Ahsoka Season 2 Could Give Us The Clone Wars Reunion We Deserve
An underrated Star Wars character is about to strike back.
Ahsoka may technically be a sequel to The Clone Wars and Rebels, but it’s just as enamored with the past as Star Wars fans are. The first season of the Dave Filoni-created series saw the eponymous ex-Jedi (Rosario Dawson) reckon with her role in the Clone Wars and her complex feelings towards her former master, who famously became Darth Vader. As a result, Ahsoka couldn’t help but indulge in flashbacks, and the series even reunited a younger version of Ahsoka (played by Ariana Greenblatt) and Anakin Skywalker (a returning Hayden Christensen). It was the closest we’ve ever gotten to a live-action version of The Clone Wars, and with Ahsoka gearing up for another season, it won’t be the last trip down memory lane.
Filoni is currently writing the second season of Ahsoka, and rumors about it have slowly but surely been trickling out of the Lucasfilm camp. First was the rumor that Greenblatt would return for more flashbacks as young Ahsoka, reported by insider Daniel Richtman. According to The Bespin Bulletin, she’ll also be joined by Christensen and Ewan McGregor, who portrayed Obi-Wan Kenobi throughout the prequel trilogy. The prospect of this Clone Wars reunion is intriguing enough, but McGregor may not be the only actor from the prequels joining the new season of Ahsoka. A fresh rumor also adds Natalie Portman, who portrayed Padmé Amidala in the trilogy, to the prospective cast.
After 20 years away, Natalie Portman is “open” to returning as Padmé Amidala.
YouTuber Kristian Harloff shared this scoop on a recent episode of his podcast, revealing that Filoni is “really trying hard” to bring Portman back into the Lucasfilm fold. Portman is reportedly still in talks to reprise her role as Padmé, but according to Harloff’s sources, they’re “close” to signing a deal.
“Lucasfilm is making some moves, and trying to [make] some fans happy,” Harloff said. Portman is “open” to returning, and there’s a sense that her appearance would take place in Ahsoka’s pseudo World Between Worlds, which is what allowed Christensen to return as Anakin in Season 1.
It’s been 20 years since Portman appeared in any Star Wars project, as Padmé’s story met a tragic end in Episode III — Revenge of the Sith. She died shortly after giving birth to Luke and Leia Skywalker twins, her heart allegedly broken by Anakin’s turn to the Dark Side. For years, fans have taken issue with her demise, especially with the knowledge that, in another version of the story, Padmé might have survived to help form the beginnings of the Rebel Alliance. In early concepts, she even tried to kill Anakin before he became Vader.
Padmé’s relationship with Ahsoka was a major aspect of The Clone Wars, so it would make sense to reunite them in Ahsoka.
Whatever weaknesses there may be in Padmé’s story, she remains a fan favorite, as beloved for her inner strength as her impeccable fashion sense. The Clone Wars only reinforced her importance to the franchise, as it had more time to explore her solo adventures throughout the galaxy and establish a close relationship between Padmé and Ahsoka.
Their bond then informed Ahsoka’s journey in spin-offs like Rebels and Tales of the Jedi, which followed her contributions to the Galactic Rebellion. According to Harloff’s co-host, John Rocha, Pamdé’s potential return “ties into what we saw in Tales of the Jedi, where Ahsoka is at [Padmé’s] funeral. She was clearly devastated by Padmé’s death, [so] that’s an interesting place to start.”
There’s no telling what form Portman’s cameo would take. She could technically appear in the World Between Worlds, similar to Anakin’s trippy return in Season 1. The series could also go a more traditional route and dedicate an episode to a straightforward flashback. Per Harloff, many fans are hoping Ahsoka delivers a “live-action Clone Wars episode” at some point. With the prequels’ legacy cast in tentative talks to return, that wish could become a reality soon.
