'A Long Line Of Non-Traditional Jedi': Looking Back At Ahsoka's Jedi Lineage

In the third episode of Ahsoka, Sabine Wren's training as Ahsoka Tano's Padawan Learner officially resumes. Despite Sabine's Mandalorian heritage giving her a natural affinity for weapon work, she struggles with other aspects of becoming a Jedi, most notably, the use of the Force. The droid Huyang, who's original function was to help Jedi Younglings build their first lightsaber, and train them in proper saber form, tells Ahsoka that the pre-Empire Jedi Order would not have accepted Sabine, but then goes on to admit that the Jedi line through which Ahsoka descends were not exactly traditional either.

While the Jedi's rules against attachment mean they are not usually supposed to have children of their own (save for a few special exemptions granted to rare or especially Force-sensitive bloodlines), they pass on a legacy in other ways, such as from a Master to their Padawan, passing down their training methods and philosophies on the Jedi way. The relationship between Master and Padawan is often the closest a Jedi will ever 'legally' experience, with some likening it to a relationship between parent and child, or others as siblings. Some come to view their apprentice's eventual Padawan as an extension of their own Jedi 'Family'.

Let's take a look back over Ahsoka's sometimes non-traditional Jedi line.

Grand Master Yoda

Yes, that Yoda. Ahsoka Tano can trace her Jedi lineage back to one of the greatest Jedi of all time. When we are introduced to Yoda in Episode I: The Phantom Menace, he has already been the Grand Master of the Jedi Order for quite some time, considered by many as the perfect embodiment of everything a Jedi should be. His strong belief in the Jedi way led to his initial refusal to allow Anakin Skywalker to be trained, as his age and attatchment to his Mother could cause issues. By the latter days of the Clone Wars, Yoda began to realise that the Jedi had made mistakes, but it was too late to correct their course.

Yoda is believed to have trained many Padawans to Jedi Knighthood in his long life. By the time he took on the final one, he was already Grand Master of the Jedi.

Count Dooku

The audiobook Dooku: Jedi Lost reveals that Count Dooku was once Yoda's Padawan. Abandoned by his family, members of the ruling House of Serenno, Dooku was taken in by the Jedi Order after his Force-sensitivity was discovered. After centuries between apprentices, Yoda chose to take on Dooku as his Padawan. As mentioned above, Yoda was already Grand Master of the Jedi Order at the time, and continued to perform all the duties this position entailed alongside training Dooku. This put a lot of pressure on the young Dooku, who felt a need to prove himself worthy of the time Yoda invested in him.

Over time, Dooku rose up to become a high ranking, respected member of the Jedi Order. His high rank afforded him access to various collected Jedi relics, including some Sith Holocrons, and he devoted much of his time to the study of prophecies involving the Jedi and Sith. Eventually, Dooku became disillusioned with the Jedi, believing they had lost their traditional role as peacekeepers and become puppets of the Republic Senate. He was also frustrated with their refusal to accept growing evidence that the Sith could rise again. Dooku left the Jedi Order, returned to his home planet and ousted his corrupt relatives, taking leadership of Serenno as Count Dooku.

While the Jedi disagreed with his decision, many still held Dooku in high esteem, unaware that he had begun secret meetings with Darth Sidious/Palpatine. The death of Dooku's own former Padawan Qui-Gon Jinn at the hands of Darth Maul was the final straw for Dooku regarding the Jedi, blaming them for his death as they had ignored his earlier warnings. He fell to the Dark Side, becoming Sidious's apprentice as Darth Tyranus, leading the side of the Separatists in the eventual Clone War. Dooku never considered himself a true Sith, mostly using the teachings for his own means. Unfortunately, he never understood that he himself was a pawn in Palpatine's long game.

Qui-Gonn Jinn

Despite Dooku's eventual fall, back when he was a Master, he was, by all accounts, a good one. He shared a close bond with his Padawan, Qui-Gonn Jinn, viewing him almost as a son. While he shared his own philosophies on Jedi lore with Qui-Gonn, he also allowed him the space to explore on his own. This led to him having a strong passion for the concept of the living Force, while also inheriting his Master's belief in various prophecies, particularly that of a Chosen One who would bring balance to the Force.

While his level of skill commanded some respect, Qui-Gonn was seen as something of a renegade among the Jedi for his somewhat liberal views towards the Force and who could become a Jedi. He refused the offer of a seat on the Jedi Council in favour of continuing on his own path, often acting in ways that went against the Council's wishes.

The most notable case of this is when he discovered Anakin Skywalker, whom he believed to be the Chosen One of a Jedi prophecy. After the Council refuses to have Anakin begin training at the Jedi temple, Qui-Gon vows to train Anakin himself, but as a Jedi can only train one apprentice at a time, must wait until his first Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi, passes his trials to become a Jedi Knight. However, he keeps the boy with him, becoming a Father figure, and instructing him to learn by sight until his training can truly begin. Unfortunately, before he can officially claim Anakin as a Padawan, Qui-Gonn is killed by Darth Maul.

