Hayden Christensen's return as Anakin Skywalker in Ahsoka season 2 is one of the biggest talking points when it comes to the Disney+ series' long-awaited comeback. It's certainly one of the things I'm looking forward to the most. Since Anakin's death and transition into a Force ghost at the end of 1983's Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, the next stages of his story have understandably been largely ignored. The sequels addressed his legacy as Vader and the influence on his grandson, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), but that's been about it.
As such, his return in Ahsoka season 1 was something of a massive outlier. It was the first time we'd canonically spent any time with Anakin since his physical demise in Return of the Jedi – at least on-screen. (Pick up a copy of Adam Christopher's Shadow of the Sith novel and thank me later). Regardless, while the scene that sees Luke (Mark Hamill) unmask his dying father in Return of the Jedi is iconic for so many reasons, it also sets up a much-discussed plot hole that's never been convincingly explained. Ahsoka season 2 can finally clear things up.
I'm convinced Anakin's Darth Vader moment in Ahsoka season 1 wasn't what it seemed
After initially reprising his role in training holograms for Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson), Anakin actually goes on to make a real appearance in the World Between Worlds in season 1. It's been confirmed that this wasn't some sort of hallucination or Force vision experienced by Ahsoka. It was a canonical reunion between former master and apprentice, with the Force enabling the encounter despite Anakin's physical form being dead.
Clearly not done with Ahsoka's training, Anakin uses the opportunity to test Dawson's character. The most memorable part of the experience is when Anakin flickers into being Darth Vader. Sith-yellow eyes, a crimson lightsaber; the works. The general understanding here is that Anakin is in complete control of this transformation, and that it's a voluntary or even hollow representation of his time consumed by the Dark Side. But what if it was more than that? I don't think it's unreasonable to consider that the flash of his inner Vader was genuine and unstoppable.
Ahsoka season 2 should bring back Anakin's inner Vader again (but worse)
There's still very little information available when it comes to Ahsoka season 2. It's been confirmed for a 2027 premiere date, but details about the plot have been elusive. That being said, we do know that Hayden Christensen will have a more significant role this time around. If he were to just continue appearing as Ahsoka's spiritual guide, then sure, it would feel very Star Wars. I think it would also be pretty boring. Anakin is one of the most iconic and layered characters in the entire franchise canon. To relegate him to such a vanilla role would be a crime.
The fact that Anakin can still call upon his inner darkness, whether consciously or otherwise, means it's still in there somewhere. This perfectly mirrors the times when, as Darth Vader, he would be moved to make uncharacteristic decisions that align more with Jedi ideology than with a Sith Lord's. The biggest example is obviously when he turns on the Emperor (Ian McDiarmid) to save Luke in Return of the Jedi. As such, it makes perfect sense that the opposite would be true. To see Anakin's Force ghost partially corrupted by his time steeped in darkness would be incredibly compelling. It would also give him an arc centered around shedding that remaining evil rather than just offering Ahsoka the occasional piece of sage wisdom.
Anakin's corrupted Force ghost would resolve a major issue with Return of the Jedi's ending
The more I hear this argument, the more I agree with it: Anakin got away with too much in Return of the Jedi. He spent half his life as a Sith Lord, terrorizing the galaxy for over twenty years as the Emperor's right hand. His one redemptive act is basically saving Luke, which is then enough to grant Anakin passage to what is essentially eternal life as a Force ghost. Not only is he never taught how to make that transition, but it's also probably a little too much of a stretch that Anakin could leave Vader behind so swiftly and so completely.
I'm willing to accept that Anakin's innate strength in the Force allowed him to make an educated guess when it came to becoming a Force ghost. Within that theory, there's also a possible wrinkle that could set up his apparent lack of control over Vader in Ahsoka season 1. Because he'd never been formally taught how to become a Force ghost, perhaps the process was imperfect, and scooped up some of the remaining elements of Vader during Anakin's final moments.
If so, then that shot of Anakin living happily and peacefully as a Force ghost with Obi-Wan and Yoda at the end of Return of the Jedi could be a hauntingly false promise. While it could still have primarily been Anakin's Jedi side that made it through to the other side, some shards of his darkness could still have remained, growing over time until we see them manifest again in Ahsoka. Sith typically can't become Force ghosts, but the Force has never dealt with anyone like Anakin/Vader before.
In other words, Return of the Jedi's final scene isn't necessarily the neat ending for Anakin that it appears to be at face value. I think he's still harboring some of his darker instincts, and they're coming through in unpredictable ways, as suggested by what happens in the World Between Worlds in season 1. Instead of a regular old Force Ghost, Anakin's new form could be mostly Light with just enough residual Dark to be an ongoing threat to himself and everyone he communes with. If so, this would be a much more suitable way of acknowledging Anakin's conveniently clean transition into being a standard Force Ghost after 20+ years of being steeped in the Dark Side. Come on, Ahsoka season 2, make it happen.
Ahsoka season 1 is streaming now on Disney+. Season 2 is confirmed for 2027 but no exact date has been announced.
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