Ahsoka Episode 4 Continues A Star Wars Tradition Of Nerfing Its Coolest Sith

Contains spoilers for "Ahsoka," Episode 4 — "Fallen Jedi"

The "Star Wars" franchise has developed a nasty habit of wasting cool characters before they've had a chance to realize their full potential. If a villainous character is the brooding, silent type, chances are they'll be disposed of pretty quickly. Unfortunately, this trend has continued with "Ahsoka," which kills off the mysterious Inquisitor Marrok in Episode 4.

The unfortunate moment occurs when Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) slices the Inquisitor's midriff during a chaotic lightsaber battle in a forest. Afterward, Marrok disappears into thin air, presumably to never return again. The green smoke that accompanies his disappearance also suggests that Marrok is a zombie who was created by the Dathomiri Sisters, which should end the theory that he's actually Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi) in disguise.

While the nature of Marrok's death does enhance the lore of the Galaxy, Far, Far Away, his exit from "Ahsoka" feels premature. He's essentially this series' version of the original Boba Fett (Jeremy Andrew Bulloch) and Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie), both of whom also had underwhelming stories in the grand scheme of things.

Does "Star Wars" have an issue when it comes to creating compelling arcs for its coolest mysterious characters? Let's look at the history, starting with the bounty hunter Boba Fett. His first appearance in "The Empire Strikes Back" led us to believe that he was going to be a formidable villain, but he was effectively useless, as evidenced by his failure to capture Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and subsequent fall into the Sarlacc pit in "Return of the Jedi." 

Similarly, the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy introduces Captain Phasma as a powerful Stormtrooper who seems like she's going to be a constant thorn in Finn's (John Boyega) and Rey's (Daisy Ridley) sides. Unfortunately, she gets killed off rather abruptly in "The Last Jedi," bringing an anticlimactic end to her story. This was a sad conclusion, though, as Phasma had the potential to be more ruthless and effective.

Of course, "The Book of Boba Fett" series on Disney+ and the "Phasma" novel add more depth to their respective characters' backstories. However, that doesn't mean that they weren't wasted from the get-go, and it remains to be seen if Marrok will get his own expanded story down the line.

While "Ahsoka" presents Marrok as a threat, his death in Episode 4 means that the show has missed an opportunity to dig into his origins with some depth. His association with Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto) and the Dathomiri Sisters implies that he's a Nightbrother, a society whose history hasn't really been covered in great detail in the live-action realm of the "Star Wars" franchise. Some mystery is great and all, but the end of Marrok has robbed fans of the perfect vehicle to explore this side of the Galaxy Far, Far Away in greater detail.

Furthermore, Marrok is an Inquisitor, meaning that he's part of an elite death squad and an heir to the Sith. While they aren't full Sith per se, Inquisitors are perfectly capable of using elements of the Force to inflict some damage on their opponents. Sadly, "Ahsoka" doesn't give this villain an opportunity to really showcase his abilities outside of a couple of fight scenes. Ahsoka eliminates him with relative ease as well, which just adds to the notion that Marrok was created to be a throwaway character.

Granted, it's possible that "Ahsoka" will unveil more Marrok-esque assassins down the line; Morgan, Baylan Skoll, and Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno) need soldiers to aid them in their quest to find Grand Admiral Thrall (Lars Mikkelsen), after all. That said, Marrok is an inherently cool character who got fans feeling excited and speculative, and losing him has brought an end to some interesting discourse.

There's a strong case to be made that Marrok didn't serve much of a purpose in the end, but his death has certainly led to fans sharing their views. Furthermore, some of those fans agree that his tenure was too short-lived. "Alas, poor Marrok. We barely knew ye," @LaReinaCreole wrote. Social media user @byKPMurphy echoed a similar sentiment, stating that the character had lots of potential to grow and develop. "I think a former inquisitor turned mercenary could be a super cool recurring character in Star Wars lore. Potential for a new boba fett level of mysterious badass."

That said, while many fans were sad to say goodbye to the Inquisitor, Redditor u/Realhrage believes that Marrok's death is actually quite fitting for someone of his ilk. "Was pretty entertaining to see him go out like a chump. Can't escape the Inquisitor tradition of going out like a punk against Ahsoka I guess."

However, Twitter user @hishimi4 hopes that Marrok's death proves to be an educational moment for "Star Wars" fans who theorized that he was Ezra or Starkiller. "To the Marrok conspirators out there... temper your expectations. Every time a show or movie like this has a masked character, people always assume it's someone important underneath."