TheAhsokaseries is giving longtimeStar Warsfans so much with every episode. First they got to see the reunion ofStar Wars: Rebelscharacters. Then Thrawn finally stepped out of the shadows albeit in another galaxy, followed by Ezra being alive and well. And now, the fandom knows that Peridea is the ancestral home of the Nightsisters of Dathomir.
However, these witches,along with Thrawn, seem eager to leave the planet and the galaxy. Meanwhile, Baylan Skoll wants to go in the opposite direction and find something that’s drawing him to the planet. These two things are one and the same, but it’s unknown what the invisible force is. It’s unlikely Thrawn and the Great Mothers are simply eager to reclaim what the Galactic Empire lost. So, what has them spooked?
Who Are the Nightsisters?
Star Warsfans know of the planetDathomir as the Nightsister’s homein the galaxy far, far, away. However, in a galaxy even farther away, theAhsokaseries introduces fans to the planet Peridea. This distant planet houses a trio of Nightsisters whom Thrawn refers to as “Great Mothers.” Nightsisters dabble in a specific type of Force usage that is essentially magic. They access this form of the Force through the Dark Side, and it typically manifests as a green mist. The Dark Side open up a pathway to many abilities some may consider unnatural.
The Nightsisters first appeared inThe Clone Wars' third season, where fans learned that several prominent characters have ties to them. Darth Sidious worked with the Nightsisters frequently, even before the Clone Wars, as he went to them in search of an apprentice. The witches enhanced a young Zabrak boy and gave him over to Darth Sidious, who trained him to become thefearsome Darth Maul. Asajj Ventress also hailed from Dathomir as a Dathomirian warrior. She returned to Dathomir during the events ofThe Clone Warswhen the Nightsisters baptized her in their magick, giving her a place among them.
Unfortunately, during the Clone Wars, Darth Sidious determined that Dathomir’s usefulness had run out, and ordered the extermination of the Nightsisters. A few survivors exist in Morgan Elsbeth and Merrin. The latter can be found in theJediseries of games starring Jedi Knight Cal Kestis. Whether Ventress wanders the galaxy still is up in the air.
What Are the Nightsisters Running From?
There are a number of theories traveling around theStar Warsfandom as to what the Nightsisters are running from. Whatever it is, it’s the very thing that Baylan Skoll claims is calling to him. What could that be?
Yuuzhan Vong
One common theory is that the galaxy where Peridea exists ishome to the Yuuzhan Vong. These aliens invaded the primary galaxy from the Unknown Region inStar Wars Legends. They were a species of alien unaffected by most Force abilities, making them a formidable foe for the new Jedi. Many want to see them brought into currentStar Warscanon, and if there’s one showrunner who could do it successfully, it’s Dave Filoni. While the Nightsisters fleeing the Yuuzhan Vong makes sense since their magick wouldn’t affect them, it doesn’t make any sense for this frightening alien force to draw Baylan Skoll to them.
Bendu
There’s another theory that Dave Filoni might bring back the neutral Bendu fromStar Wars: Rebels. The Bendu is a large force-wielding creature who lived on the planet Attolon whereKanan Jarrus discovered him. Bendu served as a spiritual advisor to Kanan and Ezra as they went through separate struggles. He doesn’t only wield the Light Side of the Force, but the Dark Side as well. He claimed to represent “the middle.” The last time audiences saw Bendu, he faded away after a successful counter-attack brought him down and Thrawn attempted to deliver a killing blow.
Bendu is only heard laughing, hinting at his survival. In all likelihood, Bendu could be the one calling out to Baylan and striking fear into the Nightsisters' hearts. Even Thrawn has reason to fear Bendu after their first encounter. The large creature took out all ofThrawn’s ground forcesas he rained lighting down on them. Bendu also claims not to partake in petty skirmishes, but there’s some unfinished business between the two.
Abeloth
The most prominent theory among the fan base is Abeloth. Abeloth first existed in the old Extended Universe ofStar Wars, but there’s a perfect opportunity for her to make the jump over to the canon side of things.The Clone Warsintroduced the Mortis gods, which Abeloth has ties to. The Mortis gods are the Force in three aspects: The Father, Son, and Daughter. Abeloth didn’t appear in the Mortis episodes, but she portrayed the Mother who kept peace between the Daughter and Son. Unlike the other three, the Mother was mortal and wanted to change that.
She eventually drank from the Font of Power and bathed in the Pool of Knowledge. This unexpectedly corrupted her and put her at odds with the Son and the Daughter.Ahsokawould be the best place to bring Abeloth over to the current continuity, since Ahsoka herself is tied to the Daughter. Furthermore, the Mortis trilogy always seems to play a role in Filoni’s projects.Rebelsshowed a muralof the Father, Son, and Daughter in the Lothal Jedi temple, whileAhsokasaw one similar at the beginning of her series.
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