What is the Ahsoka release date? Star Wars has come a long way since a humble farm boy saved the galaxy. It’s now an enormous franchise spanning a varied timeline and hundreds of characters, even though it feels like they’re all somehow still related to the Skywalkers.
The lore of Star Wars has expanded to such a degree that it can often be hard to keep up with watching the Star Wars movies in order, never mind following all of the Star Wars series, too. New stories are coming thick and fast in the form of animated shows and lots of live-action adventures, with Ahsoka Tano the latest Jedi to get her own show.
The series follows an older Ahsoka, one of the best Star Wars characters of all time and the ex-Padawan of Anakin Skywalker, and it’s set soon after we met her in The Mandalorian. Here’s everything you need to know about the Ahsoka cast, plot, and reviews, so you can fully immerse yourself in the best sci-fi series of the year.
Who’s in the Ahsoka cast?
Rosario Dawson returned as Ahsoka to lead the cast alongside the likes of Hayden Christensen, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Lars Mikkelsen.
Dawson first joined the Star Wars cast in live-action in The Mandalorian’s ‘Chapter 13: The Jedi’ episode and subsequently returned to play Ahsoka in The Book of Boba Fett.
Hayden Christensen, the Sith lord Anakin Skywalker himself, is in the Ahsoka cast as well. He appeared to Ahsoka as a vision in the World Between Worlds, with some Clone Wars flashbacks thrown in, too.
Sabine Wren and Hera Syndulla jumped to live-action from Rebels, played by Natasha Liu Bordizzo and Mary Elizabeth Winstead respectively. Cocky young Jedi Ezra Bridger was also brought to the cast, with Eman Esfandi taking on the role of a much older version of the beloved hero.
Arch-baddie Grand Admiral Thrawn is back too and is portrayed by Lars Mikkelsen, who voiced the character in the animated series. David Tennant is also back as the voice of architect droid Huyang, while Ray Stevenson (who died aged 58, on May 21, 2023, months before the debut of the series) plays a new contender for the best Star Wars villains, Baylan Skoll.
Here’s the Ahsoka cast list:
- Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano
- Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Sabine Wren
- Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Hera Syndulla
- Lars Mikkelsen as Grand Admiral Thrawn
- Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker
- Ray Stevenson as Baylan Skoll
- David Tennant as Huyang
- Genevieve O’Reilly as Mon Mothma
- Diana Lee Inosanto as Morgan Elsbeth
- Ivanna Sakhno as Shin Hati
- Eman Esfandi as Ezra Bridger
Ahsoka release date and reviews
Ahsoka debuted with a two-part premiere on Tuesday, August 22, 2023. The show then ended on Tuesday, October 3 with its eighth and final installment, and the show received generally positive reviews during its run.
In our own Ahsoka episode 1 and 2 recap, Anthony McGlynn wrote that the series is “just what Star Wars needs, at a point when it most needs it”. And, in his Ahsoka episode 7 recap, Anthony celebrated the depiction of Thrawn as a worthy villain.
Other critics have noted that the show is a buffet of references for fans of the best animated series from the Star Wars canon, anchored by Rosario Dawson delivering a samurai-like lead performance.
“You can tell that Ahsoka is the product of abundant care. Its production design is best-in-class for the Disney+ Star Wars shows — some of the sets are staggering, on par with Andor in terms of scale and technical craft,” wrote Jack King from GQ, while Variety‘s Aramide Tinubu said: “Like The Mandalorian, Ahsoka soars because it’s not afraid to hone in on a singular serialized adventure while allowing the audience to savor its many exquisite details.”
What is Ahsoka about?
The Ahsoka plot focuses on the hunt for Grand Admiral Thrawn as he tries to reconstruct the Empire, taking inspiration from the Star Wars book series Heir to the Empire.
