Credit: LucasfilmThe upcoming Star Wars: Ahsoka show is already being hyped by fans and critics. But perhaps no one is as excited to see the fan-favorite Padawan-turned-Rebel back in action as this Star Wars veteran.
Ahsoka made waves in the Star Wars fandom following her introduction in the animated action flick Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008). Initially, her character (voiced by Ashley Eckstein) was met with a lukewarm reception from some fans, who were hesitant to see Ahsoka become the Padawan of Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker (Matt Lanter). But this massive retcon to the Prequel Trilogy gradually became one of the more favored aspects of the Clone Wars series, which fully fleshed out Anakin and Ahsoka’s Master-Padawan relationship over seven seasons. Of course, this culminated in the inevitable—and heartbreaking—conclusion seen in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), when Anakin falls to the dark side.
After cementing herself as a beloved franchise character, Ahsoka was largely featured in Disney XD’s Star Wars Rebels, where she fought alongside the Rebel crew of the starship Ghost. She then made the leap to live-action in the second season of The Mandalorian, with actor Rosario Dawson starring in the titular role. Since then, she’s made a brief cameo appearance in Episode 6 of The Book of Boba Fett and headed three episodes of the animated series Tales of the Jedi.
Needless to say, the solo Ahsoka show has easily become one of, if not the most anticipated, Star Wars projects following its announcement in December 2020. Slated to arrive on Disney+ in late summer 2023, plot details remain scarce, though fans certainly have their theories about what viewers can expect to see. And one Star Wars vet recently shared some interesting insight into Ahsoka‘s production.
While appearing on an episode of the Star Wars Sessions podcast, The Mandalorian stunt double actor Brendan Wayne opened up about the upcoming Ahsoka series and spilled on what could very well be the surprising inspiration for the show. During the interview, Wayne was happy to shower the forthcoming series with praise, hyping the show’s “flow and beauty” as well as “the presence Rosario as Ahsoka.”
Ahsoka, I know what Dave’s vision looks like, and we know that he loves the Samurai… End result, it’s gonna be beautiful, the way – God, I really don’t want to get everyone’s hopes up and they don’t feel the same way I do, but – it’s like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon the way that it hit me, the majesty, the tapestries, and the beautiful kind of, there was always this kind of billowing feel of movement, the samurai feel. I really do feel that that’s the presence Rosario as Ahsoka, and the presence of her, and the way she took to this role, and the way she attacked her physically, and the way her stunt doubles and everybody involved… Ahsoka is gonna have a flow and beauty that I cannot wait to see.
Coming from The Mandalorian co-creators Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau, both longtime fans of the Samurai genre, it’s not surprising that they would pull inspiration from the widely-loved Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) for the Ahsoka series. It’s no secret that George Lucas himself was roused by the works of Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa, whose timeless Samurai movies inspired Lucas to create Star Wars. Epic action sequences, selfless warriors, elements of mythology, and a connection to an unseen power or “force” are all elements that make both Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and Ahsoka, meaning fans are surely in for an action-packed adventure if Wayne’s comments are accurate.
Wayne certainly didn’t shy away from garnering the upcoming Ahsoka series with praise, and his comments promise an exciting and memorable journey for Star Wars fans. With this in mind, as well as Filoni’s previous remarks about the show being a “religious experience” for him, the expectations are indeed high for Ahsoka. If Lucasfilm can deliver, then it might end up being the most important Star Wars spinoff to date.
What do you think about Brendan Wayne comparing Ahsoka to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon? Let us know in the comments below.