Ahsoka (2023): Star Wars on the right note
With all episodes of Ahsoka now streaming on Disney+, along with both the writers’ and actors’ strikes finally concluding, now is the best time to look at one of the year’s most highly anticipated Disney series. Over the last weeks, I’ve found myself extremely excited to see how the series would unfold, hopefully bringing with it a new side to Star Wars many feel is lacking under the current management.
The story of Ahsoka follows the titular character Ahsoka Tano, a former Jedi Knight, two decades after the fall of the order. Ahsoka is joined by a cast of memorable, known characters and the New Republic as they investigate the possibility of an emerging threat to the galaxy: remnants of the Galactic Empire. The show takes place over eight episodes during a time frame where little is known in the Star Wars universe—between Return of the Jedi (1983) and The Force Awakens (2015)—and attempts to fill this large gap of time in the most sensical way possible.
Star Wars fans will likely agree that, at times, the series felt like the fifth season of Star Wars: Rebels, especially with the return of much-beloved characters like Hera Syndulla, Sabine Wren, and, my personal favorite, Chopper. But do not fret: although many characters from past Star Wars media appear in this series, you do not need to watch any supplemental material before watching Ahsoka.
Moving into the plot of the show itself, the first three episodes of the series set the narrative off on the right note, making clear that both good and evil forces are on the hunt for the map that leads to the lost Grand Admiral Thrawn: a character who first appeared in Rebels as an extremely smart tactician for the Empire. Ahsoka soon finds the map, but requires the aid of Sabine Wren to decipher it. This act jumpstarts a relationship between the two as master and apprentice, which is gradually expanded upon throughout the series.
The final five episodes of Ahsoka are some of the best content we have gotten out of Star Wars in recent years. Ahsoka can get one more lesson from her late great master, Anakin Skywalker, in an episode full of references to past Star Wars content. The series also boasts some impressive lightsaber combat scenes; the fight between Baylon Skoll and Ahsoka Tano, for example, feels smooth and engaging. Even so, these fights did bring about one issue for me: the survivability of a lightsaber wound. Many characters survived lightsaber blows, which seem impossible within the pre-established canon, one directly mirroring the death of Qui Gon Jinn in The Phantom Menace (1999).
It is also interesting to see the politics behind the New Republic. There is a clear and blatant weakness and an impending sense of doom within the newly-formed government. Plus, the series ends with a major threat on the horizon for this government, one they are incredibly underprepared for, which will be interesting to see play out in the next series.
All the new characters, especially Shin Haiti and Baylan Skoll, were great, and it is a shame that we may never see the pairing again. For those who do not know, Ray Stevenson passed away in May 2023, and he embodied so much potential for Baylan’s character going forward. If I'm honest, I mainly tuned in to see Grand Admiral Thrawn's return. Lars Mikkelsen, who voiced the character in Rebels, does a fantastic job capturing the character's unnerving tactical genius and feeling that this man is always ten steps ahead of his opponent.
Overall, I am very pleased with how it turned out. A lot was riding on this series, and the story it told was solid. Though it is unclear if we will be getting a second season, for now, I left this viewing experience satisfied, yet ready for whatever comes next.
Thumbnail Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons