The Disney+ show "Ahsoka" is the culmination of decades of "Star Wars" storytelling.
Here's how the series brings together the animated “Rebels" saga and the ongoing tale
of “The Mandalorian.”
Before "Ahsoka" premieres, it might be a good idea to do a little research on the Force
user who lends the show its name.
"Star Wars" fans who have only watched the franchise's live-action movies and TV shows
might not have been too familiar with Ahsoka Tano prior to her appearances in "The Mandalorian"
and "The Book of Boba Fett," but the character has actually been around for quite a while.
She first appeared as Anakin Skywalker's padawan in the "Clone Wars" movie, and then was a
regular on the animated series "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and "Star Wars: Rebels."
Anakin is initially hesitant to train her, but he agrees after she impresses him by saving
his life during a fight.
All is well in Ahsoka's Jedi training until she is framed for the bombing of the Jedi
Temple, after which she is stripped of her padawan status and thrown out of the Jedi
Order.
Anakin works to prove her innocence, which he does.
Ahsoka is then invited to rejoin the order, but she declines.
Ahsoka then fought for the Rebellion under the alias Fulcrum.
During her time fighting for the Rebellion, Ahsoka faces Vader and confirms that he is
her former master before narrowly escaping with her life.
Ahsoka also comes across Grand Admiral Thrawn, who disappeared with her friend, the Jedi
Ezra Bridger.
The character first appeared in live action in Season 2, Episode 5 of "The Mandalorian,"
where she revealed Baby Yoda's real name.
"Grogu."
Ahsoka then pops up again in Season 1, Episode 6 of "The Book of Boba Fett" to meet with
Luke Skywalker before once again stepping away from the Jedi Order to go on her own
journey.
2023 has been an exciting year for "Star Wars" fans.
Din Djarin returned in all his beskar-plated glory in "The Mandalorian" Season 3.
Then in April, at "Star Wars" Celebration in London, producers announced we'd be getting
three brand new movies in the franchise, including one that will feature the return of Daisy
Ridley and one that will focus on the birth of the Force.
That's all on top of the debut of "Ahsoka," the first episode of which hits Disney+ on
August 23.
The show will consist of eight episodes, which will most likely air weekly.
So viewers can expect to be watching the series finale in late September or early October.
While there is no guarantee, it is possible that the first two episodes of the series
may drop at the same time, as they did for the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" series in 2022.
However, "The Mandalorian'' and "The Book of Boba Fett" — which are more closely linked
with "Ahsoka" — only premiered with one episode per season, so that's probably more
likely.
"Ahsoka" is a very layered series, with villains coming at the titular character on multiple
fronts.
She will simultaneously face Baylon Skoll and Shin Hati, whose motives are unknown.
And then there's Grand Admiral Thrawn, whom she is seeking out.
Of course, many plot details for "Ahsoka" are being kept under wraps, but we do know
quite a bit about Ahsoka's mission to find Thrawn.
Back in the second season of "The Mandalorian," Ahsoka confronted the villainous Magistrate
Morgan Elsbeth and asked where she could find Thrawn.
"Where is Grand Admiral Thrawn?"
In the first trailer for "Ahsoka," there's a very quick glimpse of that blue-skinned
baddie who resembles Thrawn quite a bit.
For those not in the know, Thrawn hails from a series of novels written by Timothy Zahn,
where he's a brilliant leader who commands what's left of the Empire and fights back
against the New Republic.
The character made his TV debut in the animated series "Star Wars: Rebels," in which he disappeared
alongside Ezra Bridger.
Not everyone seems to be as wary of Thrawn as Ahsoka.
Teasing what viewers can expect from Ahsoka's mission, Rosario Dawson, who plays Ahsoka,
told IGN:
"She sees a threat other people aren't seeing.
He's formidable, not somebody to take lightly.
She has a sense that there's something, she knows that these foes are not easily dismissed."
With the help of Mandalorian Sabine Wren, Ahsoka plans to hunt Thrawn down while also
searching for Ezra.
Rosario Dawson appeared as Ahsoka Tano in both "The Mandalorian" and "The Book of Boba
Fett," replacing voice actress Ashley Eckstein, who voiced the character on "Clone Wars" and
"Rebels."
