Ahsoka Season 2 Is Bringing The Most Famous Star Wars Expanded Universe Story To Live-Action

Nearly three years since the end of the first season, Star Wars fans finally have a proper trailer for "Ahsoka" Season 2, and it's the closest we've come in the Disney era to a true adaptation of "Heir to the Empire." The 1991 novel, written by Star Wars legend Timothy Zahn, is widely credited with properly kickstarting the old Expanded Universe, turning it from a disordered collection of books and comics into a true successor to the original trilogy with a sequenced, complex narrative. And now, with "Ahsoka" Season 2, fans may be getting a proper live-action version, bringing a new rendition of the fan-favorite story to the modern Star Wars canon.

The new trailer splits its time between two galaxies — the main Star Wars one, where Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) and his Nightsister allies declare war on the New Republic, and the strange new galaxy discovered in Season 1, where Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) and Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) are now stranded. It's the former where old EU fans may find the most to get excited about, with a montage of massive space battles between Thrawn's forces and the New Republic fleet, featuring familiar fighter designs from the original trilogy (and a few details "Star Wars Rebels" fans may pick up on in particular).

For years, it's been theorized that Dave Filoni was working up to a proper "Heir to the Empire" movie with Thrawn's return, and some official Lucasfilm announcements even supported the theory. That ship may have sailed after "The Mandalorian and Grogu" fell short at the box office, but we could still be getting the adaptation on Disney+.

The character of Grand Admiral Thrawn has long been a symbol of the old EU — an avatar for what made those early '90s novels and comics so special to Star Wars fans, and so distinct from the rest of the franchise. Thrawn's re-canonization in "Rebels" was the first step in a long process that has finally brought us here — a big-budget, live action war between the famed Chiss strategist and the veterans of the Rebel Alliance.

Of course, the details of the story won't be the same as the book. Filoni and others have pulled bits and pieces off the Thrawn Trilogy bone over the years, with Mount Tantiss being brought back for "The Bad Batch" and elements of the Imperial Remnant storyline being covered in "The Mandalorian." This time, the old "Rebels" characters will also play a major role, with the "Ahsoka" Season 2 trailer showing Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi) reuniting with old pal Zeb Orrelios (Steve Blum) before launching into space in an A-wing to battle Thrawn's armada.

Even so, this is about as close to an "Heir to the Empire" movie or show as the modern Star Wars canon is ever likely to get. "Ahsoka" Season 2 premieres on Disney+ on January 20, 2027, with what looks to be an action-packed run of episodes.