Please note that as I write this Ahsoka has not yet finished so I am basing my thoughts here on the two-episode season premier that aired on Disney Plus. I like millions of other people am a huge Star Wars fan. I think that The Mandalorian is the best Star Wars-related thing that Disney has done since they acquired the license, but for the most part, I have been happy with what the House of Mouse has done with Star Wars.
How to Download Ahsoka
You can download or stream the film from Disney+ where the first two episodes were released on August 22, 2023. Click on the Download button at the end of this review.
The Ashoka Review
I was all in on Star Wars The Clone Wars when it was released and Ahsoka was my favorite character. Even better than The Clone Wars was another animated series, Star Wars Rebels. Star Wars Rebels was one of those rare animated shows that were amazing no matter if you were a kid or an adult, it perfectly captured what made Star Wars so great.
Ahsoka – the et Facts about the Miniseries
| Fact | Information |
|---|---|
| Series Title | Ahsoka |
| Release Platform | Disney+ |
| Release Date | The first two episodes were released on August 22, 2023 |
| Main Character | Ahsoka Tano |
| Relation to Previous Star Wars Series | Ahsoka is a live-action extension of Star Wars Rebels |
| Portrayal of Ahsoka | Rosario Dawson reprises her role as Ahsoka from The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett |
| References to Star Wars Rebels | Includes characters Sabine, Hera, Ezra, and Grand Admiral Thrawn from Star Wars Rebels |
| Series Premise | Empire loyalists seek Grand Admiral Thrawn to rebuild the Empire; Ahsoka and Hera aim to stop them and find Ezra |
| Antagonists | Including Morgan Elsbeth, Baylan Skoll, and Shin Hati |
| Tone and Content | Episodes feature action, drama, and numerous Star Wars easter eggs |
| Recommended Familiarity | Some familiarity with Star Wars Rebels is recommended to fully appreciate the series |
| Series Length | Consists of eight episodes |
Ahsoka’s Live-Action Transition
I had of course seen the trailer and heard the talk that Ahsoka is pretty much a live-action extension of Star Wars Rebels, but it was not until I was watching the show that I realized it was actually true! Once again, reprising her role from The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett is my major crush, Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka.
Nods to Star Wars Rebels
As well as Ahsoka, we also have Sabine and Hera from Star Wars Rebels, not to mention the fact that Ezra and Grand Admiral Thrawn were name-dropped through the first few episodes as well. I was blown away by all of the references to Star Wars Rebels and I honestly feel like they could have just called this show Star Wars Rebels and fans would have been cool with it.
The Premise of the Ahsoka Series
The premise so far is that there are still those who are loyal to The Empire. These Empire loyalists want to find Grand Admiral Thrawn and bring him back to try and rebuild the Empire. I think having Thrawn out there and not knowing where he is or what he is doing is great and is a huge dark cloud hanging over the heads of Ahsoka and the Republic.
Intriguing Antagonists and Objectives
We also have other bad characters in Morgan Elsbeth, one of the last Nightsisters of Dathomir. However, it is the two “Dark Jedi” in Baylan Skoll and his apprentice, Shin Hati that I am most intrigued by. These are not Sith, but they are still super far from what you associate with being a Jedi.
Ahsoka and Hera’s Mission
Of course, we also have Ahsoka and Hera who want to stop and prevent Thrawn from returning, but they also want to find Ezra as well. Those first two episodes are fantastic for setting the tone of the show. I was hooked right from the opening scene and I hate having to wait a full week for Disney Plus to put a new episode up!
Familiarity with Star Wars Rebels
I will say that I feel like you need to be familiar with Star Wars Rebels to fully appreciate what is being done here. My father-in-law has not seen any of the animated series and while he liked the premier, he did ask quite a lot of questions about who the characters were and what their deal was. I think that the show does as good a job as it can to try and get people up to speed, but there is no denying, this is made for people who have seen Rebels.
Overall Impression of the Ahsoka Series
I loved it! Ahsoka is another awesome Star Wars TV show from Disney and I am so glad that this has eight episodes and not six! I cannot wait to see where this goes and so far, each episode has had action, drama, and tons of easter eggs too. I would recommend that if you have not seen any of Star Wars Rebels, you watch it or at least some kind of recap video explaining some of the key details and characters.
