Welcome to the first installment of my Star Wars Deep Dive.
These are questions I might ponder now and then or that have been brought up in the fandom before and discussed and picked apart, possibly ad nauseum, but that I’d like to give my particular thoughts on. I ask these questions, not because I have a definitive answer, but because I want to know what I think, lol. So here we go!
Ahsoka walks away from the Order…and Anakin.
In Clone Wars Season Five, Ahsoka Tano leaves the Order after undergoing a trial that accuses her of setting a bomb in the Jedi Temple. Barriss Offee turns out to be the treasonous Jedi, and Anakin proves to the court that Ahsoka is innocent. But Ahsoka feels the Jedi Council did not support or stand by her during this crisis. Feeling betrayed, she walks away.
The question: Is Ahsoka still a “Jedi”?
Perhaps its semantics, but it’s an interesting question. In Rebels, Maul calls her a “part-timer” on Malachor. In that same episode she faces Darth Vader. Believing he killed Anakin, she says, “Then I will avenge him.” Vader states, “Revenge is not the Jedi way,” to which Ahsoka replies, “I am no Jedi.”
“I am no Jedi.”
So by her own admission, she’s not a Jedi. And, more importantly, she is willing to seek revenge, a definite no-no for the Jedi. She is operating outside the bounds of the Jedi Order.
Case closed? I don’t know. Ahsoka may say she’s no Jedi, but apart from this event, she continues to act like a Jedi, to a great extent: she is always working for good, helping others who need it, joining Bail Organa’s fledgling Rebellion as Fulcrum; you know, fighting the good fight. When she meets the Martez sisters in Clone Wars Season 7, she helps them when she doesn’t really have to. Because that’s what she does. That’s what Jedi do. You can take the Jedi out of the Temple, but can you take the Temple out of the Jedi?
Perhaps Ahsoka is a Gray Jedi? Now, “Gray Jedi” is a kind of Jedi that was played around with in Legends, but George Lucas himself disputes the term, claiming that there is no such thing. You are either Light or Dark side. If you even consider dabbling in the dark side, you are no Jedi. So “Gray Jedi” would be a contradiction in terms. Call yourself a “Gray Force User,” I guess, if you want to straddle the two aspects of the Force. I have nothing against that. But don’t call yourself a “Jedi,” as that implies Light side only.
One of several variations I’ve seen of the “Gray Jedi Code.”
So is Ahsoka a “Gray Force User?” So, okay, she was willing to seek revenge for Anakin. That’s not very light-sidish. However, I’m willing to argue that she was reacting to strong emotions of the moment, learning that Anakin was “killed” by Darth Vader, this dark being in front of her. Does that make her evil? No. Does it make her “Gray”?
Well, let’s compare Ahsoka to Baylan Skoll. Now there’s a candidate for a Gray Force User if there ever was one. Trained by the Order, not Sith, but working outside the bounds of the Jedi Order (that doesn’t exist anymore, of course). I don’t believe he or Shin are tapping into the dark side (I may be wrong on this). But here’s the difference between Baylan and Ahsoka: Baylan is using his Force powers, not for Good, but for his own selfish purposes. We don’t know the details of that purpose, but he truly believes that what he’s after will change things up in the galaxy (or galaxies), I’m guessing for the better, in his opinion. So I think, if my understanding of Gray Force User is correct, that Baylan fits this description. He’s doing morally questionable things in pursuit of a higher purpose, one that he believes is worth it.
This is not what Ahsoka is. She never uses the Force for selfish purposes (except for that one teensy little time when she was willing to kill Darth Vader in revenge for Anakin). Since then, it has always been for good. True, she certainly dresses in gray garb, and is falling prey to dark side emotions: fear, mostly, of the power in herself and others, of misusing that power. But I think it’s only to show a stark contrast to when she becomes Ahsoka the White: someone who doesn’t fear the Force, who doesn’t fear connections, who doesn’t fear living fully in the life that she was given. Her faith has been restored.
So no, I don’t think Ahsoka is a Gray Force User.
