Review - Ahsoka (2023)

         Hey guys, Chuck here, and after a very hectic HallowScream, I decided to kick off the month of November with my review of Ahsoka, the newest Disney+ original series set in the Star Wars franchise. And, while still very much a spin-off of The Mandalorian, Ahsoka also acts as a continuation of the animated series Star Wars: Rebels. Created by Dave Filoni, the series stars Rosario Dawson, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Eman Esfandi, Diana Lee Inosanto, Lars Mikkelsen, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ivanna Sakhno, David Tennant, and Ray Stevenson, with appearances by Genevieve O'Reilly, Evan Whitten, and Hayden Christensen. 

        So, the series follows Ahsoka Tano, former Jedi Padawan of Anakin Skywalker, as she searches the galaxy for any clues to the impending return of Grand Admiral Thrawn, who disappeared some time during the Galactic Civil War. Aiding her is General Hera Syndulla of the New Republic fleet, along with Sabine Wren, a Mandalorian who Ahsoka began training as a Jedi some time after the events of Rebels. Also, Ahsoka is joined by Huyang, a droid from the Jedi Temple who worked with numerous younglings in constructing lightsabers.

         And, leading the forces working to locate Thrawn is Morgan Elsbeth, former magistrate of Caladan, and two Force wielders by the names of Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati. Baylan and Shin are neither Jedi nor Sith, but are merely Force wielders with orange lightsabers. So, a star map is located, which points to a planet called Peridea, which is in a completely different galaxy. So, Elsbeth and her forces begin putting the finishing touches on a craft called the Eye of Sion, which can make a hyperspace jump to the planet Peridea. The craft itself is being worked on above the planet Seatos, which was a planet utilized the Night Sisters, of which Elsbeth is one of the last. 

         However, Ahsoka and Sabine have a different motive for trying to reach Peridea. You see, when Thrawn was sent there during the Galactic Civil War, he was sent there by none other than Ezra Bridger, Jedi Padawan of Kanan Jarrus. Ezra had used the Force to bond with creatures called Purrgil, which are space whales that can naturally travel through hyperspace, and even hop from one galaxy to another. So, Ahsoka, Sabine, and Hera have a single goal: follow Elsbeth to Peridea, find Ezra, and bring him home. Unfortunately, the leadership of the New Republic is unconvinced of any possible threat of Thrawn's return, and thus forbid Hera of taking action. So, Ahsoka and Huyang are forced to go alone, as Sabine was taken by Elsbeth, Baylan, and Shin, all while Ahsoka was learning one final lesson from Anakin within the World Between Worlds. 

       Now, as far as characters go, I still love Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka. Much like her prior appearances, she showcases just how perfect she is in the role. Also, Natasha Liu Bordizzo was absolutely fantastic as Sabine, and she gets.to showcase fantastic fight skills throughout the series, which is fantastic. David Tennant returning to voice Huyang from the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars was also fantastic, and his lines and jabs were pretty hilarious. But, my favorite part of the series was Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Hera Syndulla. In the Rebels animated series, Hera was a strong warrior and a fantastic pilot, but she also had a maternal warmth to her. And, Mary Elizabeth Winstead definitely delivers on both sides of Hera, especially in scenes with Hera's son Jacen Syndulla, played by Evan Whitten. Seeing Jacen, who is the son of Hera and Kanan, in this series is really neat. Also, the droid C1-10P, or Chopper for short, in live-action was just awesome. 

          As for our villains, the trio of Diana Lee Inosanto, Ray Stevenson, and Ivanna Sakhno were great, as well. Sadly, this would be Ray Stevenson's final performance, as he tragically passed away earlier this year. As far as Star Wars villains go, he doesn't come off as evil, but as someone whose interests align with the real villains of the series. Speaking of which, Lars Mikkelsen, who voiced Thrawn in Rebels, takes on the role for his live-action appearance, and he does not disappoint. I repeat, Lars Mikkelsen is sheer perfection as Grand Admiral Thrawn in his live-action debut. I also liked how he allies himself with the Great Mothers, a trio of Night Sisters on Peridea, who were portrayed by Claudia Black, Jane Edwina, and Jeryl Prescott Gallien. Now, while we've seen Night Sisters in animation and in video games, Ahsoka marks their live-action debut and it's fantastic. 

           I also liked a few other small details in this series, such as the look of the planet Lothal, and the many Loth cats roaming around. Seeing Lothal, the Loth cats, and various citizens of Lothal who appeared in Rebels make their live-action debut in Ahsoka was really neat, and something really fun for me as a huge fan of Rebels. And this includes having Clancy Brown return as Ryder Azadi, a character he voiced in Rebels. Speaking of which, what about Eman Esfandi as Ezra Bridger? Well, I'm happy to report that he was excellent. Eman definitely felt like the character of Ezra leapt out of animation and into live-action, and he was just fantastic. 

            But, the big highlight of the series is an episode where Ahsoka is on a spirit quest with the spirit of her old master, Anakin Skywalker. Having Hayden Christensen return as Anakin, and seeing him alongside a younger version of Ahsoka, played brilliantly by Ariana Greenblatt, through moments during the Clone Wars. Actually getting to see Anakin in his Clone Wars attire in a live-action project, and especially to see it worn by Hayden Christensen himself, is something of a dream come true for me, and is something I'm glad to have seen in my lifetime. 

           Let's be clear, this series is full of an service for fans of both The Clone Wars and Rebels. And that is definitely apparent with nods to many elements of both animated series like the Night Sisters of Dathomir, direct name drops of Asajj Ventress, appearances of characters like Captain Rex, and references to events seen in both The Clone Wars and Rebels. Now, if you didn't watch either series, it's fine. But, if you did watch one of, or both of, The Clone Wars and Rebels, then you're going to get the references easily. 

         All in all, Dave Filoni made an absolutely fantastic series with Ahsoka, and I am now even more excited for his upcoming Star Wars movie, which is said to be the culmination of all of the Disney+ series tied to The Mandalorian, including both Ahsoka and The Book of Boba Fett. I'm giving Ahsoka a rating of 5/5, and I highly recommend checking in out. 

        Anyway guys, this is Chuck signing off, and I'll see you guys next time.