Full Series Rebels and Alternative Timelines

Note to mods: If this doesn't warrant its own discussion (or in the wrong section), would you be so kind to merge/move it? Merci

This thread will contain Rebels spoilers, so be warned before reading on

This weeks Rebels episode brings up the alternative timeline/path, which Star Wars (in canon) has so far avoided. The ability to change perceived outcomes by manipulating or directly changing time/space. Not only does it open up the future of Rebels, and the Star Wars timeline as a whole, but the past, too.



Darth Plagueis was the only Force user, who knew the power to change life and death. We don't know if he directly saved people from dying, but Sidious suggests he did. And, after Vader has been crowned, Sidious admits he doesn't know the power himself but he and Vader, together, can learn its secret.

Yet, also, how did Kanan know Ezra can "save the past, redeem the future"? He may not have known in RoTS, but Sidious does know to control life and death. How both of them became aware of this is mystery. But, somehow, Darth Plagueis and his secret is now known.

If, by saving Ahsoka in the past, a new future has been created then what was meant to have happen? What did Kanan prevent? Was the Rebellion going to fail?



It reminds me of the dying words, of The Father, on Mortis to Anakin. He is the Chosen One, but will achieve it the wrong way. Ahsoka might have been saved in this present, but what will be the consequences in the finale and going forward be (the ST)?

 

One (or all) of the following:

• Ezra turns to darkside (events in OT are altered)
• The Rebel Alliance never happens (events in the OT do not take place)
• Ghost Crew and all Lothal rebels are killed (Rogue One events do not take place. Nobody knows about the Death Star)
• Ahsoka not being saved means Jedi knowledge cannot be passed on to Luke, which Rey then takes (ST events are altered/don't happen)
• In other words, the Sith win.

 

The way I see it, Ahsoka was always saved by Ezra in a never-ending loop. With that in mind, he didn't change any outcome.

 

Do you play Destiny 2? In the Curse of Osiris DLC, this was the plot. Osiris was stuck in a loop in time, trying to save the galaxy from the Vex. You, the player, defeat the Vex and thus save the future. However, later in the lore, you learn the future was not changed. Osiris learns the outcome was still the same - the Vex are victorious. In every single path.

In Star Wars, for argument sake, Ezra has to save Ahsoka so she can help Luke rebuild the Jedi. But, as we know from the ST, Luke failed.

Ezra keeps saving Ahsoka, she keeps helping Luke but the outcome is always the same:

Luke fails. Every. Single. Time.

 

I don't play Destiny 2 (I played the original game for awhile but lost interest). The notion that Ahsoka is the one who helps Luke rebuild the Jedi is certainly an intriguing one; but it's just still a theory. As far as I know, there hasn't been any mention of her existence beyond what we already know at this point.

 

In S2 we saw her going down the stairs meaning Ezra saved her and now we only know HOW he saved her. If Ezra saved Kanan Hera, Ezra and Sabine would have died no matter what thus making his sacrifice pointless.

 

I also look at it as a loop that is the same every time. They also show that the butterfly effect is present in this “power” my guess is that the OT would play out the same no matter what, but what might have changed was something leading up to the ST.

 

Yeah, there is no mention of it from anyone about her and Luke. Not even Our Lord and Saviour Dave. But, IMHO, I think it is the next logical point for her character - someone needs to explain to Luke who Anakin really was and Padme, too.

Obi-Wan's "Yeah, he was okay once - but your Dad is an ********" wasn't the best explanation.

 

I'm guessing both ancient Sith and Jedi temples had access to these portals.

Just really hoping the next animated series digs deeper in alternative timelines because this is so fascinating not to mention ever again. So many questions have come up and, IMHO, justifies why Dave Filoni should be given the chance to make his own spin-off movie.

 

Well do we know if OB1 might've revisited Luke in the subsequent years beyond the OT, maybe to tell him a little bit about his father (the truth this time)? Padme would certainly be a different story, though. Luke asks Leia about "her mother" in ROTJ, but there's only vague details given and it's not certain whether or not she might be talking about her foster mother (Bail's wife) on Alderaan. Ahsoka most certainly would be Luke's conduit to Padme; above anyone else.

 

Imagine if they made a show in another timeline? That would be pretty cool.

 

Honestly, the fan base would riot if a show was set in a different timeline, which altered pre-established plot-lines.

 

True, but it would still be cool even if it’s non canon which it would be.

 

All published material is now canon. So it is impossible.

Back to topic.

There is one thing that is interesting to discuss: Was this how Darth Plagueis 'saved the ones he cared about from dying'? This, to my knowledge, the closet thing we've gotten to an explanation.

 

Define "dying". I mean it's one thing to save someone from a cataclysmic/premature death like Ezra does with Ahsoka; but what about old age...or sickness?

 

That's the key thing.

Can you alter the timeline, to bring someone back from death, or can you only prevent death? IF you can only prevent it, then your loop theory is correct - Ahsoka is saved every outcome by Ezra. The future is always the same, even if the present is different each time.

IF the loop is broken and, for whatever reason, Ahsoka is not saved - then a new future timeline is created (if that makes sense?)

 

Makes you wonder about how Anakin might've considered saving Padme from the vision of dying from childbirth. An abortion? Talk about screwing with the timeline....

 

And, on Mortis, The Father wiped Anakin's memory because he foresaw the events of the future. Makes you wonder if Anakin's actions did create a new timeline on Mortis, but 'the Ahsoka loop' ensures that future never happens.

Maybe this is why Mortis is so key.

*mind blown*

 

The future would have been changed if Anakin remembered, but he did not thus the future at least there stays the same.

 

I very much enjoyed how they interspersed lines from different speakers across the saga as they travelled throughout the world between worlds. It immediately harkened me back to the Infinities comics where the story went a completely different direction, those were a great read. I want to see this explored more. Imagine if Ezra popped out of portal in Obi Wans hut when he was giving Luke the lightsaber.

I've often played through thought experiments with friends, primarily fueled through distilled spirits about what would happen historically if something from the future were introduced, say an M-60 machine gun at Bunker Hill or Typhoons during the Battle of Britain. I'd be in for a SW version of a Kelvin Universe. But we have that with EU already, maybe, no? Hopefully?

 

Perhaps not Ezra but Maz.

 

That would be.....Amazing