Lightsabers, blasters and an innate connection to the Force have always been staples of the Star Wars universe, but Dave Filoni’s latest addition to the galaxy far, far away, “Ahsoka,” gives watchers a reinvigorated sense of excitement.
“Ahsoka” follows the character Ahsoka Tano, played by Rosario Dawson, who was first introduced in the animated series “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” as a young padawan during the Clone Wars. From there, she is seen playing a large role in the animated series “Star Wars: Rebels” and most recently her live-action debut in “ The Mandalorian.”
In this series, she is scouring for a way to thwart the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn, while also recruiting Mandalorian and former padawan Sabine Wren to assist in rescuing Ezra Bridger from a faraway galaxy.
Since the release of the first Star Wars series “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” on Oct. 3, 2008, Dave Filoni has been the Star Wars fandom’s sweetheart.
Even among the controversy over the sequels and spin-offs, it appeared everyone could agree on the appeal of “The Clone Wars,” and the delightful development of all of its characters.
Since then, Dave Filoni has extended his work from animation to live-action, operating as a producer on “ The Mandalorian” and now performing largely on the new series “Ahsoka.”
The charming allure of the latest series is the in-depth connection between the “old” Star Wars and the “new” Star Wars, a relationship that previously had fans divided.
Using live-action techniques while also referencing dated Star Wars lore- such as the Mortis Arc or the World Between Worlds- has concocted a sense of unity and involvement in the series.
Along with that, the casting of old “Rebels” characters such as Ezra Bridger, played by Eman Esfandi, or Sabine Wren, portrayed by Natashia Liu Bordizzo, has designed a flawless transition from their animated characters to their on-screen depictions. Hera, recreated by Mary Elizebeth Winstead, was an immaculate embodiment of the fiery pilot that fans came to love in “Rebels”.
Rosario Dawson, who faced a considerable amount of backlash when first stepping into her role in “The Mandalorian,” has settled fans with her enchanting performance in the new series. Integrating Ahsoka’s tough and cold demeanor with her old bubbly personality that came out at different times created a dynamic and interesting character.
While Bordizzo played Sabine well, some are upset at the decisions that her character made in the series and the decision of the writers to put her in a Jedi role in the place of Ezra.
On the other hand, her involvement in the force had been hinted at within the original “Rebels” series, when she trained with Kanan and Ezra. As for her appearance, every Star Wars fan would be lying if they said they did not enjoy the iconic scene where Sabine cuts her hair back to its short and purple self.
Overall, the casting of the characters left fans in awe and satisfied long-standing supporters of the animated Star Wars series.
As for the plot of the series, its fast pace and intriguing twists kept the watcher engaged the whole time. From the introduction of the antagonists such as Baylen Skoll, played by the late Ray Stevenson and Shin Hati, played by Ivanna Sakhno, and the journey inside of the space whales, the story was constantly developing in a way that kept watchers interested.
Without a doubt, it cannot be avoided to mention the iconic return of Anakin Skywalker in the episode, “ Shadow Warrior,” where Hayden Christensen reprised his signature role. In a whirlwind of an episode, he is seen in the World Between Worlds, where Ahsoka fights her inner conflict while also battling Anakin. She goes through old memories seen in the original “Clone Wars” series and tries to find her peace with past mistakes.
While the makeup used to make Hayden Christensen look young in “Kenobi” was well done, the de-aging technology used in “Ahsoka” created a jaw-dropping portrayal of the “Clone Wars” Anakin. In a war scene where Anakin walks into a foggy mist, his lightsaber turns red and a flash of his Darth Vader silhouette illuminates the scene, tying in the “old” Star Wars to this new series.
The hair and makeup was purely shocking, with the late Shawna Trpcic taking the lead on the costuming. Seeing the makeup that goes into making Ahsoka look like a Twilek and the thought that goes into the costuming of Sabine was a magical experience to see appear on screen.
However, Sabine Wren, who continually struggled in the series with using the Force, suddenly achieved a large amount of power when it was conveniently needed, undermining her character’s growth and development.
Also, while the hints to previous animated shows like “Clone Wars” or “Rebels” offered a gold mine of delight to fans who watched and enjoyed those shows, it was confusing to people who either did not watch them or did not fully remember them. All in all, the series is most enjoyable to watch with the background knowledge of Dave Filoni’s previous works.
Overall, “Ahsoka” offered all fans a fresh breath of air and a new exciting storyline to cling to. For its intriguing storyline, suburb acting and casting and engaging dynamic characters, it is rated a 5/5 feathers.
