Ahsoka may have left the Jedi Order, but did she ever really give up on Anakin?

Ahsoka’s relationship with both the Jedi Order and her former master is complicated. Like many Force-sensitive individuals, Ahsoka quickly realized she didn’t interact with the world like the people around her and soon entered the Jedi Order. For many Initiates, being a part of the Order is the turning point of their lives; a time when they’re finally around similar people all working as part of something bigger than themselves.

Soon after she joined the Jedi Order, Ahsoka trained under Anakin as his Padawan, and the two struck up a quick friendship. Ahsoka was an ambitious young Jedi and was eager to prove herself to both Anakin and the Jedi Order overall; however, as anyone watching Ahsoka knows, she no longer considers herself a Jedi. Nothing short of a tragedy could make her turn her back on the Jedi Order and Anakin, but that tragedy might not be what you think it is.

After suffering a great betrayal, Ahsoka left the Jedi Order for good

As she tells her former Jedi Master herself, Ahsoka’s reason for leaving the Jedi has nothing to do with Anakin and everything to do with the Order. In season 5 of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, she is framed for a crime she did not commit and put on trial as a result. Initially, she believes she has the support of the Jedi Council, but they acquiesce to the Senate, stripping her of her Padawan title and giving her a larger military trial instead of a smaller hearing in front of the Council.

The move proves to be more of a political one rather than an overt declaration of her guilt, but the damage was done: Ahsoka could no longer place her trust in an Order she considered fundamentally corrupt. To Anakin’s credit, he works tirelessly behind the scenes to investigate the crime and prove her innocence but it’s ultimately not enough to convince her to stay.

The true culprit confesses and the Jedi Council apologizes to Ahsoka, promising to reinstate her status. Thanks to the Council’s initial distrust in her, as well as realizing the war wasn’t as black and white as she once believed, Ahsoka decides to leave the Order so that she can find herself. Anakin tells her he always supported her, to which she replies, “This isn’t about you.” Despite this, the two would actually retain a somewhat close relationship up until Order 66 changed everything. When Ahsoka found out what had happened to Anakin after she left, a part of her thought his fall into darkness was her fault.

Although she ultimately chose to leave the Jedi Order, Ahsoka never really gave up on Anakin until the two battled together on Malachor. She was presumed dead at the hands of her former Master, but was saved by Ezra when he pulled her into the World Between Worlds. As episode five of Ahsoka shows, Ahsoka is still haunted by the shadow of her former master but no longer blames herself for his turn to the Dark Side. It truly never was about him.