Review of Ahsoka Episode 1 and 2: “Does Right By the Cherished Star Wars Hero”

Ahsoka Tano’s highly anticipated live-action series is finally here, and it does justice to this beloved Star Wars hero. After making her first appearance in The Mandalorian, Ahsoka Tano, played by Rosario Dawson, briefly appeared in The Book of Boba Fett. Now, she gets her own show that explores her story further.

Set around the same time as The Mandalorian season 3, the series follows Ahsoka as she learns about the return of the last remaining Imperial Admiral, Thrawn. In the opening episode, she sets out to find a map that will lead her to Thrawn and potentially save her fallen comrade, Ezra Bridger. To accomplish this mission, she enlists the help of familiar faces from the Filoni-verse, Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo).

The first two episodes of the series focus on the dynamic between master and apprentice, a key theme in the Star Wars universe. We see Sabine struggling with her identity as both a Jedi-in-training and a Mandalorian, while Ahsoka’s unflappable demeanor starts to crack under Sabine’s rebellious energy. These scenes are brought to life by the excellent performances of the cast and the direction of Dave Filoni.

However, it’s worth noting that the show relies heavily on the animated series, The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, for its backstory. Viewers who are not familiar with these series may miss some of the emotional beats and references in the show. Nonetheless, the live-action debut manages to introduce new elements and enemies, such as lightsaber-wielding mercenaries Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) and Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno), while still keeping the subtext accessible to all.

The world-building in the series is impressive, capturing the tone and familiarity of the wider Star Wars cinematic universe. The attention to detail is evident in the introduction of the adorable Loth-cat, which is sure to become a fan-favorite. However, the dense world-building and the need to condense a lot of history into two episodes can lead to some pacing issues and limited character development for certain characters.

Nevertheless, Ahsoka represents a groundbreaking moment for the women of Star Wars. This franchise has always had strong female characters, but Ahsoka, Sabine, and Hera are given the space to lead a story like never before. The opening episodes establish the depth and complexity of these characters, making it a special and moving experience for fans.

Overall, the Ahsoka series is off to a promising start and leaves viewers excited to see where the journey across the stars will take these beloved characters. Ahsoka is a must-watch for any Star Wars fan and will be available on Disney Plus starting August 22 in the US and August 23 in the UK.