Luke Skywalker has been a—if not the—central figure of Star Wars since the very beginning, but that doesn’t mean that Star Wars movies and TV shows have depicted every Luke story that deserves to be told, nor has the franchise always done right by the beloved Jedi. In fact, one of the most significant complaints about the sequel trilogy, and why so many fans see these as Star Wars’ worst movies, was the handling of Luke’s sequel story. Viewers were particularly frustrated that, rather than the valiant Jedi Master many were expecting, Luke had essentially given up hope.
For that reason, when Luke had a surprise appearance in The Mandalorian season 2 finale and was the hero audiences had waited decades to see, hopes were high that this era of Star Wars TV shows, between the original and sequel trilogies, could right this wrong. Luke’s follow-up role in The Book of Boba Fett did that to an extent by giving viewers a much closer look at Luke as a wise Jedi Master. However, The Book of Boba Fett missed an opportunity to include one massive Luke Skywalker story, and now Star Wars may never revisit it.
Star Wars Never Showed Luke Meeting Ahsoka
Luke Skywalker was far from the only surprise face in The Book of Boba Fett. Because Luke had shown up at the end of The Mandalorian season 2 to bring Grogu to his burgeoning Jedi Temple, Grogu likewise appeared in the show. This in turn brought Din Djarin and, more surprisingly, Ahsoka Tano to the screen as well. In addition to these appearances ultimately having a very significant bearing on The Mandalorian and, eventually, The Mandalorian and Grogu too, this story arc also meant one thing: Luke and Ahsoka were finally brought together on screen.
This was momentous, as Star Wars: The Clone Wars had both introduced Ahsoka and confirmed that she had been like family to Anakin Skywalker (and to Padmé Amidala as well) as his Jedi Padawan. Given that Luke was raised without either of his parents, and barely knew anything about Anakin prior to his death, this represented one of the most significant points of connection for the Skywalker family. Disappointingly, though, their scene together in The Book of Boba Fett made it clear that this was far from the first time Luke and Ahsoka had met.
Rather, Ahsoka was essentially helping Luke to identify and recruit Force-sensitive children to be trained in his Temple, so it’s clear that they had been in contact for some time. This means that, unfortunately, Luke and Ahsoka’s first meeting happened off screen, as did, it seems, their conversations about Anakin. After all, when Ahsoka tells Luke that he’s so much like his father, he doesn’t seem caught off guard or curious to hear more; evidently, this is something they’ve already discussed, and fans missed out.
Star Wars Fans Deserve To See This Major Moment
As mentioned, Ahsoka had been like family to Anakin and Padmé before Anakin’s fall. The Clone Wars actually did a shockingly good job of convincing audiences that Ahsoka had existed all along (even though, obviously, that wasn’t really the case), and not only that show but also shows that have been released in the time since, such as Star Wars Rebels, Ahsoka, and even Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi, have deepened that connection and her importance to the Skywalker family overall.
That only makes it all the more devastating that Star Wars fans didn’t see Luke and Ahsoka meet for the first time. With Padmé and Anakin both dead, and the Skywalker Saga showing surprisingly little in terms of Luke and Leia learning more about their biological parents, this was an incredible opportunity for Star Wars to connect the Skywalker family members more deeply. Particularly considering Luke and Leia never expressed much curiosity about Padmé at all—at least on screen—this could have been important for myriad reasons. Sadly, though, that story wasn’t told, and now it might never be.
Could Star Wars Still Make This Happen?
With The Book of Boba Fett establishing that Luke and Ahsoka worked together, presumably for years, it’s possible that Star Wars will revisit this story. However, that’s feeling increasingly unlikely. For one, it’s clear that the franchise is trying to branch out and push beyond just the Skywalkers. Both the most recent Star Wars movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu, and the next Star Wars movie, Star Wars: Starfighter, reflect that shift. What’s more, bringing Luke back yet again would require the same de-aging efforts and tricks of the trade used in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett.
It’s therefore not off the table for Star Wars to revisit this story, but it does seem like it wouldn’t be the priority for the franchise. Sadly, that means Star Wars fans will likely never get to see Ahsoka Tano and Luke Skywalker’s first encounter, all because The Book of Boba Fett wasted this major opportunity.
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