What Ahsoka Meant When She Told Luke He’s So Much Like Anakin

Luke Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano interact in The Book of Boba Fett, with Tano remarking on the similarities between Luke and his father, Anakin Skywalker. Ahsoka Tano fought alongside Anakin as his padawan throughout the Clone Wars in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, where she witnessed Skywalker at his best. Following Luke’s redemption of his father and contributions to the Empire’s defeat in Return of the Jedi, he works towards rebuilding the Jedi Order in The Book of Boba Fett, and his tutelage of Grogu reminds Ahsoka of her late mentor.

Before his tragic fall to the dark side at the end of the Clone Wars, Anakin Skywalker was a heroic general in the Republic military, and though he was reluctant to train Ahsoka Tano at first, the two quickly became inseparable friends. Years later, Ahsoka would meet Luke Skywalker, becoming a key ally of his as a new Jedi Knight, as shown in The Book of Boba Fett  episode 6, “From the Desert Comes a Stranger.”

During Ahsoka and Luke’s The Book of Boba Fett scene, Luke wonders if Grogu’s “heart is in it,” referring to his Jedi training. Ahsoka responds to this by saying “so much like your father” to Luke. Having been Anakin’s padawan for roughly three years and being familiar with his unorthodox traits as a Jedi, Ahsoka likely referred to Anakin and Luke exhibiting and being receptive to passions and emotions, separating them from the majority of Jedi.

Anakin Skywalker was in some ways hindered by the restrictive lifestyle of the prequel-era Jedi Order. Having lived as a slave on Tatooine before joining the order at age 9, Anakin wasn’t accustomed to suppressing his emotions or shunning attachments. During the Clone Wars, Anakin was secretly married to Padmé Amidala (something that Ahsoka likely suspected) and went to greater lengths than most Jedi would to protect the lives of Clone Troopers under his command, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Ahsoka herself.

While Ahsoka didn’t observe it she likely learned of Luke’s redemption of his father during the Battle of Endor. Luke was implored by his two mentors, Obi-Wan and Yoda, to kill Darth Vader emotionlessly, while Emperor Palpatine attempted to turn Luke to the dark side, which would have put him under the control of his worst impulses. Luke took a third option, using his compassion to help Darth Vader become Anakin again and kill The Emperor. Luke, like his father, had used his emotions while remaining a Jedi.

When Luke wondered whether or not Grogu was truly invested in his training, he was likely feeling the youngling’s connection to his adopted father, Din Djarin. Luke’s receptiveness to the feelings of others, coupled with his own controlled use of his emotions and attachments, likely reminded Ahsoka Tano of the good man that Anakin Skywalker once was. Ahsoka likened Luke Skywalker to Anakin Skywalker in The Book of Boba Fett when the former’s receptiveness to compassion and emotion reminded her of the latter.

About The Author

David Miller
(628 Articles Published)

David Miller is a staff writer for Screen Rant, indie comic writer, and life-long lover of all things Star Wars, Marvel, and DC. He was born and raised in New York and has a degree in English from Rider University. He relates to Peter Parker maybe a little too much.

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