So the first episode is out. Not sure if I'm a fan yet. It's got some sequel energy: an ancient star map that's the driving plot device, which somehow leads to the location of someone who has gone missing. Plus Sabine is apparently a Jedi now.

 

I actually think they got a lot right with this one (having seen episodes 1 and 2). Enjoying it a lot more than I was Andor after 2 episodes. Specific thoughts:

• Bad guys are varied and have interesting backstory and motivations. RIP Ray Stevenson.
• Ahsoka history with Sabine and Ezra is intriguing (I have not seen Rebels).
• Plotline moves along with a good pace.
• Relies on the now overused "find the map to X" trope but avoids feeling like a fetch quest because the focus is still on the characters (e.g. Ahsoka having to go to Sabine for help) rather than on the logistics of going here and there.
• A negative is that the world feels a bit empty. Visually empty (where is all the traffic in the cities?) and functionally empty (our protagonists feel isolated and unsupported despite acting for the New Republic in the core of their territory).
• One thing I am enjoying in particular is the use of the force in more mystical ways, to feel out situations etc. Not just using it as a combat ability.
• Not a fan of the lightsaber combat, in terms of how lightsabers are increasingly just glow sticks that spark when you hit things, rather than capable of effortlessly slicing through anything they contact.

 

It's literally just Rebels in live action. I am very okay with that. All the casting choices so far have been excellent. Sabine is tops.

Also, I am excited that Chopper will get the opportunity to further increase his 49k+ killcount.

Giving Ahsoka Psychometry like Cal and Quinlan Vos is a bit of an ass-pull, but I'm not going to complain that hard. It's a fun power. With the established connection to the Daughter, they can "main-character" up her abilities as much as they want at this point.

The force is inside and surrounds all living beings. Even normies can connect and utilize it to a degree. Sabine had already learned to reach out to it in Rebels when training with the Darksaber. As the second episode reaffirms, her affinity for actually wielding the force is bottom of the barrel.

I think that's intentional in the case of Lothal. That's how it was in Rebels. Vast open spaces to give off the Ralph McQuarrie landscape feel.

Corellia, design pulled right from Solo, seemed fairly bustling in contrast.

 

I forgot about Ahsoka suddenly being gifted psychometry in Mando S2.

Good start otherwise, though. I‘m intrigued by the new villains more than the old Rebels gang – I think I might have detected a hint of discomfort in Baylan Skoll on Seatos. Looking forward to seeing if that leads anywhere.

 

I’m very curious as to who Marrok is. I feel like it could be either a nerfed version of Starkiller, since Filoni has talked about wanting to make him an Inquisitor before, or maybe Marrok seemingly being male is a red herring for it actually being Barriss.

Or maybe they’re just a mook that dies by ep 4.

 

If it's going to be "someone", I would much prefer Barriss, as she is actually relevant to Ahsoka's character. Starkiller would just be a glup shitto for the sake of glup shitto-ing, his only relevance being Vader's other apprentice.

 

Agreed, @KHAAAAAAAN!! . If you’re going to canonize anyone from Force Unleashed than I’d like to see Maris Brood. She was pretty cool.

Rahm Kota being canonized on random wall art in Obi-Wan was fun, but otherwise I’m fine with Force Unleashed staying in Legends.

I wonder if Ashoka ends up being a lite version of Heir to the Empire or if that’ll be the Filoni movie (though sadly without Ray Stevenson unless they cgi his face. Dude has been good at Baylan Skoll so far and was just awesome in general.)

 

They didn't show Jacen's weird ears. Cowards.

 

Still enjoying it but I have this awful feeling that we're only going to see Thrawn in the final episode, with the result that the entire first season is basically just a trailer for the second season. A bit "Rings of Power" esque.

 

I really miss the days when stuff wasn’t just an extended trailer for more stuff, in a never ending loop of mindless consumption

 

Aside from the rather large plothole of "Why didn't the baddies start this course calculation thing as soon as they had the map," Episode 4 was pretty peak.

Marrok being a Nightsister puppet was badass. I want more live-action Nightsister magic please and thank you.

 

Episode 5 in a shellnut

 

Err, is that a good or bad thing? Have never heard 'shellnut' used like that before.

 

Good. Best stuff Filoni has put out since the final Clone Wars arc. No one is going to talk about his supposed inability to block and direct live-action anymore.

 

I like how the focus with the lightsaber duels has been clean choreography and not just Revenge of the Sith style ultra-fast movement. Which is probably at least in part due to less prep time for an eight episode show compared to a feature film.

 

Ahsoka has a lot of problems that I would usually be annoyed with but damn, I still enjoy every single episode.

I really liked this deep dive into ahsoka. It explains why she's so stoic, and almost comes across as a massive stick in the mud.

So it was really refreshing to see her smiling more, and just generally not being the idyllic jedi master. That's awesome when you're not the main character.

Loved seeing Hayden again. He finally gets to show off he's acting chops and he did really great

Speaking of him, does this dude not do anything other than star wars? I know he did the awake movie(patient on a surgery table being able to astro project himself) but other than that, he's never really done anything.

I can't help but compare him to Radcliffe, who threw himself into some really interesting and varied roles.

I don't know how they did it, but young ahsoka was dope. I can totally believe that she could end up as the adult ahsoka we know.

I also love that Ahsoka was mature and experienced enough to understand why her padawan made the choice she made. A lesser story would have turned that into a dramatic plot point between the 2 characters.

All in all, I think I really enjoy ahsoka because in a way, it reminds me of watching an anime. Where its enjoyable enough that I don't really care about the negatives. Unlike Kenobi which I think is the single worst star wars property I have ever consumed.

Kenobi was saturday morning cartoons. Ahsoka is like shounen anime

 

Iirc he fucked off to be a farmer because he felt like he hadn't earned his fame (although I suspect the initial negative blowback from the Fandom Menace also played a role in his withdrawal).

 

*sigh*

I guess i need to actually go and finish Rebels now if the Ahsoka show is getting this good.

 

I felt like that sequence between Ahsoka and Anakin was something of a waste. Some flash backs and lightsaber fighting, but nothing was really said, there was no meaningful development or catharsis in terms of their relationship, how things were left off, etc etc. Mostly just fan service at the mere fact of having the two of them in a live action scene together, all style over substance.

 

Dude. The subtext of Ahsoka fearing that she was tainted by her experiences in the war and what Anakin became was front and centre. By the end of it she came to terms that his Fall didn't erase the good in him, good that he had passed down to her with his teaching. She wasn't just a soldier/killer, she has things to live for.