One of the most coveted Star Wars storylines is officially making its live action debut. In a surprise that has the fandom in an absolute tizzy, news surrounding the long awaited live-action series has officially blown our minds.
An official trailer for Ahsoka was released earlier today during Star Wars Celebration 2023 in London — and it’s even more beautiful than we imagined.
As a character introduced over a decade ago, it’s high time Ahsoka has her moment in the spotlight. Does anyone else have chills? Set after the fall of the Empire, Ahsoka mainly follows its titular character on the hunt for Grand Admiral Thrawn — a Star Wars villain unlike any other. Seriously, this dude is pure evil.
Fans have been calling for a live-action representation of Thrawn for years now, and it seems their wish is finally being granted.
First introduced in author Timothy Zahn’s iconic 1991 Expanded Universe novel Heir to the Empire, Grand Admiral Thrawn was a former Imperial Officer who took swift advantage of the galaxy’s power vacuum post Return of the Jedi. A diabolical and ruthless villain, folks may remember that Thrawn captured young Jedi Ezra Bridger at the end of Star Wars Rebels.
Thrawn’s kidnapping of Ezra seems to be the motivator for Ahsoka’s search, and an equally-massive narrative point in the new Disney Plus series. The fact that the words “heir to the Empire” were even spoken out-loud is is a world-shattering moment for hardcore fans across the globe.
A tip of the cap like this one is always fun to see in a franchise as large as Star Wars, paying homage to a writer who helped shepherd the franchise through its darker moments. Not to mention the fact that beloved Rebels characters like Sabine Wren or Hera Syndulla appearing in live-action for the first time is a dream come true.
Still, it’s not just a few old heroes being brought to life. In the wake of the trailer’s release, fans have already begun to speculate if the mysterious red-lightsaber wielding adversary is actually another Heir to the Empire character.
Joruus C’Baoth is another grade-A bad-*ss, and for what it’s worth, and looks a lot like him. Aside from any of the information we can squeeze out of the above teaser, not much else is known when it comes to Ahsoka — for now.
As the show’s August release approaches though, we’re sure things will start to heat up. Until then, keep rewatching the trailer, it’s obviously worth it. Stay tuned for more Star Wars Celebration updates.