Credit: LucasfilmDisney+’s highly-anticipated Star Wars: Ahsoka show is shaping up to be one of the franchise’s most important projects to date, thanks in part to widespread speculation about its central villain. And to further send fans into a tizzy, a new report was recently shared that details the series’ rumored conflicts, as well as its main antagonist—and it’s probably not who you think.
Ever since the show’s confirmation, rumors have run rampant about who will act as the primary antagonist in Ahsoka Season 1. Taking place roughly around the same time as The Mandalorian, the show will follow the titular ex-Jedi (played by Rosario Dawson) as she investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy in the aftermath of the Galactic Empire.
Followers of the animated Star Wars universe have been following Ahsoka’s story ever since her introduction in Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008), when Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker took her in as his padawan. She then made her live-action debut in Season 2 of The Mandalorian, where she name-dropped a key Star Wars villain: Grand Admiral Thrawn.
Thrawn, the blue-skinned, red-eyed Imperial Officer responsible for overseeing the inner workings of the Empire, was first introduced in Legends. He eventually entered the Star Wars TV canon in the animated series Star Wars Rebels. Throughout the show, Thrawn (voiced by Lars Mikkelsen) is a persistent nemesis of the rebel crew of the starship Ghost, who often collaborated with Ahsoka on special missions. In the series finale, Jedi Ezra Bridger (Taylor Gray) ultimately sacrificed himself during the liberation of Lothal to stop Thrawn once and for all, with a pod of Purrgils wrapping Ezra and Thrawn in their tentacles and taking them into hyperspace, deep into the unknown.
In The Mandalorian “Chapter 13: The Jedi,” Ahsoka demands that the tyrannical magistrate, Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto), tell her the location of Thrawn after beating her in a duel. With Ahsoka intent on tracking down Thrawn, both to defeat him and to discover the whereabouts of her friend, Ezra, it seemed like a natural conclusion that Thrawn was primed to be the big bad of Ahsoka Season 1. But some might be surprised to learn that that may not be the case.
According to a report from MakingStarWars, Thrawn will still appear in some capacity in Season 1 of Ahsoka. However, the primary antagonist will supposedly be Morgan Elsbeth, who sources claim will have a significant role in the show. Morgan Elsbeth will reportedly be present in the entirety of Ahsoka as a villain as she attempts to get Thrawn back to the core worlds from the Unknown Regions—the same mission Ahsoka and Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu) are on.
The rumor also suggested that when Morgan Elsbeth appeared in The Mandalorian on the planet Corvus, she used its resources to construct a ship that could travel to the Unknown Regions. Allegedly, the first half of the season will see Ahsoka tracking down Morgan Elsbeth to this world, taking place around the same time as The Mandalorian Season 2, Episode 5.
And interestingly enough, according to insiders, Morgan Elsbeth is a member of the Nightsisters, a clan of Dathomirian witches that were able to wield powerful magic.
This conflict could set the stage for a major showdown between Ahsoka, Sabine, Morgan Elsbeth, and possibly some other unknown players, all hoping to recover Thrawn for different reasons. The consequences would be dire if Thrawn were to be returned to the core worlds and could even risk the life of Ezra, who may or may not even be with Thrawn at this point.
It’ll be interesting to see how the show decides to bring back Morgan Elsbeth and if she’ll prove herself to be a capable rival to Ahsoka and her allies. Ultimately, all paths are still leading to Thrawn. But if these rumors are true, fans can look forward to seeing a lot of Morgan Elsbeth this season. Who knows? With her combat skills, mysterious powers, and prowess, she might be just as captivating a villain as Thrawn.
All will be revealed when Ahsoka arrives on Disney+ in Fall 2023.
Would you be excited to see Morgan Elsbeth back in action in Season 1 of Ahsoka? Share your thoughts in the comments below.