Highlights
- Anakin Skywalker has appeared as a Force Ghost six times in Star Wars history, bringing gravitas to different situations and offering guidance to younger Jedi.
- Anakin's Force Ghost appeared to Ahsoka in the World Between Worlds, showing her his past and helping her understand his fall to the Dark Side.
- Anakin's Force Ghost helped his son, Luke, in the book Shadow of the Sith , saving him from Sith spirits but taking a lot out of himself in the process.
With his appearance as a Force Ghost in Star Wars' Ahsoka, Anakin Skywalker has now appeared as a Force Ghost six times in Star Wars history. While he may have been one of the most evil Sith Lords to have ruled the galaxy, he did return to the Light Side and show up with his old Jedi friends at the end of Return of the Jedi.
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Since then, Anakin's Force Ghost has been brought back several times by Lucasfilm to bring some gravitas to a situation. As a Force Ghost, Anakin Skywalker can acknowledge his mistakes and still help younger Jedi in need of guidance.
6 Anakin Watches Ahsoka From A Distance
Star Wars: Ahsoka Episode 8
Ahsoka's season ended on a note where her former master is watching the now Gray Jedi grow as a master and a person. Ahsoka and Sabine are trapped on the planet of Peridea after Grand Admiral Thrawn manages to escape. Ahsoka showed herself to be both sad and proud due to her situation and the actions of her former, and once-again, apprentice.
As Ahsoka is looking off into the distance, she senses a presence but never sees who it is. Only viewers learn that it is Anakin's Force Ghost. This could either serve as a silent goodbye for the former master and Padawan or if there is a season two, it may hint at more involvement from Anakin.
5 Anakin Appears In The World Between Worlds
Star Wars: Ahsoka Episodes 4 & 5
While technically not a Force Ghost, Anakin's spirit still appears to Ahsoka in the World Between Worlds during her near-death experience in the middle of the season. This version of Anakin takes Ahsoka on a journey through her past. He helps her understand his fall to the Dark Side of the Force and how she is stronger than he was.
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While he normally appears as someone clearly on the Light Side when his Force Ghost appears, this time Anakin released some of his own Dark Side. This was especially evident during their lightsaber duel in the World Between Worlds as he brandished a red lightsaber and his eyes turned Sith yellow. It's unclear whether there is still evil in his spirit or if this was just a feint to ensure she learned the lesson needed to escape the world.
4 Anakin Helped Luke
Shadow of the Sith
Set 17 years after Return of the Jedi and 13 years prior to The Force Awakens, Anakin Skywalker's Force Ghost returned in the book Shadow of the Sith to help his son. Luke was attacked by Sith spirits during a vision as the Jedi Knight was using the seeing the stone to find the Sith planet of Exegol.
While Anakin was successful in saving his son from the Sith, the experience took a lot out of the Force Ghost. This was Anakin's last appearance as a Force Ghost before returning to screens in Ahsoka. Other Star Wars projects hint that Stih knows how to trap Force Ghosts, so that may explain why he didn't appear until a voice speaking to Rey in Rise of Skywalker.
3 Anakin Helps Lina Graf Escape Vader's Castle
Star Wars Adventures: Ghosts of Vader's Castle #5
Anakin Skywalker's first appearance in the comics came in Star Wars Adventures: Ghosts of Vader's Castle. In the fifth issue of the series, Lina Graf has led a crew to Mustafar to rescue a friend from Fortress Vader. However, the crew is captured by a former servant of Darth Vader who was trying to bring back the Sith Lord.
While escaping, toxic fumes started showing anyone who breathed them their worst fear. As the crew was lost in the mist, a blue light guided the crew to safety. While the crew assumed Lina provided the light, it was actually Anakin's Force Ghost.
2 Anakin's Voice Guides Rey
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
While not his final appearance in Star Wars content, Anakin's final appearance in the timeline is when he joined the chorus of Jedi voices calling on Rey in the final, to date, Star Wars film, The Rise of Skywalker. When she is struggling with the returned Palpatine on Exegol, many former Jedi return in voice form to help encourage and guide her.
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Anakin's voice appears and tells her to "bring back the balance" as he did. This referenced how he fulfilled an ancient Jedi prophecy when he defeated the Emperor. With how the Star Wars landscape currently sits, it's unclear when, or if, he will return as a Force ghost in the timeline.
1 First Appearance
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
Anakin's first appearance as a Force Ghost is also the earliest in the timeline. Not long after returning to the Light Side of the Force and helping Luke defeat the Emperor, Vader died, and Anakin could be one with the Force. He became a Force Ghost who joined his old friends Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda on the forest moon of Endor when Luke and the rest of the Rebellion were celebrating.
He was first played by Sebastian Shaw in the scene until George Lucas re-released the film with Hayden Christiansen taking over since that's the way he would've appeared to Yoda and Obi-Wan the last time they saw him. It's a small but impactful scene that gives Luke the love and admiration from his father that he had wanted since before the beginning of the saga.
