The two part premiere of Ahsoka has started streaming on Disney+ today! Ahsoka Tano made her debut in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) movie voiced by Ashley Eckstein. This was released in theaters so it is technically the seventh Star Wars film. The film was made up of episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the computer animated series, which also begun that year. At age fourteen, she became the Padawan of Anakin Skywalker during a battle on Christophsis. Ahsoka wielded a green-bladed lightsaber and then added a shoto lightsaber with a yellow blade. She fought in the Jar’Kai style using the lightsabers. Ahsoka ultimately left the Jedi Order and gave her lightsabers to Anakin in “The Wrong Jedi” (2013) that was intended to be the series finale. This was not the end of her story, in Star Wars: Rebels, there was mention of an intelligence source named Fulcrum.
She helped the Spectres, the group consisting of Sabine Wren (Tiya Sircar), Hera Syndulla (Vanessa Marshall), Ezra Bridger (Taylor Gray). In “Fire Across the Galaxy” (2015), Ahsoka reveals herself to join the emerging Rebellion. Her lightsabers were now white which was explained in the novel, Ahsoka (2016), by E.K. Johnston. Anonymous after Order 66, Ahsoka finally confronts an Inquisitor, the Sixth Brother, and defeats him. She is able to transform his red-bladed lightsabers to white! Ahsoka realized that her former master, Anakin, was now Darth Vader and faced him in “Twilight of the Apprentice” (2016). This was at the Sith temple on Malachor. She sacrificed herself to save Ezra. Still, Ahsoka is a survivor, Ezra had found his way to “A World Between Worlds” (2018) in the Jedi Temple on Lothal. The conclusion of the Siege of Lothal had Ezra join Thrawn and be taken away by Purgils, whale-like creatures that can space warp.
Ahsoka re-appeared in The Mandalorian episode, "Chapter 13: The Jedi" (2020) dueling with Magistrate Morgan Elspeth to find information on Grand Admiral Thrawn.Ahsoka was on Ossus and met Din Djarin in The Book of Boba Fett, "Chapter 6: From The Desert Comes a Stranger" (2022). Ahsoka started with a two part episode, “Part One: Master and Apprentice” is written and directed by Dave Filoni. We get supspencful drumming as we see the logos in red. Stars. Then an opening crawl with red text. The Imperial Remnants are searching for Grand Admiral Thrawn. Ahsoka Tano has found a secret map. She is following the map as Morgan Elspeth is a prisoner headed to trail. Moody music, one of the best parts is Filoni bringing in Clone Wars and Rebels composer, Kevin Kiner!
An Eta-class shuttle confronts a prison ship and asks to see prisoner. Captain Hayle (Mark Rolston) agrees for them to land at the hangar and waits for them with security. I didn't recognize Rolston from Shawshank Redemption (1994)! Two dark robed figures emerge, they are not Jedi, which is what Captain Hayle says. He thinks they are former Imperials and stops the leader (Ray Stevenson) from going forward. Stevenson was also in RRR (2022) as Governor Buxton. Jakris, a Mon Calamari officer, is called to have RD-3 to scan them. The woman (Ivanna Sakho) cuts down the guards with her red lightsaber and uses the Force to knock away guards. The captain’s grip on his blaster is twisted by the leader. First Officer Jensen Corbyt (Shakira Barrera), her name isn't mentioned, gets the reports and takes out her blaster.
The strangers are reported to have split up. The door opens and the woman brings down her lightsaber! The guards try to run blasting at the intruder. The leader casually deflects their blaster fire and then uses a Force choke. He uses the Force to open the cell lock, the door opens revealing Morgan Elspeth (Diana Lee Inosanto) in yellow prison fatigues. He takes off his hood. Morgan holds out her arms, Baylan gestures, and the binders fall. He says he is well paid for his word. She says a Jedi knows about Thrawn and is looking for the map. Baylan asks who is she and Morgan tells him, “Ahsoka Tano.” Dusty wind blows past ruined columns of the world Arcana (new planet), the figure of Ahsoka appears, she walks towards a tall, almost crystal-shaped statue of a robed figure. She looks at a ceremonial circle half covered by black sand.
Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson) takes off her hood and this is the first time we fully see her face. Dawson recently also stars in Haunted Mansion. Ahsoka is a Togruta, an alien with two horn-like mortals that leads to head tails. She wears a brown tunic and boots. Ahsoka uses the Force to send out her lightsabers to carve a circle around her to drop Ahsoka down Underworld-style down to a dark chamber. At this point, viewers will need to be up to speed on Ahsoka. She sees carvings of robed aliens with black eyes, Jedi?, holding a metal ball, the map. Ahsoka goes to a white column with carvings, I’m getting Fifth Element vibes, her eyes are closed and she is running her hand on the column. She has turned the base of the column to activate mechanisms. Ahsoka turns the disc top and this reveals a glowing, gold ball in one of the reliefs.
