This is a spoiler review for Ahsoka. For last week’s review, click here!
When Ivanna Sakhno, the actress who plays the mysterious Shin Hati in the highly touted Ahsoka series on Disney+, was asked which episode she was most excited for fans to see, she said episode 6. Now, after seeing the scrubber at the bottom of my screen hit its limit and sitting with the feelings of what this episode means not only for the penultimate and finale episodes of the first season of Ahsoka but Star Wars as a whole, Sakhno just might have a point. The sixth episode, appropriately titled “Far, Far Away”, has the talk task of following up on the viral fifth episode that sees the return of the iconic Hayden Christensen as the Chosen One Anakin Skywalker as he attempts to help the titular character heal from the wounds of her past. Taking that challenge head-on, director Jennifer Getzinger and writer Dave Filoni not only up the ante even further but bring about a reunion Star Wars fans have been waiting for since 2018.
Picking up directly where things left off last week, Huyang and Ahsoka travel within their ship that lies on the tongue of a Purgill on their way to the galaxy inhabited by Grand Admiral Thrawn and the Jedi and Rebel leader Ezra Bridger. However, their appearances are secluded to the cold open of the series as they recount the fact that Sabine willingly surrendered and went to this galaxy with the villains. The moment serves as a refresher for fans of Sabine’s decision from two weeks ago while also cementing the bond between Ahsoka and the 20,000-year-old droid, providing an emotional base for the rollercoaster fans are about to embark for the next 49 minutes.
READ: Expanding the Galaxy: How ‘The Clone Wars’ & ‘Rebels’ Enhance The ‘Star Wars’ Viewing Experience
After a week of Ahsoka facing her demons living in her past, the plot finally moves forward with Morgan Elsbeth, Baylan Skoll, and Shin Hati greeting the formidable and intimidating Grand Admiral Thrawn aboard the same ship he disappeared on during the events of the series finale of the Disney XD animated series Star Wars Rebels. However, while he was in jeopardy at the hands of Ezra back then, Thrawn remains the biggest threat to the safety and the civility of the galaxy following the defeat of the Empire.
Played by Lars Mikkelsen, who voiced Thrawn in the aforementioned Star Wars Rebels, the military expert is immediately presented as the threat fans of the animated series and novels know him to be. The voice mixed with the posied possessed by Mikkelsen creates a bad guy the likes of which the Star Wars franchise has not seen since Darth Vader. His constant ability to manipulate whichever room he walks into and prove to be several steps ahead of his competition at any given moment translates well to the live-action medium, as his strength lies in his confidence.
Fans of Star Wars Rebels know that Thrawn and Sabine know each other very well and have quite a history together prior to this series. However, this is a different Sabine than we’ve seen in the past. She is a shell of her former self, desperate to save her friend Ezra and make things right on his home planet of Lothal. When given the chance, by Thrawn, to explore an uncharted planet filled with unknown threats, Sabine does not think twice and leaps at the chance to free herself from the clutches of the Heir to the Empire. A potential tactical misstep that eventually works out in her favor.
READ: ‘Ahsoka’ Season 1, Episode 3 Recap/Review
With Rebels, in particular, a bond between humans and animals is established thanks to the ways and the will of the Force. While Sabine fails to use the Force in combat, she still feels its presence, as it moves through all living things. Sabine’s connection to the surrounding creatures allows her to find allies in a Howler, a creature provided as transportation from Thrawn, and the Noti, an indigenous race to the planet she currently traverses. However, the latter proves to be perhaps one of the most important species in recent Star Wars lore, as they lead her directly to the hideout of Ezra Bridger. The one and only.
Throughout the 4 seasons of Rebels, Ezra and Sabine displayed chemistry and teamwork that made them fan favorites all around the world. However, seeing this bond depicted in live-action for the first time, after watching Sabine agonize over the possibility for 5 episodes, means more to the fanbase than anybody outside of it will ever realize. This moment sets up not only the events of the next two episodes but also sets the stage for an entirely new, unexplored era of the Star Wars canon featuring two young, hungry, and powerful characters who mean the world to one another. Ahsoka continues to hold tight to the momentum established due to its consistent quality and ability to expand an already expansive universe. – Christian Hubbard
Ahsoka episode 6 is now streaming on Disney+.
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