Ahsoka: The Force Has Lost Its Balance Once Again

The live-action series featuring the titular role Ahsoka, one of the most beloved characters from the Star Wars animated series, premiered in August. The first episode of Ahsoka was watched by 1.2 million households, which is comparable to the viewership of Andor, but lower than that of Obi-Wan Kenobi. After watching the first few episodes of Ahsoka, as a Star Wars fan, I feel that the series will neither excite Star Wars fans like Andor nor attract new followers of the franchise like The Mandalorian. To put it straight, it falls into an awkward middle position, where Star Wars fans find it lacking in novelty, while non-fans may have difficulty understanding the show's web of character relationships.

Dave Filoni, the executive producer of Ahsoka, is credited with the character's success in animated series like The Clone Wars and Rebels. He is the creator of Ahsoka, the first character he introduced after joining Lucasfilm. In the animated series, Ahsoka grows from Anakin Skywalker's Padawan to a warrior who breaks away from the Jedi Order, earning much recognition from Star Wars fans. That’s why Rosario Dawson’s appearance as a live-action Ahsoka in the second season of The Mandalorian, also created by Filoni, made a carnival for fans. Consequently, at the end of 2020, Ahsoka was officially scheduled as a spin-off series. After all, who wouldn't want to watch a live-action show with a Jedi as the main character?

Before the premiere of Ahsoka, Lucasfilm had announced that it was set in the same timeframe as The Mandalorian. Beyond that, as Star Wars fans have already discovered after its release, it continued the storylines of the animated series Rebels. Filoni, the key figure in the production of both Rebels and Ahsoka, found this continuity interesting. He explained that he didn't want to limit the form of storytelling and didn't see a need for animation and live-action to be told in completely different ways. "There's just the story that it is, and I was telling it in one medium."

The continuity, which may be natural for creators, causes diverging results for its different audiences. For newcomers to the franchise, they have to deal with established characters and relationships, rather than gradually getting to know them through embarking on an adventure together. Loyal fans, however, who have already watched the animated series, may find the biggest issue with Ahsoka to be the lack of new content.

The series follows Ahsoka as she investigates the whereabouts of the villain Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) after the fall of the Galactic Empire. Ahsoka obtains a map that may indicate Thrawn's location and seeks General Hera Syndulla's help (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), who she fought alongside in the past. Syndulla suggests that Ahsoka seeks Sabine Wren's assistance (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), Ahsoka's former apprentice, to unlock the map. Meanwhile, remnants of the Empire, Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) and Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno) are also searching for Thrawn. The battle between the two Jedi pairs is undoubtedly one of the most splendid parts of the story.

The two parallel storylines, the pursuit of Thrawn and the rekindling of the Ahsoka and Sabine’s relationship, are intended to carry the same weight. However, the latter fails to make it clear for audience new to Star Wars, as the relationship of the duo is conveyed only through dialogues rather than evens and plot developments. This creates more questions than answers for watchers halfway through the series. As a Star Wars fan, I amsimply wondering how much longer would it take for the appearance of Thrawn and the rumored surviving Jedi apprentice, Ezra Bridger.

Not that Ahsoka has no highlights. Dawson's portrayal of Ahsoka is particularly noteworthy. Ahsoka makes the difficult decision to leave the Jedi Order and witnesses firsthand the devastating effects of the Clone Wars, including the fall of her former master Anakin to the dark side. Over time, Ahsoka matures from an impulsive warrior to a reliable, composed, and powerful Force user. In one scene, she advises Sabine to focus on being herself rather than obsessing over becoming a Jedi, showcasing her wisdom and tolerance. It would be exciting to see how Ahsoka trains Sabine, but thus far, their relationship have been somewhat undeveloped remaining on only pointless dialogues.

In the first episode directed by Filoni, Sabine and Heti engage in a long-awaited duel with lightsabers, which reflects the ongoing efforts to diversify Star Wars universe. Previously, female lightsaber wielders only appeared as background characters in the original and prequel Star Wars trilogies until Rey became the protagonist of the sequel trilogy. However, the excitement and admiration for the diversity were short-lived. When Sabine was stabbed with a lightsaber in the first episode, it seemed like she might die, but her wound quickly healed. This scenario mirrors a similar incident in Obi-Wan Kenobi, which disappointed many Star Wars fans. It should be noted that Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn died from a lightsaber piercing in The Phantom Menace. Although there’s a time gap between the events of The Phantom Menace and the stories of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka, it still inevitably confuses fans when the results of the same kind of injury differ.

Such confusion arises from Lucasfilm’s struggle to expanding the Star Wars universe while trying to stay true to its origins. Andor and The Mandalorian managed to strike the balance by preserving the space opera essence and the firm belief that the hero will overcome the darkness, such as the portrayal of Andor's bravery against evil forces or space cowboy Din Djarin's journey with Grogu. However, Obi-Wan Kenobi, which is closer to the main storyline of Star Wars, failed to impress, despite featuring Darth Vader and his legenday duel with Obi-Wan. The show's lackluster plot and uninspired character development hurt its reputation. In my opinion, Ahsoka faces similar challenges now.

Although Ahsoka is a beloved character in the Star Wars universe, the slow's narrative pace and undeveloped character relationships has me worried. As the plot has progressed to the middle of the series, it’s high time to introduce a major villain (which is Thrawn in this case), instead of featuring an unexciting aerial battle in one entire episode, even if it's just for the sake of filling all eight episodes. As a Star Wars fan, I will continue to finish Ahsoka, but it remains to be seen how long the live-action series trend can last if it relies solely on the main characters' charisma without taking any risks or introducing new ideas to the main storyline.