Last month, at Star Wars Celebration Orlando 2017, we got an incredible trailer for season 4 of Star Wars: Rebels.
If you haven’t seen that incredible trailer, or you are just looking for a good excuse to re-watch it yet again (because seriously, who wouldn’t be?) here it is for you.
Notice something important: starting at about 0:48, we get our first glimpses of a magnificent white wolf which seems to be playing an instrumental part in something Ezra and Sabine are up to. And we get another look at that wolf later on in the trailer when Kanan lays a hand on its nose in a setting somewhat similar to the lower levels of that ancient Jedi Temple we encountered in the first two seasons. As that wolf races across the plains of Lothal, we’re easily reminded of exactly how much Dave Filoni, Executive Producer of Star Wars: Rebels, loves these amazing creatures.
Ever since that trailer released, fan speculation has gone wild. Almost every possibility that could ever be thought of has been explored, and the more popular ones have been hashed and re-hashed, over and over again.
And one of the most popular theories circulating was that Ahsoka Tano, former Jedi Padawan of Anakin Skywalker, leader in the Rebel Alliance, and much loved fan-favorite who mysteriously disappeared from the galaxy in the season two finale, Twilight of the Apprentice, was somehow connected to that wolf. In fact, many have pushed the idea that she actually is the wolf, that somehow she has been reincarnated in this new form to rescue her fellow Jedi in their time of need.
(For anyone who might like a refresher on that Rebels finale, here’s the full story from StarWars.com.)
At the very end of that episode, the shadowed form of Ahsoka is seen descending lower into the darkness of the Sith Temple. A glowing white convor owl flies overheard, its cry piecing the murky darkness of Malachor.
Fans had no idea whether to take that last scene as a metaphor describing Ahsoka’s demise, or if it was to be interpreted as a true confirmation that she survived. Fandom became divided. On one side were those who believed she was truly gone forever, killed by Vader or in someway departed to become one with the Force, and on the other were the die-hards, never giving up hope that she lives on even now, and staunchly holding their ground against any doubters. These “#AhsokaLives!”ers find their ways into just about every event. Even Ahsoka’s actress from both Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Rebels joins in to stir the pot of the controversy on occasion, including shouting “Ahsoka Lives!” to a crowd of screaming fans during the “Heroines of Star Wars” panel at SWCO 2017.
Last year at Star Wars Celebration London the topic was briefly touched upon, and a set of digital trading cards drawn by Filoni, showing Ahsoka in and around the Sith Temple on Malachor (presumably after the events of Twilight of the Apprentice), were released.
Via the Star Wars Official Website
Most of us have already heard the story of Mr. Filoni’s shirt already. Of how he appeared onstage for the Rebels season 4 panel at SWCO 2017 wearing a shirt with the simple text, “AHSOKA LIVES?” And of how, when the lights came back on after the trailer was show, his shirt had changed to say “AHSOKA LIVES!”
It seems that Ahsoka Tano may truly still be around.
But the theory of Ahsoka being reincarnated as a giant, mystical white wolf is not one that I agree with. At all.
I must admit, when I saw the trailer one of the first thoughts to pop into my head was that there must be some connection between Ahsoka and that wolf. Even now I hold to that original idea and truly hope we will see a connection between the two. But I don’t want to see them attempt to say that she has returned as an animal. Partly because that theory was just not something I was attracted to (just like the theory that Rey is Anakin Skywalker reincarnated), and partly because it totally twists the entire philosophy of the Star Wars universe to add in reincarnation.
Based on what we know about the Force, life, and the “afterlife” in Star Wars, once you’re dead, you’re dead. Of course, the Jedi believe that no one ever truly dies in the sense that you become entirely nonexistent. Your life-force becomes one with the cosmic Force, the the energy field that Jedi, Sith, and their off-shoots draw their power from. But it just can’t work to try to cram in reincarnation.
Which brings me to what I am here to show you today: this drawing and Twitter post that was released Wednesday, June 7.
And there we have it. Ahsoka is NOT THE WOLF.
But might the wolf have something to do with Ahsoka? YES!
We already know that Ahsoka survived the fall of the Jedi during Order 66 with the help of some giant wolves on Mandalore.