Dawson was a big deal long before entering the "Star Wars" universe, making a name for
herself in projects including "Kids," "Clerks II," "Death Proof," and "Daredevil."
Playing Ahsoka is clearly the role of a lifetime for Dawson, though.
The actor told Vanity Fair that it's a part she hopes to hold on to for a long time to
come, saying,
"As long as they want me, and as long as it's possible, I'm in it."
Dawson's desire to play the former Jedi does not seem to be just because of the fame she'll
get from the "Star Wars" universe, but because she genuinely cares about and relates to her
character.
In an interview with IGN, Dawson discussed what drives Ahsoka.
She noted that even though Ahsoka isn't a Jedi anymore, that desire to do good and be
of service still remains a part of her.
We begin to see this in "The Mandalorian," when she frees the people of Corvus from the
control of Magistrate Morgan Elsbeth.
Ray Stevenson plays a major villain in "Ahsoka," a Force-wielding Dark Jedi by the name of
Baylan Skoll.
The trailer makes clear that Baylan is going to face off against Ahsoka at least once,
and Ivanna Sakhno's Shin Hati is going to be working closely by his side.
Although this part would appear to be just another in a long, long list of fantasy, action,
and adventure roles Stevenson has played — including Titus Pullo in "Rome," Blackbeard in "Black
Sails," Othere in "Vikings," and Volstagg in "Thor," to name just a few — it's a role
he was very excited about.
Stevenson gushed to Entertainment Weekly about every aspect of the show's production, from
the writing to the set design to the stunt team.
He said,
"You can't wait to get back to set and see what's going to be revealed that day."
What excited him the most was the twists and turns of his and Shin's storyline.
He teased that it will constantly keep viewers guessing.
Unfortunately Stevenson died before he could see everyone's hard work come together.
The Guardian reported that he was taken to the hospital and treated for an undisclosed
illness while filming a project called "Cassino in Ischia" on the Italian island.
The Northern Irish actor died shortly after on May 21, 2023.
Ahsoka isn't the only character from "Star Wars: Rebels" who will appear in live action
in the new series.
Natasha Liu Bordizzo — who you might recognize from projects including "Day Shift" and "The
Greatest Showman" — will star as the Mandalorian warrior Sabine Wren.
Mary Elizabeth Winstead — who you've no doubt seen in things like "Scott Pilgrim vs.
the World," "10 Cloverfield Lane," and Season 3 of "Fargo" — will play Twi'lek pilot Hera
Syndulla.
Eman Esfandi of "The Inspection" and "King Richard" will be portraying Ezra Bridger,
a Jedi who's been missing ever since "Star Wars: Rebels."
The robotic Huyang, who's long trained Jedi on how to build lightsabers, will be voiced
by the one and only David Tennant, who actually won an Emmy for portraying the character in
"The Clone Wars."
"Andor" alum Genevieve O'Reilly will yet again play Mon Mothma, the leader of the Rebel Alliance.
On the dark side, Ivanna Sakhno of "Pacific Rim: Uprising" will play the deadly Shin Hati,
who takes down anyone in her way.
Lars Mikkelsen will also reprise the role of Grand Admiral Thrawn.
The Danish actor — and brother of Mads Mikkelsen — voiced Thrawn in "Rebels," and you may
have also seen him in projects such as "Sherlock" and "House of Cards."
He'll be joined here by Wes Chatham of "The Expanse," playing his No. 1 lackey.
We also know that Diana Lee Inosanto will reprise her role as Morgan Elsbeth after losing
her duel with Ahsoka in "The Mandalorian."
George Lucas was the driving creative force behind the "Star Wars" franchise for decades,
but ever since he sold the franchise to Disney in 2012, others have taken the helm, including
Jon Favreau, J.J.
Abrams, Kathleen Kennedy, and a man who's had a huge impact on how fans view the franchise:
Dave Filoni.
He directed the animated "Clone Wars" movie, oversaw the "Clone Wars" series, created "Star
Wars: Rebels," and has been one of the executive producers of "The Mandalorian."
Filoni will also be a major figure when it comes to "Ahsoka," serving as showrunner.