However…
Let’s talk about Huyang for a moment. Huyang, her droid companion who has served the Jedi Order for about, oh, 25,000 years, still acts and thinks as if the Order is still around. He scolds Ahsoka about her unconventional choices, of going against protocol, of basically doing things that are unbecoming to a Jedi, lol. But let’s be honest: she’s just doing things the way she and Anakin used to do things: unconventionally, and well, maybe a little recklessly. Things that would make Obi-Wan shake his head in disapproval. They were mavericks in their own way. And Huyang does concede that she “comes from a long line of unconventional Jedi,” which includes Anakin and Qui Gon Jinn.
Couldn’t have said it better myself, Huyang.
So, what does all this mean? Do I believe that Ahsoka is still a “Jedi”? In my opinion, yes. Even though she walked away from the Order, she is still a Jedi in her heart. After all, she’s taken on a Padawan and intends to teach her the ways of the Jedi. Perhaps not the strictures of the Order, but what it really means to be a Jedi: to serve others through the Force.
But this is just my opinion. What’s yours? Do you think Ahsoka is still a Jedi? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!
So the Ahsoka series finale aired a couple weeks ago and I have thoughts, lol.
If you’re reading this, you’ve probably watched the show, but just be aware that SPOILERS are ahead (and I won’t recap the plot of the show, just react to it).
The bottom line is, I enjoyed the show. A lot. I’m an Ahsoka fan, and a big Rebels fan as well, so this show was satisfying to me in many ways. There were a few things that niggled, and I’ll mention them, but for the most part, I’m happy. In the way that Andor was great in its gritty drama, this one was great at what Star Wars does best–weird, mystical, goofy, space opera fun that made me love it in the first place.
The first few episodes, I wasn’t sure. Ahsoka seemed….lackluster. But then I realized, well yes, of course, she’s depressed or whatever. She’s been through a lot. But the crux of her problem was that she let fear take over: fear that Anakin’s weakness was within herself as well. That the violence she experienced in the Clone Wars would cause her to be vulnerable to the dark. And she feared she’d pass that vulnerability onto her Padawan, Sabine, who she already feared would take vengeance on the Empire for destroying her home world and her family (which we learn about later). So she abandoned her, which also seemed very un-Ahsoka-like.
The fact that Ahsoka was training Sabine to be a Jedi was a surprise to me. Really? Sabine? Of course Sabine trained with the Darksaber with Kanan in Rebels, but I thought it was just to become proficient with it. Even though Kanan had said to Hera that the Force is in all of us, I didn’t really get the idea that Sabine had any natural talent in it. And she doesn’t, really, as Huyang seems to love telling her. So yeah, it was kind of a curve ball to me. I thought, why isn’t she training Jacen, who clearly has Force powers and wants to be a Jedi like his father? Thoughts on this later, but okay.
This meeting was epic.
So Ahsoka’s got issues, and that will be her story arc for the series–how will she get her mojo back and again become the optimistic Jedi we see in the animated series? That the lesson came from Anakin himself in Episode 4 was so fitting, and just fantastic. And the way he did it was so Anakin–he didn’t just sit down with her and have an Obi-Wan-like conversation about it: “Look, Ahsoka, you’re letting fear drive you, and that will lead you down the dark path.” Nope, he literally came at her and made her work for her insights. Total drama queen Anakin, and it was great.
I liked the symbolism of her coming out of the water, as if being baptized and reborn; and when she wakes up and puts on the white, we finally start to see the Ahsoka we knew, as well as the Ahsoka we suspected she’d become: “Ahsoka the White” at the end of Rebels. But there’s still work to do.
So Sabine has been mercilessly criticized for giving the map to Baylan so he could destroy it and going with him willingly to Peridea. The idea being that she’s risking the galaxy by helping Thrawn come back for selfish reasons, namely finding Ezra. And yes, that is what she did. And yes, perhaps it was the wrong thing to do. Okay, not perhaps, it clearly put the galaxy in danger. But I’m willing to cut her a little slack. Let’s review: she thought Ahsoka was dead; her entire family was dead and Mandalore destroyed; besides Hera and Zeb, she had no one left. And Ezra, her adopted brother she loved, left her a message saying he was “counting on” her. Talk about pressure! Here was a way to find Ezra. She didn’t have time to think about it–Baylan would have killed her, too and gotten the map anyway. Haven’t we all made questionable decisions in the heat of the moment? Perhaps it was selfish, but she didn’t just do it for herself. She did it for Ezra, too, to give him at least a chance of coming home. And this Star Trek fan remembers this line from Wrath of Khan: Sometimes, the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many. Anyway, that’s my defense of Sabine, lol.
