This small detail on the Ahsoka stormtroopers might actually link to Kylo Ren

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They have a Japanese influence

Kylo Ren
(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Ahsoka episode 6 featured the introduction of some intriguing new characters, and they might have an interesting link to Kylo Ren. We’ll be getting into spoiler territory on 'Far, Far Away' from here, so make sure you’re up to date on the Star Wars spin-off before reading on. 

In the latest episode of Ahsoka, we finally got to see Grand Admiral Thrawn make his live-action debut. Fittingly, the beloved Star Wars villain arrived with a typical flourish, and was joined by a whole legion of stormtroopers, called the Night Troopers. However, these versions of the iconic characters looked a little different than we’re used to.

After being marooned in a far-off galaxy, their armor is a little worse for wear, caked in mud and covered with cracks. Although, as some fans pointed out, the style of the golden repairs on their armor might actually be a nod to the ancient Japanese art of kintsugi.

Sharing the comparison on Twitter, user Kyrie Ó Corra posted some images from the latest episode along with some examples of the stunning artwork. "Loving the kintsugi aesthetic of Thrawns Night Troopers/Stormtroopers," they wrote. "Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with hardened lacquer dusted or mixed most commonly with gold."

It’s a neat detail, which certainly gives this version of the stormtroopers a unique look, but it's not the first time that Star Wars has used kintsugi in the saga. After destroying his helmet in The Last Jedi, Kylo Ren returns in The Rise of Skywalker with a strikingly similar mask to the stormtroopers.

His has been mended with Sarrassian iron, which resulted in an effective red web design, which director J.J. Abrams even confirmed was influenced by kintsugi. Theories from fans at the time of the movie’s release speculated it linked to Ben Solo’s fractured identity in the final film.

While there doesn’t seem to be any direct link between these troopers and the First Order leader, it’s not the first time we’ve seen nods to the sequel trilogy in the Disney Plus shows. In The Mandalorian season 3, the Praetorian Guard (who served Supreme Leader Snoke) made a chilling appearance. And then there’s also the fact that the Star Wars Rebel ship Ghost makes a cameo in The Rise of Skywalker too.

Ahsoka is airing weekly on Disney Plus. For more on the show, check out our guides to:

Fay Watson
Fay Watson
Deputy Entertainment Editor

I’m the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering TV and film for the Total Film and SFX sections online. I previously worked as a Senior Showbiz Reporter and SEO TV reporter at Express Online for three years. I've also written for The Resident magazines and Amateur Photographer, before specializing in entertainment.

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