- "This place is ancient. Like a world between worlds."
- ―Ahsoka Tano
The World Between Worlds, also known as the Vergence Scatter, was a mystical plane within the Force that served as a collection of doors and pathways existing between time and space, linking all moments in time together.
Description[]
- "This mystical realm connects all of time and space, creating a conduit between the living and the dead. Those who control this plane would possess mastery over all of existence, but gaining access has proved an unexpected challenge."
- ―Darth Sidious
The World Between Worlds, otherwise referred to as the Vergence Scatter, was described within the Chain Worlds Theorem, visualized in the Sacred Jedi texts kept within the Jedi Temple on the planet Ahch-To.[4] It was accessible from a painting of the Mortis gods—Father, Daughter, and Son—that decorated the exterior of the Jedi Temple on the planet Lothal.[2]
Loth-wolves, creatures native to Lothal, were intrinsically tied to the World Between Worlds and were capable of traveling through the realm in a similar manner to hyperspace travel. The Mortis gods painting served as the key to unveiling the entry way to the realm, through assistance from a key stone from the temple, by a Force-wielder, who was to place their hand on the Daughter's encircled hand.[2]
As a result, the Loth-wolves within the painting shifted away from the gods and moved in a circle together, which formed the portal to the realm. However, the portal to the World Between Worlds was closed if a Force-wielder placed their hand on the Son's encircled fist, which prompted the painting of the Father to conceal the entryway and the temple itself.[2]
History[]
Ezra Bridger’s visit[]
After the discovery of the Jedi temple on Lothal, the power-hungry Sith Lord Darth Sidious, ruler of the Galactic Empire, deployed Minister Veris Hydan with the Imperial Military to the site in search of an entryway to the World Between Worlds in his lust for power.[2]
The Sith's designs were thwarted when the Jedi Padawan Ezra Bridger discovered the world's key, and was able to unlock and enter the World Between Worlds first. After saving Ahsoka Tano from the past by pulling her into the realm, Bridger became adamant in also changing the fate of his master, Kanan Jarrus. However, Tano reasoned with the Padawan that they would all be dead without Jarrus' selfless sacrifice, telling Bridger that she understood the pain of being unable to save one's master, citing her own experiences, and taught Ezra Bridger to let go.[2]
Turning away, the pair resolved to close the portal to the realm to prevent others from accessing it, only to encounter Darth Sidious, who tried to enter the realm using the Force users. Bridger and Tano, however, were able to return to their own times, with Bridger closing the portal and causing the Lothal temple to collapse, taking Hydan with it.[2] Having returned to her own spot in time, Tano ventured into the depths of the temple[5] and found another portal to the World Between Worlds.[6]
Ahsoka Tano's trial[]
Around 9 ABY,[7] Tano once again found herself in the World Between Worlds following her duel with the fallen Jedi, Baylan Skoll, on the[8] planet[9] Seatos. There, she was reunited with her former master, Anakin Skywalker.[8] She remarked that he looked unchanged, to which he responded that she looked old and challenged her to a lightsaber duel, as part of a lesson to her about fighting to stay alive and facing her inner demons and guilt. Ahsoka held her own against him in the duel, but he sent her falling into a Clone Wars flashback where she relived the trauma of one of her first battles and questioned her role as a warrior. She then experienced a vision of the Siege of Mandalore, where Anakin remarked he wasn't at that battle. She responded that they had parted ways by now and that Anakin had become more powerful and dangerous than anyone realized. Offended, Anakin shifted into his Darth Vader persona and attacked Ahsoka. She disarmed him, retorting that she chose to live. Satisfied with her answer, Anakin disappeared and Ahsoka was transported back to the ocean of Seatos.[10]
Behind the scenes[]
- "I always got the sense that if somebody else had gone into that World Between Worlds, they would have experienced something completely different. They would have heard different voices echoing, the portals would have been different, so it's all about what you bring into it and what your experiences are and what your connections are."
