One of the reasons potentially holding people back from watching the Disney Plus show Ahsoka is the lore. The character has a lot of backstory through both Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, and her Disney Plus story picks up chronologically after those events.
That means in order to really get the whole Ahsoka experience, you need to know about what happened to her in the past. While she appears in both Rebels and The Mandalorian, we’ll focus on her Clone Wars episodes and catch you up.
In chronological order, there are 11 essential episodes of Clone Wars to watch before Ahsoka.
S01E09: Cloak of Darkness
Here’s the official description:
“Ahsoka and Jedi Master Luminara escort the captured notorious Separatist leader Nute Gunray to Coruscant so he can stand trial for his crimes. However, they are unaware that Count Dooku has sent his assassin, Asajj Ventress, to free their captive. With the help of Senate Commandos, the Jedi have to thwart Ventress’s efforts to free their prisoner, despite the traitorous plans of Senate Guard Captain Argyus.”
At the beginning of Clone Wars, we don’t get a lot of character development for Ahsoka. What we know of her so far at this point in her development is that she lacks confidence and isn’t the most mature character in the Star Wars universe.
This episode is important, though, because it shows how she masters her emotions during the drag-out fight between Luminara Unduli and Asajj Ventress. It also shows she has battle prowess and an understanding of the Force because she warns Unduli not to take on Ventress alone, which Unduli acknowledges when the two report back to Yoda and Anakin Skywalker.
S01E19: Storm Over Ryloth
The official description:
“Ahsoka disobeys Anakin’s orders and loses most of her squadron – prompting Anakin to help give his Padawan a lesson in respect for authority and the opportunity for redemption.”
This is a big episode for Ahsoka’s development and shows the grays that come with being a Jedi. You’re not just someone who keeps the peace. Sometimes, you have to decide what course to take on your own (foreshadowing!).
Ahsoka learns this firsthand when she disobeys Anakin’s orders and loses most of the squad she led to defend Ryloth. She learns that following her heart and taking things less seriously leads to dire consequences.
This is one of those pivotal episodes that really holds her to the fire and shapes who she is as a leader. It also shows how Anakin was a capable mentor, consoling her after the loss and telling her this is the “reality of war.”
S02E06: Weapons Factory
The official description:
“Anakin, Ahsoka, Luminara Unduli, and her Padawan, Barriss Offee, lead a mission to destroy a droid factory on Geonosis. While the masters act as decoys diverting a group of super tanks, Ahsoka and Barriss infiltrate the plant via a labyrinth of catacombs beneath the city.”
The attack on Geonosis is one of the main pillar arcs of the show’s second season. A lot is going on in this episode, especially between Anakin and Ahsoka.
The four Jedi try to devise a plan to attack, and while Ahsoka is briefing the troops, Anakin keeps interrupting her, leading her to believe he doesn’t have faith in her.
After a lengthy battle and a close call involving explosives, a reactor, and a tank, Unduli tells Ahsoka that Anakin never lost faith in her. Interestingly, while her relationship with Unduli and Barriss deepens, it sets the stage for some shocking Barriss information to come later.
S02E11: Lightsaber Lost
The official description:
“During an assignment in the Coruscant underworld, a wily pickpocket steals Ahsoka’s lightsaber. Ahsoka enlists the help of an ancient Jedi, Tera Sinube, to track down her weapon and reclaim her honor.”
This episode is important because it demonstrates and deepens Ahsoka’s relationship with her lightsaber. It also develops a relationship between Ahsoka and older Jedi Tera Sinube.
We don’t get a ton of stories about older Jedi, and there’s a lot of speculation that Sinube could make an appearance in Ahsoka. As an expert in the Coruscant underworld, Sinube knows how to help her track down her missing weapon.
S03E07: Assassin
The official description:
“Tasked to protect Senator Padmé Amidala during a political mission to Alderaan, Padawan Ahsoka Tano is plagued by recurring visions of recently-deceased bounty hunter, Aurra Sing. Unable to clear her mind, Ahsoka worries that the stress of conflict is finally getting to her until her visions indeed prove prophetic. Padmé narrowly avoids death when Aurra Sing attempts to assassinate her. Together, Padmé and Ahsoka trap the hunter, and Ahsoka discovers the true villain behind the plot to kill Padmé: the incarcerated gangster, Ziro the Hutt.”
