Ahsoka Tano: From Padawan to Galactic Guardian
We're just about teetering on the edge of summer, and you can almost hear the lightsabers hum in anticipation as Disney+ prepares to roll out the highly-awaited series, "Ahsoka."
Set for release this coming August, the show promises to take us on an epic journey over the course of eight riveting episodes. Now, as we wait with bated breath for the curtain to rise on Ahsoka's solo act, how about we take a nostalgic walk down memory lane and trace her thrilling odyssey from an eager Padawan to a formidable Galactic Guardian.
Ahsoka Tano, a character first introduced in the animated series "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," has undergone significant development since her initial appearance. From her fledgling days as Anakin Skywalker's spirited Padawan to a key figure in the impending series "Ahsoka," her development has been nothing short of extraordinary.
Ahsoka in The Clone Wars & Rebels
When Ahsoka Tano first appeared in "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," she was introduced as a talented but impulsive Jedi Padawan, assigned to Anakin Skywalker by Master Yoda. Over the course of the series, Ahsoka's character evolved significantly. She started as a somewhat naive apprentice, but her experiences during the war and her close relationship with Anakin allowed her to grow into a capable and independent young Jedi.
However, Ahsoka's journey in "The Clone Wars" was not always smooth sailing, as she faced numerous trials, both physical and moral. She was captured by Trandoshans, led a group of younglings on a perilous journey, and even faced the notorious Sith Lord, Darth Maul.
Pivotally, however, it was the bombing of the Jedi Temple, an event for which Ahsoka was wrongly blamed, that led to her most significant character development.
Accused of a crime she did not commit, Ahsoka was expelled from the Jedi Order and put on trial. Although her innocence was eventually proven, the incident left Ahsoka disillusioned with the Jedi Order, and she chose to walk away. This marked a significant turning point in Ahsoka's story, setting her on a new path as a lone wolf navigating the galaxy's tumultuous landscape.
Ahsoka's story continued in "Star Wars: Rebels" as the mysterious character known as Fulcrum. Now operating outside the confines of the Jedi Order, Ahsoka used her skills and knowledge to assist the burgeoning Rebel Alliance against the Galactic Empire.
Her role in "Rebels" showed a more mature Ahsoka, one who had learned to rely on her instincts and intelligence rather than just her Force abilities. She was no longer the young and somewhat naive Padawan but a wise and formidable force in her own right.
Ahsoka's past came back to haunt her when she faced her former master, Anakin, now the Sith Lord Darth Vader, in a dramatic and emotional confrontation. Despite the pain and betrayal, Ahsoka showed incredible strength, vowing not to leave Anakin a second time.
At the end of "Rebels," Ahsoka set out on a new mission to find the missing Ezra Bridger, a young Jedi who had disappeared during the liberation of his home planet, Lothal. This journey is expected to be continued and explored in the upcoming "Ahsoka" series.
Ahsoka's Appearance in The Mandalorian: Connection to Rebels and Beyond
Ahsoka Tano made her live-action debut in "The Mandalorian," portrayed by Rosario Dawson. Here, we see her as a seasoned warrior, pursuing her own missions independent of any faction.
Her appearance in "The Mandalorian" not only serves as a bridge between her past roles in "The Clone Wars" and "Star Wars: Rebels," but it also sets the stage for her upcoming standalone series, "Ahsoka."
When we last saw her in "Rebels," she was setting off on a mission to find the missing Ezra Bridger. It seems this quest is still ongoing during her appearance in "The Mandalorian," as she is seen interrogating an Imperial Magistrate about the whereabouts of Grand Admiral Thrawn, a high-ranking officer of the Galactic Empire known for his strategic brilliance….and also the last known person to have contact with Ezra Bridger.
Thrawn's name-drop in "The Mandalorian" signals that he is still a significant player in the galactic events and suggests a direct connection between Ahsoka's mission and the unresolved storyline from "Rebels."
Furthermore, Ahsoka's refusal to train Grogu, the Child, citing her experience with Anakin Skywalker, shows her character's growth. It reflects the wisdom she's gained from her own experiences and the lessons she's learned from her former master's downfall.
Ahsoka's appearance in "The Mandalorian" serves as a springboard for her upcoming series. It connects the unresolved plot threads of "Rebels," particularly her mission to find Ezra Bridger and confront Grand Admiral Thrawn, to her future adventures.
Ahsoka in the Upcoming Series
The upcoming series "Ahsoka" is set to expand on her character's journey even further. As Ahsoka investigates an emerging threat to the galaxy following the fall of the Empire, we are set to witness a more mature and seasoned version of Ahsoka.
