- Based on ‘Star Wars’ created by George Lucas
- Series created by Dave Filoni
- Disney+
Cast
- Ahsoka Tano-Rosario Dawson
- Sabine Wren-Natasha Liu Bordizzo
- Hera Syndulla-Mary Elizabeth Winstead
- Baylan Skoll-Ray Stevenson
- Shin Hati-Ivanna Sakhno
- Morgan Elsbeth-Diana Lee Inosanto
- Huyang-David Tennant (voice)
- Ezra Bridger-Eman Esfandi
- Jacen Syndulla-Evan Whitten
- Mon Mothma-Genevieve O’Reilly
- Senator Hamato Xiono-Nelson Lee
- C1-10P “Chopper”-Dave Filoni
- Grand Admiral Thrawn-Lars Mikkelsen
- Anakin Skywalker-Hayden Christensen
After the fall of The Galactic Empire, Ahsoka Tano investigates the dawning of a new threat.
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Part Three: Time to Fly
- Directed by Steph Green
- Written by Dave Filoni
- August 29, 2023
Not a whole lot happens in this episode. At least not a lot that advances the story of the season. The big revelation is that there is a giant hyperspace ring being built but if you just saw the trailer for Ahsoka you knew that’s what was coming as it does show up for a second since it doesn’t look any different from the hyperspace rings we saw in the prequel films.
After being needlessly difficult, Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) is Ahsoka’s (Rosario Dawson) padawan, but even then she’s still needlessly difficult. That bothers me when characters are difficult just to stretch things out rather than difficult as an outgrowth of story elements or their personality. I understand her character can be a difficult character, but it is as if she’s pushing back against everything all the time just because.
As for our two heavies, Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno) features much more than Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) yet still fails to get defined on any level yet again. Is it that hard? I know as much now about her motivations and general personality as I did when she first showed up and that’s nothing. She’s just there to be a flunky, which is fine, but Darth Maul started out as a flunky, The difference there is at least he had some distinct elements about him in his first appearance that separated him from Palpatine. Not so much the case here. And Baylan shows up in what amounts to a snippet that could have been a previously unused shot.
Like the last episode, much of what we got here could’ve been trimmed down and made a much tighter story of an episode half the length of this. Sabine, Ahsoka, and the droid Huyang (David Tennant voice) travel to where the hyperspace ring is being built with the expectation of some aid from the New Republic, but none is to come. And that bit is stretched.
There’s some deliberation and extended jibber jabber, but the whole element of “No” could either been handled in the transmission where Hera (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) told them they were on their own. Or rather than all the back-and-forth with Hera, Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly), and Senator Hamato Xiono (Nelson Lee) it could’ve just been simply Mon Mothma saying “No” to Hera because the committee said “No.” Unless Xiono is going to become an important character later I’m not even sure what this has to do with the story at hand.
When the credits started to play, I was surprised that it was the end. It felt like I had only received half of the story for that episode. Visually it was good-especially that space battle with Ahsoka using her lightsabers and the general dialogue wasn’t bad. What we got was well directed, but there wasn’t much when you get right down to it.
The more I think about it, the more Ahsoka feels like a small idea stretched out into a television show much like the first Ewoks television film was. That was intended originally as a half hour special, but this and that happened behind the scenes and before anybody knew it Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure was a two-hour TV movie of the week and it showed. It certainly appears to be showing here as well.
I will call this episode okay. It’s good enough to keep you watching more but it’s not exactly special. I’m enjoying myself though.
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Part Four: Fallen Jedi
- Directed by Peter Ramsey
- Written by Dave Filoni
- September 5, 2023
I won’t call this latest episode bad because it is not. There’s plenty of action and a little bit of mystery but what should feel like high stakes just doesn’t get quite there because I am once again left feeling that I am only getting part of an episode and not the whole thing. And maybe that’s because Dave Filoni is crafting this in a similar manner to a thirty-minute animated series and not the slightly longer live action series that it is. He is stuck on making another animated show for all these animated characters he is bringing into the live action arena.
On that note the show dives into some mythology from the animated realm without bothering to let in those who may not be that familiar with it in on the whole thing. For example a series that started out with heavy recaps on so much in episode information, a lack of explanation for the audience on why Marrak turned to smoke when he ‘died’ was noticeable. Use lore but give reminders.
There is a lot less walking with nothing else occurring than previously. I applaud them for that. But that extra time is not used for development but rather cool looking stuff causing the plot of this season to inch along.
I do feel Anakin’s (Hayden Christensen) return should have been saved for the next episode. It was good but this episode would have ended on a stronger note if they had cut to the credits right after Morgan Elsbeth’s (Diana Lee Inosanto) jump to hyperspace rather than tacking him on. Things were very up in the air with Morgan on her way and Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson) m.i.a.
I am becoming more and more confused why Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) is being trained as a Jedi when she has no Force abilities. I am not entirely up on Rebels so maybe I missed something (in that case a narrative recap IS warranted) but even Baylan Skoll’s (Ray Stevenson) blank slate sidekick Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno) makes note of this obvious issue. What is the point? General Grievous did something similar and hacked himself into bits to become powerful enough to take on Jedi.
Much is telegraphed in Fallen Jedi. Sabine and Ahsoka have a long talk about the need to destroy the map and/or the ring even if it means never seeing Ezra again. I knew right then what was going to happen next. Stevie Wonder pointed it out to Helen Kellar who said, “No duh!” When the moment came to do just that Ahsoka was literally knocked out of the episode and Sabine was captured. What should’ve been a meaningful and important moment was blunted because it had been telegraphed very early in the episode.
Because the story inches along and there is not much here, there’s not too much to comment on. There feels like less to talk about than the prior episode. That’s unfortunate because if the series as a whole had been reduced by a few episodes, or even turned into a movie I think we would’ve had a very engaging story up to this point in the narrative. As it is, it’s only okay.
I will continue to watch and I am enjoying myself, but I don’t think Ahsoka is quite as good as it could be.
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So far Ahsoka is okay. Not great but just okay. We’re at about the midpoint and there’s still plenty of time to bring things around but if they keep doing for the next four episodes what they’ve done for the first four episodes they won’t be able improve.
May The Force Be with You!
Warren Watched A Movie 