She does the same with other two columns around the chamber. Now I had a sense of a Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) homage, finding an artifact in a dusty chamber. They sink into the floor and a triangular shaped column rises with a black shape in its center. Ahsoka is about to grab hold of it, but the shape crumbles into black sand. This reveals the gold ball, the Golden Snitch! Ahsoka contemplates it and uses her wrist comlink to contact Huyang (the voice of David Tennant who reprises the role). Tennant is also on the show Good Omens. Huyang was a droid professor introduced in the Clone Wars episode, "A Test of Strength" (2012). He was with Younglings with Ahsoka In "A Necessary Bond" (2012), but his fate was unknown until now. His signal is distorted, but the word “jammed” is heard.
She Force leaps upwards to find a red armored figure, an HK assassin droid with an electrostaff. They were seen working for Morgan in "Chapter 13: The Jedi." The droid approaches and Ahsoka ignites her lightsaber to warn it. She is told that they want the map. She leaps down and begins cutting holes to drop two of the assassin droids. Then, Ahsoka begins dueling the other droids, easily defeating them, the head of one droid is severed. It says to initiate “self-destruct protocol.” I was expecting a Predator-like explosion. Ahsoka starts to run and calls for Huyang and his shuttle. The destruction of the droids causes a firestorm that sweeps through the area. Ahsoka joins Huyang in the cockpit who was keeping the ship at a distance following Jedi protocol. She shows him the map globe and raps his metal chest, nice touch, saying she found it from Morgan.
Huyang gets a message from Home One, he uses the code name Fulcrum, the report is of an incident. Three X-Wings pass by New Republic ships, the T-6 shuttle comes out of warps and is cleared to land at Home One. The ship is a Mon Calamari flagship of Admiral Ackbar that we haven’t seen since Return of the Jedi. This part “feels” more like Star Wars than the so called “Sequel Trilogy” movies. At the landing bay, the familiar brown, bomber jacket is seen of Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) meeting Ahsoka. Winstead starred in the action movie, Kate (2021). Hera is a Twi'lek, green skinned, with two lekku, head tails. She is the ace pilot of flew the ship, Ghost in Rebels. She is now General Syndulla. Hera tells her that the prisoner has escaped. Huyang follows them. At a briefing room, just like in the Battle of Endor, a holo projector shows Baylan and his associate.
Hera reports that they took out the security and “scuttled” the new ship. The holo recording survived. They are unknown to Ahsoka. Huyang suggests that one could have been a Jedi. Ahsoka asks Huyang to copy the recording and match their lightsabers. Ahsoka hands the map to Hera saying it has the location of the last Grand Admiral. This is stunning because the Purgil are creatures can warp, their migratory patterns? At this point, I think only long time Star Warriors will be able to catch up with what is happening in Ahsoka. Hera can’t believe that Thrawn is alive. Ahsoka says she heard “whispers” about him leading her to Morgan. Hera is about to bring up Ezra. Huyang says that the map is locked and is unable to open it without a key. A Mon Calamari from the balcony asks General Syndulla for an update. Hera says there is one person who can help with the map, but Ahsoka is uncertain if she would help.
Ships fly towards Lothal City which is having a celebration. Governor Azadi (Clancy Brown reprising his voice over role in Rebels) announces that the Empire was defeated at Lothal thanks to Commander Ezra Bridger. Brown also was in Shawshank Redemption and is currently in the drama, Billions. He is dedicating a monument to Ezra and rebel leaders. The speaker introduces one of them, Commander Sabine Wren, he gestures to a wall that has the Lothal Jedi Temple painting. She is missing so he brings up Senator Jai Kell (Vinny Thomas). The character was an Imperial Academy cadet with Ezra who was in disguise. Kell escaped, he was found to be Force-sensitive, and helped defeat the Imperial forces. The governor uses his comlink to call for security to find her. On the highway outside of Lothal City, Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) is taking a speeder away from the city, her pink/red hair flies in the wind, her face is solemn. Bordizzo starred in the horror comedy, Day Shift (2022).
