7 reasons why it’s worth watching the AHSOKA Series
The quality of productions bearing the Lucasfilm logo after Disney’s acquisition of the brand varies. Here, we have the excellent final season of The Clone Wars, there the hard-to-digest Resistance. Over there, the unwatchable Obi-Wan Kenobi, just around the corner, the amazing Andor. Where the unexpectedly terrific Han Solo ends, the cringe-worthy Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker. Fortunately, for balance after a heavily strained, directionless third season of The Mandalorian, we got the Ahsoka series on streaming, which simply works and is definitely worth giving a chance. Even if, like me, you already feel weary of the endless titles in this series.
If you are fans of Star Wars Rebels...
While Ahsoka fits into the so-called Mandoverse, a branch of the Star Wars universe started by the series The Mandalorian (and continued – apart from Ahsoka – in The Book of Boba Fett and the upcoming movie intended to conclude the storylines of these productions), it stays firmly on the sidelines of other stories related to the adorable Grogu (aka Baby Yoda). Instead, it is a direct continuation of the animated series Rebels. In Ahsoka, we will revisit all the main characters from that series and finally see their further adventures after its fairly open-ended conclusion. So, if you’ve been waiting for years to find out what happened to Ezra Bridger, you’ll need to watch Ahsoka.
If you are fans of The Clone Wars...
If we consider Ahsoka as a continuation of Rebels, then we can undoubtedly call them a sequel to The Clone Wars as well. All three titles are linked not only by the name of writer and director Dave Filoni but also by numerous characters and storylines. In this, we have the titular Ahsoka, who made her debut in The Clone Wars. And in this year’s production, we will be able to see excerpts from that period in the history of the galaxy far, far away, making it the first time that full-sized (following her prologue and conclusion in the second and third episodes of the Skywalker Saga) Clone Wars in a live-action production!
If you're a fan of the prequels...
The time has come in the history when prequel fans no longer have to be ashamed of their love. George Lucas’s second trilogy has been the subject of more or less justified hate over the years. Today, nostalgia for it is becoming completely natural, which Disney takes advantage of without a hint of embarrassment. So, if you want to see Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker on the screen again after 18 years (and not in such a cringeworthy rendition as in Obi-Wan Kenobi), there is such an opportunity: go for Ahsoka!
If you are a fan of the old canon...
If I’m not mistaken, there is only one character introduced in the old canon outside of TV and film and returning to the new one, created after Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm. I’m talking about the iconic character from books and comics, Grand Admiral Thrawn. He’s one of the most beloved characters from the Expanded Universe, and in the renewed version, we could see him in Rebels. His live-action version (finally!) will appear in Ahsoka.
Additionally, if the term “dark Jedi” is familiar to you, you will certainly use it to describe Baylan Skoll, a character played by the late Ray Stevenson.
If you are NOT fans of the sequels (or if you are)...
The sequel trilogy divided fans perhaps even more than the prequels. It’s also hard not to notice that Lucasfilm today treats the sequels somewhat neglectfully, mainly expanding the universe with events unrelated to them. So, if you’re not fans of those films but have wanted to see events in the galaxy after the Return of the Jedi for years, this is a great opportunity. In Ahsoka, there’s no return to the status quo known from the end of the original trilogy (remember: in The Force Awakens, Starkiller Base destroyed the New Republic with a single shot), but rather a look into the world after the Emperor’s death (we’ll find out, for example, who became the new chancellor…).
However, this doesn’t mean that Filoni and company are rejecting Episodes VII–IX. On the contrary, they are working with what they have and have already tried to provide hints in The Mandalorian to better understand those films. The same goes for Ahsoka. The new conflict present in J.J. Abrams and Rian Johnson’s films may have begun in Ahsoka…
If you love Star Wars...
Ahsoka is another exciting chapter in the Star Wars saga. It brings new characters, the return of familiar heroes, more incredible worlds, funny droids, and impressive lightsaber battles. But it also lacks fear of freshness, a new perspective on this mythology. Dave Filoni seems to be finishing what he started with Rebels, questioning Lucas’s world’s rules and wanting to take us beyond the “far, far away galaxy.” Thus, adding a completely new chapter to this universe.
If you enjoy pop culture stories centered around female heroes...
Last, but certainly not least. The Star Wars universe has never been afraid of strong female characters. Princess Leia undoubtedly broke boundaries in cinema, and Padmé Amidala continued her legacy admirably. Ahsoka proved to be one of the central characters in The Clone Wars, Rey in the new trilogy, and Jyn Erso proudly led the group that stole the Death Star plans for the Rebellion. However, these were typically solitary heroines surrounded by groups of men. In Ahsoka, it’s different. The titular character spends most of her time with her ward Sabine or her friend from the days of the Rebellion, Hera. Their path crosses with a dark side Force user named Shin Hati, leading to an unprecedented situation in the brand’s over 45-year history: a lightsaber battle between two actresses.
…watch Ahsoka!
Filip Pęziński