Ahsoka: Twitter Is Blown Away By Star Wars Series' Interstellar Humor & Epic Debut
It's official: fans are loving the new "Star Wars" show "Ahsoka."
After the standalone series centered around Ahsoka Tano — a character made popular in "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and "Star Wars: Rebels," both of which were animated series — with Rosario Dawson in the titular role premiered on Disney+ on August 22, 2023, fans took to social media to discuss just how happy they were with the show. Led by Dave Filoni, who has also worked on "Clone Wars" and "Rebels" as well as "The Bad Batch" (among other "Star Wars" projects), the series also stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead, David Tennant, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Ivanna Sakhno, and the late Ray Stevenson in his final role. (Stevenson passed away in May of 2023.)
So what do fans think of the latest "Star Wars" project? After seeing Dawson bring the character into the live-action realm in "The Mandalorian," they're thrilled her solo adventure is off to such a strong start. "The first two episodes of #Ahsoka just deliver on every front," Twitter user @keldorjedii wrote. "Everything that made Rebels so special is beautifully translated into live action, and the heart and soul of this incredible story remains strong. Filoni has done it once again." @NathanMort2 agreed: "First episode of #Ahsoka is breathtakingly beautiful and I'm in tears with how well done they've brought the animation to real life! A sweet and fitting tribute to Ray Stevenson and an amazing cliffhanger."
Fans are loving this fresh look at Ahsoka
@Chopper_Rebel kept it simple with their reaction, just writing, "Last night's premiere was EPIC!" Meanwhile, @BabuNick77 got much more specific: "I think one thing I really loved about the first 2 episodes of #Ahsoka is that the show really isn't afraid to take its time. Each scene and moment feel appropriately drawn out and we get to sit with the characters for longer than any moments in Mando ever allowed."
Dawson already charmed audiences in "The Mandalorian," and as a result, she's built up a lot of goodwill as the character — which @aj1_rad made clear. "I just watched the first 2 episodes of Ahsoka and holy sh*t how good Rosario Dawson is leaning into this role," they wrote, declaring that the show is "The best piece of media so far this year." As for @MollieDamon, she made it clear that even if you're not a "Star Wars" expert, there's something for everyone on this show, saying, "I honestly think the first 2 episodes of #Ahsoka do a great job introducing all the main story beats and characters to prep anyone to be able to understand and enjoy it even if you haven't seen Rebels or Clone Wars."
There's even something for "Star Wars" fans who have serious franchise fatigue; as @aidilrizal wrote, "I actually like it a lot so far and I've been super critical of Disney canon for the most part."
Clone Wars and Rebels fans are thrilled with Ahsoka's live-action outing
Translating a beloved animated show into live-action could have been a tough feat, but clearly, Filoni and his cast met this challenge head-on. As @giselleb1234 wrote, "The first two episodes of #Ahsoka were so freaking good like imo this is already some of the best Star Wars content. POETIC CINEMA The Star Wars Rebels solidarity! Man I cannot wait for more episodes to come." @blurayangel agreed, saying, "I didn't want #AhsokaTano episode 2 to end. This felt like live action REBELS, especially with the music. CHOPPER BABY!!! The casting is perfect. Sabine Wren being Ahsoka's apprentice is epic." Some fans, like @_thejupiterkid, just felt elated seeing their favorite characters make the leap from animation to live-action: "I can't explain the serotonin rush I get watching Ahsoka and seeing Hera, Sabine and Lothal in live-action. So impressed with how good it is so far."
Decider writer Meghan O'Keefe did say that fans of the latest major "Star Wars" project, "Andor," might take issue with "Ahsoka," but she liked it all the same. "Initial #Ahsoka thoughts: Dave Filoni lovingly brings his rebels to life in a story that embraces mythology, magic, and lore in a way that could turn off, say, ANDOR fans," she wrote. "Slower paced than expected but still enthralling for this Rebels fan. Natasha Liu Bordizzo is my early MVP."
Other fans were relieved that Ahsoka, who wasn't wildly popular at first, is finally getting her due, like @GrantMcLellan9: "Well it took 15 years but I've finally seen the introduction of Ahsoka Tano who went from a character Star Wars fans initially hated to one of the most beloved characters in the franchise."
All in all, Ahsoka is a hit with Star Wars fans
The bottom line is this: fans really, really like "Ahsoka." Longtime fans of "Star Wars" might miss the sheer joy of a great new story after some diminishing returns over the years and as @NOLA_fredo put it, they just had a great time. "Really enjoyed the first 2 episodes of #Ahsoka," they wrote. "The opening two sequences are prime 'show don't tell' and fit the classic Star Wars 'Western-meets-samurai' aesthetic with a dash of Indy Jones. The cast is solid and the Rebels cameos did put a smile on my face. Overall, dug it." @metaplexmovies agreed that "Ahsoka" had a classic "Star Wars" vibe: "I really liked AHSOKA! It feels like 90s EU Star Wars in the best way, finding new shades of how the force, galaxy and mythology operate while sticking to the story fundamentals that make this series resonate. Ancient tech, E-Wings, hidden sects of dark side power. I'm in."
Ultimately, even diehard "Star Wars" fans are on board. YouTuber StarWarsTheory, who's definitely an expert in the field, gave the series his seal of approval, writing, "Just watched Ahsoka again to complete my breakdown of episodes 1 + 2 and I like it even more the second time around. Bro. We in for a treat. Thank you Dave."
The first two episodes of "Ahsoka" are streaming on Disney+ now, and new episodes drop on the service every Tuesday.