“The Way Out”

Seeking the healer
The episode opens with a snowstorm blanketing the landscape. A four-legged animal scurries by. A couple carrying a child travels with their pack animal through the blizzard. Amidst the storm, they encounter a short Mohsenian. The man tells the Mohsenian that they seek the “healer.” The woman carries a small child in her arms. The Mohsenian tells the couple to follow him.

Later, the blizzard passed, and the travelers approached a small hut. A woman dressed in a fur coat invites them inside to meet with the healer. The healer reveals herself as the former Jedi Padawan and former Inquisitor Barriss Offee, who asks to see the child. She touches the child’s head and says there appears to be nothing wrong with the child. The parents agree and tell Offee that the Galactic Empire came to their village and took samples of the children’s blood. They tell Offee that the Imperials are scared of their child and want to take him away, prompting them to flee. They explain that the Mohsenian traveler told them to find her.

Inviting the couple to sit with her, Offee explains that her family faced a similar situation, but the Jedi took and trained her on their own. She talked about seeing amazing things and traveling the stars with her Master, Luminara Unduli, before darkness took me. Offee emphasizes that was long ago. When the mother asks if their child is a Jedi, Offee explains that the child in the days of the Jedi would have been considered to have the potential to become a Jedi. She says that such gifts are a curse under the Empire. Offee says the parents were right to flee since the Empire would use them or something worse.

An old enemy
Just then, a wind enters the hut, snuffing out the candles. The Mohsenian tells Offee that someone is coming. The father accompanies Offee outside the hut. In the distance, Offee sees a figure approaching. She tells the Mohsenian traveler to take the family to safety aboard his starship. When the Mohsenian says they are here to help, Offee tells him to take the family to see an “old friend” using the coordinates stored in her ship’s navigation computer. The other attendant offers to come back to help, but Offee tells the two attendants that they have done more than they should. She tells them to pass on everything she has taught them. When the parents ask how to repay her kindness, Offee tells them to escape aboard her starship.

After the others have left, Offee faces the stranger, who turns out to be the Fourth Sister, the former Jedi known as Lyn Rakish. The Fourth Sister expresses surprise and delight to have found Offee. When Offee tells her to leave, the Fourth Sister says that she has been sent for the child Micah. Offee stands defiantly. The Fourth Sister advances on her with her double-bladed spinning lightsaber, which is in singular mode. When Offee condemns her for kidnapping innocent children for the Empire, the Fourth Sister denounces her as a traitor, saying that she doesn’t expect her to understand.

The Fourth Sister is angered by Offee calling her by her old name. Offee dodges the Inquisitor’s blade, prompting her to activate her lightsaber’s second blade. Offee continues to dodge the Fourth Sister’s attack. When Offee taunts her that her anger makes her predictable, the Inquisitor shifts her lightsaber to spinning mode and launches a third attack. Offee uses the Force to deactivate the weapon, causing the Fourth Sister to drop to the ground. She realizes that Offee is distracting her so her attendants can escape with the family. Offee warns her not to follow the child into that cave because she doesn’t know the path.

Lyn’s trials
The Fourth Sister counters that fear is her ally, prompting Offee to remark that she has a poor choice of allies. The Fourth Sister ignores Offee and charges into the cave, vowing to finish her off once she has the child. The attendants lead the family and their child through the tunnels inside the cave. The Fourth Sister follows but is confused by the ice structures, which give reflections. The attendants, who know the way, can guide the family to their starship. The Inquisitor gets lost inside the cave while the family and attendants safely board their starship and escape into hyperspace.

Back in the cave, the Fourth Sister slashes at the ice structures to find her way out. Offee says that she warned her. When the Fourth Sister accuses her of tricking her, Offee responds that she doesn’t want her to die here. Offee tells her to lay down her weapon, and she will show her a way out. The Fourth Sister fears the consequences of her failure. When Offee remarks that fear is not her ally, the Inquisitor slashes at the ice structures in a rage. She accidentally stabs Offee with her lightsaber.

The Fourth Sister is horrified by her actions and apologizes. Offee says she doesn’t want her apology and tells Lyn she knows the way out, which involves abandoning fear and her Imperial identity. Making peace with Offee, she carries her and says she will get them out of there. She leaves her double-bladed spinning lightsaber behind. Outside the ice cave, the rodent notices Lyn carrying Offee out.