Ahsoka Fugitive Arc was The Clone Wars’ Best Storyline
If someone put a gun to my head and asked what Clone Wars Storyline was absolutely perfect, I would answer ‘The Ahsoka Fugitive Arc’
Allow to me to explain, this storyline that ended the fifth season couldn’t had worked if they did it with Obi-Wan, Anakin, Quinlan Vos, or any character that was protected by Episode III (Vos is mentioned in III).
Ahsoka, however, is a character whose fate was not set in stone, so any possibility could’ve happened that would help Anakin become Vader in the end. Be it Jedi ending injury, or Death.
Dave Filoni and George Lucas craft a masterpiece that I wished was put in theaters, just so more people saw this character as opposed to the TV-Movie Pilot they put in theaters.
It also introduces a complex message for what was still considered a kid’s show, the reality that war changes your government and beliefs of your group you’re apart of in possible the worst way.
While Barriss did commit the crimes, which was an amazing plot twist, she wasn’t the central antagonist of the arc. The Jedi Order and The Galactic Republic are the villains of the story, save Anakin Skywalker.
Ahsoka is framed and The Jedi Order does not give a benefit of doubt that she could be innocent, the Republic (Mainly Tarkin and Palpatine) likely had evidence that they hid away that could’ve saved Ahsoka, but so much corruption had been infecting it that the pure politicians like Padme and Bail had no real power to stop it.
Which is why when she was proven thanks to Anakin and by extension Asajj Ventress, The Order, while knowing they were wrong, never made a proper apology, excusing it as ‘The Will of The Force’ and ‘Great Trial’ which is basically many religious excuse of ‘everything happens for a reason’ to absolve any wrongdoing.
The major reason this a masterpiece, because behind the scenes showed that so many things could’ve gone wrong, such as Dave originally wanting Ahsoka to come back to the order despite any realistic rationality showing that shouldn’t happen but Lucas wanted her to leave to explore interesting angles.
Barriss was originally set to commit suicide, which means proving Ahsoka’s innocence would be impossible since the only evidence would be gone. But Dave scrapped that for future plans that may never be explored unless they bring the show back.
Another ending was planned that wouldn’t involve the emotionally goodbye, but instead Ahsoka was going to be cold when giving back the padawan braid, saying that ‘They (The Jedi) never should’ve told her to leave’
Ahsoka walking away was the perfect way to write her out because no one pictured such a way to write her out of III. This also showcased the hubris and Dogmatic of The Once Glorious Jedi Order driving people away from them and showing they’ve become the very thing they swore to fight.
The Ahsoka Fugitive Arc will go down as the best story made in Star Wars. The Tale of an Innocent Victim betrayed by the people and Government she pledge to protect and cherish.
By the end, she only had a small circle of trustworthy people left: Anakin, Lux, and Padme.
A culture’s teachings, and most importantly, the nature of its people, achieve definition in conflict. They find themselves… or find themselves lacking. — Kreia, Knights of The Old Republic II.
