At the end of The Clone Wars series, there’s a moment every Star Wars fan remembers. Ahsoka and Rex, struggling to survive Order 66, narrowly escape the doomed Tribunal as it crash-lands on a desolate moon.
Afterward, we see them solemnly bury their fallen clone brothers. It’s here that Ahsoka leaves behind her lightsaber—the one Anakin had given her for the mission to capture Maul.
Later, Darth Vader, now an Imperial enforcer, arrives at the crash site with his troopers, and discovers Ahsoka’s lightsaber in the wreckage.
As he picks it up, we’re left to wonder: what goes through Vader’s mind in that silent, haunting moment?
Let’s dive into Vader’s possible thoughts.
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What Vader Might Be Thinking
The Clone Wars have ended, but echoes of the past remain. It’s about two years into the Empire’s rule, and on a desolate, icy moon, Imperial forces scour the wreckage of the Tribunal. Among Snowtroopers, Stormtroopers, and probe droids, a Lambda-class T-4a shuttle lands near the debris.
From its dark shadows steps the imposing figure of Darth Vader. Without a word, he walks across the frozen landscape, snow crunching under his boots as he approaches what lies buried beneath.
Vader kneels and brushes aside the snow, revealing a lightsaber—the one he himself gifted to Ahsoka Tano.
Igniting the blade, its glow casts an eerie light across the snow.
As he stares at the familiar weapon, a convor cries above him, circling in the sky. Vader’s gaze follows the bird for a moment.
A Haunting Reminder of Anakin’s Past
In that brief, silent moment, we can imagine memories of Anakin coming back to Vader.
The last time Anakin and Ahsoka saw each other was when he gifted her those very lightsabers—a gesture filled with excitement and pride.
Anakin was thrilled to see his friend again, eager to show her the sabers he’d prepared for her mission.
But now, years later, when Vader picks up Ahsoka’s abandoned lightsaber, the scene takes on a whole new meaning.
He turns away, holding the weapon almost as if he’s going to keep it, a silent reminder of his past life and everything he’s lost.
Ahsoka remains one of the brightest memories of Anakin Skywalker, a bond that endures despite the darkness that consumed him.
We’re reminded of this connection in the final episode of Ahsoka, where the Force ghost of Anakin appears to his former Padawan
Perhaps Vader Finally Understands Ahsoka’s Pain
When Anakin became Darth Vader, he felt deeply betrayed by the Jedi Order, and if you’ve followed Ahsoka’s story, you know she went through her own version of that same pain.
Accused of a crime she didn’t commit and abandoned by the very Order she’d devoted her life to, Ahsoka experienced a level of betrayal that changed her forever.
Anakin was the only one who believed in her innocence, fighting to clear her name when no one else would, but it still wasn’t enough to make her stay.
Returning to Vader, standing amidst the Tribunal’s wreckage, holding his former apprentice’s lightsaber.
In that quiet moment, he may feel a connection to her sorrow, remembering her difficult choice to walk away and the heartbreak that came with it.
Seeing her abandoned lightsaber could stir emotions he thought were buried—a shared sense of loss and betrayal.
Vader Could Believe Ahsoka is Gone Forever
Inside Vader’s mind, it’s possible he thinks Ahsoka might be gone forever.
All he sees is the wreckage of the Tribunal, and based on what he knows, the ship has crash-landed.
This could lead Vader to believe that Ahsoka and the others didn’t survive the crash.
And picking up Ahsoka’s lightsaber might be something that brings back memories for Vader.