So let’s talk about the villains here. And there’s quite a few: Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati, Morgan Elsbeth, Thrawn, and the Nightsisters.
Most Intriguing Character Award Recipient
Baylan and Shin were the most interesting to me, especially Baylan. Clearly, he’d been a Jedi, raised at the Temple, an Order 66 survivor (I think? Or did he leave earlier?). But what was he now? A mercenary. Okay, but he also has a Padawan learner. So he hasn’t completely given up the Jedi ways. He’s a little snobbish about it, calling Ezra a “bokken” Jedi (a Samurai term used for wooden training swords), trained in the wild and not the Order. He clearly doesn’t want to kill Ahsoka, though he will if need be. But he is most definitely not a Jedi, as he and Shin indiscriminately kill New Republic officers in their very first scene. By his own admission, he admires the “idea” of the Jedi Order, but not the reality they became. Fair enough, but damn, Baylan, that’s pretty dark. But they’re not Sith, either. Dark Force users? That’s the closest I can come up with, but that’s still not quite right. I don’t think they call upon the dark side of the Force when they fight (but I could be wrong?). And don’t even mention “Gray Jedi” to me. There’s no such thing. You can’t use the dark side of the Force and call yourself a Jedi. Period. Anyway, Baylan is a cipher throughout most of the show, clearly after something, his alliance with Morgan and Thrawn a means to an end, but we don’t know what that is until we get a clue in the finale. That’s what makes him so intriguing, and I wanted MUCH more of him. And now with Ray Stevenson gone, I’m not sure what they’ll do with the character. It’s heartbreaking.
To me, Morgan Elsbeth was more interesting in The Mandalorian, in her brief appearance there. She’s fine here, but she didn’t really shine until her duel with Ahsoka in the finale, after she’d been transformed by the Nightsisters and given the Blade of Talzin. I guess I just like to see Diana Inosanto in glorious action. Other than that, the character falls flat to me. It’s a shame she died just when she got interesting.
So, Thrawn: I thought it worked. Lars Mikkelson provided a great voice for Thrawn in Rebels, and it was nice to hear that same voice here. And he was great in live-action as well, despite that little pot-belly people keep harping on. Give the man a break; he’s been in exile on a dreary witch planet for ten years. I’d probably binge-eat, too, if I could, lol. So he looked and sounded great, but he wasn’t given a chance to show anyone who hasn’t seen Rebels or read the books why he’s so feared in the first place. Clearly, he’s different, more methodical, making carefully considered decisions. I guess that’s enough for now, and later (either in a Season 2 or Filoni’s movie) we’ll get to see his military genius in action.
The Nightsister Mothers are, let’s face it, weird, and it’s strange to see Thrawn working with them, but I have a feeling he didn’t have much of a choice in his situation. Also, he was defeated by mystical forces before (the Bendu and the Purgill in Rebels, not to mention Jedi) and won’t make that same mistake again. His Night Soldiers are creepy, especially Enoch with that weird mask. At first I thought they were zombies right from the beginning, maybe made of smoke like Marrok was, but I guess not, because it was only later they came back to life through Nightsister magic. Clearly the Mothers are helping Thrawn for their own purposes, and I think Thrawn is smart enough to know that. It will be interesting to see how that relationship plays out later.
It’s Jabba, I mean Lando, I mean Ezra!
Okay, back to our heroes: Ezra!!! Oh, how I’ve missed this kid, who’s all growed up now. His reunion with Sabine was typical of their relationship, I think, with some teasing at first and then a warm hug. It was telling, though, that Sabine avoided answering his questions about how she found him. He was happy to be found, but I think he’d be a tad upset that she basically undid his sacrifice by coming back for him only to unleash Thrawn again. (I still understand her decision, though).
