For many casual viewers, “Star Wars” is the domain of familiar faces: the heroic Jedi Luke Skywalker, the nefarious Sith Lord Darth Vader, the roguish smuggler Han Solo and the patient Princess Leia.
But over the years, the “Star Wars” universe has expanded beyond the realm originally envisioned by George Lucas. For viewers who aren’t inclined or consumed by the seemingly endless array of sequels, prequels, TV spinoffs, and book and video game adaptations, keeping track of recurring characters is like trying to memorize an intergalactic phone book . You may know the droids R2-D2, C3PO and BB-8. But so what? L0-LA59, C1-10P o L3-37?
The title of the latest “Star Wars” series, “Ahsoka,” which premiered Aug. 23 on Disney+, may be unfamiliar even to viewers who consider themselves somewhat knowledgeable about the franchise. The title character, played by Rosario Dawson in the series, has never appeared in a live-action “Star Wars” movie. (He was heard briefly in “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” voiced by Ashley Eckstein.) Still, he is considered by fans to be one of the most important figures in the fictional universe.
Like other streaming series started by writers and directors Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni — including “The Mandalorian,” “The Book of Boba Fett” and “Obi-Wan Kenobi” — “Ahsoka” was created by and for the committed and knowledgeable “Star Wars” fan, and it ties in deeply with the franchise’s earlier shows and movies (and even some comic books and stand-alone novels). These series are usually full of easter eggs, full of legends and full of subtle references. A certain familiarity with other things that happened in “Star Wars” outside of the three main movie trilogies is, if not absolutely necessary, then certainly helpful.
Do words like “Thrawn,” “Togruta” or “Ashla” — not to mention “Ahsoka” herself — mean little or nothing to you? Read more.
Who is Ahsoka?
Ahsoka Tano is a member of the Togruta species from the planet Shili. As a young Jedi in training, or Padawan, he was assigned to learn the ways of the Force under Anakin Skywalker, who became his apprentice after the events of “Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones.”
Brash and arrogant, he does not take Anakin’s training easily, and the two initially have a tumultuous relationship. Over time, however, they came to trust and rely on each other, and after enduring many hardships together leading up to the events of “Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith,” the two became very close. This period of Ahsoka’s life is the subject of the animated feature film “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.”
Has he appeared on screen since then?
Many times. Ahsoka is the main character of the animated series “The Clone Wars,” which ran on Cartoon Network from 2008 to 2014 and was revived for another season on Disney+ in 2020. The series depicts her deepening relationship with her mentor, Anakin, and his. dread as he watched her approach the dark side of the Force. It also involves a lot of complex Jedi intrigue – including him trial before a Jedi Council after being framed for a heinous crime and a foray into a strange world kingdom where he was killed and magically resurrected.
When the evil Emperor Palpatine began Order 66 at the end of “Revenge of the Sith,” which ordered the execution of all Jedi at the hands of Clone Troopers, Ahsoka fled the system to the Outer Rim and hid under the alias Ashla. Eventually, he takes part in the formation of what will eventually become the Empire-defying Rebel Alliance, operating as a top-secret intelligence agent who helps lead a network of spies. These events are the basis of the animated series “Star Wars Rebels” that aired from 2014 to 2018 on the children’s network Disney XD. (Eckstein voiced the character in the animated shows and movies.)
Since then, Ahsoka has had extended cameo appearances in both “The Mandalorian” and “The Book of Boba Fett.” Ahsoka is shown in live action for the first time (by Dawson) in “The Mandalorian,” helping the titular bounty hunter (Pedro Pascal) learn that her ward, the Child, is in fact a powerful young Jedi. named Grogu. (Known in our world most commonly as Baby Yoda.) We last saw him in “Boba Fett” attending Grogu’s one-on-one training with Luke Skywalker and sharing a few words of advice with Mando before heading to his own adventures.
Is he powerful?
Really too much. “The Clone Wars” portrayed Ahsoka as a young Jedi with an enormous amount of hidden power, and from then on, she realized her true potential. At the end of that series, he duels the Sith Lord Darth Maul, the antagonist of “Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace,” and defeats him handily. At the end of “Rebels,” he took on his former master, then known as Darth Vader, and the two were evenly matched with lightsabers.
What is he doing in ‘Ahsoka’?
Although the story of the series remains under wraps, it is evident from the trailers that it is somewhat concurrent with “The Mandalorian” and “The Book of Boba Fett.” This period is roughly five years after the events of “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi,” which included the destruction of the (second) Death Star that marked the end of the Galactic Empire.
During her time in “The Mandalorian,” Ahsoka mentioned that she was hunting down Grand Admiral Thrawn, and “Ahsoka” will probably find her going on this mission. The trailers also feature Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), a former bounty hunter turned rebel soldier previously featured in “Rebels.”
Who is Grand Admiral Thrawn?
Thrawn, Ahsoka’s future nemesis, is a favorite “Star Wars” villain who was first introduced in the early 1990s in several popular “Star Wars” novels by author Timothy Zahn. Although Disney mandated that all “Star Wars” books and spinoff content be non-canon — or part of the official “Star Wars” narrative — during the making of “The Force Awakens,” Thrawn is so beloved by fans that he was reintroduced to the franchise in “Rebels” in 2016. News that Lars Mikkelsen, who voiced Thrawn in “Rebels,” she will play in “Ahsoka” inspired passionate cheers in April at the latest Star Wars Celebration fan convention, in London.
In “Rebels,” Thrawn is a blue-skinned alien villain who is a high-ranking member of the Empire’s army. Since “Ahsoka” takes place many years later, after the fall of the Empire, the exact nature of the admiral’s role as the big bad remains unclear.