In 2008, Ahsoka was introduced to the Star Wars universe through the animated series The Clone Wars. At that time, she was a young apprentice to Anakin Skywalker, who later became Darth Vader. Now, as her own live-action series is set to premiere on Disney+, we see her as a skilled warrior with her own apprentice.
Creator Dave Filoni has experienced a bittersweet journey spanning nearly two decades with this iconic character.
“It’s weird because Ahsoka’s story and her journey and growth has mirrored my own as a filmmaker. As I was less sure and less confident, the stories that she was involved in reflected that and were executed that way. I had a lot to learn, so as I’ve grown, the stories got more complex, and the friends I’m working with also got more formidable in their skills, so the story gets better as we challenge ourselves and go deeper with the character,” Filoni shared with The Sun.
He also clarified that prior familiarity with Ahsoka Tano’s story is not a prerequisite for those who might be unfamiliar with her.
“If you don’t know anything about Star Wars, it doesn’t really matter. You just need to know that this is a teacher; Ahsoka is like a mentor. She’s a samurai and she is trying to figure out if she is even capable of teaching Sabine. Is she going to be a good teacher? Is Sabine going to be a good student? The struggle between master and apprentice is very central to the show.”
Filoni is enthusiastic about reintroducing the character to the audience through Dawson’s portrayal, stating, “Going into live-action was a big shift, because in animation you can control every detail and even change things late in the game if you want a different look or expression. In live action, you can’t tweak things. So, I was very fortunate that Rosario Dawson had an interest in playing Ahsoka. That someone of her caliber and talents wanted to step into her Jedi shoes was quite incredible. It is pretty amazing to watch her work.”
Ahsoka releases on August 22 on Disney+.
