Ahsoka's Ezra Bridger Resembles This Tragic Star Wars Victim & That's Worrying
After a long wait, "Ahsoka" finally delivered on its big reveal with the return of Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi) in Episode 6, having been stranded on Peridea with Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) since the finale of "Star Wars Rebels." Immediately, fans will recognize how much older Ezra is, with his uncharacteristic beard showing he's been through a lot in the 10 years since he and Thrawn disappeared. However, the Jedi's new look is drawing comparisons to another "Rebels" character, his father, Ephraim Bridger.
Much like his son eventually would, Ephraim avidly opposed the Galactic Empire's strict rule of the galaxy. In a time before the Rebellion, he and Mira Bridger — his wife and Ezra's mother — stood against the oppressive regime, speaking out against the Empire and spreading revolutionary messages on their home planet of Lothal. Eventually, their actions caught up with them, and the Empire sent Stormtroopers to arrest them for treason. After years in prison, the parents heard Ezra's rebellious broadcast, inspiring them to stage a prison break. Unfortunately, Ephraim and Mira died during the escape, sacrificing themselves to ensure the freedom of their fellow prisoners.
With his grown-up look on "Ahsoka," Ezra is nearly the spitting image of Ephraim, and considering both Bridgers put their lives on the line so that others could live, it's reasoning for fans to worry a similarly tragic fate may be on the horizon for the fan-favorite Jedi.
Fans point out how much Ezra looks like his dad
Whether it was intentional on Dave Filoni's part or just incredible casting, fans immediately noticed how much Ezra Bridger looks like his father, Ephraim, in his return on "Ahsoka." On X, formerly known as Twitter, @MeganStuart3 posted an image of Ephraim from "Star Wars Rebels" with a still of Ezra from "Ahsoka," writing, "Can we freaking talk about how much Ezra looks like his freaking dad?"
Naturally, appearing in a "Star Wars" series is a massive feat for any actor, and Eman Esfandi is living his best life after his introduction as Ezra on "Ahsoka." Replying to his tweet, @junglespinner said, "You looked just like Ezra's dad in the family pictures of 'Rebels,' flawless casting just like Lars [Mikkelsen]." Ezra's few minutes of screentime at the end of Episode 6 were enough for most of the "Star Wars" fandom to adore Esfandi's casting, with @LillacTyanu replying to a tweet praising the decision, saying, "Not only is he a great pick for Ezra, but also looks just like Ezra's dad too, really nailing the family resemblance."
As if that wasn't enough to prove the likeness between Ezra and Ephraim, @cold1steel, @KingRagnar06, and @Schrecko all stated similar opinions, posting images of the beloved Jedi and his father to show those who haven't seen "Rebels" the striking resemblance between the two. The latter user accompanied their post with three crying emojis, seemingly showing concern for Ezra due to what happened to his parents.
While Ezra has become the spitting image of Ephraim, we can safely speak for the majority of the "Star Wars" fandom when we say we hope he doesn't suffer a similar tragic fate by the time "Ahsoka" rolls credits on its season finale.