Star Wars Rebels Executive Producer Reveals Sabine Was Never Meant to Be a Jedi — It Would Undercut Ezra and Feel Like Overkill
Sabine isn’t a Jedi yet, but her next move could redefine who gets to be one—and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
If you watched Ahsoka and thought 'wait, since when is Sabine a Jedi?', you are not alone. One of the main creative voices behind Star Wars Rebels is wondering the same thing.
What Henry Gilroy says
Henry Gilroy, executive producer on Rebels, told the Pod of Rebellion podcast that the team behind the animated series never intended for Sabine to go down a Jedi path. In fact, he says that choice was never on the board while they were making Rebels.
'It was absolutely not the plan... We really felt, not only did it step on Ezra's story, but it was a retread. Like we already did this.'
Why the Ahsoka pivot raised eyebrows
On Rebels, Sabine is introduced as a Mandalorian warrior with her own skill set and identity. In Ahsoka, which continues the Rebels storyline in live action, Ahsoka takes her on as a student and puts her through Jedi-style training. The show also frames it around that whole 'the Force lives in all living things' idea — basically, if everyone has the Force to some degree, maybe Sabine can learn to tap into it with enough work.
Gilroy says that was never their approach. He felt pushing Sabine toward Jedi training diluted what made her special and, more importantly, repeated character beats Rebels already covered with its core padawan arc. His blunt read on it: making a proven Mandalorian fighter train as a Jedi was overkill.
Gilroy had zero involvement in Ahsoka
He also makes it clear he had nothing to do with the live-action series, which is why the shift blindsided him. He points to the Darksaber storyline as the better lens for Sabine: you can live by Jedi-like ideals without actually being a Jedi. What did not work for him was jumping to big Force moments — like Sabine launching Ezra a mile with a push — when the character had never shown that ability before.
So... is Sabine a Jedi now?
Technically, no. Even in Ahsoka, she is not presented as traditionally Force-sensitive, and she is not a Jedi. But the show does give her some Force wins — we see her land a few Force pulls and pushes — while keeping her a Mandalorian first and foremost.
Where to watch
Star Wars Rebels and Ahsoka are both streaming on Disney Plus.