Part One: Master and Apprentice

"Part One: Master and Apprentice" is the premiere episode of Star Wars Ahsoka. The episode was written and directed by Dave Filoni. Originally slated to premiere on August 23, 2023 alongside "Part Two: Toil and Trouble," it was later announced on August 18 that the episodes would instead release on August 22. The episode was dedicated to Ray Stevenson, who portrayed Baylan Skoll, and had died prior to the release of the series with a message that read "For our friend, Ray."
==Official description==
A valuable prisoner escapes New Republic custody; search for answers reunites two old friends.
==Opening crawl==
==Plot summary==
===The false "Jedi"===
The episode opens with the New Republic cruiser traveling through space. Inside the bridge, a navigator droid informs Captain Hayle that their ship is entering Sector G-38. She reports that an unidentified starship is approaching their cruiser. The captain requests that the ship identify themselves and transmit their clearance codes. The comma officer reports that the ship's crew are claiming to be Jedi here to see the prisoner, and that they are transmitting an old Jedi signal. The captain decides to call their bluff and dispatches security personnel to the hangar to meet the so-called Jedi. He gives a female officer command of the bridge in his absence.
As the shuttle approaches the hangar, the captain leads a detachment of blue New Republic soldiers including a Mon Calamari named Jakris to confront the "Jedi." Two cloaked figures exit the shuttle. The bearded man Baylan Skoll thanks Hayle for allowing them to board the ship. Hayle says he is surprised to meet Jedi out here. When Skoll remarks that their existence remains a mystery to most people, Hayle says he doesn't buy their act and dismisses them as Imperial trash who have pushed their luck too far. Skoll warns that Hayle is making mistake. Hayle says that the Imperials should have surrendered when they had the chance and orders Jakris to get RD-3 to scan them for identification.
Skoll offers to show their identification before motioning for his female apprentice Shin Hati to attack the New Republic soldiers and crew with her orange lightsaber. Hayle attempts to shoot the bearded man but he uses the Force to suspend his blaster. Skoll agrees that he is no Jedi before stabbing the man through his torso with his orange lightsaber.
Back on the bridge, First Officer Jensen Corbyt receives news that the two intruders have killed Captain Hayle and are heading to the detention block. Hati forces her way into the bridge and cuts down Corbyt. Skoll cuts down several New Republic soldiers with his lightsaber and Force chokes one. He opens a cell and finds a bound Morgan Elsbeth in a yellow jumpsuit. The bearded man uses the Force to remove her restraints. Elsbeth thanks Skoll for his word, prompting Skoll to say he is well paid for it. Elsbeth reveals that the Jedi Ahsoka Tano, who captured her, is seeking a map to find Grand Admiral Thrawn.
===Escape on Arcana===
Meanwhile, Tano is searching some ruins on Arcana. She approaches a runic circle in the middle of a stony courtyard and uses her twin lightsabers to cut a hole below. Tano finds herself inside a stony chamber and gazes at a cloaked figure carved onto the wall. She touches a cylindrical structure and turns it a few times, which causes an object in the heart of the carving to glow. She repeats the process for the other four figures, chasing an altar with a rectangular stony object to rise from the floor.
Tano touches the stony box, which crumbles and reveals a golden orb. She informs Professor Huyang that she has found the object via comlink but his transmissions are being jammed. Tano returns to the surface where she is confronted by a red HK assassin droid, who demands the map. Tano finds herself surrounded by five assassin droids wielding electrostaffs. Tano draws her twin lightsabers in defense. Tano jumps back into the hole she created and uses her lightsaber to cut holes between three of the droids.
Returning to the surface, she fights the other two and cuts across the torso with her lightsaber. She beheads the fifth droid. As two droids emerge from their holes, the lead droid issues orders to initiate their self-destruct protocols. The other two droids comply and Tano is forced to flee. While running, she contacts Huyang, who tells her that their T-6 Jedi shuttle is above her position. She tells him to drop his ramp at a distance outside the ruins. The two escape before the assassin droids unleash a fiery inferno that sweeps through the ruins.
