Ahsoka episode 5 gives Ahsoka a new outfit – and it's much more important than it seems
We're getting Lord of the Rings vibes
Warning: The following contains spoilers for Ahsoka episode 5! Turn back now if you're not up to date!
Ahsoka Tano goes through quite the journey in the fifth episode of her solo series, meeting her old Master Anakin Skywalker in the World Between Worlds and reliving her past in The Clone Wars. She even clashes lightsabers with her teacher while he's in both Anakin and Darth Vader mode as he tries to teach her an extra lesson from beyond the grave.
Ahsoka ultimately comes to the realization that she wants to live, and Anakin vanishes. When Ahsoka wakes up after being rescued from the waters of Seatos, she's all in white, and seems to have a new lease on life – gone is her more reserved, serious personality, with the Snips we know and love returned to us. Just look at her smile and go-with-the-flow attitude as she communicates with the purrgil.
Significantly, Ahsoka has ditched her gray clothes for a new, white ensemble. This isn't the first time we've seen Ahsoka all in white, either, after she showed up in the Rebels season 4 finale to meet Sabine in a white cloak.
"AHSOKA THE WHITE. Dies while falling, reborn, wears all white, is mentally more clear than ever," says one fan. "Literally the Gandalf Arc"
"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,'" says another person.
#Ahsoka SPOILERS //// . . . . . 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/3p9EYG0Y7BSeptember 13, 2023
"Ahsoka finally becoming 'the White' because she needed to finish her training and be reminded by Anakin that she can't give up is so beautiful," says this fan.
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"That is what they used to call me, Ahsoka the Grey. I am Ahsoka the White, and I come back to you now," quotes another person.
That is what they used to call me, Ahsoka the grey. I am Ahsoka the white, and I come back to you now.#AhsokaTano #Ahsoka pic.twitter.com/tGUqF1c7vzSeptember 13, 2023
Another fan has pointed out that the parallel proves Baylan Skoll's belief that Ahsoka's legacy will be death and destruction is wrong.
#Ahsoka the WHITE 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ymNHQwrEwDSeptember 13, 2023
Even better, the parallel is very much intentional. "In the animation, you saw her go to the white, but what I loved is the idea that there was even another level to her," Rosario Dawson told Entertainment Weekly before Ahsoka began airing (and before the ongoing SAG-AFTRA actors' strike). "Dave [Filoni] 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."
We'll have to wait and see how the newly transformed Ahsoka handles the search for Grand Admiral Thrawn and Ezra Bridger, but, judging by her newfound serenity, she's more than ready to handle it.
Ahsoka continues weekly on Disney Plus. For much more on the show, check out our deep dives on:
- Who is Hera Syndulla?
- Who is Sabine Wren?
- Who is Jacen Syndulla?
- The history between Anakin and Ahsoka explained
- Where is Ahsoka in Revenge of the Sith?
- Everything you need to know about Star Wars Rebels
- The Ahsoka end-credits clues explained
- The Nightsisters of Dathomir explained
- Who is Clancy Brown playing in Ahsoka?
- Huyang explained
- Who is Inquisitor Marrok in Ahsoka?
- Where have we seen Morgan Elsbeth before?
- What to watch before Ahsoka
- How to watch Star Wars: The Clone Wars in order
- The Ahsoka timeline explained
- The Ahsoka release schedule
I'm a Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.