Announced during this year’s San Diego Comic-Con: The Clone Wars is returning!
Yes Padmé, this is how a brilliant Star Wars show is brought back from the dead, with thunderous applause. But why is this Clone War-era series so popular? There are many reasons, but as StarWars.com recently stated: fans just loved Ahsoka Tano! But as they explain, the journey to forming this young Padawan was not an easy one…
A long time ago, in a galaxy long before Ashoka was ever written, “The Clone Wars almost wasn’t a story about Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan”. Hard as that is to believe, originally the show was going to focus on a cast of five, with a new Jedi lead. Thankfully, “George Lucas stepped in, offering a guiding hand to bring Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi” to the series. Lucas also decided to keep Ashla; impressed with early concept designs, but modified her role slightly, to “become Anakin’s Padawan, Ahsoka.”
Of course, much needed to be designed other than her look and name. They wanted her to have a “fresh energy and optimism that Anakin was sorely lacking” due to the beginning of the Jedi’s downfall. The writers wanted Ahsoka to be “fearless and brave”, but “with a brashness that shined through”. The young Padawan endeared herself to the Star Wars fandom from her very introduction: she wasn’t the perfect Jedi yet, far from it, but she had a heart and desire for good, which always led her down he right path – even if she did occasionally take the wrong route to get there. Truly “Ahsoka Tano has grown up before our eyes.”
But a successful Padawan needs more than just courage. So Ahsoka was designed to become a “formidable warrior”, who mixed “graceful acrobatic moves” with a unique “reverse grip on her two lightsabers”. Ahsoka quickly matured into a powerful Jedi who was even “entrusted to teach and guide younglings.” This led to the brilliant The Gathering, A Test of Strength and Bound for Rescue episodes where Ahsoka could even discuss The Force with Master Yoda and a group of younglings.
At this point Ahsoka had proved herself to be a true asset to the Jedi. This is when the writers decided to have her falsely accused of crimes, and dismissed from the Order. This action portrayed that “her faith was shaken”, which meant that “she made the difficult and courageous decision” to walk away, adding more turmoil into Anakin’s already difficult life.
When Ahsoka made her shocking return to Rebels, she was written to be a “guiding force for the next generation of heroes in need of hope”. Surprisingly, StarWars.com reveal that at this moment “she is no Jedi. And perhaps she is stronger because of it.” Her fateful duel with her old Master, and her reappearance to help Ezra showed that “the universe has many possibilities”.
With Ashoka Tano there were countless possibilities. She began life as Ashla, but was developed into an elite Jedi who had much to offer the Order. But right now her character serves a source of hope, her rebellious nature showing that all is possible. It’s not know yet known where Ahsoka’s character will venture next, but one thing’s for sure, there are countless possibilities.
For more details about Ahsoka’s creation, go read the original post on StarWars.com.
