Ahsoka is a Stellar Effort that Adds Depth to the Star Wars Lore

Fans never thought they’d see Ahsoka Tano, the rarely talked-about padawan of Anakin Skywalker, in live-action Star Wars until her surprising appearance in the second season of The Mandalorian. Disney’s Ahsoka is a refreshingly straightforward Star Wars series that manages to deliver a good story, interesting characters, and a forceful villain with no remorse. 

One of the elements I enjoyed about the series was how Rosario Dawson owned the role of Ahsoka Tano, almost like she was born to play this particular role. It’s hard not to admire the character’s equanimity, will, and courage throughout her endeavours and it’s safe to say this is one of Dawson’s best acts in a while. 

The series’ story is well-paced and there were no unnecessary fillers or exposition, which allowed the story to move along at a brisk pace. I could even describe this as a nascent change from some other recent Star Wars projects, which have been criticised for being too slow and bloated. Ahsoka, on the other hand, is a lean and focused series that gets straight to the point. Another element I appreciated about Ahsoka was the lack of forced jokes. The series didn’t try to be funny all the time, and it was perfectly content to let the drama and action speak. 

Other characters including Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Sabine Wren and Mary Elizabeth as General Winstead Hera Syndulla were also remarkable throughout the series. Many will argue that Wren made bad decisions throughout, but the series does a good job of recognising that like previous padawans, they all make mistakes and Wren is no different. Additionally, there’s history I’d like to know about Syndulla as well in season 2, specificallyhow they prepared for Thrawn’s return. 

Ahsoka takes itself seriously, and it’s all the better for it. We don’t need every protagonist in a Disney film to be a comedian of some sort. The Mandalorian also achieved this and hopefully, other upcoming Disney+ shows will implement it as well. The few jokes that are present in Ahsoka are mostly left to the robots. This is a smart move, as it allows the series to maintain its serious tone while still providing some lighthearted moments. The robots in Ahsoka are also well-developed characters in their own right, especially Huyang (David Tennant) who was the comic of the show. 

Ahsoka‘s main antagonist, Grand Admiral Thrawn, is a formidable opponent. He’s intelligent, cunning, and ruthless. He’s also a master of strategy and tactics. Thrawn is a welcome addition to the Star Wars universe and he’s proved himself to be a complex and well-developed villain. 

It was great to see Anakin Skywalker again after such a long time. He’s still the same charismatic and impulsive Jedi that we know and love. His chemistry with Ahsoka is also excellent. They have a real bond, perhaps not as beloved as the one he had with his own master Obi-Wan Kenobi, but there’s a story behind every Jedi master and their student. While the series didn’t spend all that much time going over Ahsoka’s backstory and giving us a glimpse of her training with Skywalker, we know he was a good master. 

The series’ conclusion doesn’t tie up every loose end, but we’re hopeful for a second season to continue the story of Tano and how she plans to stop Thrawn and his army of stormtroopers. Ahsoka is not only a must-watch for fans of the animated Clone Wars series where the character was first introduced, but also fans of the Star Wars franchise as a whole as it’s simply one of the best Star Wars projects in a while. 

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