- ―Henry Gilroy
The world between worlds was created for the Star Wars Rebels television series. It was identified in the season four episode "A World Between Worlds."[2] Rebels showrunner Dave Filoni had discussed the nature of the Force with Star Wars creator George Lucas before developing the World Between Worlds along with Henry Gilroy.[11] During the Star Wars Rebels Remembered panel at Celebration Chicago in April 2019, Filoni confirmed that the concept for the world between worlds had been inspired by the Wood between the Worlds in C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia.[12] It was first identified as the "Vergence Scatter" in the 2019 reference book Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: The Visual Dictionary, written by Pablo Hidalgo.[4]
Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker[]
- "Nah. If it was meant to be the World Between Worlds it would have said that."
- ―The Lucasfilm Story Group's Matt Martin, on the "place between places" in the The Rise of Skywalker: Expanded Edition
A so-called "place between places" first appeared, albeit unnamed, in the 2019 film Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker, the third and final installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy.[14] It was first identified with a nickname "place between places" in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: Expanded Edition, the 2020 novelization of the film. In the book, Rey believes "a perfect sky, vast with stars" above her head was like staring through a window somewhere else, which she called a "place between places." Despite their Force dyad connection, Rey felt like Ben Solo had "fallen out of existence itself."[15] The Lucasfilm Story Group's Matt Martin has stated that a "place between places" was not meant to be the World Between Worlds.[13] The Creative Art Manager at Lucasfilm, Phil Szostak, stated that no one in the production of The Rise of Skywalker has mentioned the World Between Worlds to him.[16] The World Between Worlds was mentioned in the accompanying reference book Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: The Visual Dictionary.[4]
Appearances[]
- Star Wars Rebels webcomic
- Ezra's Duel with Danger
- Star Wars Rebels — "Path of the Jedi" (First appearance)
- Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal (Indirect mention only)
- Star Wars Rebels — "Shroud of Darkness"
- Star Wars Rebels — "Kindred"
- Star Wars Rebels — "A World Between Worlds" (First identified as World Between Worlds)
- Ahsoka — "Part Four: Fallen Jedi"
- Ahsoka — "Part Five: Shadow Warrior"
Sources[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ "Art Wars" — Star Wars Insider 226
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Star Wars Rebels — "A World Between Worlds"
- ↑ Star Wars: The Secrets of the Sith
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: The Visual Dictionary
- ↑ Star Wars Rebels — "Twilight of the Apprentice"
- ↑ Star Wars: Card Trader (Card: 10 (Ahsoka Tano) - Artist Series - Dave Filoni)
- ↑ Star Wars: Timelines (Exclusive Edition) places the events of "Part One: Master and Apprentice" around 9 ABY. Therefore, the events of Ahsoka must take place around the same year.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Ahsoka — "Part Four: Fallen Jedi"
- ↑ Ahsoka — "Part One: Master and Apprentice"
- ↑ Ahsoka — "Part Five: Shadow Warrior"
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Highlights of the 'Star Wars' Animation Panels at Dragon Con 2018 on TWG (September 8, 2018) (archived from the original on October 3, 2019)
- ↑ Star Wars Rebels Remembered Panel FULL - Star Wars Celebration 2019 Chicago on the Disneyland Experience YouTube channel (backup link)
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Matt Martin (@missingwords) on Twitter: "@missingwords hey hi question. when rey sees into "a place between places" in the novelization, is she really seeing into A Place Between Places (aka the WBW)? or is that just a coincidental play on words?
Nah. If it was meant to be the World Between Worlds it would have said that.
oh, interesting! that's a fun coincidence then, lol. so, what do you think she was seeing then, if not the WBW? like...force heaven or something?
I have a theory but I can't really post about it otherwise some back clickbait websites will take it as official." (backup link) - ↑ Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker
- ↑ Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: Expanded Edition
- ↑ Phil Szostak (@philszostak) on Twitter: "So no, I don't think anything here is meant to be the world between worlds and no one in TROS production ever mentioned the world between worlds to me. I think the line just separates the part containing Exegol from the insert containing Ahch-To. 2/2" (backup link)