Ahsoka Tano has a long and varied history in the Star Wars saga. She’s been around for almost a decade, having been introduced in the animated Clone Wars movie. She grew up before our eyes in the seven-season Clone Wars series that followed, and in Rebels, she really came into her own. The same could be said for all the characters she encountered along the way.
As Ahsoka continues her journey in live-action, she’s brought the cast of Rebels with her. Ahsoka will follow the title ex-Jedi, as well as Sabine Wren, Hera Syndulla, and Ezra Bridger, on a mission to defeat the fallen Empire’s last Grand Admiral. Much of this is carrying over from Rebels, which leaves fans with a question leading up to Ahsoka’s two-episode premiere. How much of Rebels should casual fans watch to get up to speed?
No, you don’t need to watch Rebels before Ahsoka
This might come as a surprise, but Rebels novices won’t need to do much homework ahead of Ahsoka. Sure, many of the characters appearing in the new series are from Rebels — including Grand Admiral Thrawn, the overarching villain in both — and understanding where they come from may help you appreciate them more. But it’s not necessary.
Ahsoka takes place after a pretty significant time jump. Like The Mandalorian, the series is set in 9 ABY (After the Battle of Yavin), about six years after the fall of the Empire. Rebels ended in 0 BBY, just before the events of A New Hope. That means Sabine, Hera, Ezra, and Thrawn haven’t been seen in roughly 10 years. A lot’s changed in that time, so Ahsoka is essentially introducing these characters anew.
Check out The Mandalorian instead
If there is a show to watch before Ahsoka hits Disney+, it’s actually an episode of The Mandalorian, “The Jedi.” It marked Ahsoka’s live-action debut, and introduced a major villain who’ll return in the new series, Morgan Elsbeth. Then known just as The Magistrate, Elsbeth is the one person who seems to know how to locate Thrawn. Ahsoka encounters her on the planet Corvus, and their duel sets the tone for the long battle ahead.
Ahsoka will likely pick up right where “The Jedi” left off. Though the threat Thrawn presents to the galaxy may feel like a mystery, that’s part of the series’ appeal. Ahsoka is taking its time introducing the saga’s next Big Bad, but we’ll likely get a much clearer picture of him as the series goes on. We’ll also get to know the Rebels characters, and who they’ve become in the aftermath of the Empire’s defeat. It’s all about the journey, and Ahsoka has eight episodes to lay it out for old fans and new ones.