It’s typical Ezra that he’s been living with some adorable natives of Peridea and has protected them from raiders. When Thrawn’s forces attack, he refuses to take his lightsaber back from Sabine and says, “The Force is my ally!” while making classic goofy Ezra faces. Eman Esfandi is perfectly cast as Ezra; it’s as if he’s been plucked straight from the animated series. Next to Baylan Skoll, it’s one of my favorite performances in the show.
Despite claiming the Force is all he needs, he ends up constructing a new lightsaber with the help of Huyang, and the fact that it’s similar to Kanan’s is wonderful.
The finale was….fine. Ahsoka got to duel Baylan again, and then she dueled Morgan (there were a ton of lightsaber fights in this show, and I loved it). Sabine finally uses the Force, and I’m not sure how I feel about that. It kind of seems out of the blue when she couldn’t even twitch a cup a short time ago; but I suppose it’s no different than Luke calling his lightsaber to him in the wampa cave.
Ezra gets on Thrawn’s ship, but Ahsoka and Sabine are left behind. Shin is seen overlording some raiders, and Baylan is on the outcrop of a statue of the Father (with the Son next to him, and a damaged Daughter on the other side), looking out over the mountains toward a shining light in the distance. I’ve seen fan theories on social media that what Baylan was looking for was Mortis, and I thought, “Nah!” Yet, here we are. But for what purpose? Time will tell.
Thrawn goes to Dathomir, and Ezra escapes the Chimaera on a shuttle and gets to Home One (and I was so nervous he wouldn’t, after all his repetitions of “I can’t wait to go home.” Don’t jinx it, Ezra!). Chopper recognizes him at once, even though he still has a trooper helmet on (for that dramatic entrance, you see). I don’t understand why we couldn’t see Ezra and Hera embracing after all these years. Let us have that sentimental reunion, Filoni, lol. Anyway, now I’m hoping Ezra will be the one to train Jacen. It’s fitting for him to train the son of his Master.
Ahsoka sees the Force ghost of Anakin at the end–not a hologram, not a murderous Force-vision, but Anakin himself, so that was nice. I loved seeing Hayden Christianson so much in this series; I hope we see more of him.
There’s so many other things I loved about this show, little things that I could go on and on about: young Ahsoka played by Ariana Greenblatt, seeing Rex, Threepio, Morai, slimeball Senator Xiono, Purgill, the Nodi, the wolf creatures, even Sabine’s tooka cat; but this post is long enough, so I’ll end it here. All in all, I think this show worked, but I’m saying that as an Ahsoka and Rebels fan. I have no idea how viewers new to these characters feel about it, but I don’t particularly care, lol. This has been a love letter to Rebels fans, like it or not.
So those are my rambling and disjointed thoughts on Ahsoka. What did you think of the series? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!
I was casting around for an idea for my next post, and decided to slack off and go to Facebook instead. The first thing I saw was a post on one of my favorite Star Wars Facebook groups (Star Wars Fans Who Actually Like Star Wars). The poster posited this question: who is your favorite character from each Star Wars project? Ah, perfect!
So without further ado, here’s my list:
Prequel trilogy – Obi-Wan Kenobi.
“Oh, I’m not brave enough for politics.”
Clone wars – Ashoka Tano.
“You’ll find I have many qualities for you to dislike.”
Tales of the Jedi – Yaddle.
“Already so many have suffered, for what you call peace.”
TheBad Batch – Tech.
“Just because I process things differently doesn’t mean I don’t feel them the same way.”
Jedi Fallen Order – N/A, although I’m reading Battle Scars and so far I have to say Merrin.
I don’t have a quote for Merrin, lol.
Rebels – Kanan Jarrus.
“Battles leave scars. Some you can’t see.”
Solo – Young Han.
“I have a really good feeling about this.”
Obi-Wan Kenobi – Young Leia.
“The Senate’s boring. It’s people in itchy clothes arguing.”
Andor – Mon Mothma.
“As long as everyone thinks I’m an irritation, there’s a good chance they won’t see what I’m really doing.”