He's executive-producing, writing all the episodes, and even directing a few himself.
Ahsoka Tano is a character dear to Filoni's heart; after all, he co-created the Togruta
Force-user with George Lucas.
Many fans would argue he's the only person to bring her story to the screen and do it
justice, so we can't wait to see what Filoni has in store for this next chapter in the
"Star Wars" saga.
This is a monumental moment, not just for Ahsoka's character and the franchise, but
for Filoni on a personal level.
He's spent years of his life creating, developing, and sculpting the character of Ahsoka Tano,
and helming this TV show is a dream moment in his career.
He told The Hollywood Reporter,
"Writing and directing and collaborating on this type of thing with so many people is
just the top of the mountain for me at this point."
One man created all of the early "Star Wars" music: composer John Williams.
But many others have followed in his footsteps in recent years, including Kevin Kiner, who
will compose the score for Ahsoka.
This is not Kiner's first foray into the music of the "Star Wars" universe by any means.
Kiner says he was inspired by Williams' work early on in his career, and he went on to
compose the music for the animated series "The Clone Wars," "Rebels," "The Bad Batch,"
and "Tales of the Jedi."
Over the years he's put his own spin on the "Star Wars" sound by introducing a lot of
percussion — initially under George Lucas' instructions — and focusing on electronic
sound.
Working on "Ahsoka" is a full-circle moment for Kiner.
The theme song for Ahsoka's character was the first project he worked on for Dave Filoni
and George Lucas.
He explained to CineConcerts,
"I remember writing for that theme and I used [a] Japanese flute called a shakuhachi just
trying to feel her femininity but her strength, there's this light and there's a Darkness
to her and there's both of that in her theme you know?
[...] There were so many elements I was trying to put in Ahsoka's theme and I'm really proud
of Ahsoka's theme."
As mentioned, Dave Filoni is directing three of the show's eight episodes.
For the other five, Steph Green, Peter Ramsey, Jennifer Getzinger, Geeta Patel, and Rick
Famuyiwa will take turns sitting in the director's chair, and they each bring with them a wealth
of experience in the action and sci-fi genres.
Steph Green is fresh off directing the second episode of "The Book of Boba Fett," so she'll
be ready to hit the ground running with "Ahsoka."
Her other directorial credits include episodes of shows including "Watchmen," "Dare Me,"
and "Luke Cage."
Similarly, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" co-director Peter Ramsey's latest gig was
directing an episode of "The Mandalorian," the fifth episode of the third season, which
saw multiple separate storylines playing out at once.
He could be set to tackle a similar setup midway through "Ahsoka."
Frequent Marvel TV director Jennifer Getzinger brings vast experience, working on female-led
TV shows like "Agent Carter," "Good Girls Revolt," "Jessica Jones," and "Dead to Me."
She's helped to shape fierce characters including Peggy Carter, Jessica Jones, and Jen Harding,
so Getzinger's episode will no doubt showcase Ahsoka's inner strength.
Geeta Patel has similar experience, having also directed episodes of "Dead to Me," as
well as episodes of sci-fi dramas like Marvel's "Runaways" and HBO's hit "Game of Thrones"
prequel, "House of the Dragon."
Rounding out the directorial list is "The Mandalorian" executive producer and director
Rick Famuyiwa, who will no doubt have a handle on how "Ahsoka" fits into the bigger picture
of the "Mando-Verse."
It's official, Hayden Christensen is returning for another fight.
He was last seen in "Obi-Wan Kenobi," but it makes sense that he's returning again since
he and Ahsoka have a history.
Many years have passed since Obi-Wan's adventure to save Princess Leia, and now Ahsoka knows
Darth Vader's identity, having faced him previously in "Star Wars: Rebels.”
Although Christensen hasn't let on much about his upcoming appearance, he previously teased
how excited he was about his expanding role, so viewers should expect a lot more than a
one-off appearance.
Along with Christensen, there are a few other characters from the "Mando-Verse" who might
also appear, since they have a connection to and share the same timeline as Ahsoka.
These include Katee Sackhoff's Bo-Katan Kryze and Pedro Pascal's Din Djarin.
