Loyal followers of all the happenings in a galaxy far, far away have had plenty to sink their teeth into, thanks to multiple animated and live-action series for those with a Disney+ subscription. However, many fans have been looking forward to seeing Rosario Dawson embark on her solo adventure as the fan favorite Ahsoka Tano since The Mandalorian spinoff was announced back in 2020. The time has finally come, with Ahsoka set to premiere on the streamer August 23, and critics have taken to social media to share their thoughts on the first two episodes.
In addition to Rosario Dawson in the title role, Ahsoka’s cast is expected to include the return of Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka’s Jedi teacher. Many characters from the animated series The Clone Wars and Rebels will be brought to life for the first time, including Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo). So how does the former Jedi padawan’s story translate to live action? Let’s see what the critics have to say.
Justin Lawrence of Geekcentric says the first two episodes of Ahsoka perfectly set up this next chapter, with mystery and intrigue that makes the critic excited to see what the rest of the series holds. Lawrence tweets:
The first 2 eps of #Ahsoka are an absolute THRILL as the heroes of #Rebels step into live-action. The setup for this season is filled with mystery, intrigue, and excitement. Perfect casting, high-quality production, great music - pure #StarWars magic. I can’t wait for more! pic.twitter.com/wq60tQVSnsAugust 18, 2023
John Nguyen seems to agree, calling the premiere some of the best live-action fare the longtime franchise has ever offered. The critic also praises Rosario Dawson as “perfect casting,” saying:
Saw the first two episodes of #Ahsoka and so far it's one of the best live-action Star Wars episodes by far. The actors, story, mystery, world building, action are all excellent!!! Rosario Dawson is perfect casting as the titular character. pic.twitter.com/7LJjaDup0AAugust 18, 2023
Rosario Dawson’s isn’t the only performance that’s caught the eyes of the critics, however, with Josh Martin-Jones highlighting the introductions of Natasha Liu Bordizzo and Ray Stevenson to the Star Wars universe:
First two #Ahsoka episodes are really good! Fans of Rebels are in for a treat as this is Filoni's Star Wars in the best way possible.Loving Natasha Liu Bordizzo's Sabine, as well as Ray Stevenson's Baylan Skoll. Some great lightsaber action throughout too, which I LOVED. pic.twitter.com/3ajk3fP5VEAugust 18, 2023
Klein Felt is also “blown away” so far by Natasha Liu Bordizzo’s portrayal of Sabine Wren and says the first two episodes of Ahsoka are pure bliss for fans of Star Wars Rebels:
The first two episodes of #Ahsoka are pure #StarWars bliss. This is for #Rebels what I'd hoped #ObiWan would've been for the Prequels. Rosario Dawson shines, but it's Natasha Liu Bordizzo's Sabine who blew me away. Ahsoka is the #DisneyPlus Jedi epic fans have been waiting for. pic.twitter.com/12BYxvS0NYAugust 18, 2023
In the Star Wars timeline, Ahsoka serves as a sequel to Rebels, and Jorgie of POC Culture posts that the two-episode premiere captures the animated feel of that and The Clone Wars in live action. He tweets:
I got to see #Ahsoka tonight. This was the first Star Wars show to have an opening crawl. Ahsoka is 100% a sequel to Rebels. The 2 episode premiere felt like it was right out of The Clone Wars & Star Wars Rebels, but in live action. pic.twitter.com/duYhtohRzmAugust 18, 2023
Ren Vieira of Mama’s Geeky concurs with that opinion, calling Ahsoka “brilliant” in its scope and character development:
So far, #Ahsoka is BRILLIANT!Episodes 1 & 2 capture the cinematic awe-inspiring feel of the Episodic movies.Grand in scope, narratively intriguing, thematically rich & prioritises character as we dive deeper into the fascinating unknown depths of the Force.Rebels fans rejoice! pic.twitter.com/XLmYbZ9cJoAugust 18, 2023
It seems safe to say that fans of Rebels are going to enjoy seeing these characters come to life. Laila of Agents of Fandom tweeted that she got chills from Kevin Kiner’s score and that the action is everything Star Wars fans are hoping for. In her words:
Being a huge Rebels fan, I was stoked during the first 2 episodes of #Ahsoka. Seeing these characters back on my screen was indescribably incredible. The action is exactly what you would hope for and the score gives me CHILLS. What a great start to the series. pic.twitter.com/XwjW8K8nK7August 18, 2023
Speaking of action, a couple of those who were lucky enough to access early screenings of the two-episode premiere have mentioned the lightsaber battles, and Molly Edwards of GamesRadar thinks fans are in for a treat with this “epic” series. She tweets:
#Ahsoka is epic! It's got those classic Star Wars vibes while also feeling very fresh. The first episodes set the scene vividly, with intriguing villains, a complex bond between Ahsoka and Sabine, and some awesome lightsaber duels already – I really think we're in for a treat 🧡 pic.twitter.com/oFslCUzqFLAugust 18, 2023
None of this would be possible, however, without Dave Filoni, who developed the series with Jon Favreau and wrote all eight episodes. Mark Pacis of Nerd Reactor thanks Filoni for his contribution to modern-day Star Wars, writing:
Saw the first two episodes of #Ahsoka and I just sent to day I ****ing love you Dave Filoni. He created another series that is an eclectic mix of the best storytelling and character aspects of the Lucas era Star Wars and the visceral style of modern day Star Wars. pic.twitter.com/1O8nnwVcZwAugust 18, 2023
It’s also noted by several who have seen Ahsoka’s first two episodes that prior viewership of Rebels and The Clone Wars aren’t needed to enjoy the Rosario Dawson-led series, though knowledge of previously established relationships between the characters does pay off for those who have watched them in full.
If you haven't seen those animated series but can’t wait to catch Ahsoka when its first two episodes drop on Disney+ on August 23, CinemaBlend has got you covered with everything you need to know about Ahsoka Tano. You can also stay up to date on all of the upcoming Star Wars series and everything that’s new and coming in August to Disney+.
