Ahsoka includes live-action characters introduced in Star Wars Rebels and The Clone Wars, as well as The Mandalorian. So how accessible is the sequel to sequels for casual fans?

Disney and Lucasfilm know that they have a hit on their hands. The latest Star Wars Series, Ahsoka was given an early Disney+ premiere -- and not just in prime time (we're certain the ongoing strikes had something to do with it too). The series was the number one trending topic on X, aka Twitter, all night long!

Even more impressive was the fact that several characters from the premiere were trending. These included fan favorite droid Chopper, and Grand Admiral Thrawn - a villain who has been a popular character since the earliest "Expanded Universe novels".

What you need to know before Star Wars: Ahsoka

Fans have even trended "Clone War" as a reference to Ahsoka being Anakin Skywalker’s young Padawan. Her fans have been following her journey across many series. She made her live-action début in Season 2 of the Mandalorian.

Ahsoka is now the star, but you can tell by reading what was written above that she comes with a ton of baggage. Star Wars is a complex, interconnected universe that has been around for a long time. This can be both a blessing and curse. Dave Filoni had to be very careful when he was threading the needle.

Ahsoka is a successful live-action follow up to The Mandalorian and Rebels . This will inevitably lead to diminished returns, as long-running shows know all too well. His job was to be both a continuation of Ahsoka’s established saga and completely accessible to new audiences.

How did he perform?

SPOILER WARNING Fair warning: This is more than us saying that he did well or badly. This is the final for this two-part premier. We will be breaking down the character moments, new cast and story.

Fan Service

We'd be remiss to not mention how many things Ahsoka gets right, especially for fans of Star Wars animated series such as Clone Wars, Rebels, Tales of the Jedi and Visions.

Dave Filoni, the showrunner for Ahsoka held this position throughout the seven-season run of The Clone Wars. He also held the same position during all but one season of The Rebels as well as Tales of the Jedi. Ahsoka has been a part of all three, and there's no one better to tell her story in this new chapter (along with George Lucas) than her cocreator.

This new series was a treat for fans who have watched more than 200 episodes. From an animated drawing of the rebels team to their live action counterparts, there were even surprises like Jai Kell's surprise return as Lothal Governor Ryder Azadi and Clancy Brown's return as Lothal Senator Jai Kell.

It's fine if those names mean nothing to you. These were gifts to the loyal fans of the Star Wars franchise, but they also provide the careful continuity Star Wars is known for.

When Governor Azadi, in desperation, grabs Senator Kell and asks him to speak to the crowd, even though neither man knows who the other is, the moment can be funny. Knowing Kell's backstory makes it a big reveal for fans.

There are different experiences for different types viewers. But that doesn't necessarily mean that those who are unfamiliar with these characters will miss out. Star Wars viewers did not know the backstory of characters like Han Solo, Lando, or Mon Mothma when they first met them.

Many newer fans are watching the original trilogy, and they have no idea what lore was created for each character. It will not affect their enjoyment of this series.

Live-Action Animation

It is thrilling for long-time fans to see the rebels come to life. Filoni, the team, and their characters are also very interesting to newcomers. These characters are different from the original trilogy in that they have a history.

We don't need to know the details of history. We only need to know that Ahsoka used to be a part of this crew. They lost one of their members, who was associated with a blue-skinned grand admiral.

Thrawn is a character with two distinct histories. He was only a fictional character for decades. His 1990s trilogy, which launched the "Expanded Universe", introduced him to the world.

After Disney purchased Lucasfilm, and rebooted many of these stories, Thrawn returned to this galaxy far, away. He's now being introduced in live action for the first. It's true that it is related to his animated continuity but even this is not essential.

Star Wars has brought back the crawl for the first time ever in a series of live-action films, but not in its traditional format. The crawl, like the movies, establishes the fact that we have missed certain things and are entering the story after it has begun.

Since the beginning of Star Wars, Lucas was inspired to create a series of short films that seemed to begin and end at dramatic moments.

It gives the world a more lived in feel to know what happened before and after we entered the story. It's no big deal that these rebels have a clear past.

Rebels Live Cast

Casting is also a huge accomplishment. Recasting characters is risky, especially when you're trying to move them from one format into another. Just ask the solo team. We're thrilled with these new characters.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead has a level-headed attitude and is strong as General Hera Sydulla, while Natasha Liu Bordizzo plays Sabine Wren with a hot-headed, pigheaded and sullen disposition. She's so similar to Ahsoka that their clashing is not necessary for further explanation.

David Tennant is back to voice lightsaber expert droid Huyang. He injects such personality into his character that it doesn't matter what we missed in the past. He is a good character to use for exposition. It helps explain awkward silences between Ahsoka, her former Padawan Sabine, and the issues they have.

Filoni, who is stepping into the role of Chopper (C1-10P), has done the same. Chopper is a lot like R2-D2. Star Wars has droids that fans of all ages can fall in love. Both of these droids have the charm and wit their mechanical predecessors without feeling like carbon copy.

