Ahsoka isn’t that good. Gasp! Boo! Hiss! There, I said it so you didn’t have to. Feel better? Look, I’m not going on record to say that this show is patently bad either — it’s just not as wonderful as it’s pretending to be, and that’s a big problem for the future of Star Wars.
Now, before you start sharpening pitchforks and lighting torches, I’ll extend an olive branch on the show’s behalf. Beat me to death with it afterward if you’d like, but hear me out first and kill me later. Although, If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine….
Visually, there’s no denying that this series is probably the best-looking Star Wars show Disney Plus has ever put out. Housing an array of practical effects, stellar ship design, and a compelling overall art direction — Ahsoka has finally given fans a live-action Star Wars that their eyeballs can withstand, which should be recognized if not downright enjoyed.
Moreover, and more importantly, there are some undeniably cool parts. A few of the lightsaber battles aren’t half bad, bringing Anakin (Hayden Christensen) back wasn’t a total waste of time, and the mythos that Filoni and co. are trying to create makes sense en masse.
“Disney has access to the best filmmakers…isn’t willing to let them take the risks…”
Baylon Skoll (Ray Stevenson) and his apprentice Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno) are notably compelling, with their ongoing motivations unclear — driven by a melancholic angst that’s never been attributed to Sith characters in the past. It’s fresh, it’s fun and keeps me riveted.
Huyang (David Tennant), the architect droid, is yet another highlight which speaks to the issue at hand. When your four most interesting characters are two Sith warriors, a droid, and Anakin — and not the relatively new characters responsible for this show’s namesake — there’s a big problem.
Watching Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson) grapple with becoming a Jedi Master and Sabine’s (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) rebellious persona, all in the face of growing threats to the New Republic should be about as entertaining as Star Wars can get these days. After all, no one loves Star Wars more than the show’s creator, Dave Filoni. But even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while.
The folks over at the mouse house are dealing with one of the greatest intellectual properties of all time, and it stands to reason there might be a few fun bits — regardless of who’s in charge, and therein lies the rub. Disney has access to the best filmmakers in the entertainment industry, yet somehow isn’t willing to let them take the risks required to blow our minds.
This is a shame because Dave Filoni is one hell of a filmmaker, and that is exactly why Ahsoka being wholly mediocre spells real trouble for the franchise at large. Compelling on-screen components quickly get undercut by the myriad of callbacks forced upon viewers throughout and silently take the place of any real narrative development outright.
