Ahsoka: Darth Sion and the Eye of Sion explained

The opening episodes of Ahsoka reference one of the most terrifying Sith Lords in Star Wars history – so, who is Darth Sion, and what is the Eye of Sion? Here’s what we know.

In our review of the first episode, we wrote: “There’s reason to believe Ahsoka is a new level of Star Wars television… at least in its opening episode, it does an admirable job of juggling the fans’ longtime anticipation for the live-action debut of these characters while sprinkling a bit of explanation along the way.”

Andor isn’t even excluded from this: Star Wars has a habit of name-dropping characters, places, and other Easter eggs that have hardcore fans’ ears pricking up and others feeling a bit out of the loop. Ahsoka was always going to be an uphill battle; after all, it’s basically the fifth season of a TV show that many viewers won’t have ever seen.

Episode 1 references something known as the “Eye of Sion”, which links back to Darth Sion – here’s everything you should know. Spoilers to follow…

Ahsoka: Who is Darth Sion?

Darth Zion, also known as the “Lord of Pain”, is a Sith Lord who first appeared in Knights of the Old Republic II.

Earlier in life, he was a Sith Marauder who fought for Exar Kun’s empire in the Great Sith War in 1032 BBY. He longed for death, but he would continually slay Jedi until one day he was struck down – and he still got back up, calling upon the dark side of the force for his resurrection.

It came at a cost: his entire existence became one of anger and agony, leaving him looking a bit like a zombie; his skin was fractured and grey, and one of his eyes was white. He was eventually convinced to let go of his hatred and, as a result, slip away into a merciful, peaceful death.

Ahsoka: What is the Eye of Sion?

The Eye of Sion appears to be some sort of portal that’ll allow Thrawn to return to the main galaxy.

In Episode 2, after Morgan Elsbeth opens the orb that shows the pathway to Thrawn’s location in the Unknown Regions, she tells Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati: “The Eye of Sion is on its way here. Make sure that everything is ready for its arrival.”

Later, we see the stolen hyperdrive from Corellia being delivered to a massive circular structure. Its purpose hasn’t been confirmed, but we have to assume it’ll enable Thrawn to travel across time and space, likely via a wormhole. “Installation of the final hyperdrive has begun. Soon the Eye of Sion will be complete and we shall deliver Grand Admiral Thrawn from his exile in the far galaxy,” Morgan says.

Exactly why it’s called the Eye of Sion remains a bit of a mystery. KOTOR isn’t considered canon, as it’s part of the Legends continuity – but could this mean it’s now part of the official timeline?

“We talk a lot about Vader, Palpatine, and Maul. But don’t forget, ancient Sith had some wild powers and artifacts that could shake things up in the galaxy. If [Dave] Filoni is looking for ways to bridge the old and the new, Sion is a prime target to do just that,” one user predicted.

Ahsoka Episodes 1-2 are available on Disney+ now, which you can sign up for here. You can check out our other coverage below:

• Episode 1 review
• Episode 2 review
• Episode 3 review
• Ahsoka cast and characters
• Who is Marrok?
• What time does Ahsoka come out?
• How many episodes of Ahsoka are there?
• When does Ahsoka take place in the Star Wars timeline?
• How long are Ahsoka Episodes 1-2?
• Where was Ahsoka during the original Star Wars trilogy?
• Darth Sion and the Eye of Sion explained
• Who is Jacen Syndulla?
• What are purrgil?
• Ahsoka budget: How much did it cost?

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