Star Wars continues to captivate fans, and the Ahsoka series, currently broadcast, continues to reveal new aspects of the universe created by George Lucas.
In the last episode of the Ahsoka series, available on the Disney+ platform, the Star Wars lore is considerably enriched. Thanks in particular to the introduction of the concept of “Bokken Jedi”. Although mentioned briefly in the animated series Star Wars Rebels, the concept is addressed much more explicitly this time. Warning: this article contains spoilers for the Ahsoka series.
Star Wars deepens its universe
Episode 6 of Star Wars Ahsoka, titled Far, Far Away, features a conversation between Shin and his Jedi master, Baylan, revealing the existence of the “Bokken Jedi”. This introduction sheds new light on the journeys of iconic figures such as Luke Skywalker, Ezra Bridger and Rey, now identified as belonging to this specific branch of Jedi.
For the record, the term Bokken refers to a Japanese wooden sword, used for training and combat. This choice of name reflects the notable influence of samurai aesthetics and vocabulary in the Star Wars universe. A trend initiated by George Lucas from the first trilogy, as we can see in the various making-ofs. These Bokken Jedi are seen, especially from Baylan’s point of view, as a subclass of the Jedi. An alternative to the Jedi traditionally trained in the Temples. Their training, more “wild” and less conventional, takes place in communion with nature, following an ancient tradition which prevailed before the fall of the Order.
The Jedi, a deconstructed figure
The Ahsoka series therefore aims to reconnect with the more raw and “savage” image of the Jedi, as it was represented in the original Star Wars trilogy. In doing so, she legitimizes the path of the Bokken Jedi, no longer as an escape, but as an authentic path to mastery of the Force. This new categorization also allows us to better understand the journeys of Luke Skywalker and Rey, who managed to play central roles in the fight against the forces of evil, despite unconventional training. We remember that in A New Hope, Luke’s journey was presented as unprecedented. Which is no longer really the case today. It is now registered: it is a possible official route.
The series is therefore not limited to enriching the lore of Star Wars; it also invites critical reflection on the Jedi Order itself. Baylan, despite his nostalgia for the Order, expresses doubts about its functioning, pointing out a potentially counterproductive rigidity and bureaucracy. A criticism already formulated by the charismatic Qui-Gon Jinn in the context of the training of young Anakin.
This theme is not new, since it was already central in The Last Jedi, where we discovered Luke Skywalker having lost faith in the Order.
