Ahsoka is just around the corner. It’s slated to begin streaming on Disney Plus this August, and the first trailer of the Star Wars series already has fans excited for the release. Set in the New Republic era, Ahsoka will see the titular Jedi, Ahsoka Tano, traverse the galaxy and uncover another threat to it emerging from the ashes of the Empire. Pitting her against an ambitious Grand Admiral of the Empire’s remnants, the show will eventually put her in front of her former mentor Anakin Skywalker, now known as Darth Vader.
However, taking place somewhere between the Mando-verse and featuring characters previously seen only in animated or literary content of the Star Wars franchise, Ahsoka should be watched after brushing up on many other storylines. Ahsoka Tano initially became a prominent character in Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series. She was assigned as a Padawan to Anakin Skywalker and witnessed firsthand her master’s fall to the dark side. The Mandalorian featured the character in live-action for the first time, played by Rosario Dawson. In addition, Ahsoka has been actively mentioned and appeared in other literary and animated Star Wars productions and publications. Hence, it’s essential to understand her long-standing arc in the franchise before jumping on to the upcoming live-action Disney Plus show.
A Reddit thread has explicitly laid out everything you must see before watching Ahsoka. The thread mentions series like Star Wars: Rebels and Star Wars: The Clone Wars, highlighting specific episodes important to the character’s lore. The details make it easier for new fans to get hold of everything they need to know before Ahsoka in a shorter span.
An interesting mention in the thread is the Thrawn Trilogy. It is a Star Wars best-seller series of novels conceptualized by Timothy Zahn. The books introduced the character Grand Admiral Thrawn and followed his ambitious grab for the throne of the Empire during the New Republic. The novels were later removed from the official Star Wars canon when Disney acquired Lucasfilm and repurposed the franchise. However, Ahsoka is adapting elements of the books in the show. In fact, some of Disney’s Star Wars productions have picked up from the non-canonical Star Wars content (at least little aspects) and re-tooled them to fit the new lore. Hence, reading up on them would bring no harm but a deeper understanding of the galaxy.
There is also Tales of the Jedi, an animated anthology series featuring stories of several Jedi that served the order during the Fall of the Jedi or prequel era. Episodes one and six of the series detail Ahsoka’s birth, her connection to the Force, and her training with Anakin during the Clone Wars.
Star Wars is spread across several formats, including films, television, and literature. Moreover, with each newly produced show or movie set in different periods, it gets confusing to grab hold of everything in real-time, especially for new fans. In times like these, such a thread is always helpful, as it can help fans uncover prominent details that make up much of the basics of Star Wars. If you have time, watch the entire series and read the Thrawn Trilogy. It’s still a few months before August.
