During the original Star Wars trilogy (Episodes IV-VI), Ahsoka Tano was active but mostly operating in the shadows and off-screen. After surviving Order 66 by faking her death, she went into hiding and adopted the alias "Ashla," living as a mechanic on the moon Raada. When the Empire began exploiting Raada, she led a local rebellion against Imperial forces. Subsequently, she became an undercover operative for the Rebel Alliance under the codename "Fulcrum," working closely with Senator Bail Organa and aiding the Rebellion covertly

. Later, during the events leading up to and overlapping with the original trilogy timeline, Ahsoka was involved in missions with the Ghost crew in Star Wars Rebels. She faced Darth Vader on Malachor and was presumed dead but was saved through the mystical World Between Worlds, a realm outside normal time and space. After returning to Malachor, she disappeared into the ruins and may have spent years in the World Between Worlds on a spiritual journey. She reappears in the Rebels epilogue, set about five years after the original trilogy, dressed in white robes and ready to continue her path

. In summary, Ahsoka was not present in the original trilogy films because her character was created later, but in-universe, she was working covertly for the Rebellion, surviving dangerous encounters, and undertaking a spiritual journey that kept her away from the main events on screen