Dave Filoni, creator of the Ahsoka series, believes the duel between Maul and Qui-Gonn Jinn is perhaps the most pivotal moment in the Skywalker Saga, with Qui-Gonn's death sealing Anakin's fate. Had Anakin been trained by Qui-Gonn's more open approach rather than Obi-Wan's strict adherence to the Jedi way, things may have turned out differently.

Obi-Wan Kenobi

While he is now known as one of the greatest Jedi who ever lived, Obi-Wan Kenobi did not have the easiest start in the Jedi Order. Contrary to his later life, as a youngling Obi-Wan was a rule breaker, non-conforming to the usual Jedi mould. For this reason, when he came of age for further training, no Jedi were willing to take him on as their Padawan. For a time, it seemed the boy would be stuck in the Temple forever.

Eventually, Yoda assigned Kenobi to Qui-Gon Jinn. As Jinn was a little out of step with the Jedi Order, Yoda hoped that Kenobi's rebellious streak would lead him to rebel against his more liberal Master by conforming to the Jedi way. The ploy worked, and although Qui-Gon Jinn feared his Padawan's strict adherence to the rules made the two of them a mismatch, they eventually formed a close bond. However, Obi-Wan's commitment to the rules became genuine, leading him to sometimes be annoyed with his Master's renegade actions.

Eventually, during the war between the Republic and the Separatists, Kenobi rose through the ranks, becoming what many believed to be the example of a perfect Jedi. However, he did defy traditional Jedi wisdom in order to fulfill Qui-Gonn's dying wish that Anakin Skywalker be trained as a Jedi.

Anakin Skywalker

Born to a slave Mother on Tattooine via what seemed to be an immaculate conception, Anakin Skywalker was widely believed to be the Chosen One of an ancient Jedi prophecy, destined to bring balance to the Force. The Jedi Council initially refused to have Anakin trained due to his age, believing his existing attachments could cause issues, however, Obi-Wan Kenobi took him as his Padawan to honor the dying wishes of his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn.

Though he trained under Kenobi, Anakin in some ways turned out more like Qui-Gonn Jinn, as something of a renegade among the Jedi Order, although he did become a widely respected warrior during the Clone Wars. Unfortunately, the Council's fears regarding Anakin were not entirely unfounded. However, while they had been worried about his past attachments, it is one he formed after joining the Order that caused the most concern.

Anakin broke the Jedi's rule of not forming attachments when he fell in love with and secretly married Padme Amidala. His fear of losing Padme and their unborn children, paired with his inability to share his fears with Obi-Wan due to the broken rule, is one of the biggest factors in Anakin being drawn in to Palpatine's manipulations, ultimately falling to the Dark Side and becoming Darth Vader.

However, before his fall, Anakin trained an apprentice of his own.

Ahsoka Tano

Like most Jedi, the young Togruta Ahsoka Tano was taken to the Jedi Temple for training as a small child. By the time she had come of age to undergo further training, the Galactic Republic was at war with the Separatists. Yoda assigned Ahsoka as the Padawan of Anakin Skywalker, hoping the responsibility would humble him and temper his renegade behaviours. He may have found himself disappointed in this, as in the early days, Ahsoka, eager to prove herself, was often as gung-ho as her Master.

Though Anakin was initially reluctant to take Ahsoka on, the pair eventually develop the sibling-like bond of many Masters and Padawans, and though he is sometimes hard on her in training, she understands it is for her own good.

Disaster strikes when Ahsoka is ousted from the Jedi Order after being framed for an attack on the Jedi Temple. She eventually proves her innocence and is granted re-admittance to the Order with the new rank of Jedi Knight, but refuses, hurt by the Council's seeming lack of regard for what she went through. Ahsoka's departure from the Order is another pivotal event on the timeline leading to Anakin's Fall.

Though no longer technically a Jedi after that point (signified by her use of colorless Lightsabers), Ahsoka still views Anakin as her Master and close friend, crediting his training for her survival of Order 66.

Ahsoka also still follows most Jedi rules and philosophies, and many of her allies still treat her with the respect due the rank of Jedi Knight. By the time of The Mandalorian-era shows, she is likely nearer the rank of Jedi Master.

Sabine Wren

Now, as we know, Ahsoka is training Sabine Wren. Sabine is a seemingly unusual Jedi candidate for a number of reasons. One, her Mandalorian nature and way of life are rather contradictory to Jedi philosophy, and two, Sabine has shown little to no Force sensitivity. She is, however, a former wielder of the Darksaber.

Ahsoka clearly saw something special in Sabine to have considered training her in the first place. It will be interesting to see what kind of Jedi she will become if her training is completed.