Star Wars’s Ahsoka is the newest addition to the ever-growing lore between the sixth and seventh movies, “Return of the Jedi” and “The Force Awakens.” The show, premiering in August and releasing weekly episodes through October 3, follows the journey of Ahsoka Tano, an ex-jedi, trained by Anakin Skywalker during the Clone Wars, and joins the Rebellion during the reign of the Galactic Empire.
Ahsoka’s story starts during the Clone Wars, as seen in “Star Wars: Clone Wars,” and now continues in this series, as she and another previously animated character, Sabine Wren, search for Sabine’s friend and Jedi, Ezra Bridger, and try to prevent a particularly dangerous Imperial admiral, Thrawn, from returning.
Star Wars fans who have watched “Star Wars: Clone Wars” and “Star Wars: Rebels,” both animated series, have an easier time understanding Ahsoka, while more casual fans who have only watched the movies and some of the other live-action TV shows such as “The Mandalorian” and “Obi-Wan Kenobi” may have had a harder time with the concepts in Ahsoka. Ahsoka, previously an animated character, made her first live-action appearance in “The Mandalorian” season two. Most of the protagonists in “Ahsoka” were also previously animated, and this is the first look at their live-action characters.
The series, much like other work of the creator Dave Filoni, starts off a little uninteresting, but slowly progresses thematically into a show that is worth following. Although the first couple of episodes do not seem to go anywhere, as we start seeing more characters get involved from the “Star Wars: Rebels” series, it gradually gets more interesting. From epic battles to intergalactic travel, a topic that has never been previously explored, to the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn and Ezra and the prospect of a resurgence of a new empire, this show sets up the state of the Star Wars universe seen in “The Force Awakens” and later episodes in the saga. Ahsoka and Sabine went through trials of their character to find their friend and prevent Grand Admiral Thrawn from returning to restore the Empire as it had once ruled the galaxy. They find themselves accepting their fate towards the end of the show during the finale where they have to sacrifice everything to get Ezra back home.
Overall, the show is action-packed and beautifully filmed, capturing the essence of Star Wars, fighting for what’s right, even when there are literal armies to stand against. Ahsoka and Sabine’s story of sacrifice and perseverance through the Empire and the New Republic as they try to understand their places in it, is in complete Star Wars fashion. Although the series was received both positively and negatively by fans, the legacy that Ahoksa Tano has left on the Star Wars universe will forever remain incredible.
