Jedi Padawan

Haikuesday: Ahsoka Tano

I have to be frank:
When Young Snips was introduced
I did not like her.

Haiku Addendum:
Regarding the last poem,
I’m now fond of her.

Ahsoka Tano
was basically Padmé and
Ani’s first child.

Scene: on Christophsis;
A youngling is sent to war
by Jedi Masters.

Does anyone know
why Ahsoka went off to
fight without armor?

Jedi Commander
Outranking Clone Captain Rex
Both child soldiers.

The Battle of Teth:
Tano fights for access to
Hutt hyperspace routes.

The Malevolence
destroys Master Plo Koon’s fleet.
Tano will save him.

In Resolute bay,
Ahsoka complains about
being a gunner.

“I feel it,” she says.
“A disturbance in the Force.”
Pellaeon listens.

A duel with Grievous
unfolds in Ruusan moon’s sky.
Snips barely escapes.

Blue Shadow Virus!
Ahsoka is infected!
Oh no, Padmé too!

Scene: over Ryloth;
Tano uses Marg Sabl
in battle with Seps.

Ignoring commands,
rash Ahsoka continues
fight for Felucia. 

Ahsoka Tano,
Jedi Padawan and the
best library guard.

Held hostage by Bane,
Anakin must choose how to 
save his padawan.

Ani and Tano
bicker while battle rages.
“Another fine mess…”

Noble sacrifice;
Tano and Offee “die” so 
that others can live.

“Kill me” pleads Barris,
brain worms infecting her mind.
Can Snips kill her friend?

Maurya Ruler,
Conqueror of Kalinga.
Whoops! That’s Ashoka.

Tera Sinube
helps Ahsoka look for her
misplaced lightsaber.

Mon Gazza podrace,
Ahsoka gets a “Crash Course” 
in high speed flying.

Two Jedi track Fett
from Coruscant to Florrum.
Will they find the boy?

I have to be frank:
Pics of sexy Ahsoka
are really creepy.

Haiku Addendum:
Seriously, she’s a kid,
not a sex object.

Tano with Chuchi;
Just two friends hiding on a
Federation ship.

Padmé in danger!
Ahsoka senses a threat,
but could she be wrong…?

Scene: on Mandalore;
Ahsoka helps some kiddos
tackle corruption

Young Ahsoka speaks
with her older self in the
complex Mortis-arc.

With his dying breath,
Piell imparts Nexus Route
upon young Tano.

Trandoshans capture
Ahsoka and use her as 
prey to be hunted.

I can’t figure out
why Ahsoka came with the
Lego MHC…

Haiku Addendum:
Ahsoka was not in the
Umbaran stories.

Battle in the deep.
Ahsoka protects Lee-Char,
King of Mon Cala.

Ahsoka and Lux,
sitting in a tree, K-I-
S-S-I-N-G!!!!

Tano is all like
cray jelly that dreamy Lux
likes that chick Steela.

A padawan framed!
Ahsoka flees into the
deadly underworld.

“I’m not coming back.”
Ahsoka Tano leaves an
Order in chaos.

I have to be frank:
I don’t like that she leaves but
sees Ani again.

Siege of Mandalore.
Tano duels a tattooed foe.
Rex will spring the trap.

Ahsoka novel
Review: started strong but the
climax was just meh.

Scene: moon called Raada;
A mechanic named Ashla
lends aid to farmers.

Snips turned fifteen on
September 22nd
1955

Haiku Addendum:
Hidalgo figured this out
so go talk to him.

Mystery figure.
Aiding the Lothal Rebels.
Who is this Fulcrum?

Rex and Ahsoka
are finally reunited.
Memories abound.

It’s pretty damn cool
when Ahsoka schools the two
inquisitive sibs.

“You abandoned me!”
“Do you know what I’ve become?”
“No. No!” she cries out.

Scene: on Malachor;
“I am no Jedi,” she tells
her former Master.

Did Ahsoka live?
Or did she die in the duel?
There’s no wrong answer.

Haiku Addendum:
Ahsoka theories don’t suck,
nor do Snoke theories

If left up to me,
in The Last Jedi I’d have
Luke chat with Tano.

Haikuesday is a monthly series on The Imperial Talker, a new post with poetic creations coming on the first Tuesday of each month. The haiku topic is chosen by voters on Twitter so be sure to follow @ImperialTalker so you can participate in the voting. Now, check out these past Haikuesday posts:

Droids (February 2017)

Darth Vader (April 2017)

The Battle of Scarif (May 2017)

The Truce at Bakura (June 2017)

Queen Amidala (July 2017)

Ryloth (August 2017)

Ahsoka Tano, Child Soldier

“I’m the new Padawan learner. I’m Ahsoka Tano.”

While I absolutely love Ahsoka Tano and find her an enthralling Star Wars character, I am also torn by the reality that Tano, a child, was a combatant in the Clone Wars. Story-wise this was purposeful, as a juvenile protagonist – a “youngling” as Obi-Wan Kenobi calls her – was needed to draw younger viewers to The Clone Wars film and television series of the same name, giving kids a character that they could easily identify with. Narrative necessity aside, no one can deny that when she arrives on the planet Christophsis in the movie, Ahsoka Tano not only takes her first steps towards becoming a Jedi Knight but also becomes a child soldier.

Admittedly, when I first watched The Clone Wars movie and series I was never bothered by this reality. In all honesty, it never even crossed my mind until recently. So deeply enchanted by the new Star Wars stories being told, so excited to experience the Clone Wars which Obi-Wan first spoke of in A New Hope, it never dawned on me that Ahsoka Tano’s participation in the war was/is egregious. That Jedi Master Yoda would see fit to use the youngling as a courier, carrying an urgent message into the heart of a major battle is alarming, especially considering she is sent without any body armor. That he and the Jedi Order would allow Ahsoka and other Jedi children to be warriors in the conflict is appalling.

Then again, while alarming and appalling, it is not entirely surprising. The Jedi Order – Master Yoda included – was quick to take command of the clone army in Attack of the Clones, an army of genetically bred soldiers who were also, technically speaking, just children. That the ancient Order, committed to using the mystical Force for “knowledge and defense, never for attack” would move so swiftly to militarize is disconcerting, proof that the Jedi were not only imperfect but also flirted with the Dark Side. Sending children into battle, younglings such as Ahsoka Tano and Caleb Dume (himself younger than even Tano) is but another reminder that the Jedi Order in the late days of the Old Republic acted, at times, in morally and ethically repugnant ways.

I am interested to hear what you have to say about Ahsoka Tano as a child soldier, but I would also encourage you to check out the sites below to read more about the plight of child soldiers around the world. 

Child Soldiers International

Human Rights Watch

Amnest International

Children and Armed Conflict
(Be sure to watch the video featuring Star Wars actor Forest Whitaker)