Warning! SPOILERS for Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 7, episode 10.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 7 avoids introducing a plot hole concerning the true identity of Darth Vader. Now nearing its completion with only two episodes left to go, The Clone Wars season 7 is in many ways the final piece of the puzzle in the Skywalker saga. Recent episodes are now taking place simultaneously to the events seen in Revenge of the Sith, revealing what it is Anakin Skywalker is up to just prior to that film’s climactic events.
The Clone Wars season 7 has also focused on the journey of Anakin’s Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, filling in part of the gap in her story between leaving the Jedi Order and becoming a Rebel spy. In the final days of the Clone Wars, Ahsoka is on Mandalore hunting down the renegade Sith lord, Maul. Since last seen in The Clone Wars season 5, Maul has been making preparations to ensure he survives what’s coming. Unlike many, Maul knows about Order 66 and how Darth Sidious will use it to assume control of the galaxy as its Emperor. He does not, however, know about Sidious’ plans for Anakin, not until he experiences a vision showing him who Anakin will become - Darth Vader.
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In Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 7, episode 10, “The Phantom Apprentice”, Maul reveals this vitally important element of Darth Sidious’ plan when he’s confronted by Ahsoka. In fact, Maul reveals he planned the Siege of Mandalore as a trap for both Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi in the hope he could kill them both, ruining Sidious’ plans and achieving his revenge in one fell swoop. Of course, these plans are ruined by Ahsoka’s arrival, but more alarmingly, Maul revealing to her Sidious’ plan to turn Anakin to the dark side could have created a huge plot hole – if only she believed him.
By having Ahsoka simply not believe Maul when he reveals to her Anakin’s future, The Clone Wars easily navigates what would have otherwise been a pretty big plot hole. As it stands now, Ahsoka won’t learn the truth about Anakin becoming Vader until she’s confronted by the Sith lord herself in Star Wars Rebels. And even then, Ahsoka is reluctant to accept the truth, encountering Vader on more than one occasion – first on Lothal, then in a vision, and finally, during their duel on Malachor – before accepting the he is, in fact, her former master and friend.
Previously, The Clone Wars season 7 has toyed with the ‘what if’ scenario of Ahsoka’s presence in Anakin’s life leading to a different outcome, and it does so again in “The Phantom Apprentice” when Obi-Wan asks Ahsoka to talk to Anakin. This time, though, it also introduces another possibility with the idea that Ahsoka could have known what was about to happen to Anakin beforehand. Perhaps if she had only believed Maul, she would have reached out to Anakin as Obi-Wan asked and events might have gone differently. Then again, there simply may not be enough time and nothing, not even Ahsoka, could have prevented Anakin’s downfall.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars is sure to show Order 66 being given at any moment, and when it does, the chaos Maul predicts in this episode will come to pass: the Jedi will be killed, the Empire will rise, and Anakin will become Darth Vader. Now, all that remains to be seen is how Ahsoka will escape the chaos and live to one day fight Vader just as she has Maul.