She is listening to a form of rock music. Two Spectre ships fly to her side. A pilot, Captain Porter (Matt Law), contacts her about the ceremony. The actress doesn’t seem like the reckless, young Sabine nor a New Republic officer. The other pilot, Callahan (Michele Weaver) lands her ship ahead of them. Sabine accelerates the speeder. The pilot leaves her fighter and Sabine slides the speeder underneath the ship in Fast and Furious fashion. Captain Porter pulls away his ship as Sabine heads towards the communication tower where we first saw Ezra. Inside the tower, Sabine greets a Loth-cat, she takes a bowl to feed her cat. Underneath a table is her Mandalorian helmet. In a box, Sabine takes out a Jedi imagecaster. She plays a final recording of Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi). The actor was in the drama, The Inspection (2022). He says he thinks of her as a sister and ends with “May the Force Be with You.”
The white haired woman walks the burning remains of the temple. She asks about it to Mogan Elspeth who says it was built by the Nightsisters of Dathomir! I was surprised that Morgan is a survivor, the people of Dathomir were almost wiped out by Count Dooku. Dathomir is interesting since it was created in the non-canon novel, The Courtship of Princess Leia (1994), by Dave Wolverton. It was made canon in the "Nightsisters" (2011) an episode of Clone Wars. It was the homeworld of Maul, rancors, and the Witches of Dathomir were strong in the Dark Side of the Force. It was made canon in Baylan says the map was destroyed or held by Ahsoka. Morgan sends the woman to Lothal and walks away. Baylan says that Lothal has the former apprentice of Ahsoka, Sabine! So Sabine was a Padawan to Ahsoka which we didn't see in Rebels, I suspect it is to find Ezra, but in not completing that quest, she left Ahsoka. Sunset at the tower, Sabine has a restless sleep, hearing the voice of Ezra. She is startled awake saying his name. Sabine sees a beeping alarm and then goes outside to see the T-6 shuttle and two X-Wings head to Lothal City. Governor Azadi is meeting with Ahsoka when they are joined by Sabine.
She mentions that not everyone was at the ceremony. Huyang greets her and then goes to the ship. Azadi is about to leave and tells her that she has to listen to Ahsoka. They are both wary and guarded. Ahsoka holds up the map globe and tells her that they can find Ezra. Sabine has memories of her bunk in the shuttle with her drawings on the wall just like her bunk at the tower. I’m going to assume they were drawn by Dave Filoni. Ahsoka says that she found the map on Arcana that was used by the Witches of Dathomir. She activates a conference table that rises up and Sabine starts to analyze it, thinking that there would be a key. Ahsoka activates a holo scan of the temple made by Huyang. Sabine asks where she stays and Ahsoka replies that it stays on the ship. It seems there is a rift between master and apprentice. This instantly brings to mind, Ahsoka talking to Din and Luke Skywalker. Huyang interrupts them. Ahsoka tells Sabine that the map has to stay in the ship.
In a side room, Huyang reveals that he had taught lightsaber construction and has identified one of the lightsabers as belonging to Baylan Skoll. The other would mean an apprentice and that Ahsoka may not be able to handle two of them alone. Ahsoka goes to talk with Sabine who is gone. She rides her speeder from Lothal City, a globular probe droid scans her, and then like the one that reported to Darth Maul goes to the cloaked woman. It is dangerous, but I’m thinking Sabine has something that will unlock the map. She projects the holo map onto a table and then starts to go through some charts. A map to a missing Jedi? This makes me think of Force Awakens. The Favreau and Filoni series have a way of weaving in all eras of Star Wars. Ahsoka discusses the situation with a holo projection of General Syndulla. Ahsoka says Sabine is stubborn and Hera counters that she is Mandalorian. Where we last saw Ahsoka, she seemed to be thoughtful in the training of Grogu, but doesn’t seem to have succeeded with Sabine. Ahsoka says she didn’t finish her training with Anakin and walked away from him and the Jedi Order like she did with Sabine.
At her tower room, Sabine contemplates the three figures, the triple interlaced symbol from the temple chamber is seen also on the map globe. She starts to turn it like a Rubik’s Cube, also like the cryptex in The Da Vinci Code, book and movie. Sabine gets the right combination and it starts to glow. The map hovers and then projects a map of the galaxy and then another galaxy with a location. Her Lothal Cat growls and Sabine rolls away from blaster fire from the droid soldier. She is pinned by another droid as the droid goes to take the map and bash up computers. Sabine is able to get the droid’s blaster free and calls for Huyang! She sees that the map is gone and finds under the table her lightsaber! Sabine runs out to find the woman and droid. She activates her green-bladed lightsaber. A very good lightsaber battle, but I could tell Sabine is not as skilled. A great dedication to Ray Stevenson at the end of this part. Ahsoka is the best of Star Wars with a fan favorite character and the continuation of the Star Wars: Rebels story!
Five Lightsabers out of Five!
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