Ahsoka has finally arrived! What a journey it has been to get here. From The Clone Wars ending in 2020 to her very first live-action appearance in The Mandalorian, she finally has her own show. As a long-time fan of Ahsoka and Rebels, these first two episodes were something really special. You can tell Dave Filoni has a clear plan for these characters and the arcs they’ll go through.
[Warning: This review contains spoilers for the two premiere episodes of Ahsoka!]
Ahsoka Tano’s journey
Ahsoka has been wandering for a long time. While it seems like she has a sense of purpose, going where she’s needed, she has never given up on her promise to find Ezra. During one of the final episodes of Rebels, Ezra finds himself pulled into the World Between Worlds where Ahsoka had disappeared to in season two. When they both make it out Ezra says, “When you get back, come and find me.” I’m not sure if Ezra knew what his sacrifice would be at the time. But Ahsoka isn’t one to break a promise.
I loved that her force powers are highlighted here. We can see she can feel what happened, like when she was retracing the Sabine’s steps at the communications tower. It makes me wonder what other moments will be made known to us as she explores the galaxy.
We also learn that she was training Sabine for some time but walked away. It’s clear they were close until Ahsoka stepped away. There is a lot from Ahsoka’s past that would cause her to leave. I think she fears her attachment to Sabine because of what happened with Anakin. That and the lack of trust the Jedi Council had in her.
When we started hearing voices like Ezra’s in the Force I thought we’d get flashback scenes similar to the way other Star Wars shows have been but I was so relieved when it stayed in the present.
Listen to more at Cosmic Circle Ep. 39: Ahsoka Premiere Discussion (Spoilers)Sabine and Lothal post-Empire
Ezra said he was counting on Sabine. I think she became Ahsoka’s apprentice as a way to honor Kanan and Ezra and keep her promise as well. I have a theory Sabine is Force sensitive but it never presented itself in her. When we heard her dreams it possibly could be Ezra reaching out to her through the Force and vice versa.
It was cool to see Lothal rebuilt post-Empire. The wildlife is coming back and the capital city has been restored. A welcome surprise was the appearance of some familiar faces from Rebels like Jai Kell, another rebel Ezra befriended, and Ryder Azadi (Clancy Brown) who has returned to his former position of Governor. Although peace has been brought to the planet, Sabine seems to be the only uneasy person.
Natasha Liu Bordizzo has nailed Sabine as a character. Her attitude is perfect and just as with Dawson and Ahsoka, Bordizzo has Sabine’s mannerisms down. When she was fighting Shin I noticed she held the lightsaber and even swung it the same way Kanan taught her how to use the darksaber. It’s clear they both put the time and energy into learning these characters in preparation for filming.
Another parallel that I noticed between Rebels and Ahsoka was when Sabine cut her hair. Kanan did the same thing before his last stand on Lothal. Down to the movements with the knife, Filoni had a clear vision of what he’s trying to tell fans. It was a powerful scene and gave me the uneasy feeling that this would be Sabine’s last stand. It’s either she brings Ezra home for good, or she will die trying to find him and take down Thrawn.
Star Wars villains old and new in Ahsoka
Our new villains, Shin and Baylan, have piqued my curiosity. Baylan is a survivor of Order 66, but I’m curious as to how and when Shin became his apprentice. Or if they are fully Sith. In an interview after the first trailer came out Dave Filoni said that Baylan and Shin’s lightsabers had an orange tint to them instead of being fully red for a reason.
I’m also happy to see Morgan Elsbeth back. When she made her first appearance in season two of The Mandalorian I thought she’d be a one-off villain. Even with the Thrawn mention. Morgan seems to have an insane backstory between coming from a rich family and her ancestors being Witches of Dathomir. This is a character I wouldn’t roll my eyes at getting their own comic run or novel.
Ahsoka so far…
Overall this show is definitely a slow burn but the good kind. We need something like this on our TV screens right now. Because I’m sure every second of it will be enjoyable. Dave Filoni has poured his heart and soul into these characters so he is taking his time with their story. And definitely stick around to watch the end-credit sequence, it’s stunning art and the score is beautiful.
Ahsoka’s premiere episodes are now playing on Disney+. What did you think of the first two episodes? Are you excited to see what the journey is for Sabine and Ahsoka? Let us know on social media @mycosmiccircus or The Cosmic Circus Discord. And make sure to follow us for more Star Wars reviews, guides, and podcasts.
Cosmic Circle Ep. 39: Ahsoka Premiere Discussion (Spoilers)
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