Rogue One – Cassian Andor.
“I’ve been in this fight since I was six years old.”
Original trilogy – Han Solo.
“I think you just can’t bear to let a gorgeous guy like me out of your sight.”
Battlefront 2 – N/A
The Mandolorian – Grogu.
*Adorable coos and gurgles*
The Book of Boba Fett – Fennic Shand.
“In difficult times, fear is a surer path.”
Resistance – Neeku.
“Hello friend!”; “I like food.”
Star Wars Squadrons -N/A
Sequel trilogy – Kylo Ren/Ben Solo.
“Join with me. Please.”
Star Wars Visions – Master Tajin from The Elder.
“No matter how powerful you become, know that it will not last forever.”
The High Republic-Elzar Mann.
I don’t have a quote for Elzar, either, lol.
The categories are from the original poster, but I added The High Republic on at the end since it’s such a big project and I love it.
There are so many wonderful characters from Star Wars and it’s so hard to choose! There are other characters I love that didn’t make it onto the list, like Luke Skywalker, Poe Dameron, Rey, Chewie, and a slew of awesome droids. But breaking it into categories helps narrow it down.
So who are your favorite characters from these projects? List them all, or just pick a few of your favorite projects, and we’ll talk about it!
Please be warned there are major spoilers for Episode 6 below.
“From the Desert Comes a Stranger.”
#$^*(&%$$^&(*(*^%#@@$%&*()_(&*()_)(*&!!!!!!!!!
That’s pretty much how I feel about the latest episode of BoBF, lol. Whew, what an episode!
I really didn’t think we’d get to see Mando visit Grogu at all in this series; I thought we’d get back to Boba and maybe we’d see the little guy in The Mandalorian S3. It’s a strange decision, but I’m not complaining! Nevermind Cobb Vanth, Luke, Ahsoka Tano, and Cad Bane. Cameo riches!
OMG, these two…!
So backing up, Din makes good on his decision to go see Grogu (I’m not sure how he knows where they are or Luke’s name at all; Luke gave no information on that when he scooped up Grogu, but maybe they’ve been in contact? I don’t see why they would be, though. Any ideas?). He takes the Naboo Starfighter to a forested planet and runs into R2, who leads him to Luke’s new temple that’s in the process of being built. But no sign of Grogu or Luke. The ant-like droids that are building the temple make a bench for him to wait, so he waits.
Meanwhile, we see Luke training Grogu in another part of the forest. They’re meditating, and Grogu gets distracted by a frog (naturally) and nearly eats it. Luke notices, and uses the Force to lift a multitude of frogs from the pond, showing Grogu what he can possibly accomplish–if he focuses and commits himself. (CGI Luke looks great, by the way. I almost thought he was an actor who just looks remarkably like Mark Hamill, lol).
ESB vibes, but cuter.
He talks about Yoda, and helps Grogu remember where he came from. We get a flashback of baby Grogu in the Jedi Temple during Order 66. Three Jedi are defending him against clone troopers who are attacking them. We don’t see how Grogu escapes, however. When he comes to, Luke tells him the galaxy can be a dangerous place, but he will teach him how to protect himself. He introduces Grogu to the training remote, and before long he’s hopping and flipping along, evading the thing. We even get a scene of Luke running through the forest with Grogu on his back, hearkening back to ESB with Yoda. Priceless!
Friend of the family.
Din wakes up from a nap to see Ahsoka standing there. He’s surprised, and she says she’s a “friend of the family.” So obviously Luke and Ahsoka have met, and have talked about Anakin. I would have liked to see this meeting, but maybe we will in the Ahsoka show (please?). They walk to where they can see Luke and Grogu training. Ahsoka implies that Din is there for his own sake, rather than Grogu’s, and that if Grogu sees him it will make it harder. He gives her the gift the Armorer made, and with a heavy heart, he leaves.
He looks a bit vulnerable without the armor, no?
