Rebels: Wolves and a Door + A World Between Worlds [4x12 + 4x13] ✦ Watchalong Reaction & Review

The World Between Worlds is definately one of the highlights of Rebels, it is quite a special episode. And seeing Ezra deciding not to save Kanan was really heartbreaking. While it is very hard, and when taken dogmatically it gives bad results, I think this is one of those instances where we see the non-attachment idea of the Jedi in a better light. But on a different note, this is not the first time Time Travel is introduced in Star Wars: in Legends there are quite a few stories (which I haven't read, only know through wookieepedia and youtube referencing it) involving time travel.

Michał Zawisza Alvarez

In Legends, Ashla was both the light-side moon of Tython and one of the names given to the light side of the force itself (the dark side counterpart being Bogan). I think it was clearly the inspiration of the name's association with the Daughter, and indirectly, why Ahsoka was inspired to make it one of her cover-up names (we don't know if consciously or unconsciously). But I see the profecy of the Lasat as inspired by the light side, and thus them saying it was given by Ashla makes sense. But linking that prophecy to directly to Ahsoka, while a fun theory, I think it is stretching it a bit.

Michał Zawisza Alvarez

I love the theories! Thanks for sharing them. Yes, I think the show kind of hinted/planted a little bit too much that a death for Kanan was coming. But that's okay. Already excited to re-watch!

kaiielle

My sister and I are still regret we didn't buy an original Ahsoka Lives shirt when they were out and we didn't know her fate haha.

Keeley Thurman

I'm so glad you know about Morai now! I've been holding my tongue on it haha. There's some interesting theories about Ahsoka and her connection to the light side of the force from the Daughter putting her essence into her when Ahsoka died on Mortis and the subsequent showing up of Morai in the shows. This is why we didn't see Ahsoka at all previously after her fight with Vader. Since she interacted with Ezra between times in what would be her future, she couldn't just show up after because it would change the whole timeline since she was never there after the fight. I have always wondered what she did with her time after her fight with Vader before we see her in the "present". I have this weird theory that I don't know if I like really but it is fun to think about, but I have wondered sometimes if Ahsoka doesn't somehow learn how to access the World Between Worlds on the regular and travels through time and space planting seeds of things-- like the prophecies. For instance the Lasat prophecy about the fool and child and such that led them to Lira San was purportedly given to the Lasat by "The Ashla". Ahsoka uses the name "Ashla" as her under cover name a lot and I think originally Dave Filoni wanted that to BE her name (not Ahsoka). Like somehow she becomes like the Daughter who is the Light or maybe IS the reincarnation of the daughter or some such. I don't know. I've spun this theory to my sister so many times haha. Also in a similar vein I saw once a theory about Ezra and the World Between Worlds and somehow maybe HE has a deeper connection to that as in his last name being "Bridger"-- as in bridging time and space. There's so much theory crafting that's a lot of fun to do with this new information about time and space in the Star Wars universe! Otherwise.... You had good instincts about Kanan's death and that not being the end of it. It's a death that was seemingly simple but sends far ripples into everything. I vote for a quick release of the last episodes, I don't mind a 2 week break. It's nice to go out and touch grass sometimes haha :).

Keeley Thurman

Yes, I misspoke and corrected myself with text. At the 23:20 mark.

