Ahsoka: Who Are The Nightsisters Of Dathomir?
When Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto) first appears in "The Mandalorian" for one episode, it seemed unlikely she would resurface again. Serving as a magistrate on the planet Corvus, she rules with an iron first until Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) appear to free the locals from subjugation. But after being subdued, Morgan is revealed to be much more interesting than a simple Imperial pawn.
Though she seeks the map that will lead to Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) in the first two episodes of "Star Wars: Ahsoka," she also reveals herself as a Nightsister of Dathomir. Baylan's (Ray Stevenson) apprentice, Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno), calls her a witch, which is technically true. But the Nightsisters have a long history in Star Wars canon that is arguably more interesting than the one-note villain Morgan was in "The Mandalorian." Hailing from Dathomir, the Nightsisters were the dominant gender of the planet. The witches could tap into arcane energies which gave them powers that were similar to that of the Jedi. But unlike the peacekeepers who followed stringent rules, the Nightsisters had their own way of doing things.
The Nightsisters have a history with the Dark Side
Morgan's alliance with Dark Force users is far from unprecedented. The Nightsisters have found themselves aligned with the Dark Side, specifically explored in "Star Wars: The Clone Wars." The animated series detailing the time between "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith" tells nuanced stories all over the galaxy, including the Jedi's experience with the witches of Dathomir.
Their closest connection was Asajj Ventress (Nika Futterman), a one-time adversary of the Jedi and Count Dooku's (Corey Burton) former apprentice. Like many Jedi, Ventress was taken from her home at a young age and schooled in the ways of the Force. But after Dooku cuts her loose, she returns to her home planet of Dathomir. There she is accepted with open arms by the Nightsisters and the leader of the coven, Mother Talzin (Barbara Goodson), who is a window into how the witches use their magic. While Sith users become physically changed because of the hate running through their veins, the Nightsisters are different. They can use Dark Side magicks because they don't view it in such a binary way. The women are also warrior people and well-versed in hand-to-hand combat. But for all of their strengths, the Nightsisters were decimated during the Clone Wars. Dooku reigns destruction down on them with the help of General Grievous (Matthew Wood). Some escaped the brutality, but for all intents and purposes, the Nightsisters were no more.
The Nightsisters still crop up from time to time
Morgan appears to utilize the gifts from her people, but that is likely the extent of what remains of Dathmoir. She refers to the Nightsisters are her ancestors, most likely because there are very few of them left. However, even after "The Clone Wars," the Nightsisters have returned a time or two. In the "Jedi: Fallen Order" series of games, Merrin (Tina Ivlev) joins Cal Kestis' (Cameron Monaghan) crew after he finds her on Dathomir. The two bond because both of them are survivors of massacres. Cal survived Order 66, while Merrin was only a child when Grievous killed her people. Merrin demonstrates many of the abilities that were previously shown in "The Clone Wars." Before trusting Cal, she uses her magic to resurrect her sisters as zombie-like figures to attack him, and also uses her powers for possession.
Merrin becomes an accepted part of the crew and eventual love interest for Cal. Morgan's connection to the Nightsisters is not as solidified as Merrin's. Merrin was born and raised on Dathomir and saw firsthand what the Empire did to her people. Though she can wield the powers of the Nightsisters, Morgan's allegiance to the Empire indicates that she may not have spent any formative time on Dathomir. But judging by the consistent reference to the witches, it's likely viewers will get more information in the episodes to come.