Top 7 Things to Look Forward to In the ‘Star Wars: Ahsoka’ Show

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Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) with lightsabers out

Credit: Lucasfilm

In December 2020, Star Wars announced they would expand their roster of Disney+ originals with the upcoming Ahsoka series. One of the franchise’s most eagerly-anticipated projects to date, the show has the potential to gain back disgruntled Star Wars skeptics’ trust after the misfire of last year’s Obi-Wan Kenobi and 2021’s The Book of Boba Fett.

With so much at stake, here’s a list of the top 7 things fans can look forward to seeing in Ahsoka when it debuts on Disney+ this Fall.

Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka in The Mandalorian Season 2
Credit: Lucasfilm

Star Wars and the “Mando-Verse”?

What is the “Mando-Verse”?

In Star Wars, the Mandalorian Universe, affectionally dubbed the “Mando-Verse,” generally refers to three live-action Disney+ series: The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and The Book of Boba FettMost, if not all, of these characters are interconnected, with storylines from certain shows leading into others. Each series takes place roughly during the same point on the Star Wars timeline—five years after Star Wars Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983), or in the year 9 ABY.

din djarin (front) and boba fett (back) in book of boba fett finale battle
Credit: Lucasfilm

What is the future of the “Mando-Verse”?

There is potential for the “Mando-Verse” to expand with the upcoming Jude Law-led Skeleton Crew, which follows a group of children lost in space. At this year’s Star Wars Celebration Europe, Lucasfilm creative head Dave Filoni also confirmed that a “Mando-Verse” movie was in the works, an epic crossover event that will bring together key figures from each of the series and wrap up the “Mando-Verse” as a whole.

Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano (left) and Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin/Mandalorian
Credit: Lucasfilm

Ahsoka In Live-Action

Who is Ahsoka Tano?

Ahsoka Tano is a Togruta, Force-sensitive character created by Filoni. She made her debut in the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars movie back in 2008, where she was voiced by Ashley Eckstein. After making her introduction in the film, Ahsoka was also a main character in the long-running series of the same name. In the series, Ahsoka is the former padawan of ex-Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker (voiced by Matt Lanter). Known for wielding two lightsabers in the Jar’Kai form, Ahsoka proved herself a capable warrior and talented Jedi. Her story is central to the Clone Wars story, and although her arc initially got off to a rocky start, Ahsoka gradually became a fan-favorite character over the show’s seven seasons.

Ahsoka Tano in "A Friend in Need" in The Clone Wars
Credit: Lucasfilm

Ultimately, Ahsoka chose to leave the Jedi Order in Season 5 of The Clone Wars after being falsely accused of bombing the temple on Coruscant. However, she briefly returned to help her former master and her trusted mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi (James Arnold-Taylor), towards the end of the war, only to bear witness to the atrocities of Order 66. Ahsoka would go on to join the Rebel Alliance and featured heavily in the animated Star Wars Rebels series, where she fought alongside the crew of the Ghost. Her solo series will pick up after the events of the Rebels finale.

Watch the official teaser trailer for Disney+’s Ahsoka below:

When did Ahsoka First Appear In Live-Action?

Fans were delighted to see Ahsoka finally make her live-action debut in The Mandalorian “Chapter 13: The Jedi,” portrayed by Rosario Dawson. Prior to her cameo in the series, Dawson was a popular “fancast” for live-action Ahsoka amongst fans online, and show creators almost immediately singled her out as their top pick for the role. In the episode, fans got a taste of what Ahsoka’s been up to since Rebels—tracking down Grand Admiral Thrawn. Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) asks for her to train Grogu in the ways of the Jedi, but she refuses. We later saw Ahsoka and Luke Skywalker come on-screen together for the first time in The Book of Boba Fett, a bittersweet interaction for fans of both the Prequel and Original Trilogies.

Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) in The Mandalorian Season 2
Credit: Lucasfilm

Top 7 Things to Look Forward to In Ahsoka

Thrawn’s Introduction

It goes without saying that the live-action debut of fan-favorite Star Wars villain Grand Admiral Thrawn is perhaps the most anticipated aspect of the Ahsoka show. Thrawn was first introduced to Star Wars in the novel “Heir to the Empire” by Timothy Zahn in 1991. He’s since made his way to TV canon in Rebels. Voiced by Lars Mikkelsen in the animated show, it was recently confirmed at Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023 that the actor would reprise his role for Ahsoka. 

Lars Mikkelsen as Thrawn in Ahsoka
Credit: Lucasfilm

The character is set to have a significant role in the series as the primary antagonist and will likely go face-to-face with Ahsoka and the crew of the starship Ghost. While his exact intentions remain unknown, Thrawn’s clearly up to no good. He could be playing the long game, secretly attempting to seize control of the remnants of the Empire. This was teased in the latest episode of The Mandalorian, where we saw Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) meet with the Shadow Council, a deep state advisory council dedicated to reviving the Empire. Either way, his presence will pose many problems throughout the show.

