Disney+’s newest hit, Ahsoka premiered almost two weeks ago, and fans are already extremely excited about the direction in which Dave Filoni is taking this brand-new Star Wars story. The only problem? It isn’t a brand-new story. Ahsoka is actually, in a way, a sequel to the smash hit original Disney XD show Star Wars: Rebels. Also directed by Filoni, Rebels introduced fans to a ragtag band of resistance fighters on the planet of Lothal, introducing new characters like Jedi Ezra Bridger, Hera Syndulla, Sabine Wren, Chopper, and Kanan Jarrus. Rebels, which dives deep into the lore of the force, draws inspiration from mythology, astrology, as well as old cannon tales of the once-famous Jedi. With the introduction of a new villain in Grand Admiral Thrawn and a look at Ahsoka post-Clone Wars, fans absolutely adore the show. The only problem is that many facets of Rebels may not make sense to those who haven’t seen it. One particular aspect of Ahsoka that confused some fans is those giant flying space whales known as Purggil.
While many are fighting online about the identity of the masked Marrok, others are having a tough time understanding why Ahsoka seems to revolve around huge cetaceans that seem just to be randomly gliding around the galaxy. That’s the point; however, they aren’t random. They actually play a very unique and interesting role in Star Wars: Rebels, as well as in the history and lore of the galaxy. They also give a major hint at what’s in store for the future of Star Wars. Before we get too deep into what the Purggil are and their significance to Star Wars, you have to understand something about Dave Filoni. He’s an artist, which is very reflective of his Sabine Wren character. Filoni isn’t going to just drop all the information you want in one sitting. Instead, he’s a master at painting a broad picture that leads to an ultimate culmination. Remember how the MCU took years to build up to the events of Avengers: End Game? That’s what Filoni is doing with Star Wars at the moment.
HyperSpace Travelers: Purggil
Okay, now back to those space whales. Fans of The Mandalorian may find Purggil familiar, even if they haven’t seen Star Wars: Rebels. That’s because, in season 3, Din Djarin and Grogu give viewers their first-ever live-action look at Purggil as they bond while traveling through hyperspace. Astute viewers and readers may have caught something in the last sentence. If you read between the lines, you quickly realize that we’re talking about a living creature of Star Wars traveling through hyperspace without a ship. That’s the beauty of Puggil and what makes them so unique. They’re the only living thing we know of in the Star Wars universe that can travel at those speeds unharmed without the help of technology. Hyperspace plays a very significant role in all of Star Wars. Whether using it to get to someone quickly who needs help or using hyperspace jumps to escape the empire, ships have been cascading through the stars at above-light speeds since the early days back in the 70s.
Purggil in ‘Star Wars: Rebels’
Purggil may not be familiar to casual Star Wars fans, and that’s okay. However, those who’ve seen Rebels understand that they ultimately are responsible for losing Ezra Bridger and Grand Admiral Thrawn, hence why Ahsoka and Hera are looking for them both. While Thrawn poses a great threat to the galaxy, which is in the new Republic’s vulnerable and infancy stage after the fall of the Emperor and his apprentice Darth Vader, Ezra is the main character of Star Wars: Rebels, a young Jedi who eventually became family to the crew of the Ghost. As Ezra is himself a Jedi, Ahsoka has taken it upon herself to find him. But, how exactly did he go missing in the first place? Well, the short answer is Purggil. Ezra always had a force connection with animals. We see it with the wolves on Lothal, and in the final episode of Rebels, Ezra using the force to call Purggil to his aid as he stands off with Grand Admiral Thrawn. The Purggil wrap their tentacles around the blockade ship that threatens to destroy Lothal, and take off through hyperspace, exiting the current galaxy and entering a new one. This is how Ezra becomes lost.
Building to Something Big
Purggil don’t only travel through hyperspace; they are also able to jump between galaxies using migratory patterns that early Jedi once used to travel from galaxy to galaxy. Although what we see in Star Wars is vast, it still remains a part of one system: one universe. Avid Star Wars readers understand that this isn’t the only galaxy out there, and new places bring along new threats. As Ahsoka so far is drawing heavy inspiration from unofficial Star Wars materials and has confirmed that Morgan Elsbeth, Baylan Skoll, and Shin Hait are attempting to build a hyperspace ring that is capable of using Purggil patterns to enter new universes, the introduction of a threat far greater than Palpatine, Vader, and the Empire seems all but confirmed. We aren’t talking about Grand Admiral Thrawn. Instead, the Purggil may lead to ancient civilizations of Sith or even witches like the Night Sisters, who will wreak absolute havoc on the galaxy.
Purggil Will Tie-In Several Projects
If you weren’t aware, The Book of Boba Fett, The Mandalorian, and Ahsoka are all intertwined. We’ve seen Rosario Dawson’s Ahsoka character pop in alongside Din Djarin and Luke Skywalker in The Mandalorian, and we’ve seen Boba Fett fight side by side with the same character. Interestingly enough, Sabine Wren is also a Mandalorian, which is why it is so tricky for Ahsoka to train her, but I digress. The lore of Mandalore and the imminent threat that intergalactic travel presents with the Purggil will conclude in one giant cross-over film, similar to Avengers: End Game. Filoni is building something massive, and he’s using Clone Wars and Rebels lore regarding ancient force magic and beasts to do it. This is all incredibly exciting and an apparent reason you should watch Star Wars: Rebels and Clone Wars if you have not. Trust us, it’s going to get good, but confusing as well as Rebels also deals greatly with traveling to worlds outside of space and time; think the MCU’s Multiverse.
