Star Wars Ahsoka Theory: Ezra Will Fall To The Dark Side

With "The Mandalorian" Season 3 in the books, the next live-action "Star Wars" release set to hit Disney+ is "Ahsoka." While the program focuses primarily on Rosario Dawson's titular Togruta Force user, it also serves as a successor to the animated favorite "Star Wars Rebels." It will feature numerous of the show's main characters, including Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi): an emerging Jedi who disappeared in the "Rebels" finale, along with Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen). Rumors have swirled for years regarding what became of Bridger following his and Thrawn's disappearance, with some theorizing he's fallen to the Dark Side.

Redditor u/The-Emerald-Rider made a thread detailing this theory, and it's nothing if not fascinating. They explain that perhaps Thrawn managed to break Bridger's will during their time in exile, turning him from an opponent into a weapon. As we know, Thrawn plans to return from the far reaches of the galaxy to bring forth a new age for the Galactic Empire, so perhaps he wants to make Bridger his Darth Vader equivalent. Thus, it's Ahsoka's job to free him from his Imperial programming and pull him back to the light.

In response to this theory, several "Star Wars" fans swooped in to offer their thoughts — both criticizing the idea and expanding on it.

A quick look at the comment section of this Reddit thread reveals that fans have mixed feelings on the idea of Ezra Bridger becoming an agent of the Empire. On one hand, there are those of the mind that Bridger aligning with Thrawn wouldn't work given all he's gone through already. "Just totally out of character for Ezra to go dark after all he went thru with Maul etc.," wrote u/ComprehensiveBear887, expressing that the only way such a turn could really work in their eyes would be if Bridger worked with Thrawn for the benefit of Lothal.

Meanwhile, u/Musketeer00 isn't necessarily against Bridger and Thrawn teaming up, though they don't think the former has to become a Dark Side user. Their ideal story would see them join forces to combat the Yuuzhan Vong — a dangerous faction from beyond the galaxy made famous in "Star Wars" Legends material — which would threaten to destroy the galaxy as we know it. This way, the Yuuzhan Vong could also serve as the collective antagonist of the recently announced Rey Skywalker (Daisy Ridley) movie set beyond "Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker."

We'll just have to see what Ezra Bridger and Grand Admiral Thrawn have been up to all this time when "Ahsoka" premieres in August 2023.