Live-Action Star Wars Rebels Characters

In addition to Thrawn, nearly the entire cast of Rebels is geared up to make the leap from animation to live-action in Ahsoka. Casting for Hera Syndulla, Sabine Wren, Ezra Bridger, and Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios have all been confirmed, with each character set to be portrayed by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Eman Esfandi, and Steve Blum, respectively. Of course, the gang wouldn’t be complete without Chopper, the loyal astromech droid that belongs to the Lothal rebels. There might also be some surprise character appearances in Ahsoka, such as Temuera Morrison finally stepping into the role of Captain Rex, or Hera and Kanan Jarrus’s (Freddie Prinze Jr.) son, Jacen, making his live-action debut.

Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Sabine Wren in Ahsoka
Credit: Lucasfilm

The World Between Worlds

One of the most intriguing aspects of Rebels is its inclusion of magic and exploration of mystical Force lore. This was exemplified by the character of Bendu (Tom Baker), a Force-sensitive entity who resided on the remote planet of Atollon and claimed to represent the center of the Force between the Light Side and the Dark. The series also introduced other strange ways the Force can manifest into physical spaces, such as the World Between Worlds, a liminal plane so imbued with the Force that anyone who could exercise conscious control over it would be the most powerful person in the galaxy.

world between worlds
Credit: Lucasfilm

As Rebels fans remember, Ahsoka was stuck in the World Between Worlds following her duel with Darth Vader. It’s been long rumored that the Ahsoka show will pick up on the open threads left by this storyline. We might even see Ahsoka attempting to access the Portal—exposing her to alternate dimensions and different time periods throughout Star Wars history.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Flashbacks

If the World Between Worlds opens up the possibility of time travel in Star Wars, there’s a chance we may get to see flashbacks to Ahsoka’s padawan training at the Jedi Temple. Savannah Steyn will reportedly play a young Ahsoka in the show, meaning we could see the character dueling with her old master, Anakin Skywalker, or meditating with her Grand Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, during the Clone Wars era. This would prove particularly exciting for fans of the animated series and would be an especially meaningful full-circle moment for the character, who owes her roots to the show. Plus, seeing more of Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor in full Clone Wars armor would almost certainly be a highlight for many.

Anakin Skywalker (Mat Lanter) and Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein) talking in 'Tales of the Jedi'
Credit: Lucasfilm

Darth Vader Connections

We’ve seen Ahsoka face off against Darth Vader in the critically-acclaimed Season 2 finale of Rebels, “Twilight of the Apprentice.” But could we see the former master-padawan duo reunited in a flashback sequence in Ahsoka? It’s possible, considering Hayden Christensen is confirmed to reprise his role for the Disney+ show. We could also see an alternate universe where, perhaps, Anakin didn’t fall to the Dark side or a timeline where he defeated Obi-Wan on Mustafar, leaving his arms and legs intact. Either way, Anakin and Ahsoka have a lot of history, and it’s hard to imagine an Ahsoka-centric solo series that doesn’t involve her former master in some capacity.

Ahsoka in white robes
Credit: Lucasfilm

New Villains

Thrawn isn’t the only villain poised to stir up trouble in Ahsoka. In the trailer, audiences saw a glimpse of the orange lightsaber-wielding Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) and his apprentice, Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno). While these characters and their intentions remain shrouded in mystery, many Star Wars fans speculate that Shin and Baylan are loyal to Thrawn or possibly to Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto). Based on their lightsaber colors alone, many have wondered: are they dark Jedi, Sith, or something in between? Only time will tell, but they will surely be formidable opponents to Ahsoka and the Ghost crew.

Baylan holding an orange colored lightsaber in the new Ahsoka trailer
Credit: Lucasfilm

Mon Mothma Leading the New Republic

Fans have seen a lot of Genevieve O’Reilly’s Mon Mothma in recent years. The Chandrilan Senator-turned-Rebel leader had a prominent role in Disney+’s Andor and seems to have a crucial part in Ahsoka as well. As the elected leader of the New Republic following the collapse of the Galactic Empire, Mon Mothma’s attempts to keep the galaxy safe from the rising threat of the First Order could be a major plot point of the show. We’ve already gotten looks into the not-so-stable political climate of the universe, which is struggling to rebuild itself in the remnants of the Empire, as seen in The Mandalorian. Even with help from Ahsoka, danger seems imminent for Mon Mothma and her New Republic allies.

Rosario Dawson in the Ahsoka trailer
Credit: Lucasfilm

Ahsoka will be available to stream this Fall exclusively on Disney+.

Are you excited to see Ahsoka Tano back in action? Let us know in the comments below.

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