The Secret Reason Ahsoka Became Anakin Skywalker’s Padawan
Even though Ahsoka has become a fan-favorite character, many still think it was strange that she was assigned as Anakin Skywalker’s Padawan. Most of the Prequel Trilogy presents the young man as alternating between impulsiveness and anger–pretty much the last kind of person who needs to have a young protege. However, the real reason that Yoda wanted Ahsoka to become Anakin’s Padawan was to teach the future Sith Lord the value of letting go of attachments.
Attachment
Becoming a Jedi means embracing many rules, and Anakin Skywalker always struggled with one in particular: “attachment is forbidden.” We see in Attack of the Clones that his attachment to his mother leads to murderous rage after Tusken Raiders abduct and fatally torture her.
Palpatine successfully manipulates Anakin into joining the Dark Side in the next film by exploiting his intense romantic attachment to Padme Amidala, the future mother of his children.
Ahsoka Was Meant To Teach Anakin To Let Go
Even though the Jedi of the prequels do a terrible job predicting their own demise, Yoda still had enough foresight to see that attachment was going to be an ongoing issue for Obi-Wan’s twitchy little Padawan.
That’s why he wanted Ahsoka to become Anakin’s own Padawan, as successfully training her would mean eventually having to let her go off and become her own Jedi Knight.
Yoda hoped this would finally teach Anakin Skywalker the value of letting go, but even he had no way of predicting just how sideways everything would go.
Ahsoka Vs. Vader
As fans of The Clone Wars know, Ahsoka was taken from Anakin prematurely when she was framed for treason and subsequently kicked out of the Jedi Order. Once her name was cleared, the Jedi Council personally invited her back and even offered a promotion to full Jedi Knight, reasoning that her recent ordeal was more or less her own great trial.
Ahsoka rightfully walks away from this collection of hypocritical space wizards, and she next sees Anakin after he has been transformed, mentally and physically, into Darth Vader.
All The Wrong Lessons
Yoda felt guilty about how badly his plan went: after all, he personally put Ahsoka on a path that caused her so much danger and pain. Plus, he was just as surprised as the rest of the Jedi Council after she walked away from the Jedi’s hollow words trying to welcome her back.
To make matters worse, while the Jedi Master doesn’t personally comment on it, it really seems like making Ahsoka Anakin’s Padawan helped reinforce all the wrong lessons for the would-be Chosen One.
Ahsoka was supposed to ultimately help Anakin learn the value of detachment, but the sleazy actions of the Jedi Council prematurely tore her away from him, just as Qui-Gon’s actions tore him away from his own mother.
What kind of lesson was Anakin supposed to get from this except that those with power will always either tear him away from his loved ones or his loved ones away from him? It makes perfect sense that by Revenge of the Sith, he is obsessed with getting enough power to finally protect his loved ones from others.
The Best Laid Plans Of Yodas
On a long enough timeline, things worked out well for both characters–Ahsoka became a legendary hero and Darth Vader was redeemed, allowing Anakin Skywalker’s Force ghost to eventually reconcile with his former Padawan.
None of this changes how reckless Yoda’s plan was, though, or all the pain and misery he inadvertently caused. Oh, well… when 900 years old you reach, plan as good, you will not.
