'Ahsoka' Recast: First Look Given of New Leading Character in Season 2

The people’s favorite former Jedi will soon be back on screens alongside a host of familiar faces.

Ahsoka Season 2 Is the Only Live-Action Star Wars Show Currently in Development

When Ahsoka premiered on Disney+ on August 22, 2023, it did more than continue the story of the former Jedi Padawan—it connected decades of Star Wars storytelling.

Created by Dave Filoni, who executive produces alongside Jon Favreau and Kathleen Kennedy, the series bridges The Clone Wars, Rebels, and the post-original trilogy era, planting its narrative firmly in 9 ABY. That timeline places it alongside The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Skeleton Crew.

Rosario Dawson leads the ensemble as Ahsoka Tano, navigating a galaxy still reeling from the collapse of the Empire. Her quest centers around the search for Ezra Bridger—played by Eman Esfandi—and the mysterious resurgence of Grand Admiral Thrawn, portrayed by Lars Mikkelsen, who reprises his role from Star Wars Rebels.

The cast includes Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Sabine Wren, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as General Hera Syndulla, Ivanna Sakhno as Shin Hati, and the late Ray Stevenson as the enigmatic mercenary Baylan Skoll. Diana Lee Inosanto also returns as Morgan Elsbeth.

Season 1’s finale saw Ahsoka and Sabine left stranded on the distant world of Peridea, while Ezra returned to the central galaxy to reunite with Hera. At the time, it was unclear if the story would continue through a second season, other New Republic-era projects, or even Filoni’s upcoming feature film, announced at Star Wars Celebration 2023 alongside new projects from James Mangold and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.

That uncertainty lifted with the announcement of Ahsoka Season 2, confirmed alongside The Mandalorian and Grogu, a theatrical release from Jon Favreau set to hit theaters in May 2026.

According to a recent report, Filoni is preparing for the next season with an endpoint in mind, should the show not move forward beyond Season 2. As noted in late 2024, “According to [Daniel Richtman], the plan now is to make sure the series has a satisfying ending in case it’s canceled and doesn’t return for a third season.”

The report continues, “We hadn’t expected Filoni to tell this story beyond a couple of seasons, anyway, but Disney+ could always push for more episodes if Ahsoka is a big enough hit.”

One of the show’s most emotional developments came offscreen. Ray Stevenson, who brought the character of Baylan Skoll to life, passed away shortly before the release of Season 1. The veteran actor, known for his work in Rome and as Volstagg in the Thor films, died just days before his 59th birthday while filming Cassino in Ischia (2024).

Reports indicated he had experienced multiple hospitalizations due to heart issues during production. The series was ultimately dedicated to his memory.

While Dominic Purcell stepped in to complete Stevenson’s role in Cassino in Ischia, Lucasfilm had not confirmed whether or how it would continue Baylan Skoll’s arc in Ahsoka.

The Hollywood Reporter officially confirmed the casting for Season 2, stating: “Scottish actor Rory McCann, best known for playing the burly brute The Hound on HBO’s Game of Thrones, will replace late actor Ray Stevenson for a second season of Star Wars show Ahsoka, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.” An image of McCann as Baylan Skoll was shared at this year’s Star Wars Celebration in Tokyo, Japan.

While Stevenson’s recasting happened within the live-action universe, many of the original Rebels characters were recast when they shifted away from animation.

Notably, Ahsoka, Hera, Ezra, and Sabine were all recast for the Ahsoka show, with Rosario Dawson, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Eman Esfandi, and Natasha Liu Bordizzo replacing Ashley Eckstein, Vanessa Marshall, Taylor Gray, and Tiya Sircar, respectively.

Now, a first look has been given of Season 2’s Ezra Bridger, and he looks vastly different from the version of the character audiences were reunited with in the final episodes of Ahsoka‘s first season.

First Look at Ezra Bridger in Ahsoka Season 2

The clean-shaven, groomed version of Ezra Bridger, shared by mandoverse_updates on Threads, was posted by Eman Esfandi himself. The actor wrote in the photo that it was a morning “before shooting.”

This is the first look fans have gotten of Ezra’s second season appearance. We can glean that his reunion with Hera in the season finale will force him back into the action to stop Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) and save Ahsoka and Sabine from Peridea–where Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno) and Baylan Skoll (Rory McCann) also are.

Ezra Bridger’s Star Wars Journey: From Lothal Orphan to Galactic Hero

Introduced in Star Wars Rebels as a Force-sensitive orphan surviving on the streets of Lothal, Ezra Bridger’s journey has become one of the most compelling arcs in the modern Star Wars canon. What starts as a tale of a street kid with a slingshot evolves into something far greater, echoing the themes of sacrifice, legacy, and hope that define the franchise.

When Ezra first crosses paths with the Ghost crew—led by the Jedi-in-hiding Kanan Jarrus (Freddie Prinze Jr.)—he’s reluctant to join their cause. But his latent connection to the Force soon becomes impossible to ignore. As he trains under Kanan, Ezra grows from a headstrong teen into a key player in the early Rebel Alliance, frequently brushing shoulders with major figures like Darth Maul and Ahsoka Tano.

His character-defining moment comes in the Rebels finale, when he outsmarts the Empire’s master tactician, Grand Admiral Thrawn. In a last-ditch effort to save his home planet of Lothal, Ezra calls upon the purrgil—massive space-dwelling creatures capable of hyperspace travel—to whisk himself and Thrawn into the unknown. It’s a sacrifice made with the belief that the people of Lothal will carry on the fight without him.

That belief is rewarded years later in Ahsoka, the Disney+ series that expands on Ezra’s fate. The show reveals that Ezra survived the jump across galaxies, living in exile while Thrawn plotted his return.

After risking everything by following a mysterious star map, Sabine Wren, Ezra’s old friend and comrade, finds him in this distant galaxy. Their emotional reunion is short-lived, as Thrawn escapes and Ezra sneaks aboard his ship, returning alone to the central galaxy.

Now back in familiar territory—and with Thrawn once again a rising threat—Ezra’s return tees up significant implications for the future of the New Republic and the Star Wars saga. Ezra Bridger stands tall among the franchise’s most enduring heroes, from his humble beginnings on Lothal to his reemergence as a Jedi in exile.

Are you looking forward to seeing more of Ezra Bridger in the Star Wars franchise? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!