Disney Plus’s series Star Wars Ahsoka, Season 2 Episode 6, called “Far, Far Away,” explores the story of Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson), Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), and Huyang (David Tenant) learning of the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelson). They are on a mission to locate Thrawn’s location to not only eliminate Thrawn as a threat but to find their friend Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi), who likely survived alongside the Grand Admiral during the aftermath of the Battle of Lothal during the Age of the Rebellion. However, the Dark Jedi mercenary Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson), Baylan’s apprentice Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno), and Nightsister Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto) seek to bring Thrawn back as Heir to the Empire. Therefore, the New Republic and the Imperial Remnant are on a race to find Thrawn, and the fate of the Known Galaxy lies on who reaches the Grand Admiral first.
The episode begins with Ahsoka and Huyang continuing their journey via Purgill hyperspace to Peridea. Ahsoka talks with the ancient droid regarding her confusion about why Sabine risked the fate of the entire Galaxy just to reunite with Ezra. Despite this, Ahsoka accepts it is Sabine’s fate and the will of the Force for Sabine to give the Star Map to Baylan, allowing him and his group to travel safely to Peridea. Huyang would ease her frustration over Sabine’s decision by distracting her with a Jedi tale in a Galaxy Far, Far Away.
The Eye of Sion arrives at Peridea, and Morgan, Baylan, Shin, and their prisoner Sabine ride on a ship as they enter Peridea’s orbit. Morgan tells the group that Peridea was the ancient homeworld of the Nightsisters before a group of them moved to the Known Galaxy in the world of Dathomir. The ship lands on a Nighsister fortress where Morgan and her group meet Peridea’s three Nightsister Great Mothers: Klothow (Claudia Black), Aktropaw (Jeryl Prescott), and Lakesis (Jane Edwina Seymour).
Thrawn also arrives at the Nightsister fortress on his star destroyer, the Chimaera, commandeered by stormtroopers called Night Troopers. Captain Enoch (Wes Chatham), the golden-masked stormtrooper, is Thrawn’s lieutenant and right-hand man in their endeavors on Peridea. Ezra, Thrawn, and the stormtroopers of the Chimaera were stranded on Peridea after the Purgill, allied with Ezra, took the Chimaera away from the Known Galaxy to Peridea. After arriving on Peridea, Thrawn and Ezra parted ways, with Ezra befriending Peridea’s humanoid crab inhabitants called the Noti and Thrawn allying with the Nighsisters of Peridea. The Nightsisters aided Thrawn and supplied the Grand Admiral with resources and a Force connection with Morgan to prepare his return to the Known Galaxy.
In the present day, Thrawn thanks Morgan for coming to end his exile on Peridea but distrusts Baylan and Shin due to Baylan’s former status as a Jedi. The Grand Admiral also meets Sabine, and he allows her to leave the fortress unharmed and find Ezra dead or alive. Captain Enoch and the Night Troopers give Sabine her weapons, supplies, and a Howler mount for her journey to find Ezra. Unknown to the Mandalorian, Thrawn orders Baylan and Shin to follow Sabine, find Ezra, and eliminate the two. Later, Sabine fought Samurai-like bandits and met Peridea’s humanoid crab inhabitants. The Noti recognize Sabine’s Rebel insignia and take her to Ezra, leading to a heartwarming reunion between the two friends. Ezra thanks Sabine for finding him and is excited to leave Peridea. Sabine is saddened by not telling Ezra how she got to Peridea but does not tell the truth to keep her reunion with him happy.
Baylan and Shin continued tracking Sabine and saw the corpses of the bandits Sabine fought and killed. Shin asked her master if he missed the Jedi Order. Baylan has no attachment to the Jedi Order but only to the ideals the Jedi followed. In other words, he grew to dislike the Jedi for their history of supporting a corrupt Republic and becoming too political over time, but values Jedi traditions and their teachings on the Force. Shin also questions Baylan’s decision to stay on Peridea and find the power he seeks in the wasteland of a world. Baylan retorts that Peridea was where the great Witch Kingdom of the Dathmiri reigned. However, an unknown great power is driving the Nighsisters of Peridea to leave the world for the Known Galaxy, and he seeks the power to Shin’s fear and confusion. The two later see a group of bandits watching them, and Baylan plans to ally with them to hunt Sabine and Ezra.
The episode ends with the Nightsisters of Peridea informing Thrawn that a Jedi is arriving on Peridea with the help of the Purgill (The Travelers). From Morgan, Baylan, and Shin’s reports, Thrawn believes the Jedi is Ahsoka Tano. He scolds Morgan for allowing Baylan, a former Jedi of all people, to leave loose ends. Nevertheless, the Grand Admiral prepares for the future fight with Ahsoka. Thrawn orders Morgan to relay to the troops to shoot down the arriving Purgill. He even turns to the Nighsisters of Peridea and their dark magick for support if Ahsoka manages to enter Peridea unscathed. The Nightsisters comply and state that it is the will of the Force for Thrawn to succeed in escaping his exile and return to the Known Galaxy.
Sabine reunites with Ezra.
In Ahsoka Season 1, Director Jennifer Getzinger and Writer Dave Filoni introduced the mystical world of Peridea, the ancient homeworld of the Nightsisters, before many moved to Dathomir in the Known Galaxy. With the support of the Nightsisters, Thrawn prepared his return to the Known Galaxy so he could lead the Imperial Remnants against the New Republic. His isolation in the dark, ancient wasteland world of Peridea hardened Thrawn and made him more ruthless and cold to others. Thrawn’s transformation into a darker person likely stemmed from his long isolation on Peridea for many years and witnessing the Nightsisters of Peridea’s dark magick for many years. Thrawn hates Ezra for stranding him on Peridea and seeks his death if given the opportunity and resources to do so. However, Thrawn prioritizes leaving Peridea over killing Ezra, so he chooses to ignore hunting the padawan of Kanan Jarrus.
Baylan has grown slightly fanatical in his belief that a great power resides in Peridea, which calls for him. Shin is shown to be fearful of her master’s change of behavior and is scared of the thought of beings stranded in the wasteland world. Peridea seems to be a random world, but it is so haunting that Thrawn wants to leave the world, while Ezra becomes somewhat happy yet desperate with the idea of escaping the world when he sees Sabine. Overall, Peridea gives H.P. Lovecraft world vibes, and the power calling Baylan might be his doom. The power calling Baylan could be a Dark Side entity, Abeloth, an ancient Sith, or another incarnation of the Son. Many horrors await in Peridea, horrors Ahsoka might face as she fights to prevent Thrawn’s return to the Known Galaxy as Heir to the Empire.
The Nightsisters of Peridea are likely three survivors of the fallen Witch Kingdom of the Dathmiri. The reasons for the kingdom’s fall are unknown and remain a mystery. The Nightsisters of Peridea are faithful and loyal to Thrawn and are doing so because of the “threads of destiny,” implying they follow the will of the Force and its desire to have Thrawn’s return to the Known Galaxy. Thrawn’s possible purpose is to return and prepare the Known Galaxy’s defense against the dark threats of the Unknown Regions and beyond and help rebuild the military strength of the Imperial Remnants before the rise of the First Order.
Rating: 9/10