(Warning: spoilers ahead!) Set in the distant aftermath of the fall of Emperor Palpatine, Ahsoka acts as a continuation of the animated series Rebels with Sabine Wren, Hera, Ezra Bridger, and even Chopper, making their returns. But Dave Filoni, who has written every episode of the series, said at Star Wars Celebration that he was keen to make sure fans wouldn’t have to do any homework in order to enjoy Ahsoka.
On the flip side, new contenders to be fan-favorite characters, like Baylan Skoll, are on the opposing team, helping to enact Grand Admiral Thrawn’s plan for the Galactic Empire.
The season ended with a final confrontation between Ahsoka and Thrawn, who had been trying to make his way across the galaxy so he could rebuild the Empire for some time now. It all boiled down to Ahsoka, Sabine, and Ezra battling their way to his ship, but unfortunately, he was able to get away. Sabine (who is now fully connected to the Force), was able to help Ezra get on the ship, but she decided to remain behind to help her master, Ahsoka.
It was a happy ending for some, with Ezra finally being able to make it back to his home galaxy after stealing a ship from Thrawn, but we also saw other characters now stranded on Peridea, including Ahsoka and Sabine. All this sets up one last surprise appearance from Hayden Christensen’s Anakin, wherein he gives her a knowing smile.
Who made Star Wars Ahsoka?
Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau were attached to Ahsoka as showrunners, and Filoni wrote every episode.
With Filoni’s co-creation of the character alongside George Lucas, and Favreau’s talents on The Mandalorian, they’d proved before things even began that they were up to the task.
The co-director of Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, Peter Ramsey, took the reigns for one episode. Alongside Ramsey and Filoni, the director list included Steph Green (two episodes), Jennifer Getzinger, Geeta Patel, and The Mandalorian veteran Rick Famuyiwa helmed the finale.
Is there an Ahsoka trailer?
The first Ahsoka trailer dropped at Star Wars Celebration on April 7, 2023.
The brief teaser set up Ahsoka’s new adventure and teased the return of several familiar friendly faces and a new threat on the horizon. It gave a hint at the tone of the show, and the visuals — and short fight scenes — all looked very promising.
The second Ahsoka trailer dropped on July 11, 2023, and gave us a better look at the live-action Hera and Sabine from Rebels. Plus, we got to see Thrawn in the flesh for the first time, not just a shaky shot of the back of his head.
Where can I watch Ahsoka?
Ahsoka made its debut on Disney Plus on August 22, 2023, as a two-part premiere, with the other episodes following each week and the final episode arriving on October 3.
How many episodes are in Ahsoka?
There are eight episodes in the first season of Ahsoka.
The Mandalorian also had eight episodes in both seasons 1 and 2, so we shouldn’t be surprised that this is what we got with Ahsoka.
Will there be an Ahsoka season 2?
Disney hasn’t officially announced a season 2 of Ahsoka just yet, but the cast have all said they’re down to return.
There would be plenty of places for Ahsoka season 2 to go, and given the positive reception towards the series, we imagine that Disney would be keen to continue expanding this part of the universe. The cast, including the lead, Rosario Dawson, have said that they’re keen to return to their roles.
“I’m absolutely putting it out into the universe,” Dawson told Empire. “We’re joking about it, but I’m manifesting it because I feel like I helped Dave [Filoni] manifest this role. So I’m ready. I’m excited. I’m willing. I got my ice-packs ready to go for Season 2 and beyond! I would not be mad at that.”
If that’s not enough from the galaxy far, far away, check out our guide on The Mandalorian season 4 release date and why we think The Mandalorian season 3 stuck the landing. We’ve also explained the tweet that made Ahsoka happen, the origins of Darth Vader, and the Skywalker family tree.
For more information on the future of Star Wars, check out our guide to the new Star Wars movies, The Acolyte release date, the Andor season 2 release date, the Skeleton Crew release date, and the Tales of the Jedi season 2 release date. Or learn more about characters like Princess Leia and Mace Windu.