It looks like promo season for Ahsoka is kicking into high gear. A new image, released exclusively by Empire Magazine, has recently been unveiled – and it looks like Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) is going to be fighting a mysterious foe.
Though it was already known that the late Ray Stevenson would be portraying Baylan Skoll, a former Jedi, and that Ivanna Sakhno will be portraying his dark, Force-wielding apprentice Shin Hati, the presence of an Inquisitor in the series was unknown before now.
For some context, the Inquisitors are an organization of dark Force-wielders who operate under the purview of Darth Vader. Their mission is to destroy every last living Jedi in the galaxy. Thus far, they’ve been a key component of Disney’s interpretation of the ‘Dark Times’ era, during which time the Empire ruled. By the time Ahsoka takes place, however, the Empire has been defunct for years, and it was presumed that the Inquisitors were all dead.
Speculation about the identity of this Inquisitor is rampant. While The Inquisitors receive a numbered designation along the lines of “Third Brother” and “Fourth Sister,” the identity and gender of this particular Inquisitor cannot yet be determined, but some fans are already speculating that the Inquisitor could be Barriss Offee.
Barriss was once a Padawan alongside Ahsoka Tano. As seen in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, however, Barriss grew disillusioned with the Jedi, and eventually framed Ahsoka for a terrorist attack. She was caught and expelled from the Order, but her actions also resulted in Ahsoka’s departure. Barriss’ fate following this encounter is unknown, and fans have been wondering what became of her since The Clone Wars ended its original run back in 2014. As many members are former Jedi themselves, it’s not impossible that Barris – a fresh, young Dark Side user – was inducted into the Order, where she now seeks vengeance on Ahsoka Tano, the last connection to her old life.
The presence of this Inquisitor – whoever they may be – undoubtedly makes the plot of Ahsoka even more of a mystery. When it premieres this August, the series will bring many aspects of Dave Filoni’s animated Star Wars canon into live-action. Appearances by characters such as Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen), Ezra Bridger (Esman Esfandi), and Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) are sure to be crowd pleasers. If this Inquisitor is who they’re speculated to be, then the series is sure to be an homage to Ahsoka Tano’s animated history.
