Ahsoka will finally arrive on Disney+ soon, and it will expand on what Rebels established, just as The Mandalorian did for The Clone Wars. The series was first announced back in 2020 around the time that Rosario Dawson debuted in the role of Ahsoka Tano in The Mandalorian. She took over from the great Ashley Eckstein who had originated the character in The Clone Wars and again in Rebels. Interestingly, when Ahsoka first debuted in The Clone Wars she wasn’t particularly well-received, yet as the show developed her character, she became one of the most beloved and quintessential figures across all of Star Wars.
There is no officially scheduled release date for Ahsoka, though audiences could logically expect it in mid-to-late summer. This does depend on the other 2023 Star Wars shows, Skeleton Crew and Young Jedi Adventures. As she continues to stake her claim in the live-action landscape, Ahsoka can answer some important questions regarding the Force, the Jedi, and with Dave Filoni at the helm, the future of the Star Wars franchise. Importantly, the series will continue what The Mandalorian unexpectedly instigated in merging the once separate realms of animated, live-action, and comics Star Wars by featuring some familiar faces.
Ahsoka Will Repeat Mando’s The Clone Wars Trick
One of the biggest draws for Ahsoka, besides the protagonist’s natural pull, is the fact that the series is bringing back beloved members of the Ghost Crew from Rebels, giving them their live-action debut. Sabine Wren, Hera Syndulla, Chopper, and Ezra Bridger are all set to appear. This will be a sort of reunion from Rebels, which is important as a percentage of the franchise fanbase hasn’t delved into the wonders that are the Star Wars animated series. Now they’ll have the incentive to do so. Ahsoka is the most significant Star Wars series going forward because of how it unites the disparate sectors of the franchise.
The Mandalorian did similar for The Clone Wars. The animated series introduced the Mandalorians into Star Wars, and the live-action series expanded this side of the lore. Meanwhile, in Rebels, Ahsoka significantly helped expand the understanding of the Force and the Jedi, showcasing that things are not just light and dark. In fact, there’s a middle – the Bendu – and that’s where someone like Ahsoka thrives. Ahsoka will follow in The Mandalorian’s footsteps by enhancing what Rebels brought forth, delving deeper into the lore and character relationships like Ezra and Sabine’s. Thus, unaware audiences will have good reason to watch Rebels on Disney+ if they haven’t already.
How Ahsoka Is Connected To Star Wars Rebels
When the first season of Rebels began, audiences weren’t expecting to see their favorite Togruta padawan return grown-up. The last time she was seen was at the end of The Clone Wars season 5 when she decided to leave the Jedi Order. Thus, her fate following Order 66 was a mystery. Yet it was revealed in Rebels and then later shown in Tales of the Jedi and E. K. Johnston’s novel, Ahsoka, that she joined the Rebel Alliance early on and operated as a secret agent using the code name, Fulcrum. She then became a devoted ally to the Ghost Crew and helped Kanan and Ezra with their Jedi training.
All this culminated in her, Kanan, and Ezra traveling to Malachor, home to an incredible Sith superweapon in the season 2 finale, “Twilight of the Apprentice.” There she reunited with Maul and faced off against her former master, now the Sith Lord, Darth Vader. Their duel is still regarded as one of the best in the entire franchise, and in season 4 it is revealed that Ezra saved her from dying, grabbing her through a portal in the World Between Worlds. Years later, she and Sabine would set out on a journey to find Ezra after his noble sacrifice in the Rebels series finale – and presumably, that’s when Ahsoka commences.
