On August 22, 2023, the first two episodes of Star Wars’ Ahsoka series premiered on Disney+. The series follows the character of Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker’s former Jedi Padawan, and her journey in investigating the rumored return of the conniving Grand Admiral Thrawn.
The character of Ahsoka Tano was created by writer and director, Dave Filoni. She made her first debut in the 2008 animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars as Anakin Skywalker’s Togruta Jedi Padawan and later continued her journey in the immensely popular animated series of the same name. In 2014, she appeared in another Star Wars series titled Rebels, which focuses on the aftermath of the fall of the Republic and the emergence of the Galactic Empire. It is in this series that she first encounters Grand Admiral Thrawn, a loyal servant of the Empire who is determined to put an end to the rise of the Rebellion. Ahsoka assists a band of insurgents called “the Spectres” in defeating the dreadful Empire and bringing its reign to an end. The series concludes with Ezra Bridger, a beloved friend and member of the Spectres, exiling Grand Admiral Thrawn and himself, in the process, to an unknown galaxy.
On November 2, 2020, actress Rosario Dawson made her first live-action debut as the fan-favorite Ahsoka Tano in the hit television series The Mandalorian. She can be seen hunting down former Imperial Magistrate Morgan Elsbeth in search of information on Thrawn’s whereabouts. This segues into the current spin-off series Ahsoka, in which she continues her search for the Grand Admiral and ensures that he does not return as an “heir to the Empire.”
Ahsoka not only features the return of Rosario Dawson, but also showcases the return and live-action debut of the rebel insurgents, the Spectres. In episode one, Ahsoka discovers an ancient map on which lies the location of the missing Grand Admiral and her friend, Ezra. With the help of a young Mandalorian named Sabine Wren, they are able to decipher the encrypted map. However, this proves difficult as evil forces still loyal to the Empire reside in the Rebellion’s ranks and are adamant about ensuring Thrawn’s return. Unsure of who to trust, Ahsoka and Sabine must work together to stop the return of the manipulative Grand Admiral while also being pursued by two mercenaries, Baylan Skoll, a former Jedi turned to the dark side, and his apprentice, Shin Hati. Working beside them is once again the former Imperial Magistrate and known ally of Thrawn, Morgan Elsbeth.
Furthermore, the series also displays a compilation of live-action flashbacks to the Clone Wars of Ahsoka and her former master, Anakin Skywalker, fighting side-by-side. Reprising his role as the vengeful Anakin Skywalker is Hayden Christensen, who portrayed Skywalker in two of the Star Wars prequel movies. In a behind-the-scenes featurette, Christensen expressed how he was “thrilled” to be a part of the Ahsoka series after almost twenty years since Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and how “putting on the Anakin costume, getting to wear those Jedi robes, it kind of blows your mind every time. I just feel very grateful” (thedirect.com).
Although the Ahsoka series may seem like a great watch, fans have had mixed reviews. For instance, a Ramapo freshman explains, “This show doesn’t do the characters justice. Sabine Wren, who’s a devout Mandalorian in the series Rebels, is more out-of-touch with her roots in this series and disregards them almost entirely. Additionally, some information given in this show is inconsistent with past Star Wars media, making it unenjoyable.”
On the other hand, Ramapo science teacher, Mr. Wadhams expresses, “I think it’s safe to say, regardless if someone is a fan, the Star Wars spin off shows have been top notch…I personally enjoy the Ahsoka series. I know a lot of people will criticize Star Wars content for one reason or another, but if you just sit back and actually watch the show it is very enjoyable…My only criticism is because I watched Rebels, I had a sense going in of what the characters were like, and I think the live-action doesn’t quite catch the same emotion from the characters. However, you get used to it after a few episodes, and right from the start you’re immersed in Star Wars nostalgia as well as some new characters that capture the screen well. Overall, the show is solid and definitely one of the better Star Wars series Disney has come up with.”
As of now, no plans have been made for a season two of the show, but many fans are wondering, what comes next for this Togruta Jedi Knight?
