Has Ahsoka gotten into my good graces? For the moment, yes. I am very into Baylan Skoll (although the death of the actor, Ray Stevenson, is a super bummer) and what he’s all about. Thrawn has appeared. That was great. Even Anakin got some screen time. Hayden Christensen got a raw deal in the trilogy, and I am here for his redemption arc. I guess I like the bad boys of Star Wars. This shouldn’t be too surprising. A well-written villain is almost always more interesting than the hero.
Baylan is the man the highlight of the show for me. He is a smooth operator. The way he talks makes me want to know so much more about his plans. He sounds like a revolutionary, wise old grandpa, and Jedi burnout all rolled into one. His costumes and demeanor accentuate his raw physicality. He is a big dude with a big beard that looks like he might rip off your head or play a mall Santa. And he’d be pleased either way. He wants to break the cycle of empires rising and falling. Break the cycle Baylan. I support you. It’s such a shame that the actor tragically passed. I want Baylan’s story to be told. I like Baylan so much, that knowing he won’t be back is already dampening my enthusiasm for the second season.
Thrawn making his appearance was a pleasant surprise. I thought the producers would waste our time and reveal him in the last scene of the final episode of the season. It feels like somebody upped their storytelling skills because so much of Star Wars television has been bad. I unfortunately expect the cheesiest, stupidest, most saccharine choices now. Whenever a decent choice is made, I get confused. This was a good choice.
Hayden Christensen got some excellent screen time with excellent dialogue. Why couldn’t he have gotten that back during the prequel trilogy? George Lucas can’t write dialogue, that’s why. What a bummer. When delivering good dialogue about the morality of and costs of war, he shines. My only complaint about Anakin’s appearance is that there wasn’t enough. I wanted Ahsoka to spend more time with Anakin unpacking her traumatic upbringing during the Clone Wars. Justice for Hayden. Paychecks for Hayden.
As much as I want Ahsoka to be good, I’m still reserving judgment. How the show handles Sabine’s decision is the litmus test. If the fallout from her decision is realistic and adult, I will be impressed. But I’m worried. This isn’t Andor. The final two episodes of this season are super important. I was a bit out on the first three episodes, and these past three are reeling me back in. I want Ahsoka to stick the landing. Will Filoni and the producers have the courage to hit their beloved characters with real repercussions? Andor is amazing, but the characters are all nobodies that die in Rogue One. Ahsoka and Sabine are beloved characters from The Clone Wars and Rebels. Will they actually be confronted by the consequences of their actions?
The Keasy Depot 