Summary
Star Wars:Ahsokareactions seemingly indicate that one promise made by Rosario Dawson might have fallen through already.
Star Wars:Ahsokaserves as both a spin-off of the live-action showThe Mandalorianand its related projects while also being a continuation of the storylines in the animatedStar Warsfranchise, notably picking up whereStar Wars: Rebelsleft off and bringing some of the franchise’s most well-loved characters to live action for the first time, including castingNatasha Liu Bordizzo as Sabine Wren. The show’s premise as a spiritual successor to prior animated material that dates back to 2003’sClone Warsanimated series instantly appealed to more hardcore fans who followed the animated show’s storyline.
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DespiteAhsokastar Rosario Dawson reassuring new viewersabout the show’s intended viewing audience encompassing everyone irrespective of how invested in the broader franchise they happen to be, the first wave of reviews for the show seem to indicateAhsokamight not be as newcomer friendly as the lead actress led fans to believe. Multiple users who were privileged enough to preview the first two episodes of the series seem to agree the show is heavy on the lore, with some specifying a knowledge ofStar Wars: Rebelsbeing an important precursor to thoroughly enjoying and understanding the show, with one respondent going so far as to call the show a live-actionRebels.
Comments about the need to be plugged into the overarching Disney PlusStar Warsmachine aside, the reactions from early viewers ranged from generally favorable to outright praise. This is encouraging news forAhsokaas fan expectations have steadily risen alongside the show’s ambitious marketing and teasers, including the revelation of an intimidatingnew Inquisitor via anAhsokapromo image. Some reactions specifically praise the performances and screen presence of series lead Dawson and Bordizzo’s Sabine, in addition to the score and pacing of the first two episodes.
While many gave Dawson’s comments about the show’s accessibility the benefit of the doubt, the feedback seemingly confirms what many already figured out about the chances of making such a character-thick and ambitious story without at least partly alienating newcomers. The outcome seems to align closer with the urgings ofAhsoka’s voice actress for fans to preparefor the new series, with Ashley Eckstein suggestingThe Clone Wars,Star Wars: Rebels,and evenTales of the Jedifor fans to be ready forAhsoka. While all three shows are almost universally loved and available on Disney Plus, doing all that homework seemingly invalidates Dawson’s estimation.
The difference in expectations for fans can easily be chalked up to perception and a difference of opinion about how much people can understand without extra context. What seems clear is thatAhsokais going to be a treat for fans of the wider DisneyStar Warscontinuity and might even help appeal to those who are still unsureif theStar Warscanon reset was a good move, as the link to more than two decades worth of stories brings to mind what remains rather than what’s been condemned to theLegendscontinuity.
Ahsokais set to premiere for streaming on Disney Plus starting August 23rd, 2023.
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