This is one of those episodes that really endeared Star Wars fans to Ahsoka because it demonstrates how multi-layered she is as a character. Ahsoka volunteers to protect Padme but also has to deal with her visions of Aurra Sing murdering the senator.
We also get to see her steel mettle when she takes on Aurra face-to-face. She also shows her ingenuity when she stops Aurra’s attack not once but twice. Finally, once she discovers that Ziro the Hutt is behind the assassination attempt, she gets him to admit it in prison, which makes Hutt scream for revenge because he’s given more prison time.
This is one of those eps that really endears people to Ahsoka.
S03E16: Altar of Mortis
The official description:
“Before the Jedi can leave Mortis, the Son takes Ahsoka captive in an attempt to entice Anakin into joining him to use their combined strength to overpower his Father and Sister. To this end, the Son casts Ahsoka under the spell of the dark side. Meanwhile, the Father attempts to stave off a disastrous showdown between his children and maintain the Force’s increasingly precarious balance on the planet. Fearing that the Son may be unstoppable, the Daughter does the forbidden by taking Obi-Wan Kenobi to the Altar of Mortis, wherein is kept the Dagger of Mortis, a weapon capable of killing a Force-wielder.”
The infamous “evil Ahsoka” episode! The Mortis gods are pivotal characters in the show’s third season, and this episode is great because it provides a lot of backstory about the force and how it works.
The Father, Son, and Daughter are three powerful beings appearing after Ahsoka, Obi-Wan, and Anakin become stranded on a strange, extremely powerful planet.
The Son puts a spell on Ahsoka and she ends up fighting with Obi-Wan and Anakin, something that foreshadows her fight with Anakin later (under very different circumstances).
The episode also shows a much different side of Ahsoka, but one that’s just as interesting and entertaining as the rest of her character arc. Spoiler, but she also dies in this episode at the hands of The Son.
Anakin saves her with the help of The Daughter, but The Father tells them that the force is out of balance and the Sith may regain the upper hand. It’s a powerful episode with a lot of emotional heft.
S03E21: Padawan Lost and S03E22: Wookie Hunt
Check out the episode descriptions for “Padawan Lost” and “Wookie Hunt.”
These two episodes help to introduce important aspects of Ahsoka’s character that help to explain the live-action show. In “Padawan Lost,” Ahsoka protects Jedi younglings from murderous Trandoshans after one, unfortunately, loses their life in the hunt.
“Padawan Lost” sets up her leadership and squad-building skills. “Wookie Hunt” develops her friendship with Chewbacca. It’s also just a really great, fun episode.
S04E14: A Friend in Need and S05E18: The Jedi Who Knew Too Much
The official descriptions for “A Friend in Need” and “The Jedi Who Knew Too Much.”
“A Friend in Need” is one of the most important Star Wars episodes ever because it introduces both Bo Katan and the Death Watch. We also get yet another glimpse into Ahsoka’s personality as she gets romantic with Lux Bontero.
“The Jedi Who Knew Too Much” is a complicated episode that deals with the overarching storyline of the Jedi Temple bombing and Ahsoka’s alleged part in it. Ahsoka escapes prison and decides to go after the real perpetrator.
This is actually the continuation of Ahsoka realizing that the Jedi path isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and helps with her eventual decision to follow her own way.
S05E20: The Wrong Jedi
Episode description: “On trial for murder, Ahsoka faces her greatest challenge.”
This is a huge episode in terms of the new show. It’s also one of the most popular. This is where all the character development pays off and features the actual trial for the Jedi Temple bombing.
Even though Anakin proves her innocence, she decides to leave the Jedi Order, which means we don’t see her for all of the show’s sixth season. It also sets up the eventual showdown with Anakin.
S07E12: Victory and Death
Episode description: “In the wake of Order 66, Ahsoka and Rex must work together to survive.”
The big kahuna, if you will. This is the finale of the whole series and the tie-up of the Siege of Mandalore storyline. Ahsoka escapes and buries her lightsaber on a moon far away. Eventually, Darth Vader finds it, setting the stage for Star Wars Rebels, which takes place chronologically before Ahsoka.