Created by George Lucas and Dave Filoni, Ahsoka was first introduced in an animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars – and quickly became beloved by fans all over.
Ahsoka was since then featured in Star Wars Rebels, The Mandalorian (2019- present), and The Book of Boba Fett (2021). The outcast Jedi played by Rosario Dawson is now coming on screens in her live-action TV mini-series by Disney+, Ahsoka. Read on to find out more about Ahsoka’s connection to the rest of the Star Wars franchise, plot, cast, and fitting into the Star Wars timeline, and see where you can stream all of Lucas’ creations while you wait for more movies of the iconic franchise.
Ahsoka cast
With how much many recent Star Wars projects are connected, we are expecting many of the actors’ cameos in the upcoming works, too. Take a look at Ahsoka’s cast, and who they are playing. See if we can spot some familiar faces or maybe speculate on who will appear again after the end of the mini-series.
Ahsoka – Rosario Dawson
Dawson, known from Marvel’s Daredevil (2015-2016) and Jane the Virgin (2018-2019) is going to play Ahsoka in the new mini-series. The actress started preparing for the role of Ahsoka by rewatching Star Wars movies and animations. She said: “It was really fun to see how Ahsoka’s physicality changed, and her facial expressions changed, and her voice and her tenor changed as she just evolved.”
Ahsoka’s story began The Clone Wars animated series, where she debuted on screen as a 14-year-old Padawan apprentice. Anakin Skywalker became her master and trainer. Years pass, and Ahsoka becomes a padawan commander. She forms a deep connection with Anakin, which entails her noticing firsthand the darkness that lurks in Skywalker. Ahsoka later abandons the Jedi Order after being framed for a murder she did not commit, thus her becoming doubtful of the order she served for so long.
In the Star Wars Rebels (2014-2018) animated series, Ahsoka appears as a hooded hologram helping the Rebel crew. She does not reveal her identity until the end of the series. Ezra Bridger, a Jedi from the Rebel crew, becomes crucial to Ahsoka’s fate. He is the one, along with the rest of the crew, who Ahsoka strives to find and from where the narrative of the Ahsoka TV series will pick up.
Anakin Skywalker – Hayden Christensen
Hayden Christensen (Revenge of the Sith) is an awaited addition to the cast of Ahsoka. His charismatic performance might grace your screens in his role of Anakin Skywalker. Christensen will most probably reprise his role of Anakin in flashbacks. This is because the actions in the series will take place after his character became Darth Vader.
Originally, Anakin Skywalker was a Jedi knight, and a prophesied Chosen One of the Jedi Order. He was supposed to be the force of the light, to balance the Force. But after going through multiple failures, like his apprentice Ahsoka walking away and him being stripped of his master rank, Anakin turned to the dark after falling victim to the manipulation of Darth Sidious. This is where the story of the infamous Darth Vader began.
Grand Admiral Thrawn – Lars Mikkelsen
This is not the first time Mikkelsen will play a genius antagonist: known previously for his role as Augustus Magnussen in Sherlock, Mikkelsen has voiced Thrawn in Star Wars Rebels. He suffered defeat in the season finale, which led to his disappearance. But Ahsoka still believes that the evil mastermind is somewhere out there, which bases the plot of Ahsoka.
Thrawn is an alien Imperial officer, a genius and merciless tactic. He worked alongside Darth Vader, who was still Emperor’s Sith apprentice at that time until Thrawn stepped up to dismantle the rebellion led by Captain Hera Syndulla. In the end, Thrawn lost to her rebels which led to his disappearance.
Sabine Wren – Natasha Liu Bordizzo
Known for her roles in The Naked Wanderer (2019) and The Voyers (2021), Natasha Liu Bordizzo is now going to depict the Mandalorian warrior Sabine, who “feels an obligation”, as the actor said, to keep the promise to find Ezra.
After Ezra Bridger’s sacrifice that led to his disappearance Sabine Wren makes it her main objective to find the missing Jedi.
Sabine was a leader during the rebellion against the Galactic Empire. She is a skilled warrior, and her claim of an ancient weapon Darksaber made her a symbol of hope, of freeing her home planet Mandalore from the oppression of the Empire. Before her rebel days, Sabine was a bounty hunter, who was exiled from Mandalore by her own mother and people. After that, Hera Syndulla recruited Sabine and she joined the rebel crew.
Other actors confirmed to participate in Ahsoka are:
- Eman Esfandi as Ezra Bridger
- Wes Chatham as Captain Enoch
- Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Hera Syndulla
- David Tennant as Huyang
- Ray Stevenson as Baylan Skoll
- Temuera Morrison as Captain Rex
- Ivanna Sakhno as Shin Hati
- Diana Lee Inosanto is Morgan Elsbeth
Ahsoka release date
Ahsoka will premiere with two episodes on August 23, 2023. Like all other Star Wars series, it will be released exclusively on Disney+.
