"The Wrong Jedi" is the twentieth and final episode of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series' fifth season. It aired on March 2, 2013. On March 11, StarWars.com announced that the episode also served as the series finale on Cartoon Network because the license had expired.
"On trial for murder, Ahsoka faces her greatest challenge."
The Jedi Council negotiates with Admiral Tarkin on what type of trial Padawan Ahsoka Tano should have. The Council wishes to try Ahsoka in accordance with Jedi tradition, but Tarkin and the Galactic Senate request that Ahsoka be expelled from the Jedi Order so that she can be put to a Republic Military tribunal. Obi-Wan Kenobi urges the Council to refuse Tarkin's demands, insisting they must stand with Ahsoka. Ki-Adi-Mundi and Saesee Tiin refuse, pointing out the strong circumstantial evidence against Ahsoka. Mace Windu adds that protecting Ahsoka could be seen as an act of opposition to the Senate. Accordingly, the Council decides to cast Ahsoka from the Order, removing her status as a Padawan and leaving her a civilian under the jurisdiction of the Senate. They strip her of her Padawan braid in a symbolic gesture.
Chancellor Palpatine during the trial
Ahsoka and her master, Anakin Skywalker, eventually find out that she will indeed be put on trial. Anakin informs Ahsoka that Senator Padmé Amidala will represent her in the trial, while Anakin searches for Asajj Ventress in hopes of finding the truth. Anakin finds Ventress, but the Sith turned bounty hunter attempts to flee. Anakin easily subdues her as she is defenseless without her lightsabers.
Anakin begins interrogating Ventress, but quickly she admits that she wanted to turn Ahsoka in for the bounty on her head, but instead helped Ahsoka after realizing how similar they actually were. Anakin snarls at this comment, enraged that Ventress is accusing him of being a negligent Master. Ventress snaps that she is telling the truth, as her master had also abandoned her. Ventress eventually informs Anakin that while on the run, Ahsoka had contacted her friend, Barriss Offee, who had told them to meet her at the warehouse where the nanodroids were stored. She then tells him that after departing, someone attacked and stole her lightsabers. Anakin warns Ventress that he will kill her if she is lying before he departs to confront Barriss.
Meanwhile, Ahsoka's trial begins, and Tarkin demands that Ahsoka face the death penalty for her supposed crimes. Padmé points out that the circumstances surrounding Letta Turmonds death strongly imply that Ahsoka could not be the culprit. Tarkin retaliates by mentioning Ahsoka's meeting with Ventress. Ahsoka remains confident that Anakin will find the real culprit.
Anakin confronts Barriss at the temple, and asks her to confirm her contact with Ahsoka. Barriss does so, surprised that Anakin believed Ventress's story. When she asks who it could be if not Ventress or Ahsoka, Anakin takes Barriss's lightsaber and swings it at her. In response, she summons Ventress's lightsabers to her hands, revealing herself to be the culprit. They then engage in a fierce duel which leads outside. Anakin, wielding his own lightsaber as well as Barriss's eventually overpowering Offee, and arresting her.
Ahsoka leaves the Jedi to follow her own path.
As Chancellor Palpatine is about to report the conviction of Ahsoka, Anakin interrupts the proceedings, bringing in Barriss, who confesses her crimes. The charges against Ahsoka are thus dropped and the Council apologizes for their actions. The council ask Ahsoka to rejoin the Order, claiming that this was her "great trial", making her a true Jedi. Anakin offers her the Padawan braid that he has kept for her. To everyone's shock, she refuses and leaves the temple. Anakin follows her outside and asks her why, Ahsoka says she can't go back due to painfully knowing the people she trusted didn't trust her, so how can she trust them for this betrayal and abandonment. Anakin says he trusted her and stood by her and asks Ahsoka to reconsider, mentioning that the idea of leaving the Jedi Order is something he himself has struggled with. She replies that she knows, but states that this is something she must work through on her own. Anakin watches as his former Padawan continues down the Temple steps, and disappears from sight.
Like all the episodes in this story arc, this one was named for an Alfred Hitchcock film, in this case, the 1956 film The Wrong Man.
This episode marked Tim Curry's first credited appearance as Palpatine's voice after actor Ian Abercrombie's death in January 2012.
In order to hide Barriss Offee's identity in this episode's preview clip, the animators deliberately colored her lightsaber blade green instead of blue in the scene where Anakin Skywalker used the weapon.
The lightsaber pikes wielded by the Temple Guards were initially intended to have green blades, but were changed mid-production to yellow.
The shot at the end of the episode where Ahsoka Tano leaves the Jedi Order is based on a photograph of the East Bay sky, which had been photographed by series director Dave Filoni during the episode's production. The episode fades to black at the end instead of irising out in order to preserve the emotion at Ahsoka's sad departure.
This was the last appearance of Asajj Ventress in the series. A planned story arc in which she was killed off was turned into the novel Dark Disciple following the series' cancellation.