Fast, fun, and full of surprises: Star Wars: Ahsoka has hit the ground running, and most audiences are loving it (even if some franchise fans are feeling a little bit salty about the success of the show). The titular character first appeared in Clone Wars to a lukewarm reception, but since then has gone from strength to strength among the fandom. Her new show takes place around nine years after the climactic events of Star Wars: A New Hope, but where was the Jedi-trained (not a fully-fledged Knight, though) Togruta during that film? The answer is pretty simple, so read on to find out!
Who is Ahsoka Tano?
Ahsoka Tano once served as the Padawan learner to Anakin Skywalker, doing so during the events of the beloved series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. A talented fighter, excellent leader, and a being who’s sensitive to the light side of the Force, Ahsoka has been integral to the history of the Star Wars universe, using her skills to fight for peace and justice in the galaxy.
Her time in the Star Wars universe hasn’t all been roses, though. She was framed for the bombing of the Jedi Temple hangar and many other ruthless killings, only being saved once Anakin Skywalker uncovered the truth. However, this left a bitter taste in her mouth, and she left the Order of the Jedi not long after. She later faked her death, and under a new identity fought against her former mentor Anakin Skywalker, although like many she didn’t realize it was him, as he had assumed the mantle of Darth Vader by that point.
The events of Ahsoka take place around five years after Darth Vader’s demise at his son’s hands.
Who plays Ahsoka in the Star Wars universe?
When Ahsoka first appeared in animated series Clone Wars, the character was voiced by Ashley Eckstein – who has several film and television credits to her name. The live-action version of the character is played by Rosario Dawson, whose name was thrown into the mix by dedicated lovers of the franchise who fancasted her across social media for years.
Where did we first see Ahsoka in the Star Wars universe?
Although her lore goes back incredibly far, we first saw Ahsoka appear in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the 2008 film that started that part of the franchise off. She then appeared in multiple episodes of the animated Clone Wars series, Star Wars: Rebels, The Mandalorian, and The Book of Bobba Fett.
When is Star Wars: Ahsoka based in the Star Wars timeline?
The events of Star Wars: Ahsoka take place concurrently with those of season 3 of The Mandalorian – roughly 9-12 ABY. This means that the show is happening after the events of the films that birthed the franchise. However, Ahsoka takes place around twenty years before The Force Awakens.
What happens in Star Wars: A New Hope?
The first Star Wars film to be released — A New Hope — was a revelation when it came out in 1977, and since then has only gone on to be more and more influential (even having a day named after it), especially as the franchise expands. In the film, the Rebel alliance gets hold of schematics for the Empire’s new space station, the Death Star, and makes plans to destroy it. However, in an attempt to quash the rebellious forces, their secret leader Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) is kidnapped and held hostage at the behest of Darth Vader and the Galactic Empire.
Before Leia is taken she manages to get a message out alongside the plans by hiding them in a droid named R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) and his companion C-3PO (Anthony Daniels). The robots are found by traders and sold to moisture farmer Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). An acquaintance of his named Ben reveals himself to be a former Jedi named Obi-Wan (Alec Guinness), and convinces Luke that they need to get the message and the plans to Leia’s father. With the help of a smart-talking smuggler named Han Solo (Harrison Ford), they embark on a mission to save the princess, help the Rebels, and restore freedom to the galaxy.
Where was Ahsoka during Star Wars: A New Hope?
Ahsoka’s backstory and close connection to the Skywalkers mean that it would have been highly likely for her to be involved in the original trilogy. However, she doesn’t make a single appearance in the franchise until Clone Wars. Why is this the case?
The non in-universe reason for her absence is simply that she didn’t exist as a character in 1977. Even in his wildest dreams George Lucas couldn’t have imagined the way that Star Wars has played out, but as more content was being made, more characters needed to be produced. Ahsoka was originally designed by Dave Filoni and Lucas as more of a prop to show how Anakin Skywalker went from being an emotional, unstable Padawan into the reserved Knight he was in Revenge of the Sith, and also so there were more strong female characters in the franchise.
The in-universe reason for Ahsoka not being in A New Hope, or any of the sequel trilogy, is yet to be given. However, we’re sure the writers have something up their sleeves!