Ezra Bridger was perhaps the hardest character for Ohsoka not to require prior knowledge. Ezra, like Ahsoka, went through a lot in rebels. Most of it was irrelevant, thankfully.

Bridger is almost a role reverse of the trope of the female character who is dead or missing and serves only to drive or motivate the male character. Sabine is motivated by Bridger's lack of presence for the time being. She has a video of him which gives his backstory in relation to Thrawn, and shows how close they were.

Even after all these years, there's enough information to make newcomers feel the connection they have with her and the pain she feels. It's unclear how long it's been since the crew fell apart, but it's clear that it's at least been a few.

Bridger is one motivation, but the other connection is Ahsoka & Sabine, who were both former Padawans and Masters. It was Ahsoka that gave up her student, as she had done with the Jedi Order. This is also explained.

The story's relevance is fully explained. Filoni has done a good job in creating a series that will appeal to both die-hard Ahsoka fans and casual viewers who may not know much about the character but have heard of it.

Quest for the Thrawn

Ahsoka has established itself as a classic quest story for the moment. The New Republic, which takes place after the first trilogy, is trying to establish themselves as the new powerful power in the galaxy. But Empires don't go easily.

The remnants are looking for the last Grand Admiral in hopes that he will be the force unifying them and once again try to crush the Rebellion.

It turns out that Thrawn's and Bridger’s fates are intertwined. Both characters vanished after a final fight for the planet Lothal. This is from Rebels but we get the relevant information here.

Ahsoka may be keen to prevent a new conflict from arising, but the fact that Bridger disappeared along with Thirawn has galvanized the old crew and Sabine, in particular, into wanting to take part. A personal motive is always a good thing. We get a live action remake of an rebels scene where Ahsoka and Sabine reunite to search for their friend.

We also get a link to The Mandalorian but it's not something we need to be aware of. This series begins with a "Master and Apprentice", who frees a woman in prison. She turns out to have a very important role.

Compare it to the first time Princess Leia appeared as a prisoner under Darth Vader's Empire. We didn't really know what she was, or why she was so important. But we learned quickly enough.

For casual fans it is an exciting expansion of the Force's understanding. Morgan Elsbeth, a character from The Mandalorian season 2, was held captive by Ahsoka.

Both her cruelty and connection with Thrawn are established in the previous episode, but they're reiterated here. Her ancestors are revealed to be the Nightsisters, a group of Dark Side Force-users who use it almost like magic. This revelation has a profound impact on Baylan (the late Ray Stevenson), and Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno), his apprentice.

These new characters are a further confirmation that Filoni has done a great job of balancing things. We feel no more or less familiar with them or their allies compared to the other characters. A basic knowledge of Star Wars can help a bit.

There are only two Siths who can wield the Dark Side, the Master and the Apprentice. It could be that Baylan and Shin have decided to position themselves in the galaxy post-Emperor Vader and Darth Vader.

Huyang, the Jedi who recognized his lightsaber hilt reveals Baylan as one of those Jedis who fled into hiding after Order 66. Fans were clueless for years about The Clone Wars, and this pivotal Order that caused their clone troops to turn against the Jedi.

Baylan, however, was clearly trained as Jedi and has clearly crossed over to the Dark Side. This is not the first time this has happened. Most recently, (in the timeline), Anakin Skywalker, aka Darth Vader. Anakin Skywalker was Ahsoka when she was a Padawan.

Marrok is another new character, an Inquisitor who works with Baylan and Shin. There is a heartbreaking online theory about this character's identity, as Inquisitors hunt Jedi and are Force-wielding. Skip to the next paragraph Now to learn that some online theorists believe it could be Thrawn himself, a shocking revelation for the entire crew and Ahsoka.

We haven't seen Thrawn yet, and the Hayden Christensen return to Anakin Skywalker that was teased hasn't materialized. He is a Force Ghost at this point and could return to his old Padawan just like he did with his old Master during the Obi-Wan Series.

There are six episodes left to see the story of Thrawn and Bridger. rebels newcomers will find themselves in new territory!

In the first two hours, we've learned enough to feel as if we already know these characters. Consider how Rogue One introduced an entire new crew in just one movie.

This creative team is doing a great job in front and behind the camera. Ahsoka proves that a show can be enjoyed on multiple levels. Fans can continue to follow these stories that they have been following for many years and perhaps get closure.

Newcomers are getting some great performances and exciting worldbuilding exploring one of the most exciting and unknown periods of Star Wars history, between the end of the original trilogy and the controversially-received sequel trilogy.

The Clone Wars finally answers the questions that fans have been asking for years. Rebels began to reveal the world after the original trilogy. The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett followed suit. Ahsoka fills in the gap with her interconnected, yet stand-alone journey to end a war and save a friend.

Ahsoka releases new episodes every Tuesday at 9pm ET/6pm PST.

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Title: Ahsoka 1st Impression: Is Star Wars' Latest Accessible to Newcomers as 'Rebels' Come to Life
Sourced From: www.toofab.com/2023/08/23/ahsoka-recap-is-star-wars-latest-accessible-newcomers-rebels-come-to-life/
Published Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2023 11:47:52 +0000

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