Ahsoka and the Rebellion – Q&A
This is not part of the narrative of Ahsoka and the Rebellion, but is an attempt to answer some questions about the story that have been asked over the course of writing and publishing it. A fair warning: if you have not yet read the entire story, this section will contain SPOILERS – but not about Volume Two or Volume Three, which will start to appear in a couple of months, around 2018-July.
What made you write this story? Why Ahsoka?
As I mention in my profile, I am a longtime Star Wars fan but only started watching the animated stuff about 18 months ago now. With Clone Wars, it wasn't long before Ahsoka got my attention and not much later, made me a fan. Now I have an FB group dedicated to her called the Ahsoka Tano Fan Club. You can see the wide variety of members in the group, which show she has international appeal.
It was after I started watching Rebels and saw that she had returned, so I got the book about her and started wondering if I had what it took to write fiction. Once I got through the 2nd season of Rebels with its ambiguous ending and so many speculating whether she was dead or alive, I knew it was time to make my statement. I had just picked up Rebels season 3 and knew it was time to start, so chapter 1 of my story was written at the end of last August and then I put it up.
What was the hardest part of the story to write?
I think it was actually chapters 2 and 3. I had what I thought was a good beginning but I needed to carry it though. The idea that Ahsoka could've escaped Malachor using the discarded TIE ship seemed to escape everyone else, but it seemed naturally logical to me so I ran with it. I just needed to have some place for her to go. Once the Almania arc came to my mind I had it and then it was just a matter of having her reach out and things started to flow. Eight months later and the whole thing – all 51 chapters and a quarter-million words – is now complete.
Why was Shaak Ti able to emerge as the most powerful entity in the galaxy?
I became fascinated with Shaak when she appeared on Clone Wars and realized she and Ahsoka were the same species, the fascinating and romantic Togruta, and here was one that had been on the Jedi Council, so you know she was respected. The crux of the matter for me was the question of how did (or does) someone become powerful in the Force? Is it "midichlorians" or knowledge and practice? I decided it was likely a combination of the two, and so why not Shaak? Soon after hitting on this idea, I knew it would work well to have Shaak and Ahsoka together. I know others have done some of this, but I doubt anyone has gone this far. The reaction I've been getting shows it was a winner. Having Shaak become Ahsoka's surrogate mother was a great plot device that enabled the Shili arc, and then, the question of what is Togruta culture and heritage arose. Long before we get to Shili, little hints are dropped in various places leading up to it.
Why was Ahsoka the one to cause Darth Vader's transformation back into Anakin Skywalker?
This of course is one of the more controversial plotlines I came up with. George Lucas's original canon held that only Luke could turn Vader, and that was what made the original SW trilogy so powerful. Fortunately, we writers are not held to accept only canon and can deviate from it provided one thing – the story has to be credible. I believed that Ahsoka could have had equal success in reaching Anakin, if only because of that Rebels season 2 closer where she exposes her old master inside the mask. She tried to reach out then, and was slapped down, but I felt that if I could get her to a safe place and have her among a new group of friends and allies then she might be able to try again. Again, Shaak is crucial because she understands the nature of Palpatine and how he controlled Vader through pain. Once Shaak could remove the pain, then she and Ahsoka could reach inside the mask and find Anakin. But even for them, it took a lot of time.
There are lots of original characters in Ahsoka and the Rebellion. Which ones did you have the most fun with?
More or less all of them. I think a writer can always draw on various influences when creating fictional characters. The key is to have a set of ideas about them before committing them to the "canvas." That said, it's always possible for a character to "grow" or evolve, especially over a long story. For me, Reema Andujah and Frehya Lumoxa have been my favorites thus far, and even though Maris Brood is not my original character, she's getting far more exposure than she has anywhere else that I am aware of, so she's basically original. This was necessary if she was to be included with Shaak. But essentially everyone major gets to grow into something, even Ahsoka and Shaak. Valles Santhé was originally a minor character in Legends but mine is essentially original.
Why are most of the lead characters female?
This kind of just happened, not out of a conscious need to have more of them. Considering that Ahsoka is the title character, it was natural to expect some of that. I was determined not to have her pulled into a love interest and have it be the main reason for her existence, so she ends up in a mentor relationship – both with Shaak, and with those she is training, like Hedala and to some degree Luke. As Ahsoka goes forward in the story, she connects with other females and the "girls club" aspect of things plays out. I always liked the idea of Ahsoka working with Luke, and even though he's now being mentored by his dad's girlfriend (Maris), she will be seeing more of him down the road. Leia, of course, was the first Star Wars heroine and she still has much ahead of her in this story. Will she become a Galactic political leader? Watch and learn … but the other ladies – Frehya, Reema, Hera – to name three, will be right in the middle of the action.
Were you primarily interested in the dynamic between Ahsoka and Anakin/Vader?
