What Hayden Christensen’s Return in Season 2 of Ahsoka Could Mean

Much to every Star Wars fan’s excitement, 2022 marked the return of Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi for the first time since Revenge of the Sith was released in 2005. While McGregor’s reprisal of his beloved character was publicly well-known, as the Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ series had been confirmed in 2019. However, Hayden Christensen’s return to Star Wars as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader in Obi-Wan Kenobi was a tightly kept secret, making his appearance a delightful shock to viewers. After Kenobi, Christensen appeared as Anakin again in the first season of Ahsoka, expanding upon Anakin’s past as a General during the Clone Wars and master to Ahsoka Tano. 

Recently, at Star Wars Celebration 2025 in Japan, Christensen confirmed that he will be reprising his role as Anakin again for the second season of Ahsoka, opening the door for many storytelling opportunities.

More Clone Wars Flashbacks Could be on the Horizon

The Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series premiered in 2008 and introduced Ahsoka Tano as Anakin’s young Jedi Padawan. Anakin spent years training Ahsoka on the battlefield, and the two forged a deep bond that could not be erased, even after Anakin’s transformation to Darth Vader. After Order 66, Ahsoka does not know what happened to her master; however, in Season 2, Episode 18 of Star Wars Rebels, entitled “Shroud of Darkness,” Ahsoka joins Ezra Bridger and Kanan Jarrus in hunting down the mysterious Sith Lord who attacked the rebels on Lothal, only to sense her former beloved master was the one behind the helmet. 

In the first season of Ahsoka, Hayden Christensen’s first appearance as Anakin is shown in a series of training hologram recordings he created for Ahsoka during the Clone Wars when she was still his apprentice. Continuing with the Clone Wars era, Ahsoka meets Anakin in the World Between Worlds – a mystical plane of the Force – where Anakin looks the same as he did the last time she saw him during the events of Revenge of the Sith. The Anakin in the World Between Worlds takes Ahsoka through past events that occurred during the Clone Wars, which sparked great excitement from fans at seeing Hayden portray Anakin as a General during this period. 

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Given the overwhelming positive response to seeing Anakin during a fan-favorite era, and Ariana Greenblatt’s performance as a young Ahsoka, it’s entirely possible there will be more Clone Wars flashbacks in Season 2 of Ahsoka. The live-action Star Wars universe has barely scratched the surface of Clone Wars lore, and there is no one better to bring that to life than Dave Filoni, who co-created The Clone Wars series with George Lucas, created Ahsoka as a character, and is the sole writer behind Ahsoka. 

Though The Clone Wars depicted multiple years, there are still untold stories of Anakin and Ahsoka’s missions that can be developed into live-action in Ahsoka.

Anakin’s Mastery of the Force Allows for More Involvement in Ahsoka

In the closing moments of Season 1 of Ahsoka, it is revealed that Anakin, as a Force ghost, is watching over Ahsoka as she is stuck in another galaxy on the planet of Peridea. This is only the second time we see Anakin take this form, with the first being at the end of Return of the Jedi. With Anakin having mastered the same ability as Qui-Gon Jinn, Yoda, and Obi-Wan, he can now interact with Ahsoka in the physical plane outside of the World Between Worlds. Ahsoka appears to have noticed her master watching over her at the end of the first season, however, this has not been confirmed yet. 

Anakin’s appearance as a Force ghost holds extreme significance for the second season of Ahsoka, as Dave Filoni confirmed that a major storyline will revolve around the Mortis gods – Force users from another galaxy (perhaps even from Peridea) who are inherently tied to Ahsoka and Anakin. The Mortis gods played a major role in a three-episode arc in Season 3 of The Clone Wars, and were teased at the end of Ahoska, when Baylan Skoll was shown standing on the outstretched hand of a statue of one of the gods known as the Father. 

Rumors about the meaning behind the first live-action appearance of anything related to the Mortis gods have been swirling since the reveal, with many people theorizing that Skoll will attempt to inherit the Father’s powers as the one who maintains balance between light and dark. Alongside the Father are the other two Mortis gods–the Daughter (representing the light side of the Force) and the Son (representing the dark side of the Force). 

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During the arc in The Clone Wars, the Daughter gives a part of her life force to save Ahsoka, thus turning Ahsoka into the living embodiment of the light side. This sets up Ahsoka and Skoll for an unavoidable encounter. With Anakin established as a Force ghost on Peridea with Ahsoka, it’s very likely that he will continue to act as her mentor/master, and aid her in whatever Baylan Skoll may unleash. 

Given the rich history between Anakin and Ahsoka that has yet to be fully explored in live-action, and the intriguing possibilities presented by the Mortis gods, the second season of Ahsoka promises to delve deeper into their intertwined destinies. Star Wars fans can eagerly anticipate how Christensen’s continued involvement will shape Ahsoka’s journey and further explore the enduring legacy of Anakin Skywalker.