Her character's evolution is even reflected in her physical appearance. Dawson noted that the character's montrals had been rebuilt with "technology that didn't even exist when we first started," resulting in them being longer and having a 3D-printed skeleton inside them that allowed for more fluid movement.
Additionally, the series is also set to feature a younger version of Ahsoka, hinting at possible flashbacks to her past that could enrich our understanding of her character. This gives us an opportunity to see how far Ahsoka has come, not just from her days as a Padawan, but also from her younger years.
Conclusion
So, there we have it - Ahsoka Tano's remarkable transformation, from her humble beginnings as a headstrong Padawan, to the wise, independent force seen in Rebels and Mandalorian, is a testament to the rich storytelling and character development that's become synonymous with Star Wars. As we await the unveiling of "Ahsoka" this August on Disney+, one can't help but marvel at how Ahsoka has truly evolved into one of the most beloved characters in the Star Wars Universe.
The highly anticipated series "Ahsoka" is set to debut in August 2023 on Disney+ and will consist of eight episodes.
Are you looking forward to watching Ashoka on Disney+?
Did I forget any key moments about Ahsoka’s past?
Let me know in the comments below and remember; it might be a lot of simple tricks and nonsense, but the force will be with you, always.
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I think it's interesting that - in order to make his "free-thinking Jedi" characters hold any semblance of rationality in their arguments - Dave Filoni needs to resort to artificially dehumanizing the other Jedi and painting them all with the same "we dogmatically worship protocol" brush.
He does this with Huyang in the recent Ahsoka episode.
"Lolz he's so narrow-minded, preachy and by-the-book, unable to think outside the box, just like the Jedi in the Prequels."
My first reaction was being amused at the fact that Filoni had to resort to making the Jedi Order's ideals and rules be embodied by a literal machine for his anti-Jedi headcanon to start making sense.
But then I remembered: Huyang isn't just any droid.
In The Clone Wars, he had a sassy personality, he had a pep in his step, he had a sense of humor...
This character was human in his behavior, he was fun and whimsical.
But now he's been reduced to, I dunno, "Jedi C-3PO"? Basically?
"Ha! He's blunt and unsympathetic because he's a droid, but it's funny because the Jedi were the same, they were training themselves to be tactless, emotionless droids."
And Filoni does this with Mace Windu too, in Tales of the Jedi.
Mace, who brought a lightsaber to the throat of a planetary leader to defend the endangered Zillo Beast...
... and who went waaay past his mandate by mischievously sneaking around Bardottan authorities and breaking into the Queen's quarters because he felt something bad was afoot...
... was reduced to being an almost droid-like, rule-parotting, protocol purist who sticks to his instructions (and is implied to be willing to let a murder go unsolved so he can get a promotion).
I mentioned this at the end of my first post on Luke in The Last Jedi... while changes in personality do happen overtime and can be explained in-universe... if you don't show us that progression and evolution and just leave us without that context, that'll break the suspension of disbelief, for your audience.
Here, we have two characters with a different (almost caricatural) personality than the one they were originally shown to have.
Now... we could resort to headcanons, to make it all fit together.
We could justify Huyang's tone shift 'cause "Order 66 changed him". And we could make explanations about TotJ's Mace:
Being younger and thus more ambitious and a stickler for the rules, and only really becoming more flexible after getting his seat on the Council and gaining more maturity.
Being such a teacher's pet in the episode because we're seeing him through the eyes of a notorious unreliable narrator, Dooku.
There'd be nothing wrong with opting to go with either of those headcanons to cope with this. After all, Star Wars is meant to help you get creative.
But the problem I encounter is that:
Filoni has an anti-Jedi bias, so the above headcanons clearly wouldn't really track with his intended narrative.
We'd be jumping through hoops to extrapolate and fill in what is, essentially, inconsistent characterization, manufactured to make Ahsoka and Dooku shine under a better light.
And that sours whatever headcanon I come up with.
Edit:
Also, yeah, as folks have been saying in the tags... wtf is "Jedi protocol"? The term isn't ever mentioned in the movies, I skimmed through dialog transcripts of TCW, never saw it there.
So it's almost as if - if Filoni wasn't draining characters like Mace and Huyang of all humanity and nuance - his point about "the Jedi were too detached and lost their way, but not free-thinkers like Qui-Gon, Dooku and Ahsoka" wouldn't really hold much water.
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