Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Episode 6 of Ahsoka.
The latest episode ofAhsokafeatured plenty of important moments for the latest television set in theStar Warsfranchise, but one of these particular scenes featured some characters that aren’t seen in live-action often. When Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto) finally arrived on Peridea after looking for Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) for a very long time, she was greeted by Nightsisters from Dathomir. The characters hold an immense amount of power, and they are the best witches that can be found in the galaxy far, far away. But why do the Nightsisters hate the Jedi and their Order so much? It all goes back to the galaxy’s ancient history.
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Who Are the Nightsisters of Dathomir?
By the time the witches are seen inAhsoka, the series already expects viewers to know who they are due to their appearances in animated stories set inthe galaxy far, far, away. But for audience members who haven’t had the opportunity to look at their origin, it’s best to remember that they are a powerful clan of sorcerers who barely leave Dathomir due to the fact that their abilities are at their strongest when they find themselves on their home planet. Thanks to Dathomir’s magical icor, a mist that can only be found on the depths of the planet, the witches draw power to create powerful spells and blasts of energy.
The magic also allows the Nightsisters to have accurate visions about the past, the present, and the future, with them witnessing events that happened light years away from their location at any given time. While they might seem like an isolated community at first, the witches were actually heavily involved with the Separatist Army during the time when theClone Warstook place, serving as allies to the enemies of the Jedi. One of the most iconic villains from the entire franchise was actually the son of a relevant Nightsister who was betrayed by Darth Sidious (Ian McDiarmid).
After a brief time when the Sith Lord allied himself with the powerful witches, he decided to betray his military partner, Mother Talzin (Barbara Goodson), and steal her son. The boy would grow up to be Darth Maul (Sam Witwer), the dangerous apprentice who took the life of Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) during the events ofStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. While Maul didn’t have any magical powers himself, he had a strong connection to the Force, proving once again how close the Nightsisters were linked to the Jedi Order.
Why Do the Nightsisters Hate the Jedi?
In the Star Wars canon that was established whenDisneypurchased Lucasfilm, it all started when the Jedi Council sent Allya into exile, six hundred years before Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) changed the course of history. The planet where the former Jedi was sent to happened to be Dathomir, where her discovery of the planet’s magical energy allowed her to train others in the ways of the Force. However, Allya had a different plan, creating her own method of training. What she had to teach would end up becoming the magic handled by the Nightsisters.
Since the Jedi Order had sent their leader into exile, the Nightsisters were taught to dislike the keepers of the peace, and as they ran into each other cross the years, the groups were always divided because of old beliefs. By the time this iteration of the witches appears inAhsoka, they still don’t trust anyone who could be related to the Jedi Order. Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) happens to be present when the evil crew goes looking for Thrawn, causing insecurity in the Nightsisters who have survived.
Even if they have been taught to not trust one another, it’s possible for a Jedi to form an alliance with a Nightsister. In the video gameStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, the protagonist of the story is a young man who has to interrupt his training due to Emperor Palpatine activating Order 66. Cal Kestis' (Cameron Monaghan) path eventually takes him to Dathomir, where he meets a young witch who obviously doesn’t trust him. As they help one another across his journey, they become friends, proving that what happened to Allya was an old legend and shouldn’t rule what happens in the present.
Why Are the Nightsisters in ‘Ahsoka’?
The entire premise ofAhsokais two opposing sides of a potential war trying to retrieve powerful allies after they were lost during the final episodes ofStar Wars Rebels. What’s left of the Empire is looking for Grand Admiral Thrawn, while the people who used to be a part of the Rebellion are trying to get a hold of Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi). If any of them manage to find the lost individuals, they could turn the tide of the potential conflict, and the fate of the entire galaxy could be determined by the outcome of their quests.
Thrawn and Ezra both crashed into Peridea, the strange planet seen in the sixth episode ofAhsoka. While Ezra had to find cover with the local alien species, Thrawn had more leverage, rebuilding that army that traveled across the universe with him in the hopes of returning to his home eventually. The Nightsisters had visions about Thrawn and the power he represented, which is why they decided to help him while he was looking for a way to get back to his galaxy of origin.
While Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) herself isn’t alone, Thrawn is one of the smartest military leaders in the galaxy. Now that Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) has died as of the end of the third season ofThe Mandalorian, the power vacuum left behind in the remnants of the Empire can be filled by the most powerful force the heroes of the galaxy have faced since Emperor Palpatine himself. It might not be too late for the Jedi to stop the imposing Grand Admiral, but if they fail, the galaxy will be ruled by an evil organization once again. At least until the First Order arrives a few years later.
