Star Wars Celebration kicked off with a bang with the Lucasfilm Studio Showcase. Giving updates on all of the major upcoming projects, one of the most anticipated series got a first look. The full trailer for Ahsoka arrived. Here are five big surprises from it.
The Ghost Crew
After Zeb made his jump into live action in The Mandalorian, Ahsoka showed us the rest of the Ghost crew. And boy, do they look great! Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Sabine Wren was showcased throughout the trailer, especially in a handful of beautiful shots of Lothal. Mary Elizabeth Winstead takes the role of Hera Syndulla in a dynamic space battle. Of course, Chopper has to be with her too. We even got a tiny peek at Eman Esfandi’s Ezra in a hologram in Sabine’s room. The Specters are all here and ready for live action.
Mon Mothma
Mon Mothma in Ahsoka was not on my bingo card for the series, but I am here for it! After her triumphant performance in Andor, Genevieve O’Reilly is back in a surprise cameo. However, it does make sense for Mon to be around. Depending on where in the timeline Ahsoka falls, Mon is either Chancellor of the New Republic or has recently stepped down due to illness. She looks well in the trailer, so I assume this is when she’s still in charge.
Professor Huyang
Professor Huyang was a character from The Clone Wars that I always felt was an essential missing key in the post-Order-66 canon. He was an architect droid who served the Jedi for thousands of generations and was a vital part of The Gathering when a young Jedi got their kyber crystal to build their lightsaber. Because of his age, Huyang possessed vast knowledge of Jedi lore. He will probably be an important part of bringing back the Jedi Order after its destruction.
It also sounds like David Tennant is back in the role too! The Doctor Who actor voiced Huyang in The Clone Wars, a part he won a Primetime Emmy for.
Thrawn
We’ve known that Thrawn was returning for some time, but Ahsoka gave us the first peek at the Chiss villain. While it was only the back of his head, the confirmation was enough to get fans hyped. But even more than that, Ahsoka mentions in the trailer that there are whispers of Thrawn being the Heir to the Empire. Legends fans probably perked up at this, as Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn was Thrawn’s first appearance. It seems like Ahsoka is leaning into that book canon and bringing it to the screen.
Red lightsabers
I was not expecting red lightsaber wielders to appear in the Ahsoka trailer, but here they are! Many possible stories could come from these characters. If the series goes entirely into Heir to the Empire, then they could be clones from Mount Tantiss, which does have precedence in the new canon thanks to The Bad Batch. They could also be a completely different and new sect of Force users. What’s interesting is their lightsabers aren’t fully red and have a more orange color to them. These could be powered by kohlen crystals, or “fools kyber,” introduced in Claudia Grey’s novel Master and Apprentice. Thanks to the Empire’s destruction of everything pertaining to the Jedi Order, kyber crystals are much harder to find in this time. Perhaps these new characters have to rely on kohlen crystals instead.
Ahsoka looks fantastic, and I’m sure more surprises will come. We don’t have to wait long, either! Ahsoka will premiere on Disney+ in August 2023.