, is unlike any other "Star Wars" protagonist we've met. Unlike Rey and Luke Skywalker, she was not born with a special connection to the Force, but instead endured harsh training by Anakin — including grueling combat training that ended up saving her life — and grew up on the battlefield seeing the worst of the galaxy on a daily basis. Indeed, as a teenager, Ahsoka commanded legions of soldiers, she took on Maul, she fought Mandalorians, and even survived Order 66 on her own, all as a Padawan. With her as a teacher, Sabine is in good hands.

New episodes of "Ahsoka" premiere Tuesday nights on Disney+ at 6:00 pm Pacific, 9:00 pm Eastern.