Ahsoka Tano is back. When Ahsoka Tano was first introduced into the Star Wars franchise, she was Anakin Skywalker’s Padawan learner. Now, fifteen years after her debut, she embarks on a new quest that brings her into a new conflict.
The 8th of April saw the release of Star Wars’ newest trailer which marked the return of everyone’s favourite, Force-wielding Tortuga. Set several years after the events of The Return of the Jedi and Star Wars: Rebels, Ahsoka’s search for a missing friend is threatened by emerging adversaries. Developed by Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, Ahsoka is a spinoff of the Mandalorian series. Furthermore, it also acts as a continuation to the animated series Star Wars: Rebels.
“Something is coming. Something dark. I sense it.”
Ahsoka’s statement in the trailer in regards to the coming conflict.
Ahsoka’s return
Ahsoka Tano (voiced by Ashley Eckstein) made her introduction in Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) animated film to mixed reviews from critics. However, her growth in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008-2020) television show changed opinions with many considering her to be a strong female character and one of the most influential and well-developed characters of the Star Wars universe. The former Jedi made her first live-action debut in season 2 of The Mandalorian (2020), played by Rosario Dawson. Dawson’s Ahsoka would also make a short appearance in The Book of Boba Fett (2021).
During the 2022 Star Wars Celebration, Dawson said what playing as Ahsoka meant to her.
“Embodying a character, literally, physically, every single day, has brought on a whole other level of experience to working on a project, and bringing a character to life,” she explained. “It’s changing me.”
She continued: “So often, I take pieces from a character, and then I inject so much of myself in to things of my own experience and what I have to draw from. But this is absolutely going in the other direction and she is so influencing me. It’s just been so powerful to be on that journey, to be taken along with it; it’s not something I could have hoped for, or dreamed of, so it’s really out of this world.”
Sabine Wren, Hera Syndulla and Ezra Bridger
Ahsoka Tano is not alone. Joining her is graffiti, loving Mandalorian warrior Sabine Wren, a character introduced in Rebels who will be portrayed by Natasha Liu Bordizzo in the upcoming show. Also making a comeback is Hera Syndulla, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, general of the New Republic and captain of the Ghost Crew. Young Jedi Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi) is confirmed to be returning as well.
David Tennant will also return as Huyang, a lightsaber crafting droid who debuted in Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008-2020).
This show can also expect an appearance from Anakin Skywalker. Portrayed by Matt Lanter in the animated shows, Hayden Christensen is to return to play the character for the seventh time.
Lars Mikkelsen as Grand Admiral Thrawn
The show also marks the live-action debut of Grand Admiral Thrawn, portrayed by Lars Mikkelsen, a strategic imperial admiral. Mikkelsen previously portrayed the character in Star Wars: Rebels. Ahsoka is confirmed to be looking for him in The Mandalorian due to him being a potential link to finding Ezra Bridger. Ahsoka refers to him as ‘heir to the empire’ in the trailer. This is a reference to the now non-canon ‘Heir to the Empire’ novel, in which Thrawn made his debut after Palpatine’s demise.
Thrawn is not the only bad guy that we will be seeing in this upcoming limited series. Ray Stevenson and Ivanna Sahkno will appear as a pair of dark Jedi, Baylan Skoll and Shin Hat. They serve as enemies to Ahsoka though how they come into conflict is not yet clear. Furthermore it is noteworthy that they both wield orange lightsabers, something not seen before in mainstream canon. The trailer shows that Ahsoka and Baylan will duel each other at some point.
Ahsoka will start streaming come August on Disney+.
See the trailer below:
Subscribe to FIB’s Weekly Breaking News Report for your weekly dose of music, fashion and pop culture news!
