Let’s flash forward a few years to 2019, when the pandemic brought with it not just widespread anxiety but also seemingly endless free time. As a result, I binged an unhealthy amount of television shows and movies.
I never planned on watching the Star Wars cartoon shows; however, it seems that The Clone Wars just fell onto my screen one day as I was surfing through Disney+. And I must say, The Clone Wars remains tied for my favorite show of all time (with another cartoon that I will detail in the future).
Image Source: IMDb
I’d say that the climax of The Clone Wars plot falls right on the last story arc of Season 5, where Ahsoka Tano—the best Star Wars character ever— heartbreakingly leaves the Jedi Order. While you probably aren’t familiar with all of the Star Wars terminology or characters, I’ll give it to you in brief. Ahsoka Tano was the main female character of the cartoon. She was caught between right and wrong, ultimately forcing her to leave her community and all she has ever known, the Jedi, to allow for her own growth and prosperity; she realizes that the cause she has been fighting for might not truly be justified.
Ahsoka remains my favorite character in all of television media history, as she embodies a multitude of traits that I wish to emulate, such as bravery, intelligence, integrity, and growth (and swag).
I’ve mentioned in my other posts how desirable it is as humans to have people we identify with, to unite with, and to share interests with. However, our judgement can be obscured when we lack diverse viewpoints, and sometimes acquiescing to that herd mentality actually forces us to abandon our morals and values. We lose sight of what might really be good or bad and rather fight for what we believe benefits our community. While a stable community can feel satisfying, isn’t it our own contentment in life all that truly matters?
The Clone Wars, and specifically Ahsoka’s calamitous exit from the show, reminds me to consider my own happiness in lieu of existing solely to please those around me. I can think of specific events when I finally learned to embody Ahsoka’s traits.
As a senior in high school, I was stuck with friends who constantly took advantage of my generosity and did not treat me well. It took a long time to muster up the courage to stand up for myself and protect my own values. Once I finally took the big leap, it felt like I could for once exist as my own being, as my authentic self. For this reason, The Clone Wars holds an extra special place in my heart.
Breaking out of our old habits can be terrifying, causing us to critically reconsider what makes up our character. It is strong characters, like Ahsoka, who show us in an unconventional sense how to break free from familial constraints, so that us mortals can be inspired to change our own lives for the better.
Thanks, Ahsoka, for empowering me to seek a world where I feel comfortable to be myself.
Cali, I absolutely love your post about Star Wars and Ahsoka because I too, grew up with it as well. I loved how you incorporated your own personal experience because it reminds me of my own experiences. I liked how you used Ahsoka as a role model in your own story, as I am a die-hard fan of Obi-Wan. I think your passion blog themes are well-put together and interesting to read! Nice work!