We’re still dealing with our Star Wars comedown after Ahsoka. Eight weeks of brand new action from the galaxy far, far away has left us with plenty to think about before our next journey into the world created by George Lucas almost 50 years ago.
It was undeniably exciting for Star Wars fans to see Anakin Skywalker on screen again in the latest Star Wars series to hit streaming platforms. The Jedi-turned-Sith was once known as the Chosen One and has had a winding journey between good and evil over the years, making him one of the best Star Wars characters for sure.
Those of us who can’t help but rewatch the Star Wars movies in order over and over might have noticed that, while Anakin didn’t get a great deal of screen time in Ahsoka, the show found an innovative way to tell his entire story from hero to one of the best Star Wars villains. If you have ears as big as Yoda, you might have picked it up.
In an interview with Radio Times, the familial team of Ahsoka composers – comprising Kevin Kiner and his children, Sean and Deana – explained how they used the musical score of Ahsoka to nod to the complex story of Anakin Skywalker.
Sean said: “We kind of picked apart little bits of here and there are chords from Anakin’s theme from The Phantom Menace, when he’s a boy, but then we bring in the Vader theme, to kind of foreshadow what was going to happen in episode five, where Ahsoka’s going to have to face the reality of the implications of his legacy.”
Kevin explained that the team was very much inspired by original Star Wars composer John Williams, who found innovative ways to include his previous themes in scores for new movies. With each little flourish, their score added shades to Anakin’s story for fans to pick up.
“Let’s not just repeat this theme verbatim. Let’s not just go ‘Ahsoka’s theme’ and play it exactly. Let’s reference it. John Williams is the master of this and that’s where I probably learned it. Oh, he’s not really playing the whole theme. He’s coming in the middle then he’s putting in new chords. I think that’s the most elegant way to drive your themes home.”
We certainly appreciate the Kiners for their restraint here. It would have been easy to lean too hard into nostalgia with the Ahsoka score. In fact, Dave Filoni might have pushed the nostalgia too far with his story, which drew heavily from Star Wars Rebels as well as creating its own mythology. We’re glad the score went in a more subtle direction.
But if you do want to drown in some nostalgia after one of the best TV series in the Star Wars world, take a look at our guide to the Ahsoka episode 8 Easter eggs you might have missed and find out why Ahsoka’s biggest mystery should change how we watch Star Wars.
As for more of what will be new on Disney Plus in the near future, find out about The Marvels and Avatar 3. But if you’re completely devoted to Anakin’s apprentice and her future, look ahead to the Ahsoka season 2 release date.