Ahsoka Non-Spoiler Review: Dave Filonis Writing Makes New Series Soar, Natasha Liu Bordizzo Sends It To Lightspeed

Disclaimer: This review does not contain major plot points from Ahsoka that were not included in the series' marketing, but will assume that discussing anything from the promos is fair game. Some minor additional details might be included for context, but nothing that would ruin the fan's viewing experience. This also only covers the first two episodes, which will release on Disney Plus on Tuesday, August 22 at 9pm ET/6pm PT/Wednesday 2am BST.




From the very first frame of Ahsoka, it is evident that showrunner Dave Filoni, who wrote all eight episodes and directed the pilot, is the closest we've come to having George Lucas back in Star Wars since November 2012. This is mostly a blessing, but Filoni also can't escape from Lucas' insistence on retreading the same ground over and over again. From the very first moments of the show, it feels like we're back in Lucas' hands, witnessing a space fairy tale that is as focused on the nuances of the fight it depicts as it is in establishing that this is a story for 13-year-olds about the differences between right and wrong.



The opening scene is highly reminiscent of A New Hope, both in aesthetics (perhaps more than any other previous project since the original trilogy) and also in the plot. Dave Filoni does not even attempt to hide that he's paying homage to Darth Vader's assault on the Tantive IV, albeit not close enough that it feels repetitive -- imagine a mix between the opening scenes of A New Hope and The Phantom Menace. Of course, this is nothing new -- every single Skywalker Saga movie has begun with a demonstration of the dark side's powers before the main story officially kicks off. After a couple of corny lines and moments that only Lucas' Star Wars can get away with (I guess now Filoni as well), and a demonstration of Ray Stevenson's physical dominance on the battlefield and the screen, along with Ivanna Sakhno's electric presence, we cut to the title card and an all-too-familiar theme that reminds us of one of the most exciting aspects of the new series -- Kevin Kiner is back in Star Wars.



(Center): Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) with with New Republic Security Guards in Lucasfilm's STAR WARS: AHSOKA, exclusively on Disney+. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.



Rosario Dawson's Ahsoka Tano doesn't take much longer to be introduced, and we quickly realize something about her that is different from her animated appearances, something we started to suspect with her episode of The Mandalorian but that Dave Filoni lays out very clearly here. This a mature Ahsoka, a seasoned version of the character we saw throughout all of The Clone Wars and later in Star Wars: Rebels. She will take her time to go from point A to point B, and while each of her scenes could be sped up 2x without any significant loss of plot or the audience's understanding of what is happening, there's a reason why. Dave Filoni has described her as a 'wanderer', and we see that from her very first scene when she's essentially playing a live-action version of a Jedi: Fallen Order puzzle that leads her to a very disappointing McGuffin.



That calm and steadiness can sometimes get frustrating and affect the overall pacing of the episodes, especially as it is such a deviation from everything else happening around her and her scenes. There's no doubt it's very much on purpose, though, as Filoni wanted to let the audience know from the very beginning that this is not the fast-talking, rushed, quick-to-reply teenager anymore. She has seen too much, and has decided to take things easy -- that will sometimes lead to unnecessary clumsiness on her part, but will also put her one step ahead of others, including her former padawan (we'll get to her). It has also evolved into a very different fighting style than the one we saw in The Clone Wars, which is both a manifestation of her new attitude and also of her age (there's definitely a correlation between them). If the cold open feels like Vader's introduction in A New Hope, Ahsoka's first scene feels like C-3PO and R2-D2 lost in the desert and picked up by Jawas -- relevant to what happens later, a way of establishing where we are and what we are doing here, but also narratively boring.



(L-R): Dave Filoni and Rosario Dawson on the set of Lucasfilm's STAR WARS: AHSOKA, exclusively on Disney+. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.



One of the most pleasant surprises of the series, though, is that General Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) has an even bigger part than I imagined, and is very much a co-lead of the series along with Dawson and Natasha Liu Bordizzo. This is something that the tail end of the marketing tried to clarify, but after her name was one of the last big ones to join the cast, and she was not announced until one year after Liu Bordizzo, I had my reservations. I can't speak to whatever happens after episode 2, but Hera's presence before that is ubiquitous -- and to the absolute delight of Star Wars: Rebels fans, this is the Hera you absolutely know and love.



