As Jyn Erso said in the surprisingly awesome Rogue One, “Rebellions are built on hope.” Hope is a paramount element of Star Wars lore. So, while my expectations are low — burnt from previous Star Wars outings that missed the mark — I have hope that Ahsoka will succeed and prove to be a series worthy of the character.
Ahsoka is a rare success of a Star Wars character. First introduced in the animated Clone Wars series, she’s developed a passionate fanbase. While other newly introduced characters, like Rey (Daisey Ridley) and Finn (John Boyega), have been met with harsh judgement and disdain, Ahsoka has seemingly sidestepped the barrage of online hatred and rose to the top ranks of a very vocal fandom. Her leap from animation to live-action was a highlight of The Mandalorian‘s second season. Her standalone series premiers on August 22. I was provided early screeners for the first two episodes, and I fear Ahsoka may suffer a similar fate to past Star Wars series attempts.
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Ahsoka Plot
Rosario Dawson brings the fan favorite Jedi to life. Ahsoka is determined to bring Grand Admiral Thrwan to justice. The Grand Admiral in the Imperial Navy is presumed dead, however the death was never confirmed and Ahsoka isn’t willing to take the chance. In order to find him she’ll have to rely on the help of her trusted droid and allies like Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) while trying to stay one step ahead of Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) and his apprentice Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno).
The Critique
I grew up on Star Wars, wholly and unflinchingly consumed by the action figures, the video games and the holy trinity: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. I vividly remember my dad taking me to see Phantom Menage opening weekend. He fell asleep and rattled the seats with his thunderous snores; however, I was fully immersed in Anakin’s journey from Jedi Padawan to Sith Lord. While my love for the series hasn’t wavered, it has certainly been tested.
Disney+ has done more damage than good to the Star Wars name. While The Mandalorian was received with praise and fan fervor during its first two seasons, that good will was quickly lost as The Book of Boba Fett failed to launch the same level of excitement. Looking at Ahsoka’s first two episodes — as that is all I was provided — it’s difficult to tell which side of the bar the series will land on. There are moments of greatness, especially within the first twenty-minutes of the pilot episode. However, those moments are often followed by a lull in momentum and a pace slower than Jabba the Hutt.
We begin with an iconic Star Wars text scroll, and that overall feeling of classic Star Wars remains through both episodes. In fact, Ahsoka feels more like the Galaxy far, far away than any of the previous series we’ve gotten on the streamer. But it takes more than just the visual and tonal stylings of the classic to elevate the show and make it feel like a story worth telling. It’s the inclusion of some fantastic — yet short lived — lightsaber duels and an amazing performance from Ray Stevenson that give me the most hope here. Stevenson — whom tragically passed away earlier this year — is menacing without effort, delivering an understated and stoic villain.
So far it’s a typical “fetch journey.” Characters chasing after — and fighting over — a McGuffin that is used to propel the story forward. Here, that McGuffin is a map with the possible whereabouts of Grand Admiral Thrawn. However, it doesn’t really matter what the item is, as it could be anything. The same lazy approach was utilized in The Rise of Skywalker and was met with mixed reactions. While some appreciated the fan-service it delivered, other (like myself) felt cheated by it’s rushed and generic conclusion.
In Conclusion
While it’s too early to tell which fate Ahsoka is destined for I’m eagerly hoping it finds its way to the light side. The first two episodes show it has the potential; however, if the Disney+ track record tells us anything, it’s that there is a strong likelihood for a fumbled execution. The biggest hurdle the series seems to have so far is its pacing and its lack of developed characters. Good luck, Ahsoka. May the force be with you.
6/10
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