Ahsoka Finally Debuts, Leaves Star Wars Fans Extremely Disappointed
Dave Filoni's first solo live-action project has raised more than a few questions.
After Disney and Lucasfilm's somewhat underwhelming stints with The Book of Boba Fett, the third season of The Mandalorian, and the polarising Obi-Wan Kenobi, the only truly standout Star Wars spin-offs were the initial two seasons featuring Din Djarin and Grogu as well as the highly acclaimed Andor.
These projects set the bar so high that any subsequent content from the galaxy far, far away seemed destined for criticism if it fell even slightly short of their standard.
Yesterday saw the release of the first two episodes of Ahsoka, Dave Filoni's long-awaited show. Given the lofty benchmarks that Filoni himself has established, fans were anxious about whether the current Executive Creative Director of Lucasfilm could deliver, especially since this is his first live-action foray following animated series and partnerships with Jon Favreau. So, did Ahsoka measure up? Some fans don't seem to think it did.
The series, which delves into the escapades of Anakin Skywalker's erstwhile apprentice, is set in the same timeframe as The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. Yet Filoni evidently has no intention of tying the narratives together, choosing instead to further the story he began in The Clone Wars and Rebels. While this is a commendable effort, as it's always refreshing to see a cherished character's saga in live-action, it has brought about certain complications.
'I want to appreciate it for doing something different than Marvel's rat-tat-tat snappy dialogue, but yeah I think they were going for "weighty" and just landed on "slow" a few times,' a fan said on Reddit.
Rebels was a superb animated YA series that expertly juxtaposed uplifting moments with poignant episodes in the protagonists' journeys. However, with Ahsoka, Dave Filoni opted for a grimmer narrative tone, striving to underscore the gravity of the events it depicts. Regrettably, this translated to a sluggish pace, with two-thirds of the running time consumed by drawn-out dialogues, prolonged silences, and seemingly extraneous shots and sequences.
'Slow, low energy dialogue. Constant pauses. Pacing feels awkwardly slow. Many ships landing. Scenes drag on for no reason. Like why do I need to watch Ashoka figure out this puzzle for 5 minutes and Sabine whine and reminisce for this long? Just why,' another fan complained.
Perhaps our expectations were so high there was no way the opening episodes could have lived up to them. Hopefully, the narrative picks up pace. Yet, such a leisurely approach does seem puzzling for a series limited to just eight episodes.
In the meantime, episode 3 will be released on 29 August.