Who is Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars?
The Mandalorian has served as a launchpad to explore other corners of the Star Wars universe post-Return Of The Jedi.
While the series has featured classic characters like Boba Fett and Luke Skywalker, the return of Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) in season two was arguably the most interesting callback considering she’s been largely overlooked in the mainline film series.
With a spin-off series in her name arriving in August, Ahsoka looks set to become a key pillar of the franchise. Need a refresher? Here’s what you need to know.
Who is Ahsoka?
Ahsoka Tano is a former Jedi knight who was initially introduced as a padawan to Anakin Skywalker in the 2008 animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars. She was assigned to Anakin by Yoda, as a way to teach him about responsibility.
The dynamic between Ahsoka and Anakin continued throughout The Clone Wars animated series, where she also served as a padawan-commander in the Grand Army of the Republic. Later in the series, after being framed for the bombing of a Jedi temple hangar, she becomes disillusioned with the Jedi Order and refuses to rejoin their ranks despite having her name cleared, leading her to become an outcast.
When Order 66 was enacted to wipe out the Jedi, Ahsoka was forced into hiding and operated under the codename ‘Fulcrum’, as seen in Star Wars Rebels. After assuming her former master had died at the end of the Clone Wars, she later discovers he has become the Sith Lord Darth Vader, and duels him inside a Sith temple on Malachor.
What shows and films has Ahsoka Tano appeared in?
Ahsoka is primarily known as a character from animated series The Clone Wars, a follow-up to the animated film of the same name. She is voiced by Ashley Eckstein, who reprised the role for a voice cameo in 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker.
In animated form, she also features in Star Wars Rebels and became a recurring character from the show’s second season. In the 2022 miniseries Tales Of The Jedi, Ahsoka appears in three episodes; as a toddler, a padawan to Anakin Skywalker, and after the events of Order 66.
Ahsoka made her debut in live-action (played by Rosario Dawson) in The Mandalorian’s second season, where she refuses to take Grogu as an apprentice, fearing he could follow the same dark path as her master. Ahsoka later reunites with Mando (Pedro Pascal) at Luke Skywalker’s Jedi academy in The Book Of Boba Fett.
She’s set to take the lead in her own live-action series, titled Ahsoka, which debuts in August 2023.
Is there a trailer for Ahsoka?
A trailer was released for Ahsoka during Star Wars Celebration in April – check it out above.
Ahsoka is created by Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni and takes place during the same time period as The Mandalorian, as she investigates an emerging threat to the galaxy following the fall of the Empire.
Other cast members include Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Sabine Wen, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Hera Syndulla and Ray Stevenson as Baylan. Hayden Christensen was previously confirmed to reprise his role as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader in the series, although it’s unclear in what capacity.
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Adam Starkey
NME