kaiielle

Dan Hughes

I LOVE these two episodes too! Time travel can be VERY TRICKY to do in media, it’s either too ridiculous, goofy, or creates a TON of plot holes most of the time. But like Dylan said here, Dave designed the world between worlds to truly be a natural part of space and time, where the alterations are more like shortcuts through time rather than rewrites of it. Though if Palpatein got in there he could rewrite things. FOR 2 years us fans had no idea if Ahsoka was alive or dead until this episode! At one Star Wars celebration, Dave had 2 shirts i believe. One that was “Where’s Ahsoka” or “Ahsoka?” and then later in the celebration was wearing a different shirt that said “Ahsoka Lives”. I’m definitely getting the first shirt wrong but still😅. The fact that we got to see the Mortis Gods again was really crazy! And that Morri shows up in more places than you’d think, but she wasn’t explained until now is REALLY COOL! Vader spots her at the end of Clone Wars like you remembered, and she is around Ahsoka 2-3 times during rebels season 2. I think she might be in Tales of the Jedi episode 6 but I can’t remember if she is. The Minister here is very similar to a group of imperials that we really only see once. In Return of the Jedi when Palpatein gets off his shuttle on the Death Star 2, he brings 3-6 other old men in some funky robes with him. I think that the minister here is a part of that group, or would’ve been because he’s dead now. I am very excited to watch the finale, and am even more excited to watch Ahsoka in a few months after this Rebels rewatch!

Justin

That would be cool!

kaiielle

The Mortis Gods are one of my all time favourite concepts in Star Wars, and their Clone Wars arc is my absolute favourite in that show. They get mentioned so rarely even though their importance should be pretty great. I get so hyped every time they are brought up. There was an alternate script for Episode 9 that would've featured them. That would've been insane. I hope they at least get some relevance in that Dawn of the Jedi movie that's been announced. If not there, where?

Pan

I hope Hayden makes an appearance in Ahsoka as well, but wait and see! A World Between Worlds is a fascinating episode, really enjoyed it.

kaiielle

Admittingly, I loathe the sequels. But I wouldn't say I would want them to create a whole new post ROTJ timeline. If Disney did that then that's basically them saying, "okay everytime we screw up a SW project, lets just say its an alternate timeline and not main SW canon to save face" and that SHOULD NOT be something we encourage the writers to entertain. I say just made new content around the sequels that will make those films look more sensible to the audience and love the storyline/characters more. I'm all for sequel content as long as different creators are working on it and no one really from the sequel films are involved. I'm optimistic about Rey's movie later on down the road I must say, I have a soft spot for her and I wanna see her and other sequel characters get some respectable SW content to be involved in. There were parts of the sequels that I genuinely did like/love so I hope they just use the parts of those films that people liked and just expand on that.

O'Raine Foster

The World Between Worlds is one of the best episodes of Star Wars animation for me and one of the best SW moments period. The introduction of "time travel" in the Star Wars universe and it was done so respectfully and carefully with Dave. Seeing Ezra pull Ahsoka out when watching it for the first time made me jump outta my seat and seeing Palpatine using his dark magic force abilities again like when he did it in the Clone Wars S6 with Dooku was also a treat, can't go wrong with Ian man. I really hope that in Ahsoka's series we learn even more about this time loop and I really only trust Dave with something like this. A concept like this can very easily get abused by other writers and stuff so I'm glad that its at least within the most trusted hands at Lucasfilm. There are rumors of Hayden's involvement so if that means that we can get Hayden in Clone Wars armor in flashbacks with a younger Ahsoka then count me in. I just need to see Hayden in that armor in live-action at least once no matter how long that flashback would be lol, that'd be a dream come true.

O'Raine Foster

Can’t wait to watch this when I get home from work! I’d say release them this week so we can all talk openly about it. I’m eager to hear some predictions for Ahsoka.

Absher

Dave on how the World between Worlds "time travel" works. "You can gain knowledge of the future or futures that may happen, and you can see things that happened in the past. You can at times choose to alter them, but it's perilous to do so and when you alter something you don't know if that's not the way it always happened." Pretty much implies that any attempts to change the timeline have already been written into the flow of history. So Ezra reaching through time to save Ahsoka always happened and did happen all the way back in Season 2. So it doesn't get too messy in that Star Wars has alternate universes or these events massively changed the future we know and love. I guess it depends on how much they push the idea of the World Between Worlds and if it's possible to actually change events we've seen or will they always play out the same way regardless like a fix point in time. So many Sequel haters have this weird hope that Dave will use the World Between Worlds to retcon the Sequels and create a whole new timeline post Return of the Jedi. But that's not really how the World Between Worlds work and would go against everything it stands for.

Isaac