'Ahsoka': the best 'Star Wars' Easter eggs and references you may have missed
How the show subtly nods to 'The Phantom Menace,' 'The Clone Wars' and more


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It wouldn't be a Dave Filoni "Star Wars" show without a cavalcade of Easter eggs and deep cuts. "Ahsoka" has been stuffed with "Star Wars" references to delight franchise nerds, from a few surprise "Rebels" cameos to "Knights of the Old Republic" tie-ins and a visual allusion to "The Phantom Menace." These are the best Easter eggs and references you might have missed in "Ahsoka" so far:
Try spinning, that's a good trick!
While Ahsoka is searching for the map to Thrawn at the start of "Master and Apprentice," she spins her lightsabers into the ground to create a hole that she can drop through. Ahsoka previously performed this neat trick in the "Clone Wars" series finale, "Victory and Death," while fleeing during Order 66.
Fulcrum
Huyang responds to communications from Home One using the call sign Fulcrum, the alias Ahsoka used while aiding the rebellion in "Star Wars Rebels."
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1974
Ahsoka's ship is identified as the T-6 One-Nine-Seven-Four, likely a reference to the fact that "Ahsoka" creator Dave Filoni was born in June 1974.
Home One
Ahsoka meets up with Hera Syndulla on the Home One, which the Rebel Alliance and Admiral Ackbar used as a command ship in "Return of the Jedi." Hera subsequently briefs Ahsoka in the same room from the briefing scene in "Jedi" where the rebels prepare to take out the second Death Star.
Ryder Azadi
Clancy Brown makes a surprise appearance as Lothal Governor Ryder Azadi, who delivers a speech paying tribute to Ezra Bridger. Azadi appeared in many episodes of "Rebels," where he was also voiced by Brown, making the actor one of the few to play the same character in live-action and animation.
During "Rebels," we learned that Ryder was arrested for treason after supporting messages against the Empire that were broadcast by Ezra's parents, and he was sent to prison with them. Ezra's parents were subsequently killed during a prison break, though Ryder survived, and he has now become governor again following the end of the war.
Jai Kell
When Sabine is a no-show for the Lothal ceremony, Ryder introduces Jai Kell, another character from "Rebels" who's making the jump to live-action. Jai was introduced in the episode "Breaking Ranks" as an Imperial cadet who becomes friends with Ezra while the young Jedi is undercover, and he ultimately flees the Imperial Academy. This is the first we're learning that he has become a senator since the events of "Rebels."
E-wings
During Sabine's introduction scene, she's surrounded by a pair of E-wings. This type of escort starfighter was introduced in the 1990s comic "Dark Empire," but "Ahsoka" marks its long-awaited live-action debut.
Ezra's stormtroopers helmets
Sabine is staying in the same communications tower on Lothal that served as her friend Ezra Bridger's home at the start of "Rebels." Various stormtrooper helmets can be seen in the background inside this tower, a nod to the fact that Ezra collected them in that show.
Nightsisters
Morgan Elsbeth is revealed to be a Nightsister, a kind of witch that uses the dark side and previously appeared in "The Clone Wars" and recently the "Star Wars Jedi" video games. The Nightsisters are from Dathomir, Darth Maul's homeworld, and Maul's mother, Mother Talzin, was once their leader.
Huyang
The droid Huyang is another somewhat lesser-known animated character making his live-action debut. He was introduced in the "Clone Wars" episode "A Test of Strength" as a droid who helps younglings build their lightsabers, a backstory he references in "Ahsoka." Huyang is also meant to be about 25,000 years old. David Tennant returns to voice the character, as he did in "The Clone Wars."
A 'Phantom Menace' nod
A shot in "Master and Apprentice" where a probe droid returns to Shin Hati while she's tracking Sabine is almost an exact recreation of a shot in "The Phantom Menace" where a droid returns to Darth Maul on Tatooine.
Familiar musical motifs
Keep an ear open for some recognizable musical motifs, especially during the closing credits, which highlights themes from "Rebels" associated with Sabine and Hera.
Corellia
In the episode "Toil and Trouble," Ahsoka and Hera visit a shipyard on Corellia, the planet Han Solo is from, as depicted in "Solo: A Star Wars Story."
HK-class assassin droids
At the shipyard, Ahsoka asks Myn Weaver if he has any HK-class assassin droids. This type of droid, which Ahsoka also faces off against throughout the first two episodes, originated in "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic." The 2003 video game features a Jedi hunter droid called HK-47.
SSD
Myn Weaver also mentions that his shipyard's hyperdrive core was "refurbished from an SSD," referring to a Super Star Destroyer. Darth Vader's ship, the Executor, was that kind of ship.
Sion
The starship used by Morgan Elsbeth is called the Eye of Sion, likely a reference to Darth Sion, a Sith Lord from the 2004 game "Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords." He's also known as the Lord of Pain.
Sabine's haircut
Near the end of "Toil and Trouble," Sabine uses a knife to cut her own hair, mirroring her friend Kanan Jarrus doing the same thing in the "Rebels" episode "Jedi Night" while preparing to rescue Hera.
A 'Rebels' recreation
"Toil and Trouble" concludes with Sabine visiting the mural of her friends and setting out on her mission with Ahsoka. This is almost an exact recreation of the final moments of "Rebels," although Ahsoka is wearing a different robe in the live-action version. Earlier, a moment where Sabine looks off the edge of her comms tower is also identical to a shot from the "Rebels" epilogue. So although "Ahsoka" was set up as a sequel to "Rebels," it appears the first two episodes were actually a sneaky prequel.
Zatoichi
In "Time to Fly," Ahsoka suggests Sabine be trained in Zatoichi, a technique likely named after the fictional blind swordsman Zatoichi, who has been depicted in a series of Japanese films and a television show. Zatoichi also bears similarity to Donnie Yen's character, Chirrut Îmwe, from "Rogue One."
Hamato Xiono
The senator who gives Hera Syndulla a hard time about her concerns regarding Thrawn's return is Hamato Xiono, father of "Star Wars Resistance" protagonist Kazuda Xiono.
Jacen Syndulla's pauldron
Hera's son, Jacen, makes a surprise live-action appearance after being introduced in the series finale of "Rebels," and fans noticed he's wearing what looks like a version of his father Kanan Jarrus' pauldron.
Kanan
Gizmodo also pointed out that in "Fallen Jedi," a photo of Kanan can be seen in the Ghost's cockpit.
Brendan Wayne
Brendan Wayne, who serves as a body double for Pedro Pascal on "The Mandalorian," gets a cameo in "Fallen Jedi" as a pilot. He's also the grandson of John Wayne.
Heir to the Empire
Ahsoka stresses the importance of stopping Thrawn's return as "heir to the Empire," the title of the 1991 Timothy Zahn novel where the villain originated.
Snips
When Anakin Skywalker appears in the World Between Worlds, he refers to Ahsoka as "Snips," his nickname for his snippy Padawan in "The Clone Wars." Long have we waited to hear Hayden Christensen say that.
Updated Sept. 8, 2023: This article has been updated to include new information.
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Brendan is a staff writer at The Week. A graduate of Hofstra University with a degree in journalism, he also writes about horror films for Bloody Disgusting and has previously contributed to The Cheat Sheet, Heavy, WhatCulture, and more. He lives in New York City surrounded by Star Wars posters.
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