Temuera Morrison as Ahsoka's clone trooper buddy Captain Rex could also make an appearance,
with the actor having previously starred in "The Book of Boba Fett."
"Ahsoka" showrunner Dave Filoni admitted that for many years, creating this "Star Wars"
series seemed like a dream that would never happen.
But eventually, he started working on it for real, and he's been planning, writing, and
rewriting Ahsoka Tano's story ever since.
Unsurprisingly, her story has changed over time, and this is partly because of all the
new entries into the "Star Wars" universe that have helped bring "Ahsoka" to life.
He told Empire,
"I never would have imagined that it was sprung from a branch of a tree that had anything
to do with a guy [like] Din Djarin, or a child that looks like Yoda.
[But] it's a great lesson for me on how, when you have other creatives like Jon Favreau,
they can help lend such dimension and depth to what you're doing."
Filoni credits Favreau, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, and director Rian Johnson
for helping guide him through this process, which has ultimately shaped Ahsoka's journey.
Ahsoka Tano's appearance in "The Mandalorian" is set up in a way that leads viewers to believe
she will be the one who will train Grogu.
However, after spending a few days with him and seeing how he interacts with his surrogate
father, she says she cannot be the one to train the child.
Ahsoka instead offers a vague promise that another Jedi will reach out and offer to take
Grogu as a padawan.
Although that ends up being Luke Skywalker, Ahsoka was originally the one "The Mandalorian"
creator Jon Favreau wanted as Grogu's mentor.
Dave Filoni had to put his foot down on this plan, though.
There's a very specific reason that Ahsoka turned Grogu away.
He revealed to Empire magazine,
"I was telling Jon that as much as I wanted to have Ahsoka in the show, she can't take
this kid on.
That's just not what I have planned."
"Ahsoka" picks up after the finale of "Star Wars: Rebels," with the last scenes of the
animated series being recreated in live-action.
Given that, it was impossible for Ahsoka to take on Grogu's training and continue her
own personal mission.
She's still dealing with the aftermath of facing Vader, Grand Admiral Thrawn's looming
ascent to power, and Ezra's disappearance, storylines that will continue in the upcoming
series.
Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau have made it clear that they want anyone to be able to jump in
and watch their "Star Wars" shows without having seen other shows or movies before.
However, they also revealed that Ahsoka is going to be a reward for longtime "Star Wars"
fans who are invested in the franchise.
Although the exact time period of "Ahsoka" hasn't been confirmed, it makes sense that
the series would follow Ahsoka's appearances in "The Mandalorian" and its sister Boba Fett
series.
That places the show in the New Republic era, but as "The Mandalorian" has proven, that
doesn't mean it's a time of peace.
And in the trailer, the titular character teases that she has heard rumors of Grand
Admiral Thrawn becoming the "heir to the Empire."
The Imperial Remnant is strengthening, and it looks like Ahsoka is going to be thrown
right into the middle of it.
Jon Favreau told IGN,
"These are characters with a lot of political implications to what's happening in the meta-narrative
in Star Wars, and those characters and these storylines start to demand that you deal with
larger forces and bigger trends within that time period."
So viewers can expect the series to have bigger ramifications for the "Star Wars" universe,
rather than be a completely self-contained story.
All eyes are on Dave Filoni as Disney+ gears up to release "Ahsoka" in the summer of 2023.
According to the showrunner, viewers should get ready to have their minds blown.
According to star Rosario Dawson in an interview with The Laughing Place, Filoni has equated
watching the series with "a religious experience" after seeing one of the episodes edited together.
Filoni told Empire that what makes "Ahsoka" so special is her ability to bridge that gap
between the "Star Wars" movies and the animated series.
He said,
"There's a whole bunch of audience [members] that know her and a whole bunch that don't.
She has one foot in the 'Star Wars' that a lot of people know because of her connection
to Anakin, and yet she's all new and can go in her own direction, in her own way."
And Filoni is doing just that, making "Ahsoka" essential summer viewing.
One other important thing to note about the show is that it's being billed as a limited
series.
So while we will undoubtedly see a lot of action, viewers should expect quite a lot
of resolution too.
Hopefully, that means the Ezra and Sabine reunion that "Rebels" fans are hoping for
will play out in the live-action series.