By Andrew Martinez
Correspondent
Warning: This review contains spoilers.
The latest episode of the highly anticipated “Ahsoka” show dropped Tuesday night, with it being the finale of its first season.
Brought to you by the creative mind of Dave Filioni and directed by Peter Ramsey, Steph Green, Jennifer Getzinger, Geeta Patel and Rick Famuyiwa, the series focuses on former Jedi Ahsoka Tano after her live action debut in “The Mandalorian.”
She searches for a way to prevent Grand Admiral Thrawn from returning, as well as recruiting Mandalorian and former apprentice Sabine Wren to help rescue Ezra Bridger from a far away galaxy.
Seeing the “Rebels” characters accurately portrayed from their animated counterparts was something I was nervous about, but my worries were removed once I saw these beloved characters again on screen. The casting for Sabine and Hera (Natasha Liu Bordizzo and Mary Elizebeth Winstead) were excellent choices, and I thought their actresses really got their characters.
Also, Eman Esfandi as Ezra Bridger was phenomenal, and seeing him make his live action debut left me in awe. From the way he talks to how he moves, it seems pretty clear that Esfando had the pure embodiment of Ezra. After growing up with the animated series and watching week to week, I never imagined we’d get to see them again, much less get as much pay off from the “Rebels” series as we did.
Especially deserving praise is how fast-paced the story was able to progress throughout the season. My biggest complaint with the third season of “The Mandalorian” was that it felt like we were getting to the final conclusion way too late and wasted so much time in the middle chunk of the season. “Ahsoka” thankfully does not have that problem, and it really does not take long to get going.
By episode four, things dramatically shifted story wise and I knew I was in for a fun ride for the rest of the season going forward. Also, this project seemed to lean more into the fantasy genre than the others with the appearance of the witches and the magic rituals that they had bringing people back from the dead. It really reminded me of something like “Lord of the Rings.”
Baylen and Shin, two of the main antagonists in the show, had a solid introduction in episode one. It was also a very good opener and really mirrored the opening sequence of Qui Gon and Obi-Wan in “The Phantom Menace.”
Fallen Jedi and dark side users have been a recurring thing in the Star Wars universe, but I was very much intrigued with Balyen as a character. His relationship with his apprentice and distaste for the old Jedi ways make him a very compelling villain, and it is a shame that his story won’t ever be fully shown due to Stevenson’s tragic passing.
Lars Mikelson coming back to reprise his role in live action as Thrawn, the big bad, was really satisfying to see, and it seemed like Mikelson did not skip a beat at all. What made Thrawn such a good villain in the novels and “Star Wars Rebels” is that he is always one step ahead of his opponents and is a master tactician, often gaining the upper hand.
And of course, you can’t talk about this show without mentioning the beloved fan-favorite Hayden Chistensen returning once again to reprise his role as Anakin Skywalker. I had the opportunity of attending the premiere for episode five’s “Shadow Warrior” in theaters, and the crowd was roaring in approval when Chistensen came on screen with his armor from the “Clone Wars” animated series.
In “Kenobi,” I thought he looked solid in makeup, but the de-aging technology they used in this episode made Hayden indistinguishable to his younger self in “Revenge of the Sith.” The choreography was really well done and I got a kick out of Hayden getting to do Anakin's famous behind the back spin move from the prequel trilogy. Even Hayden’s voice and mannerisms echoed Matt Lanters’ take on the character from “Clone Wars.”
The only complaint I have about the show is the force abilities that Sabine had quickly gained towards the end of the season. For me, I have no problem with the idea that everyone can use the force and become a Jedi in the Star Wars universe, but the progression with her training was way too fast. It does not make sense for her to be able to help lift Ezra off onto a Star Destroyer after learning to get in tune with the force in merley days.
Some might worry or say that the show can’t be watched without watching “The Clone Wars” or “Rebels,” but I would disagree. While it definitely enhances the experience, often getting to appreciate cool cameos such as Captain Rex and the emotional weight in seeing these characters again, I feel like it is not absolutely necessary for the average fan. Filoni does a good job at filling the audience in on what the characters have been up to since we’ve last seen them.
You can watch the entire season of “Ahsoka” right now on Disney+.
