Now is a good time to be an Ahsoka Tano fan. Star Wars: The Clone Wars literally just wrapped up its seventh and final season, which we never thought would happen for a long while, and there’s word that the character could make her live-action debut in the upcoming second season of The Mandalorian. This has yet to be 100% confirmed, but all the signs are pointing to Rosario Dawson taking over the part of the Togruta Force-user for the Disney Plus series.
Having the heroine expand into a whole new medium is exciting, no doubt, but fans are sad that Ashley Eckstein won’t be reprising her role. The actress is responsible for bringing Ahsoka to life and portraying her from a young Padawan to the experienced war veteran of Rebels. She knows the character inside out, then, so what advice would she offer to Dawson or whoever it is that plays the part in live-action?
Here’s what Eckstein told Looper:
“Any new actress that would step into Ahsoka’s shoes, I would say I just hope she realizes what Ahsoka means to people, because Ahsoka has changed lives. She’s saved lives. So, I would just ask that anyone that joins Team Tano recognizes how important she is to so many people, and they do their best to continue to carry on her legacy.”
That’s some good advice there. The star understands better than anyone what Ahsoka means to people. Arguably even more than characters like Luke and Rey, who have to tackle the darkness within them, Ahsoka is a beacon of hope and compassion and her innate goodness has made her a truly beloved protagonist of the Star Wars saga. So, the person who inhabits the role in The Mandalorian has to embody Ahsoka’s spirit.
For Dawson’s part, she’s definitely a massive SW fan and knows how much the franchise means to folks, so that’s an encouraging sign. With any luck, the character of Ahsoka Tano rests in safe hands.