Ahsoka sets up a future for Star Wars by going beyond the typical Force-sensitive Jedi and Sith, to serve underrepresented cultures in the galaxy.
In the world of Star Wars, the Force can manifest in many different ways depending on the user. But the Jedi and Sith conflict has propagated the perception that Force-sensitives should use their powers either in service of the Republic or the Empire. This, however, pigeon-holes the Force to two classes of users: Jedi, or Sith. It’s a system that ignores the other underserved Force-sensitive cultures in the universe. Ahsoka, the new series focused on the titular character, has illustrated the diversity of Force-sensitives in the Star Wars universe and why the franchise should go beyond the Jedi and Sith conflict.
Ahsoka Tano is a great example of an atypical Force-sensitive in Star Wars. The Jedi accepted the young Togruta, after she demonstrated abilities to wield the Force as a baby. The Jedi’s way of using the Force is combative under the guise of peacekeeping. But Ahsoka, like her relatively peaceful Togruta culture, never wanted to be a warrior. The Force first manifested through her as telepathy to pacify a hungry feline, likely due to her affinity for nature and peace. Without the Jedi’s need to weaponize her use of the Force, she may have developed and used the Force as a psychic in harmony with nature.
Despite the franchise’s namesake, Star Wars doesn’t need to double down on the Jedi versus Sith conflict to tell diverse stories in the universe. The Book of Boba Fett, for example is a well-rounded series that pivots from the main conflict to convey the story of a budding crime family and the various cultures on Tattooine, largely from the perspective of bounty hunters. The lack of Force-sensitives does not detract from the story, but enriches it by focusing on the indigenous culture of the Tuskens, and how that becomes a way of life for Boba Fett.