Inside the cockpit, Tano converses with Huyang about their communication difficulty, who tells her that he kept her ship at a safe distance in accordance with Jedi mission protocol. She replies that the Jedi Order doesn't exist anymore. When Huyang says he has his programming, she advises him to stick close and watch her back. Huyang replies that is the job of a Jedi Padawan learner, which he is not. Tano tells Huyang that he found the map based on Elsbeth's information. When Huyang asks how she got Elsbeth to tell the truth, Tano replies that she wasn't following Jedi protocol.
===New Republic calling===
Shortly later, they receive an incoming transmission from New Republic Fleet Command, who then tells Tano and Huyang about the recent attack via comms. Tano and Huyang then travel to Home One via hyperspace. Tano identifies their ship is T-6 1974 and Fleet Command clears them to land at hangar 2-9. Inside the hangar, General Hera Syndulla greets them and informs them about the loss of Elsbeth.
Syndulla has prepared a briefing for Tano to catch up. In the briefing, Syndulla tells Tano and Huyang about the damage the two mercenaries have done, taking out an entire security detail and scuttling a new starship. Tano is unfamiliar with the attackers, who demonstrated Force powers similar to the Jedi. Huyang suggests that one of these intruders was once a Jedi. Tano tells Huyang to scan Skoll's and Shin’s lightsabers.
When Syndulla asks about the mercenaries' connection to Elsbeth, Tano says that she hires them for plausible deniability. Tano also shows Syndulla the golden orb, explaining that Elsbeth was interested in this map since she believed that would lead to the location of Thrawn, the last Imperial Grand Admiral. Syndulla is surprised that Thrawn survived the Battle of Lothal but Tano explains that she heard whispers of his survival. Syndulla asks if this means that Ezra Bridger is alive. Tano is uncertain but warns that their enemies are also searching.
Syndulla wants to look at the map, but the key required to activate the map eludes Huyang. Syndulla remarks that it is never straight with the Jedi. A Mon Calamari officer informs Syndulla that the Defense Council is requesting an update from her. Syndulla says she will attend to the matter and tells Tano she knows who can help her. Tano is uncertain that this friend will help but Syndulla reassures that she will do it for Bridger.
===A reluctant heroine===
There is a celebration happening in Lothal's Capital City. It is the seventh anniversary of the Empire's defeat at the hands of Bridger, and Governor Ryder Azadi is giving a speech. Azadi credits Bridger for helping to liberate their homeworld and dedicates several monuments including a mural to his memory and that of several rebel leaders. He says one of the heroes, Commander Sabine Wren, would like to say a few words. When she doesn't turn up, Azadi tells security to do a full parameter sweep and find Commander Wren via comlink. In the meantime, Senator Jai Kell speaks to the gathered crowd.
Meanwhile, Wren rides a speeder bike heading toward the old communications tower, Bridger's old home. Two New Republic E-wing starfighters close in and pace her on either side, Captain Porter and Lieutenant Callahan. Captain Porter tells her she is missing the anniversary celebration. He tells Wren to stand down, but she doesn't listen. She instead accelerates and dives under the other E-Wing, which Lieutenant Callahan parks ahead on the highway as a roadblock. Wren outflies Callahan and heads to the communications tower.
At the communications tower, Wren feeds her pet Loth-cat, Murley. She then pulls out her imagecaster and watches the recording Bridger had made before he disappeared at the Battle of Lothal. Bridger apologises for disappearing without telling her. He says that as a Jedi he has to make the decision that no one else can. Bridger regards Wren as a sister and says that he trusts her to continue the fight. He wishes that the Force will be with her.
===Unfinished business===
On Arcana, Skoll, a former Inquisitor named Marrok, Hati, and Elsbeth inspect the recently destroyed ruins. When Hati asks what is this place, Elsbeth explains that it was an ancient temple built by her ancestors, the Nightsisters of Dathomir. When Hati asks, Elsbeth admits she is a witch and adds that she is survivor. Skoll believes that Tano either stole the map or was vaporized by the assassin droids. Elsbeth knows that Tano survived the blast. When Skoll says Tano was lucky, Elsbeth says that fate has everything to do about it. She then sends Hati to Lothal to retrieve the map. Hati seeks her master's counsel. Skoll tells her to go to Lothal to seek Sabine Wren.
