Warning: The below contains full spoilers for Ahsoka Episode 5, which is now streaming on Disney+.
Ahsoka Episode 5 gave Rosario Dawson's character an all-new outfit, inspiring viewers to draw comparisons between the titular heroine and Gandalf from Lord of the Rings.
Final spoiler warning! The fifth chapter returns to the World Between Worlds, where Ahsoka goes on a transformative journey through flashbacks before falling back into the otherworldly realm to confront Anakin. The two engage in an epic lightsaber duel that features the "best" shot in Star Wars history (according to some fans).
The pair furiously clash their ignited blades until Ahsoka takes Anakin's glowing red saber and turns it against him. In that moment, she chooses "to live", lifting the tension and causing Anakin to step back. He vanishes, and Ahsoka finds herself submerged in water before being found and rescued in the waters of Seatos.
Shortly after this experience, Ahsoka trades her signature grey robes for an all-white ensemble, possibly symbolizing that she is now at peace and can embark on future missions with newfound clarity. Fans embraced her transformation into "Ahsoka the White", drawing parallels to Gandalf's journey in Lord of the Rings.
Ahsoka the Gray
— StarWarsinClass (@StarWarsinClass) September 13, 2023
Ahsoka the White
Gandalf the Gray
Gandalf the White
Brilliant, Dave. #Ahsoka pic.twitter.com/g8WMxSuEbk
Ahsoka the Grey & Ahsoka the White.
— The Star Wars Academy (@TheStarWarsAcad) September 7, 2023
The Lord of the Rings definitely played a part in influencing these costumes designs! #StarWars pic.twitter.com/5iniyBt2ef
SPOILERS FOR AHSOKA EPISODE 5!
— DiscoHorsimus Prime (@TheDiscoHorse) September 13, 2023
Is this outfit change a fucking Lord of the Rings reference? Are we really going from Ahsoka the grey to Ahsoka the white? Cause if so, I kinda respect it! #Ahsoka
“Gandalf? Yes... that was what they used to call me. Gandalf the Gray. That was my name. I am Gandalf the White. And I come back to you now - at the turn of the tide..” #AhsokaTano #Ahsoka #LFG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/euKKWDZZam
— Star Wars Wayseeker (@SW_Wayseeker) September 13, 2023
#AHSOKA SPOILER!
— Yanni’s Nerdverse (@yannisnerdverse) September 13, 2023
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Ahsoka having her Gandalf the White moment was so satisfying. I’m curious how much her character and demeanor will change. She’s been very stoic so I hope she returns to her normal self and is also just more confident in the Jedi side of herself pic.twitter.com/YiuwQcHKuT
#Ahsoka #StarWars
— Don Leo (@Don_LeoRJ) September 13, 2023
Ahsoka The Gray / Gandalf The Gray
Ahsoka The White after being resurrected hitching a ride with giant flying beings / Gandalf The White after being resurrected hitching a ride with giant flying beings. pic.twitter.com/S7m8ggaeVF
#Ahsoka SPOILERS ////
— Moody | Filthy Canuck (@MoodyStepBro) September 13, 2023
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I LOVE the LOTR reference where she is now "cleansed" and is now Ahsoka The White. Also love the Baptism imagery to show how she's washing off her "sins". pic.twitter.com/3p9EYG0Y7B
This episode was all about closure. Ahsoka the White is officially here. #AhsokaTano ⚪️ pic.twitter.com/pAoYmrRonX
— Old Master (@Old_Master_) September 13, 2023
The return of Ahsoka the White makes me so happy. By far her best look! pic.twitter.com/YuISUHEX8a
— The Sietch of Sci-Fi (@TSoS_) September 13, 2023
In Lord of the Rings, the warm and wise wizard is initially known as Gandalf the Grey, but returns from death as Gandalf the White — a change strikingly similar to the one we witness with Ahsoka Tano in Episode 5. It is seemingly a deliberate move, as Dawson told EW that J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy series served as inspiration.
"What I loved is the idea that there was even another level to her," Dawson explained. "Dave and I talked a lot about Gandalf the Gray and Gandalf the White — talking about that transition and how she's someone very capable and excellent and looked up to as a leader, but she still has levels of development to go."
Star Wars fans predicted Ahsoka Episode 5 would be the biggest yet, given it had a limited theatrical release alongside its Disney+ debut. This is just one of the signifcant moments in the episode, though it isn't actually the first time we have seen Ahsoka the White, as she previously showed up at the end of Star Wars Rebels.
IGN scored Ahsoka Episode 5, "Shadow Warrior", 9/10, praising Dave Filoni for "recapturing the character dynamics that made his animated shows so emotionally powerful" while also taking audiences back to Ahsoka Tano's origins in a way that taps into the "nostalgia for Star Wars: The Clone Wars to strong effect".
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.
