One of the most complicated and important stories in Star Wars takes place in Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 3. The Mortis arc sticks out like a sore thumb among the other stories for its emphasis on how the Force actually functions. When Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Ahsoka Tano are transported to the realm of Mortis, they meet three godlike figures known as the Father, Son, and Daughter. Mortis acts as a conduit, which all the Force in the galaxy supposedly flows through, and the three Force wielders remain locked in a battle for dominance over the Force, with the Son representing the dark side and the Daughter embodying the light.
The entire Mortis arc is one big allegory for Star Wars as a whole; the seasons on the planet reflect the ebb and flow of the Force throughout the saga. Sometimes the dark side reigns during the night for a time, while at other points the light takes over during the day. Every Force power used in the galaxy flows out of Mortis, and it’s up to the Father to keep the balance between the light and the dark. However, he has a hidden tool at his disposal to help if things ever get out of hand.
The Dagger Of Mortis Can Control The Force
During the Mortis arc, the Daughter reveals to Obi-Wan that there is a secret Dagger of Mortis hidden on the planet, and that it is the only thing able to kill the Force wielders. In doing so, she shows him what is likely the most powerful blade in all of Star Wars; one that can control the Force itself. While a blade such as the Darksaber controls all Mandalorians, the Dagger of Mortis has the ability to cut off entire branches of the Force. For example, by killing the Son, one could eliminate the dark side’s hold on the galaxy and allow the Daughter to reign with the light side.
The Dagger Of Mortis Foretold The Jedi Purge
In The Clone Wars season 3, episode 16, the Son attempts to use the Dagger to kill the Father in order to be free of his rule. But because the Daughter sacrifices herself to save the Father, the light side of the Force fades from Mortis. This moment directly parallels the Jedi Purge, when Palpatine enacts his plan to snuff the Jedi out of existence in one fell swoop. Just as the Daughter dies, so too does the light side fade from the galaxy. For a time, the Son is able to rule Mortis with the dark side, just as Palpatine is able to dominate the galaxy through the Empire.
The Dagger’s power to prune the guardians of the Force makes it one of the most dangerous blades in canon. At the end of the arc, the Father ends up using the Dagger on himself to rob the Son of his immortality, thus bringing an end to his lineage. What happened to Mortis and the Dagger after their deaths is unknown. With no Force wielders left, it’s possible the Dagger simply faded from existence. Regardless, Ahsoka still carries the life force of the Daughter within her, which could become an important plot point in the Ahsoka series and the future of Star Wars as a whole.
