43 Years Later, Star Wars Is Flying Straight Into Another Original Trilogy Plot Hole

Published Nov 3, 2026, 1:00 PM EST

Mads Misasi is an entertainment journalist and marketing content creator. Before joining the ScreenRant team they wrote for TellTaleTV for 9 years working their way up from contributor to Associate Editor. TV has been a passion of theirs since a very young age. Mads typically watches all of the things, especially dramas and sitcoms.

The Star Wars franchise has spent decades expanding the galaxy far, far away beyond the original trilogy, but its continued exploration of familiar territory is raising increasingly difficult questions. With Ahsoka season 2 approaching, the franchise risks introducing another significant plot hole involving the very characters who helped defeat the Galactic Empire.

Set after the events of Return of the Jedi, Ahsoka explores the New Republic's struggle to establish itself following Emperor Palpatine's defeat. However, Grand Admiral Thrawn's return threatens to undermine everything the Rebel Alliance accomplished, potentially plunging the galaxy into another devastating war.

The stakes are especially high heading into Ahsoka season 2, which premieres on Disney+ on January 20, 2027. With Thrawn preparing to rally the Imperial remnants against the New Republic, the conflict is becoming much bigger than Ahsoka Tano and her allies. Unfortunately, that creates a glaring problem concerning the whereabouts of Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, and Han Solo.

It's becoming increasingly difficult to justify why the original trilogy's greatest heroes would remain uninvolved in another conflict threatening the galaxy they fought to liberate. Although Ahsoka has successfully expanded Star Wars' storytelling possibilities, its growing ambitions also demonstrate why the franchise needs to stop relying so heavily on the decades separating its original and sequel trilogies.

Ahsoka Season 2's Story Needs To Involve The Original Trilogy Heroes

Grand Admiral Thrawn's return represents one of the greatest threats to the New Republic since the Empire's defeat. As a brilliant Imperial strategist capable of uniting the Empire's scattered remnants, Thrawn could undo years of progress toward restoring peace to the galaxy. Given the magnitude of that threat, it's hard to believe Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, and Han Solo would simply remain on the sidelines.

Each of these characters has a compelling reason to become involved. Leia helped establish the New Republic and remains deeply invested in its survival, making her absence from such a significant political and military conflict particularly difficult to explain. Meanwhile, Han's experience as a Rebel general makes him a natural ally against a resurgent Imperial force. Neither character would reasonably ignore a threat to everything they fought to achieve.

Luke's absence would be equally questionable, especially considering his established connection to Ahsoka and his efforts to rebuild the Jedi Order. Having already faced powerful Imperial enemies, Luke would understand the dangers of allowing Thrawn to consolidate his power. His involvement would also provide a meaningful opportunity to explore his relationship with Ahsoka, particularly given their shared connection to Anakin Skywalker.

Of course, Ahsoka season 2 could still acknowledge the original trilogy heroes without making them central characters. Leia's involvement in New Republic politics could provide an explanation for her operating behind the scenes, while Luke and Han could be occupied with other responsibilities. However, those explanations need to be established, not left to audience speculation.

Ultimately, the issue isn't that Ahsoka needs Luke, Leia, and Han to save the day. Its existing characters are more than capable of carrying the story. Rather, the problem is that Star Wars cannot continue introducing galaxy-threatening conflicts without accounting for the established heroes who would naturally have a stake in their outcomes.

Ahsoka Proves Star Wars Needs To Move Away From The Original Trilogy/Sequel Trilogy Gap

While Ahsoka season 2 still has an opportunity to explain the original trilogy heroes' absence, the larger problem extends beyond this particular series. Star Wars has become increasingly dependent on the period between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, creating an overcrowded timeline where major conflicts must somehow coexist with established continuity.

Shows like The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka have expanded this era successfully, introducing compelling characters and exploring the New Republic's shortcomings. However, the more consequential these stories become, the harder it is to reconcile their events with what audiences already know about the galaxy's future.

Thrawn's return is particularly problematic because his ambitions could fundamentally reshape the New Republic's history. Yet the sequel trilogy establishes that the New Republic survives for decades before the First Order emerges as its greatest threat. Consequently, whatever happens in Ahsoka must fit within an increasingly restrictive narrative framework, potentially diminishing the significance of its central conflict.

This doesn't mean Star Wars should abandon these characters or their stories. However, the franchise has an entire galaxy and thousands of years of history available to explore. Projects set outside the Skywalker Saga's established timeline offer opportunities to introduce meaningful threats without constantly explaining why familiar heroes aren't involved.

Choose the movie with the higher Rotten Tomatoes score.

Ultimately, Ahsoka demonstrates both the strengths and limitations of Star Wars' current storytelling strategy. The franchise needs to embrace new eras rather than continually expanding a period whose biggest developments and eventual outcome have already been determined.

• 

  Ahsoka Tano

• 

  Sabine Wren

Ahsoka follows the journey of former Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano as she investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy. Released in 2023, this series takes place within the Star Wars universe and features Ahsoka navigating through a complex political and cosmic landscape.