“Far Far Away,” episode 6 of Disney Plus’ Ahsoka, delivered on fashion, giving us a brand new planet, new creatures, and a strikingly adorned firm of castaway stormtroopers. The military is lead by Enoch, an officer who has changed the faceplate of his helmet with what seems to be like a creepy golden dying masks.
What will we find out about Enoch? What will we find out about these troopers? It’s not a lot, nevertheless it’s already ominous in a manner live-action Star Wars normally steers away from, leaving us with slightly concept.
[Ed. note: This piece contains spoilers from Ahsoka episode 6, “Far Far Away” through the season 1 finale, “The Jedi, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.”]
What’s the take care of Enoch and Thrawn’s troopers?
![Rows upon rows of storm troopers stand at attention in dirty, armor patched with plates of gold and silver, and wrapped in lengths of red fabric in Ahsoka.](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7rbZAuWsWLCyTBqdbsufSduONt0=/0x0:2880x1196/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:2880x1196):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24937367/Screen_Shot_2023_09_20_at_11.16.21_AM.png)
Picture: Lucasfilm
Thrawn’s forces in episode 6 make a giant look in his huge entrance. We will instantly see a navy pressure that’s been remoted from every little thing designed to maintain it combating match. Though Ahsoka isn’t exact about when it’s set, Thrawn’s star destroyer has been stranded in a special galaxy for at the very least 9 years. His troopers’ armor is soiled with age, lashed along with material, and repaired with metals, some even in a kintsugi fashion that basically emphasizes the necessity to preserve gear going with out replacements obtainable. It seems to be cool!
Now neglect concerning the armor — what’s saved these troopers collectively for a decade? That query isn’t precisely answered, however they certain do appear cult-like in a manner that the pushy, griping troopers of their Rebel period didn’t, chanting “THRAWN, THRAWN, THRAWN, THRAWN” when their chief walks throughout a cargo deck to satisfy his personal allies. One thing about their isolation has understandably modified how this military operates.
Then again, they’re nonetheless recognizably stormtroopers, fading into the background of scenes and taking orders with out remark, despite the fact that their commanding officer, Enoch, has a bizarre robotic voice and a shiny masks. Silent, ever-present stormtroopers are certainly one of Star Wars’ most dependable items of set dressing, and these troopers are one of many methods “Far Far Away” actually delivers on design.
On the opposite different hand… what if one thing very mistaken is occurring right here?
Hey Thrawn, what’s within the field(es)?
![](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/3vaSYkxYSR0ht1d4SdS_NbxgVxM=/0x0:2880x1201/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:2880x1201):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24937454/Screen_Shot_2023_09_20_at_10.37.19_AM.png)
Let’s check out among the different, extra delicate ways in which “Far Far Away” is telling us these troopers — which the subtitles discuss with as “Night time Troopers” — are completely different.
First, it’s how Thrawn is reluctant to make use of a big pressure of them. “Throughout this exile, our numbers have dwindled,” he tells Elsbeth, as an excuse for sending solely two squads to again up her mercenaries. So it’s not simply the visuals: Ahsoka took a second to inform us that one thing’s mistaken with Thrawn’s guys.
Moreover, we don’t see any bridge officers or different command people on this star destroyer. There’s no person within the basic excessive collared and capped imperial uniforms, solely helmeted troopers, and aside from Enoch’s very cyborg voice, we don’t hear any of them converse.
Talking of witch which — haha, we have now enjoyable right here — Enoch begins that scene by speaking to the troopers in some language aside from Imperial-standard Fundamental.
![Ahsoka’s bad guys, lead by Morgan Elsbeth, with a subtitle on the screen that reads “(ENOCH SPEAKING ALIEN LANGUAGE)”.](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/cC8qwzzKOHxji8v7hG1TsO_d3n4=/0x0:2880x1190/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:2880x1190):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24937546/Screen_Shot_2023_09_20_at_11.56.56_AM.png)
Picture: Lucasfilm
On high of all that, the material bands wrapped throughout the Night time Troopers’ armor is similar crimson because the Dathomiri Nice Moms’ robes. And the “Nightsisters” are one other identify that the Witches of Dathomir go by. And bear in mind a number of episodes in the past when Baylan and Shin’s masked ally Marrok acquired hit with a lightsaber as soon as and dissolved into mud? And on the finish of this episode Thrawn says “Nice Moms, I shall as soon as once more require assistance from your darkish magic,” implying that he has used their magic earlier than? And Enoch is a biblical determine notable for having crossed over to the afterlife with out dying — for being lifeless, however not lifeless in the way in which that people who find themselves lifeless normally are? “Die properly,” he says to Sabine as parting phrases, like possibly he’s acquired some private expertise with that?
So, now may be an excellent time to say that one of many specialties of Dathomiri magic is elevating zombie armies.
It actually looks like Thrawn has at the very least {a partially} zombie military, man
![A zombified Nightsister screams through her grossly distended, decaying jaw, as green misty magic pours from her eyes in Clone Wars.](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/SP_hmd-XeXyXQvBI0UIRlH1KcY8=/0x0:2880x1222/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:2880x1222):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24937575/Screen_Shot_2023_09_20_at_10.51.29_AM.png)
Picture: Lucasfilm
The Witches of Dathomir whipped this specific means out of their pocket in a 2012 episode of Clone Wars referred to as “Bloodbath.” In a final ditch (and in the end unsuccessful) effort to push again Depend Dooku’s droid onslaught, the mummified our bodies of lifeless Nightsisters had been raised to snarling zombie life. And that was a sect of Dathomiri witches working towards secretly and focused by Sith ire. It’s simple to think about that the ability of three Nice Moms from the faith’s homeworld can be even higher. They’re, in any case, sitting in an area whale graveyard.
“Far Far Away” doesn’t say as a lot, nevertheless it drops what seem to be very telling hints. Earlier than Thrawn can go away the planet, he has to carry up his finish of an “settlement with the Nice Moms,” by transporting some cargo for them. Elsbeth has has a really particular response to this, saying “I’ve seen the catacombs. It would take a while.” And boy, oh, boy, the cargo we see Night time Troopers toting round later within the episode certain seems to be like coffins.
Do Thrawn’s forces consist largely or solely of zombified stormtroopers? Are the Witches of Dathomir bringing a zombie military to the principle Star Wars galaxy? We received’t know till Ahsoka season 1 finishes out its ultimate two episodes. However actually? It will whip ass.
Replace: Ahsoka’s season finale delivered on its undead guarantees, when the Nice Moms raised a squad of stormtroopers from the lifeless in an effort to preserve Ahsoka, Sabine, and Ezra from all making it into Thrawn’s ship. Inexperienced lights glowed from the eyes of their helmets, overlaying the decayed flesh beneath.
Now, because of Thrawn, these nice moms have reached Dathomir, and with all of their suspiciously coffin-shaped “cargo” from the catacombs. That looks like it’ll most likely be nice.