Why we should trust that Ahsoka will be good

The new Ahsoka solo series will be coming to Disney+ soon, as it is heavily rumored that it will premiere this August. Recently online I have seen a lot of chatter surrounding this show. I’ve seen a lot of excitement and anticipation, as well as caution mixed with skepticism.

I completely understand that basically with any new Star Wars show, there will be a great mix of both. I know for me, I usually tend to be cautiously optimistic. Of course, I am excited for new content, but at the same time, I am nervous that somehow a new show will not live up to the hype or the expectations I have given it myself.

A lot of the skepticism I have heard surrounding the new Ahsoka show has centered on the fact that Dave Filoni himself has written each episode of the first season.

My understanding is that some people view this as a negative thing because he will be the sole writer or the fact that he may not be as experienced as a writer as others in the industry or even among fellow Lucasfilm crew members. For example, The Mandalorian has been criticized a fair amount for having “tunnel vision”, when Jon Favreau has been credited as the sole writer. I disagree with that assessment, but that’s a topic for another time. I think this is a case of people seeing one thing that they don’t like happen with a new show and assuming it will apply to all new projects coming out of the same company.

I think that perhaps another reason people may view this as a bad thing is the recent releases of The Book of Boba Fett as well as Obi-Wan Kenobi. These releases received very mixed reviews but were generally positive. The release of these two shows was very interesting to watch. The characters of Obi-Wan and Boba Fett have become cult icons, each in their own way.

Boba Fett, for example, only had a few scenes in the original trilogy. His popularity was so immense that he spawned the idea for an entire race of beings, the Mandalorians. Being that this show was centered around this character that had gained such a tremendous following in the 40+ years since, the expectations had truly never been higher for a project. When the show comes out and the story centers on Boba Fett ruling with respect instead of fear, people gave mixed reactions. My argument is that the show was not bad, but rather when the story took a direction we were not expecting, it did not meet the expectations that we as fans gave it.

Ewan McGregor’s portrayal of Obi-Wan Kenobi is one of the brightest spots of all of Star Wars media, let alone the prequel trilogy. So, when a show surrounding his return to the role was announced, a very similar thing happened compared to the Boba Fett show. Everyone’s expectations were at a certain level, and when the show (which wasn’t bad) came out, the results were different.

So, what’s the next Disney+ original show centered around a fan-favorite character who has gained a massive following in recent years? Yep, Ahsoka.

Why there’s no need to panic about Ahsoka

Dave Filoni created Ahsoka Tano. He worked with George Lucas to create the character as a way to grow the character of Anakin Skywalker. If anyone knows the character of Ahsoka, it’s Dave Filoni. I know that he will treat this show with a great amount of attention and care. Filoni was also a co-creator of Star Wars: Rebels, of which this new Ahsoka show is a continuation. He has this opportunity to continue the story that started in animation and bridge it into live-action which few people have gotten the special opportunity to do.

We also have a clear direction as to where the character of Ahsoka is going. We know from Rebels and The Mandalorian that not only has she been fighting with the Rebel Alliance, but she is looking for Ezra Bridger and Thrawn. We can use that to gain a pretty good understanding of what themes and story elements the Ahsoka show will cover.

Filoni’s track record is also extremely commendable. He has written some of the best episodes in Star Wars, with episodes like “Twin Suns”, and “Jedi Night” of Rebels, “The Jedi”, and “The Spies” of The Mandalorian, as well as “A Distant Echo”, of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, he has helped bring several legendary moments to our screens. He hasn’t missed with his efforts writing Star Wars so far, so why think he would start now?

I understand the caution with a brand-new show surrounding Ahsoka Tano, but c’mon, it’s going to be great. With the responsibility of continuing the stories of Ahsoka, Ezra, Sabine, Hera and others being given to the creator of those characters himself, we all know we are going to be in for a treat.