What is the plot of Ahsoka?
The official synopsis from IMDb says:
“Set after the fall of the Empire, Ahsoka will follow the former Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano as she investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy.”
All the little threads hanging from previous Star Wars projects led to this conclusion: Ahsoka will not only explore Ahsoka on her way of revenge and investigation but also expand on what happened after Star Wars Rebels. And, maybe even lay the path for future installments. Filoni said in the same interview as Bordizzo above: “Even at the time I did the Rebels epilogue, I felt like, ‘If I go forward with this, this has to be challenging in another way,’ And the challenge was going to be live-action. I wanted to resolve these things with [Ahsoka], but I wanted to do something new with it.”
For now, the plot will focus greatly on finding the series’ main antagonist: Grand Admiral Thrawn, and searching for the missing rebel crew member, Ezra Bridger.
Where does Ahsoka fit into the Star Wars timeline?
It is clear that in terms of other Star Wars projects, Ahsoka the mini-series fits in the following timeline:
- Star Wars Rebels (2014-2018)
- Andor (2022)
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
- Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
- Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
- Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983)
- The Mandalorian (2019- present)
- The Book of Boba Fett (2021)
- Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Speaking strictly of movies, Ahsoka will be probably set between the events of Episode VI and Episode VII. So, after Luke Skywalker defeats Darth Vader and the rebels destroy the Death Star, the actions take place in The Force Awakens (2015) 30 years later.
If casual Star Wars viewers wish to know what to watch before Ahsoka’s release just to familiarize themselves with ex-Jedi’s story from her very birth, they can read on to see what shows to watch to know the background of the character.
What to watch for the background story of Ahsoka
If there is an urge to know Ahsoka’s backstory specifically in the timeline of Star Wars without watching anything not Ahsoka-centric, here is a guide to Ahsoka’s significant appearances on screen, put into a canon-compliant order:
- Episodes 1, 5, and 6 of Tales of the Jedi
The first episode of Tales of the Jedi tells the story of Ahsoka’s childhood. How she was born, how a large predator kidnapped her when she was out on a hunt with her mother. In the end, she freed herself, which led to the discovery of the Force within her.
Episodes five and six take place during the same time as the Clone Wars movie and the first seasons of the animated series and also adapt the 2016 novel Ahsoka by E.K. Johnston.
- The Clone Wars movie
Almost 14 years later, Ahsoka appears in the movie as a young padawan to Anakin Skywalker, marking the start of her path as a Jedi.
- Seasons 1-5 and 7 of The Clone Wars animated TV series
In these particular seasons, Ahsoka appeared in the flesh, but for more background information, watching the entirety of the series would be perfect. In The Clone Wars, events take place during the Revenge of the Sith film. Anakin’s switch to the dark side is explored while Ahsoka takes on the responsibilities of being a commander of the 501st Legion. Ahsoka is unaware of this fact yet in the final season of the series, where she fights against the former Sith Lord Maul.
- Star Wars Rebels
The ending of Rebels is where the new series is supposed to pick up, judging by the trailer where Ahsoka continues her hunt for Grand Admiral Thrawn, and assisted search for Ezra.
- Episode 5 season 2 of The Mandalorian
In this single episode, Ahsoka meets the Mandalorian Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu (dubbed “The Child” before Ahsoka revealed his name with the aid of the Force). Ahsoka is still looking for Grand Admiral Thrawn and thinks that she can take Grogu in for training before deciding against it and leaving him with Din Djarin.
- Episode 6 of The Book of Boba Fett
Ahsoka has a small cameo in The Book of Boba Fett where she encounters Luke Skywalker and also meets Din Djarin and Grogu again.
Ahsoka trailer
Yes, fans will be happy to know that they do not have to wait for a month for a glimpse of their favorite Star Wars characters in Ahsoka. The full official trailer was released on July 11, 2023, by Disney and Lucasfilm.
In the trailer, Lars Mikkelsen is depicting blue-skinned antagonist Grand Admiral Thrawn, able to be missed in a blink of an eye, and the tough relationship between Sabine Wren and Ahsoka is explored briefly, as well as tensions rising when Winstead’s character speaks to the council about an upcoming war. A short sentiment is included too amidst the action where we see missing Ezra conversing with Sabine via a hologram, where he says: “As a Jedi, sometimes you have to make decisions no one else can. I’m counting on you to see this through.”
How to stream Ahsoka – and other Star Wars movies
Viewers will be able to watch Ahsoka on Disney+ but if you fancy watching the entire Star Wars franchise, they are also available on the same channel! Perfect for a day on the sofa, binging some amazing shows. If you’re not sure about pricing for Disney+, check out our handy guide below before you get stuck in:
- With ads: $7.99 per month.
- Without ads: $10.99 per month.
Disney+ is available for UK viewers, too:
- The ad-free plan is £7.99 per month.
- The annual ad-free plan is £79.90.
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