Star Wars: Ahsoka is off to a good start, and while it might not be everything fans were hoping for, it’s scratched an itch animated fans have been feeling since the cliffhanger ending of Star Wars: Rebels. The series has almost seamlessly integrated itself with the other live-action shows. Sure, we can attribute that flawless synchronicity to The Mandalorian’s Din Djarin interactions with primary cast members like Boba Fett, Ahsoka Tano, and Luke Skywalker, but there is a much more subtle and believable tie that binds the galaxy’s greatest heroes together: the underappreciated and certainly overworked Captain Carson Teva.
Captain Carson Teva, played by the talented Paul Sun-Hyung Lee of Kim’s Convenience, has appeared in almost every Disney Plus Star Wars series so far. Starting with his appearance in The Mandalorian’s first season, Teva has been a subtle but consistent presence, helping where he is needed – even when his hands are all but tied. From disobeying orders to help Hera Syndulla track Morgan Elsbeth, to locating the hiding Mandalorians to investigate the return of Moff Gideon, Teva has only the best interest of the Outer Rim at heart. He’s constantly trying to recruit good-hearted people into the New Republic and even influenced Cara Dune (Gina Carano) to take the position in the New Republic special forces, which was meant to spin into a new series, Rangers of the New Republic.
Unfortunately for fans of the character, Gina Corano lost her contract after making several controversial comments and then failed to apologize, shut her mouth, or address the controversy with any modicum of class. Cara Dune was unceremoniously cut from future Star Wars projects, and her firing left a vacancy, one that had been carefully built into the foundation of the live-action series. Carano apologists worked overtime to insinuate that the perceived drop in quality during The Mandalorian’s third season was due to her absence, and the unfinished storylines the character left behind.
What those fans don’t seem to notice is those storylines have very much continued, even without Carano at the helm. Rangers was slated to have multiple main characters outside of just Dune, and one of those was Carson Teva. Rangers may never have gotten to take off with Carano as the main protagonist, but that doesn’t mean the storylines are dead and gone. Much of the work we see Teva do goes along with what the series was likely meant to cover.
Teva looks out for the outer rim, trusts his instincts, and goes where he is needed to help the citizens, even those who haven’t fully joined the New Republic. His inclusion in the story gives some much-needed context to the failures of the New Republic, and his start as a Rebel fighter gives him the experience to know when things aren’t right in the ‘verse. We look forward to seeing how this underappreciated and overworked public servant continues to fight the good fight and hold the divided pieces of the galaxy together— however he can.