Not as much as it might seem. There have been many tales written about that, so I didn't this to be another "Ani-soka" adventure. I think mine handles this from a different angle, that of Ahsoka helping in Anakin's redemption and then being reunited with him in a different sense by the end of Volume One. As Volume Two begins, Maris is now firmly in between Anakin and Ahsoka, but she is fine with that.
Can anyone stop Shaak and Ahsoka going forward?
Maybe, but Shaak is unlike many autocratic leaders in that she is well aware of the need to constantly be learning more so as to be an effective leader. She is quick to call herself a "servant" and not a "ruler" but time will tell how honest she has been with herself – and the Galaxy. Having Ahsoka so close to her would seem to keep her from drifting into more of an authoritarian role, but Valles is also pulling her in that direction, while at the same time cannily posing as Ahsoka's friend. Shaak sets out with the intention to loosen her grip on power as the government starts to take shape and she is sincere about citizen participation through representative bodies. The decision to expand the legislature to two houses (like many Earth governments) gives more gravitas to that branch over time, plus the emphasis on an independent judiciary is a good sign. But so much power remains concentrated in the Empress's hands that the key will be access to her – and Valles will likely be the one who controls that for the most part.
When Shaak silently urged Ahsoka to kill Maul, was this a sign that the Dark Side was creeping into her consciousness?
This still remains to be seen. Notice that, in Chapter 7, she never questions Ahsoka's actions, indeed, she seems to praise them. This is an early sign that Shaak's transition is occurring but she mostly manages it well. In Volume Two she may be tested more than in Volume One. Shaak for the most part has carefully planned each step in her rise to power and thus has had to do little other than her decisive stroke in Chapter 45 that severs Sidious from the Force. She even was able to delegate the power to take down Imperial ships to Ahsoka and Maris, once they had fully mastered it. It might be fun to see Shaak pick up her lightsabre and take a few swings, however. She sees herself as a union of sorts between Light and Dark, supposedly embodying the "best of both" but this is problematic. Shaak is wise, thoughtful, and mostly conservative, normally good qualities for an executive to have but she has an unconventional side to her as well. The Galaxy under Shaak promises to be far different than under Palpatine. There is little doubt that some will try to test her resolve, to see if she is willing to be ruthless enough to hold onto power.
What did Yoda mean in Chapter 35 by "Destroy Palpatine, it might, but to you, something worse, I fear" ?
He felt that the power of Force Severance would potentially corrupt Shaak and she would lose her sense of balance. Apparently, his reading of the history – over 3000 years prior to his birth – was that the power would throw things out of balance. If Shaak became too powerful, then a counter-balance in the Force would take place, much as depicted in The Last Jedi, where Rey has arisen to counter Kylo Ren. This concept will certainly be explored in Volumes Two and Three.
What of the "chosen one" prophecy and the notion of Balance in the Force for this story?
Remember that Anakin was rumored by the Jedi to be "the chosen one that would bring balance to the Force." This supposedly takes place when Vader turns against Palpatine to save Luke, but dies in the process himself. In my story, this moment doesn't come about – at least not yet – but it may manifest in other ways we cannot know yet. Something on a grander scale is not to be resolved in the first volume.
Why did Shaak leave Palpatine alive at the end of Volume One?
Shaak is not in the habit of killing anyone unnecessarily. She clearly feels Palpatine is no longer any threat to her or her reign over the Galaxy. It also remains to be seen whether Force Severance is a permanent condition. Shaak gave him a rather large dose of the power, from all appearances, but it was never meant to be fatal. Cutting off someone from using the Force was considered an extreme solution by the ancient Jedi.
What happens to Frehya in the Second Empire?
Her fate has been left somewhat up to her, but her loyalty to Shaak is unquestioned as Volume Two begins. But Maris would also like to have Knight Lumoxa as part of the Empress's Hand. And there is still the matter of overseeing the continued transformation of the planet Felucia. So Frehya has many choices to make.
Is Shaak now more powerful than any Jedi in history because of her embrace of the Dark Side and attempt to balance it with the Light?
This is debatable but she is clearly on the "short list" at this time. It remains to be seen whether her attempt to create Force "balance" within herself will be successful. Usually mixing the Light and Dark sides has led to great destruction, as was briefly depicted in SW Rebels season 3 when Ezra placed two holocrons in close proximity. Shaak supposedly has taken precautions in this area, to good effect.
Why was Shaak creating her own Sith holocron as referenced in Chapter 34?
Very mysterious and something that will be revisited in the later volumes. No one else seems to know anything about this yet.
Is Valles Santhé a Sith Lady?
If she is, she is a most unconventional one. Carrying a red lightsabre does not alone make one a Sith. There is a kind and seemingly gracious public side to Valles, which is exhibited in the care she has for her home world of Lianna and the need to help less fortunate members of society. But this is balanced by her unmistakable ambition and the inner conviction that she is best suited to rule due to her intelligence. Valles is not in a hurry, however.
Over the next week or so, I will also provide a guide to all characters in this volume of the story, and a list of locations and their connection to the story and the characters. This guide may help to also get ready for Volume Two once it begins.
