Skip to Content

Did Vader Reveal His Identity to Ezra?

Did Vader Reveal His Identity to Ezra?

In the two-episode finale of Season 2 of Rebels, Vader and Ahsoka met again. After an exchange of words, it seems that Vader revealed his identity to Ezra. Did he, though? Most likely not, and if he did, it probably would not have mattered. 

Vader Did NOT Reveal His Identity

In Twilight of the Apprentice, Ahsoka, Ezra, and Kanan went to Malachor, “home to an ancient Sith Temple.” They are there to find “forbidden knowledge” to help them defeat the Imperials. After battling the Eighth Brother Inquisitor, Ezra first confronted Vader, then Ahsoka returned from chasing after their initial opponent.

In the scene, Vader quickly knocked Ezra to the ground before turning to face Ahsoka. In their “long-awaited meeting,” she said to Vader, “I was beginning to believe I knew who you were behind that mask, but it’s impossible. My master could never be as vile as you.” Vader responded, “Anakin Skywalker was weak. I destroyed him.” 

Darth Vader Vs Ahsoka - Full Duel (Twilight Of The Apprentice + A World Between Worlds)

With those words, Vader seems to reveal his identity to Ezra, since he was lying on the ground behind him. However, we could read the scene as him speaking to Ahsoka, who (of course) knows, and that Ezra “probably presumed that Vader physically killed Anakin.” This impression could be reinforced when Ahsoka also said, “Then, I will avenge his death.

The wording appears to reveal Vader’s identity, but he really didn’t. An older discussion about this topic points out both how Ezra would have thought he meant actually killed Anakin, and that the distance and noise would have made it too difficult to hear anyway. 

Vader Revealed His Identity, But It Didn’t Matter

Another way to view this scene is that Vader did reveal his identity, but it didn’t really matter. The recent Reddit discussion above also includes how Ezra “barely knows about the Clone Wars, so Anakin is more like a nobody to him.” That is, even if Ezra picked up on what Vader and Ahsoka were saying, he would not really know much about Anakin.

While we may believe that everyone knew that Vader was Anakin, it was not widespread knowledge. Among those who would have known would have been the Padawan Ferren Barr, Jedi Archivist Jocastu Nu, and Ahsoka. Inquisitors and Sith-side characters would be clued in, but not many on the Rebel side. 

Another fan board reinforces this line of thinking. Since Ezra had “never seen or heard” of Anakin before “Ahsoka showed him a holocron,” he would not have dwelled on these two identities. Even if Ezra understood Vader or could hear him, he would not have put much significance into it. 

For his part, Vader would have thought this possible revelation wouldn’t matter because he was addressing Ahsoka, not Ezra. He was focusing on her, not “the boy” behind him. Vader probably believed he covered it up, but likewise wouldn’t be too concerned about Ezra.

Vader’s Identity

In the encounter with Ahsoka, Vader most likely did not reveal his identity to Ezra. Vader masked it with a reference to killing Anakin. Even if Vader did let his identity out, Ezra would not have been that familiar with Anakin and would not have placed too much emphasis on him.