I have a few issues across both episodes with lines and moments that feel like they were directly taken out of a Star Wars: Rebels script, in the worst sense. After all, while the story of Ahsoka is a continuation of that show's (we'll also get into more specifics about this in a moment), there is a difference between developing a story for animation and for live-action. Some moments that in animation are allowed to be over-the-top are not given that permission in live-action, and the same goes for some on-the-nose lines. It's clear that Filoni comes from that background, even if ultimately these moments will be forgotten inside the much larger story he is so passionate about -- and it is that passion that is the main driving force behind the show, what makes its characters feel so alive; what makes it so compelling.



Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) in Lucasfilm's STAR WARS: AHSOKA, exclusively on Disney+. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.



Speaking of well-realized characters whose presence radiates off the screen... Sabine Wren. It is not until the last few minutes of the second episode that Ahsoka's character journey really begins; up until that point, her scenes have mostly been plot-focused, all of them centered around the aforementioned McGuffin. But that is not an interesting Star Wars story -- we need heart. We need to see characters grow (or, in the case of the first act of a story, hints of their forthcoming arc). That is where Natasha Liu Bordizzo comes in as Sabine Wren. This is a case of maximum coordination between the writer (and director, in this case), who was able to introduce the character in such a way that will have both Rebels and non-Rebels fans say 'Oh, I know exactly who she is', and the actress, who so masterfully realized the scripts and portrayed the same character that we know from animation, but giving her a whole new perspective now that she's a few years older.



The Ahsoka series has often been described, by fans and also some of the people behind it, as Star Wars: Rebels season 5. Well, after watching the first two episodes, it's clear to me that this is actually Star Wars: Rebels season 6, in a world where the creators know that the fifth season never made it to air. So many things have happened since the last time we saw these characters, and Dave Filoni knows that we don't know that, and uses it to pull us in. The first two episodes introduce so many mysteries and raise so many questions, both from things that happened in the past and also that may happen in the future. They then answer some of them, but also leave more up in the air -- it is one of the best aspects of Dave Filoni's writing.



Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) in Lucasfilm's STAR WARS: AHSOKA, exclusively on Disney+. ©2023 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.



It is the same logic he applied to introduce the characters some people may know but others may not. Even if you don't know who Hera Syndulla is, it doesn't really matter -- you may not get all the nuances between her and Ahsoka's interactions, but you can understand that this is an ally of the main character who can definitely assist her, though not wield a lightsaber. You may not know who Ezra is when he's first name-dropped, but you will immediately understand his relevance to the story and the impact he left on our various characters; you will also meet him right away when Eman Esfandi cameos in hologram form.



The same also applies to punk-rock Sabine, who is still very much the same character Tiya Sircar voiced, yet it's clear so many things have happened to her since the Battle of Lothal. I had my doubts that this would actually work without seeing Rebels, but so far, I absolutely gotta give props to Filoni for pulling off what I thought was impossible. You don't need to know Star Wars: Rebels to follow Ahsoka anymore than you need to watch the prequels to understand A New Hope -- you may not know what The Clone Wars were, but you can get the point of Obi-Wan's line.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_1EXWNETiI&t=32s&pp=ygUOYWhzb2thIHRyYWlsZXI%3D



In terms of individual episodes, I would put the first episode ahead of the second one for a couple of reasons. The structure of the first is so refreshingly well-done, where each cut to a different location or a different character is entirely motivated by what the audience just saw. We also never cut away before each scene has accomplished its purpose, which may sound like a 'well, duh', but I had my doubts after The Mandalorian season 3. Because it's been so long since we last saw these character, there is a lot of awe factor that helps move the first episode along. We want to know more.



The second episode starts to get its hands dirty while still establishing the overall story, a payment it has to make for the rest of it to soar but that detracts from the overall enjoyment. It also didn't help that being familiar with the trailers made most of what happens in the second episode feel very predictable. Judging from the promos, too, we can kind of see where the third episode is going as well... Though we must remember, always in motion the future is.



Overall, episodes 1 and 2 of Ahsoka feel like a very solid start but I have the feeling that there are some moments coming later that will absolutely eclipse them. There is a whole lot of new Star Wars lore that is already introduced, which is both very exciting and also makes me wonder how much deeper Filoni will go with it in the future.



Look forward to our spoiler discussion coming after the episodes air, at 8pm PT/11pm ET/4am BST.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnzNZ0Mdx4I&pp=ygUOYWhzb2thIHRyYWlsZXI%3D



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