That night, Wren has a nightmare about Bridger. When she wakes up, she hears a perimeter alert. She goes outside the tower and sees two X-Wings accompanying Tano's T-6 into Capital City. In the capital, Tano parks her T-6 shuttle near a ledge on a high tower. Wren arrives while Tano was talking to Governor Azadi. When Azadi says that Wren missed the ceremony yesterday, Wren replies that it slipped her mind. Azadi says everyone missed her but Wren replies not everyone was there. Huyang also greets Sabine, who recognizes him. Huyang says he still has 75 percent original parts before returning to the ship.
Azadi tells Wren to listen to what Tano has to say before leaving. Tano then tells Wren that she knows a way to find Bridger while showing her the orb. They both go inside Ahsoka's T-6 Jedi shuttle and discuss some things. Wren gazes at a bunk with several wall drawings including a loth-cat. When Wren asks if she is certain Bridger is still out there, Tano says nothing is certain but that their enemy is seeking Thrawn, which is what led her to the map.
Tano explains she found the map on the planet Arcana, a Nightsister stronghold thousands of years ago. Due to her skills as an artist, Tano seeks Wren's help in deciphering the map. Wren believes there is a code. Tano shares a scan of the Nightsister temple chamber where they found it. When questioned about where home is, Tano describes her soul as a home. Both women blame each other for not making it easy for each other. Tano replies that the Jedi way is hard.
===Going alone===
Just then, Huyang has an update. Wren asks for permission to take the map and study it. Tano refuses since she believes the map is not just about finding Bridger but preventing another war. She warns Wren that the Map stays aboard the ship before entering the lab to chat with Huyang. Huyang had scanned Skoll's and Hati's lightsabers. The droid says that he recognises one of the two hilts, which was built in the Jedi style. The one he knew belongs to Baylan Skoll, who disappeared at the end of the Clone Wars. Huyang tells Ahsoka that Skoll was Jedi trained. Tano surmises that Hati was Skoll's apprentice. He warns Tano that Skoll won't be alone for long.
When Tano returned to the briefing room, Wren had already left with the map despite Tano's instructions. In the meantime, Wren rode her speeder bike back to the old communications tower. A probe droid popped out from behind a signal crossing and reported back to Hati and two HK assassin droids, who stood miles away on a hilltop.
Once Sabine arrived at the communications tower, she gathered some documents and activated a holoprojector. Sabine then started to study the star map. She warns Murley not to touch the map and begins studying the map for a key. Back on Ahsoka's T-6, Tano and Huyang talked General Syndulla about Wren via holoprojector. Tano is worried about Wren but Syndulla tells her to give her some space. Syndulla believes that Wren is their best chance of reading the map. Tano admits she has a difficult relationship with Wren, describing the Mandalorian as stubborn and bullish. Syndulla attributes these traits to her Mandalorian background and says that mentoring can be a challenge, recalling that Anakin Skywalker found her difficult sometimes. Tano says that she walked away from her Jedi training and admits walking away from Wren.
Meanwhile, Wren was still trying to solve the puzzle of the star map back in her home. She looked at a holographic map of the Arcana temple ruins (which had three figures and faces) and suddenly realized how to unlock it. Sabine rotated the sides of the round star map, and the map projected a star map of another galaxy. She went out the door and on a balcony. Sabine then used a pair of binoculars and looked at the sky. Wren says she will be going on a trip.
===The map heist===
Suddenly, Murley snarled and a HK assassin droid attacked the Mandalorian warrior. Wren defeated it, but another droid grabbed her from behind. She managed to grab a blaster stored on the droid's back and shoot the foot of the HK. Wren managed to break free, but the other droid went inside her home and grabbed the unlocked star map. The HK assassin droid also destroyed Wren's datapads and blasted the consoles. Sabine told Huyang that she needed help via a comlink. Wren then went inside and grabbed her lightsaber. She rushed downstairs, and Hati and the HK droid stood there.
Wren ignited her green lightsaber. Hati gave the star map to the HK droid and ignited her reddish-orange lightsaber. The two then began to duel. Their blades sparked against each other. Wren tried to retrieve the map, but Hati was a better lightsaber duelist. Ahsoka tried to get to Wren as fast as possible, but it was too late. Wren raised her lightsaber above her head to counterstrike, but Hati skewered her through the abdomen. Hati was about to finish Wren, but she saw the T-6, so Hati and the HK droid ran off. Wren then collapsed onto the ground.
==Credits==
==Appearances==
==Sources==
==Notes and references==
==External links==
*
*
Category:Ahsoka episodes