These quotes were from StarWars.com’s liveblog of the “Ahsoka’s Untold Tales” panel at Star Wars Celebration London last year:
Now showing a sketch of Ahsoka riding a huge wolf.
…
Filoni explains the scene: clones mistake the wolves for trees, as their legs are so big. Sounds amazing! Applause from the crowd!
Via the Star Wars Official Website
So we know that there is a very good chance that there IS some type of connection between Ahsoka and this wolf. Possibly it helps Sabine, Ezra, and the others because it remembers Ahsoka. Perhaps Ahsoka herself has even sent it to their aid!
In closing, I just want to give you a little more food for thought. This is an idea that popped into my head the other day, and though I haven’t yet been able to thoroughly work it out into a full-fledged theory, I feel that is it worth mentioning.
Dave Filoni is a huge Lord of the Rings fan. He loves the works of Tolkien, and references them often as some of the biggest inspirations for his own stories.
No one can possibly have been into the mythology and legends of Middle-Earth for any amount of time without having come across the story of Beren and Luthien Tinuviel, the Man and Elf who attempted to steal a Silmaril from the crown of Morgoth himself. Along their way they were aided by Huan, a being who was often in the form of a giant hound. Without his help they never could have escaped Morgoth’s own hounds, nor could they have stolen his precious jewel. Sadly, though the summary of this tale is in The Silmarillion, as well as Unfinished Tales, Tolkien died before he was able to fully finish and publish the story. However, at the beginning of this month, their story was finally released in the fullest form possible.
Now is it just me, or does this hound look extremely similar to the giant wolf that Ezra and Sabine are riding? And notice that Ezra seems to be holding some sort of box-shaped item as he clings to a seemingly unconscious Sabine on the back of that wolf….
Am I the only one seeing some connections? 😮
Let me know what you think in the comments!
This article was written by Shay S., Creator, Chief Editor, and Podcast Host for The Elven Padawan, and first appeared on ElvenPadawan.com
The Elven Padawan 
Theory: the wolf is an intelligent species and a friend of Ahsokas? There’s lots of different races in the galaxy, some of which are animal like, so why not a wolf race? I’d like to see that (just because I love wolves!) But it probably was inspired, at least subconsciously, by Tolkien. I like your theory (but I hope that the wolf cab talk) (or: werewolf race? Alternation off generations race with humanoid form in dominant generation and wolf form in the other?)
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I really like those ideas!
I have a feeling that the wolves are almost certainly intelligent and able to communicate, at least with the Jedi. We know that Ezra and Kanan have been able to communicate (to some extent) with simple animal types, like the Purgil and the spiders on Atollon. I would think that the wolves will be much like that, but with a higher level of intelligence, possibly even Force-sensitivity. Especially if these wolves are related to the ones Ahsoka encountered, since I’m pretty sure she was able to communicate with them and they chose to help her escape the Jedi Purge. Perhaps this wolf is deliberately helping them in memory of Ahsoka, or she has even sent it directly to them.
The werewolf idea is also really intriguing, especially since it would solidify the connections to Tolkien even more. Huan and others like them were, more or less, a type of werewolves (though Tolkien himself never decided whether they Maiar in animal form, or simply normal animals whom the Valar had granted the ability to speak.)
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We’ve already seen plenty of shapeshifters in Star Wars (such as the Clawdites, like Zam Wessel.) And even the Son and Daughter from Mortis possessed the ability to take on many different forms.
That’s one of my favorite ideas: that this wolf has something to do with the Daughter. We know that she often took the form of a giant griffon, and that there may be some connection between her and the convoree birds that seem to interested in following Ahsoka where ever she goes. Maybe this is once again some manifestation of her, or of her influence through the Light Side of the Force. That would be an incredible connection!
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Gosh, I would love for either the wolf or that white convor from TotA to be connected to the Daughter, of even be an incarnation of her. Plus, for the convor, it would make SO much sense, because- the Mortis arc. Ahsoka and the Daughter are directly connected. The Daughter didn’t just channel a part of her power to save Ahsoka then, she gave her last little bit of life Force. And that one bird seems to show up wherever Ahsoka is — even on Malachor, where there was seemingly no other life. Just another theory! 😏
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Yes, that would definitely be awesome!! Not to mention the white Loth-Cat Ezra keep encountering…
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