Spoiler Alert: This post delves into plot details from Ahsoka, episodes 1 and 2. If you want to avoid spoilers, you might want to stop reading here.
The Return of the Text Crawl
Right from the start, Ahsoka sets itself apart by featuring a text crawl — a narrative tool synonymous with the films, absent in television adaptations until now. Dave Filoni's previous work, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, sidestepped the crawl with narrated recaps reminiscent of wartime newsreels. Later series adopted more traditional TV recaps. The inclusion of the crawl here signifies Ahsoka's significance as a crucial chapter in the ongoing Star Wars saga. Moreover, the choice to use red typeface instead of the usual blue suggests a trajectory toward darkness. This switch, coupled with the presentation of flat text instead of the familiar diagonal crawl of the movies, is noteworthy. The crawl's content discusses the exile of Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) and the potential war that might ensue if he unites the Imperial Remnant. Evidently, the stakes are higher than ever.
However, this raises another possibility: Ahsoka might primarily serve as a prelude to Filoni's upcoming feature film. The show could conclude with Thrawn in power, positioning him as the "heir to the Empire." If so, many loose ends would remain, awaiting resolution if and when the film materializes.
The Timeframe of Ahsoka
Curiously, the text crawl and the opening scene leave us pondering the timing of these events. We can confidently place them after the events of The Mandalorian's second season, particularly after its fifth episode, "The Jedi," in which Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) meets Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu. This episode also introduces Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto), who becomes a pivotal character as the story unfolds. It's logical to assume that Ahsoka handed over Elsbeth to the New Republic soon after the events of "The Jedi." Rather than imprisoning her for the years covered by The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, the New Republic likely opted for a swift trial. Consequently, Ahsoka's search for Thrawn runs parallel to the events of The Mandalorian's second season, and her eventual meeting with Din at Luke Skywalker's new Jedi Temple on Ossus is yet to come.
Ahsoka's Demeanor and Past
A notable critique of Rosario Dawson's portrayal of Ahsoka in "The Jedi" was its perceived lack of youthful exuberance. Voice actress Ashley Eckstein's Ahsoka always radiated energy, even as an adult in Rebels. Dawson's rendition seems to regain some of that enthusiasm in her appearance as Boba Fett. Nonetheless, the early episodes of Ahsoka offer a rationale for Ahsoka's more somber demeanor: her strained mentoring of Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo).
Sabine's latent Force sensitivity was never explicitly explored in Rebels, but her prowess with the Darksaber hints at it. Ahsoka evidently recognized this during the height of the Galactic Civil War and took Sabine under her wing as a Padawan. However, their partnership faced challenges, and Ahsoka eventually stepped away from her role, although the exact reasons remain undisclosed. Their shared stubbornness might have contributed to this outcome.
This brings us to Ahsoka's reluctance to train Grogu. Embracing a master-apprentice dynamic was undoubtedly a significant step, especially given Ahsoka's history. Hera Syndulla's (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) immediate acknowledgment of Ahsoka's difficulties with her own master, Anakin Skywalker, speaks to the challenges Ahsoka faced in her new role. Abandoning Sabine, an act she compares to leaving Anakin, only deepened her cynicism.
Ahsoka's wartime activities, beyond her "going where needed," remain shrouded. However, it's reasonable to assume she experienced arduous battles with or without an apprentice. Her encounters with the World Between Worlds, a time portal, after being saved by Ezra Bridger suggest profound experiences that contributed to her resilience. Her numerous resurrections also surely left a lasting mark on her.
Amidst these trials, glimpses of the old Ahsoka occasionally emerge. Reconnecting with her past via a more successful mentorship of Sabine might form a central part of her emotional journey in the forthcoming episodes.
The Array of Adversaries
Ahsoka doesn't just grapple with internal turmoil; external challenges abound. The revelation that Elsbeth was a Nightsister of Dathomir reshapes the broader conflict. First introduced in Dave Wolverton's 1994 novel The Courtship of Princess Leia, the Nightsisters officially entered canon through Clone Wars. These Force-sensitive entities, neither Jedi nor Sith, harness Dathomir's dark forces to wield a unique form of magick. Over the centuries, they've interacted with various galactic factions, harboring a dislike for the Jedi. However, they were mostly eradicated during the Clone Wars.
Nevertheless, some Nightsisters survived and pursued diverse paths. Elsbeth's journey led her to become an industry titan on Corellia, a devoted follower of Thrawn, and an advocate for imposing order on the galaxy.
This introduces questions: How did the Nightsisters unearth a map to Thrawn's location long before his disappearance with Ezra? Elsbeth's claim of hearing Thrawn across "time and space" offers one possibility. Alternatively, the Nightsisters might possess knowledge about purrgil migrations — space-faring whales capable of hyperspace travel — across galaxies. This assumption could explain why Elsbeth believes the map Ahsoka retrieves will guide her to Thrawn.
Other Force users have rallied to Elsbeth's cause in the quest for Thrawn, either driven by faith or credits. Huyang's insights reveal Baylan as a former Jedi who vanished post-Clone Wars, retaining aspects of his training but no longer identifying as a Jedi. He doesn't align with Sith doctrine either. Speculation suggests Baylan could be the originator of the Knights of Ren, briefly glimpsed in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Another theory proposes