Past, Present and future come together for Ezra Bridger this week in A World Between Worlds!
In the previous episode, Wolves and a Door, Ezra managed to crack the mystery behind the Jedi Temple wall markings on Lothal and enter alone. A World Between Worlds finds him in a massive, infinite looking, space. Stars and darkness surround him crisscrossed with outlined paths and doors that don’t immediately appear to lead anywhere.
Voices fill the void around him; voices from the past, present and the future.
One of the doors stands out from the others due to its triangle shape but also because of the appearance of Morai the Convor who has followed both Ezra and Ahsoka long ago. The darkness at the center of the door opening soon takes shape and reveals Ahsoka and Darth Vader battling in the Sith Temple on Malachor. This is a view of the past albeit from a different perspective than Ezra had previously witnessed. This time however before Vader lands a powerful blow, Ezra reaches through the doorway and pulls Ahsoka through.
Meanwhile Sabine, in the custody of Imperial Minister Hydan is guilted into helping him enter the Temple in order to save Ezra. Sabine taunts the minister by telling him how much smarter she is than he but willingly goes along with him to stall for time. Zeb and Hera who have been monitoring from afar decide to slip into the Imperial camp to rescue both Sabine and Ezra.
Back on the other side of the Temple wall, Ezra fills Ahsoka in with all that she has missed since they last saw each other including the death of Kanan. It’s then that Ezra comes to the belief that he can save Kanan from death as he has apparently just saved Ahsoka Tano from her fate. Searching for the door that will lead him to the pivotal moment of Kanan’s sacrifice, he finds it but is talked down from taking this drastic measure. Saving Kanan in this moment would alter the past potentially killing the team at that moment in time. Learning this final lesson, Ezra lets go of his master. As Ahsoka is imparting to Ezra why she can not leave with him their conversation is interrupted by the appearance of Emperor Palpatine behind the opposite veil of the door. Palpatine conjures up a violent blue flame to capture them both and to lead himself into the void. They manage to escape his clutches and Ezra makes Ahsoka promise to find them after she returns to Malachor. She leaps through the door and finds herself back on Malachor.
Ezra finds his way back to his door and exits the temple as Hera, Sabine and Zeb all make it to the exterior of the Temple. Using Sabine’s knowledge Ezra manages to close the door to the Temple before blacking out, leaving the others to make the escape as the Temple collapses. After coming to, Ezra and Hera stand before the now empty landscape where the Temple used to be and speak of the lesson that Kanan has taught them from beyond. In the distance a lone Wolf can be seen on the horizon, but now with no further information to impart, it silently gallops off.
Time, Space And Ahsoka
A World Between Worlds goes off in a direction strange and mostly new for Star Wars; time travel and different dimensions.
Voices from many of the characters in the Star Wars saga, both past and future, are heard in the background of the void within the Temple. Maz Kanata, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Kylo Ren, Jyn Erso and others. Different timelines all converge here in this space. It is more Science Fiction than the Space Opera that Star Wars is typically known for and it comes across pretty jarring. Whether it works in the long run remains to be seen, but how it is handled specifically in regards to Ahsoka is immensely satisfying.
Ahsoka’s door is a triangle, unlike the others that are round, and link to a scene previously seen during the finale to Season 2. Also the Convor, Morai, has a special link to Ahsoka as well. Morai is connected to The Daughter, one of the Mortis gods, and they have had a connection to each other ever since her time on Mortis back in The Clone Wars. Ezra witnessed the battle between Vader and Ahsoka in person on Malachor but not the entire struggle. Now through the door he sees what took place and decides to intervene. Essentially pulling Ahsoka forward in time. She is disheartened to learn all that has happened in her absence but advises Ezra not to change any other events such as saving Kanan. It’s a concept used in other films and series’ in the time travel genre. To do so would create a paradox and alter the timeline. Usually for the worse.
It is for this reason that Ahsoka cannot go back with Ezra then, but returning to her own “time” she promises to find them. Now seeing her walk through a triangle door on Malachor in A World Between Worlds gives the same scene from Season 2 a whole new meaning:
Ahsoka lives!
Kanan And The Cosmic Force
Briefly mentioned in The Clone Wars episode Voices is the concept of the Cosmic Force which is touched on here in A World Between Worlds.
The Living Force which is created by all living beings feeds into the greater Cosmic Force which then acts upon the physical world. It is also through this Cosmic Force that some are able to transcend the veil of death.
Force ghosts.
This literal world between worlds that Ezra and Ahsoka find themselves in may be a “physical” manifestation of the Cosmic Force. Ahsoka seems to know that it is an ancient place. After Ezra explains to her how Kanan had sacrificed himself she seems to put the pieces of the mysterious Loth-Wolves and their connection to Kanan together. The Wolf called Dume did not reveal itself to Ezra until after Kanan had passed. It is Ahsoka’s guess that Kanan’s will is working through the Wolves by way of the Cosmic Force. She seems to know that it is possible.
Back in the Rebels episode Rebel Assault before the mid-season break the Wolves confront Kanan as he set out to rescue the captured Hera. Outside Capital City one of the Wolves approaches Kanan and utters the name “Dume”. Referring to Kanan’s birth name Caleb Dume. It is at this moment that Kanan knew what he had to do and the way forward was set for him. That makes it likely that right then and there Kanan knew he was going to die but would still be able to impart a lesson to his Padawan Ezra through the Cosmic Force.
Finding A Moment
A World Between Worlds has some great parallels to other points in the Star Wars saga, again both past and future.
Ezra’s line – that he can change things, stop Kanan from dying – should be eerily familiar. It’s an instant callback to Anakin in Revenge of the Sith. And the message is clear; by attempting to alter an event you may cause it. Or make it worse. Anakin Skywalker learned this the hard way and lost Padme as a result. And when Luke went to save his friends on Cloud City after receiving a vision in The Empire Strikes Back he learns the lesson that the future is always in motion. Ahsoka realizes that she cannot save her master who has become Darth Vader and urges Ezra to let go of Kanan as well.
Kanan found the moment he was needed and followed the will of the Force. And so Ezra learns Kanan’s final lesson.
After their narrow escape the aftermath reveals that the Jedi Temple is no more. All that remains is an engraving on the ground where it once stood. In the distance a lone Wolf stands silently, but no more words are necessary. Ezra knows what he must do.
He has found his moment.
Next Week
A World Between Worlds was a heavy yet fun episode. It took some aspects that are definitely not Star Wars and inserted it into Rebels in an interesting way. Adding to the lore and mythology is fulfilling and hopefully it will not be the last time that these aspects are explored.
The deep and mystical scenes within the walls of the Jedi Temple are interspersed with some action on the parts of Hera and Zeb successfully rescuing Sabine from her interrogation. Choppers rescue of all of them with a massive tank was a solid display of his iron circuitry and loyalty to his friends. There was also a great Dune reference as Minister Hydan says “He who controls the pathway, controls the universe”.
Next week the curtain falls on Star Wars Rebels in a multi-episode Series Finale. A Fool’s Hope and Family Reunion and Farewell. Both air Monday night, March 5th starting at 8:30 PM EST on Disney XD.
Check out the preview clip below and prepare!
Mike Harris hails from the suburbs of Chicago and has been a fan for most of his life. Working as an industrial radiographer and raising a family with his wife take up most of his time, but there’s always room for Star Wars books and podcasts! Just looking to give back to Star Wars and the fan community, it’s been a source of fun and learning for him for so long.