The Star Wars Rebels Season 4 episode “A World Between Worlds” expanded the lore of the entire franchise into an unexpected realm. In the episode, Ezra Bridger and the Ghost crew travel back to the ancient Jedi temple on Lothal, where they discover an Imperial excavation team has uncovered more of the structure. As Ezra explores the area, he solves a puzzle that opens a doorway to another plane of existence known as the World Between Worlds. Because of its power, the mystical plane held significant importance to the Emperor, who we now learn continued to seek access to it up until the events of The Rise of Skywalker.
The World Between Worlds is a seemingly infinite expanse that connects all space and time. The only sound within it comes from the voices that represent the Star Wars timeline — among them, Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Kanan Jarrus and Qui-Gon Jinn. White lines cover the expanse and lead people to portals that serve as openings into the timeline. With these portals, people can go through, or interact with, whatever is going on with the other side.
In “A World Between Worlds,” Ezra explores the realm, and hears voices from characters from the past and future Star Wars films. As he continues to investigate, he encounters the Morai owl that follows Ahsoka around. Perched above a portal, it opens to reveal the final battle between Ahsoka and Darth Vader at the end of Season 2. Ezra didn’t know of her fate after locking herself away with Vader to buy the team more time. With encouragement from the Morai, he pulled Ahsoka into the World Between Worlds to save her life.
The duo began to explore, and Ezra caught her up on the events she missed. During their discussion, another portal opens to reveals Emperor Palpatine reciting ancient Dark Side magic over a blue flame. It’s revealed he is also trying to reach into the portal, and can see Ezra and Ahsoka. He attacks the two by throwing blue flames at them. Ezra is nearly pulled into the portal, but Ahsoka saves him, and the two separate, jumping through different openings, to different places and times. With all openings sealed, Palpatine’s attempt to venture into the doorway is a failure.
However, in the just-released canon reference book Star Wars: The Secrets of the Sith, it’s revealed Palpatine never stopped searching for the World Between Worlds. Written from Palpatine’s perspective, just before the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the book describes the World Between Worlds as, “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.” He goes on to describe how he peered into the world, during Star Wars Rebels, but failed to harness his power. The passage shows how Palpatine doesn’t easily forget his desires even after decades.
Palpatine knew that harnessing the power of the World Between Worlds would be a great benefit to him. As a result, it became a life goal of his, with him explaining, “Having touched this unusual realm for but a moment, I recognized the unfathomable potential it holds. Its power must be mine…” That obsession continued until he meets Rey in The Rise of Skywalker and is ultimately defeated.
Palpatine knew that to have its power would mean he could redraw the galaxy’s history in his own image and obtain unlimited power. He could also achieve the immortality he so long sought.
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