Baby Yoda first appeared in The Mandalorian as a sidekick to Din Djarin, who claimed he kept the young Force-sensitive around for luck.The duo traveled throughout the galaxy, searching for remaining Jedi before they eventually stumbled upon Ahsoka Tano.
Ahsoka refused to train Baby Yoda. And her wisdom played a key role in her refusal to train him. She saw similarities between Grogu and her former Master, Anakin Skywalker.
To prevent a tragic repeat, she instead instructed Grogu to the Force-sensitive planet, Tython.
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Does Ahsoka Train Baby Yoda?
Ahsoka first came across Baby Yoda, whose real name was Grogu, on Corvus, when the duo, through Bo-Katan, knew she was hanging out there. Under the guise of hunting to kill Ahsoka, they scouted the forest for her whereabouts, only for her to find them first.
Initially believing the duo to be enemies, Ahsoka softened up when she realized why Djarin and Grogu sought her given the latter’s Force sensitivity. It was the first time Grogu, through the Force, revealed his name and backstory.
She wished to test his Force-wielding ability by telling him to move a stone. However, Grogu refused, resulting in Tano’s refusal to train him.
Was Ahsoka Ever Fit to Train Baby Yoda?
While Ahsoka refused to take Grogu as an apprentice, she was not your model Jedi. After refusing their offer to become a Jedi Knight, she even left the Order. So, odds were she was never fit to train the young Force-sensitive.
Personality-wise, Ahsoka had more of the unorthodox Qui-Gon Jinn than the stickler Jedi that was Obi-Wan Kenobi or Yoda. Unlike Qui-Gon, she grew more critical of the Order.
How did Ahsoka’s split from the Jedi occur?
In The Clone Wars, Yoda assigned Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker to train Ahsoka as a Padawan, and Skywalker was not pleased. While the duo grew close, they both questioned the motives of the Jedi Order.
Anakin felt the Jedi betrayed him, especially after they told him to spy on Chancellor Palpatine in Revenge of the Sith. We all know what happened to Anakin. One unfortunate event led to another, and he pledged allegiance to Darth Sidious.
Ahsoka also never fully embraced the light side, and it’s hard to blame her.
The Jedi Order accused her of bombing the Jedi Temple, although she was nowhere near Coruscant when the event occurred. This event led to her ultimate break with the Jedi, but her strained relationship with the Order didn’t start with their accusal.
Ahsoka was also known for questioning orders, and the closer she got to Anakin, the further she drifted from the Jedi.
While they found her innocent of all wrongdoing, she left the Jedi to pursue her own path. And while she briefly returned before Order 66, Ahsoka never became a Jedi Knight.
Given her traits, it’s easy to label her as a Gray Jedi, a Force-sensitive that treads between light and dark. And while Grays often lean toward the light side, most don’t consider themselves Jedi given their lack of association with the Order.
Ahsoka was a powerful Jedi, but she was also emotionally unpredictable. And it’s something she had in common with Anakin’s son, Luke Skywalker. And Luke’s inability to control his own emotions as a Jedi Master came with dire consequences in Star Wars Canon.
Unlike Luke, Ahsoka had more wisdom. Wisdom led her to realize that if she trained Grogu, it could lead to a similar disaster Luke later experienced with Ben Solo when the latter became Kylo Ren.
Her refusal to train Grogu also stemmed from her shortcomings with the Jedi. Given those shortcomings, Ahsoka was not fit to be anyone’s Master.
Ahsoka Learned From Another Jedi’s Mistake
Besides the fact Ahsoka would not have made a good teacher, some of her refusal to train Grogu fell on the Force-sensitive being’s shoulders. Grogu displayed powerful Force-sensitivity, given his telepathic communication.
However, it didn’t take Ahsoka long to discover Grogu had a lot in common with Anakin Skywalker. So to unearth one major reason for her refusal to train Grogu, we need to dissect the rise and fall of Anakin Skywalker.
Here is a condensed version of the story:
Qui-Gon Jinn was one of the most powerful Jedi in the Prequel Trilogy. However, the Jedi had a lot of Ahsoka in him. He wasn’t afraid to question the Jedi High Council and refused to bow down to their wishes if he saw otherwise.
Most know Qui-Gon’s story and Anakin Skywalker’s fall to the dark side: He found Anakin on Tatooine, whose midichlorian count was higher than any Jedi on record.
Convinced Anakin was the prophesied Chosen One, Qui-Gon insisted on training the boy while insisting Obi-Wan was ready for his Jedi Trials. The trials would allow Obi-Wan to ascend to Knighthood, freeing Qui-Gon to train Anakin.
However, the Jedi Council stood in Qui-Gon’s way, with Yoda sensing fear in Anakin, further emotionally attached to his mother. A big no-no for the Jedi Order. But Qui-Gon, the former Padawan of Jedi-turned-Sith Count Dooku, wasn’t taking no for an answer.
Following Qui-Gon’s death, Obi-Wan became a Jedi Knight and trained Anakin.
And almost from the beginning, Anakin, who had emotional attachments considering his older age when he joined the Jedi Order, showed dark side tendencies.
When the sand people captured his mother, and eventually died In Attack of the Clones, he slaughtered the entire village.
He also secretly married Padamè Amidala, further spiraling him into the dark side as it allowed him to grow emotionally closer to her than anyone else. When he had visions of Padamè dying at childbirth, Anakin’s transformation to the dark side was complete.
So how does Anakin’s fall to the dark side tie in with Ahsoka’s refusal to train Baby Yoda?
Why Can’t Ahsoka Train Baby Yoda?
Ahsoka saw Anakin’s struggle more than anyone else during The Clone Wars. She and Anakin became confidants, exchanging one another’s concerns with the Jedi Order.
While Ahsoka didn’t see Anakin falling to the Sith, she eventually faced the fact her former Master had become Darth Vader. It was an encounter she’d never forget. And like Qui-Gon decades before, Grogu possessed Force-sensitivity within him reminiscent of Anakin Skywalker.
Grogu also had attachment issues, something Anakin struggled with throughout his time with the Jedi Order. We know this considering his emotional bond with Din Djarin, looking to the Mandalorian as a father figure.
She knew that given her time with Anakin, Grogu could become just as problematic given his emotional similarities with her former Master.
The Wisdom of Ahsoka Tano
Tano had a sense of wisdom neither Qui-Gon nor Luke Skywalker had. All three of them crossed problematic Force-sensitive beings. Qui-Gon’s and Luke’s decision to take in Anakin Skywalker and Ben Solo nearly cost the galaxy, the Jedi Order, everything.
Ahsoka learned from Qui-Gon’s mistake, but unfortunately, Luke did not, given his nephew’s desire to carry on his grandfather’s legacy.
Not that Grogu would have gone down the same path as Anakin Skywalker and Ben Solo. But Ahsoka saw too much first-hand to know it was unnecessary to take that risk and put the galaxy at stake.
Conclusion
Ahsoka Tano did not train Grogu. Her issues with the Jedi implied she wasn’t the right fit to train Grogu.
Also, after witnessing her Master’s emotional attachments and accepting his subsequent fall to the Sith. She saw the same emotions in Grogu and knew trouble could brew within him as they did Anakin.
In refusing to train Grogu, she avoided the mistake Qui-Gon Jinn made when he took in Anakin. It was also a mistake Luke Skywalker made when he accepted Ben Solo as an apprentice, and it led to an early end for the New Jedi Order.
Sion Fawkes has been covering Star Wars since January 2022, expanding his expertise in both Star Wars Canon and Legends. When not writing, you can find Sion in the gym or running trails. He also likes watching sports and listening to audiobooks.