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Warning: This article contains spoilers for Ahsoka episode 5. Make sure you’re up to date before reading any further.
So the cat’s out of the bag – we got to see a younger version of Ahsoka Tano in the Star Wars spin-off show. In several flashback sequences during the scenes with Anakin Skywalker in the World Between Worlds, viewers got to see The Clone Wars and the Siege of Mandalore in live-action.
Snips can be seen in all of these scenes as she’s undergoing her Jedi training with Anakin (and reckoning with her place as a soldier). Fans have been raving about the scenes, with some admitting it’s made them rethink her storyline completely.
"It really put into perspective she was still a child during the siege of Mandalore," Reddit user Jaws343 shared. "Which, given the settled nature of her animated character across multiple seasons, it just doesn't come across in The Clone Wars show as prominently. But here, it's just brutal." Meanwhile, another shared a chilling meme about how it shows Ahsoka was really a child soldier.
Who plays young Ahsoka?
In a surprise casting, young Ahsoka is played by actor Ariana Greenblatt. The star is no stranger to playing younger versions of iconic characters either, having also starred as a Gamora in Avengers: Infinity War. She’s got some other major titles under her belt too, despite only being 16 years old.
She was a huge part of 2023’s mega-hit Barbie, where she played Sasha, as well as starring alongside Adam Driver in the dinosaur movie 65. Greenblatt also played young Nina in In The Heights, Minnow in Love and Monsters, and voiced Tabitha in the Boss Baby movies.
Posting on Twitter after her appearance in episode 5, the actor wrote: "How's everyone feeling, what'd I miss?" There’s been a lot of love for the casting too, with plenty of fans labeling it as "perfect". One Redditor described her as "absolutely spot on" while another commented, "She’s excellent as young Ahsoka." A third added: "Since it might get lost in all the commotion, shout-out to the young Ahsoka actress. She nailed all of her moves."
A younger version of Snips isn’t the only thing we were treated to in episode 5, either. We also got a cameo from a Clone Wars character, a reference to Luke Skywalker, a subtle outfit Easter egg, a clue that Anakin may also come back, and a Leia Organa reference. For more on Ahsoka, here are our guides:
- Who is Grand Admiral Thrawn?
- Who is Hera Syndulla?
- Who is Sabine Wren?
- Who is Ezra Bridger?
- Who is Jacen Syndulla?
- The purrgil explained
- Everything you need to know about Star Wars Rebels
- The Ahsoka end-credits clues explained
- The Nightsisters of Dathomir explained
- Huyang explained
- Where have we seen Morgan Elsbeth before?
- What to watch before Ahsoka
- How to watch Star Wars: The Clone Wars in order
- The Ahsoka timeline explained
- The Ahsoka release schedule