Back on Tatooine, Din shows up at Boba’s palace, and we actually get to see Boba with his team. He has no speaking lines, however. Fennec says they need some ground forces or something, and Din says he might be able to help with that. So he goes to see Cobb Vanth and tries to convince him and the people of Freetown to help. I forgot to mention that the episode opened with a scene of Vanth running off some Pykes from his territory. So he knows that trouble is coming, but hates to get his people involved. He tells Din he’ll see what he can do, and once Din leaves, he notices someone walking into town from the desert (oh, he’s the guy from the title). And guess who it is?
Blue meanie.
Cad Bane, notorious bounty hunter from the Clone Wars (and recently The Bad Batch, facing off with Fennec over Omega). There’s a superb Western vibe as Bane faces off with Vanth, warning him not to get involved in the coming conflict. Vanth stands his ground, but unfortunately his gung-ho deputy gets involved and mouths off. Bane shoots the deputy down, and injures Vanth, then walks away. Pretty sure they’re gonna get involved now, lol.
The last scene is with Luke and Grogu. He shows Grogu the gift from Din, which turns out to be an adorable little chainmail shirt. But before he gives it to him, he also shows him Yoda’s old lightsaber, small enough for Grogu to wield eventually. Basically, he’s giving Grogu a choice: stay with him and train to be a Jedi, or go back to Din and be a Mandalorian. It ends there, with Grogu’s big sweet baby eyes unsure what to do.
I’m pretty sure Grogu will choose to go back to Din. Luke himself observed to Ahsoka that he wasn’t sure if Grogu’s heart was in the training. And of course there’s that Grogu-sized bubble just waiting for the little guy to fill it on the Naboo starfighter. And that’s why Grogu is not at the temple when Ben Solo destroys it. He’s not, dammit.
Oh, and Garsa Fwips’s cantina is blown up by the Pykes in a terrorist act. Luckily it looked like it was Max Rebo’s night off, so I’m guessing he survived–he’s a lucky little blue elephant guy. But Garsa’s character seems a little wasted here.
RIP. It was her prettiest gown, too.
Anyway, all the chess pieces are being placed on the board, and they’ll all come together next week in the finale. I think. I’m guessing The Book of Boba Fett is a one-shot deal and that there will not be a Season Two. I think, lol.
This show has definitely challenged our expectations of what it was ultimately going to be, and be about. Its structure is odd, to say the least, but it’s also given us some wonderful things, and that alone makes it worth watching. I can’t wait to see what happens next week! (Boba better charge out into the battlefield on that rancor, or I’ll be gravely disappointed, lol).
What did you think of Episode 6? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!
I was inspired to write this post from a Star Wars fan group I was scrolling through the other night. I often see the question “What are your top ten favorite Jedi?” or villains or pilots or whatever. But heroes in general? Nope. I had to think about it, because there are a lot of heroes in Star Wars, but how would I rank them and why? So after some thought, I came up with this list, in descending order:
AhsokaTano
I have to go with Ahsoka at the top of the list. Not only is she an incredible Jedi, but after Order 66 she worked as Fulcrum, the secret contact for the Rebellion during their fight against the Empire. Even after the defeat of the Empire it seems, from events in The Mandalorian, that she’s still working to help those in need, as well as possibly be looking for Ezra (through her search for Thrawn). Her battle against Maul at Mandalore is incredible, her compassion for Rex and the Clones during Order 66 (even though they were trying to kill her) is heartfelt and heartbreaking, and her confrontation with Vader in Rebels is unforgettable. I really can’t think of any flaw in her, lol. Nobody’s perfect, but she’s pretty close. Whether as a Jedi, a spy, or a friend, she’s a great hero.
LeiaOrgana
Leia Organa is a true hero of the galaxy, whether as Princess of Alderaan, a Senator (both Imperial and New Republic), a soldier of the Rebellion, or a General of the Resistance. Leia was truly dedicated to helping the galaxy be a better place, whether she was on mercy missions as a young Senator, fighting the Empire in the Rebellion, passing important legislation in the New Republic, or gathering together those who would resist the First Order. Her bravery, her strength in the face of tragedy, and her commitment to the cause is unparalleled. Perhaps her most important act was sacrificing herself for her son Ben Solo, to bring him back to the light. So even as a Mom, Leia was truly heroic!
Obi-Wan Kenobi
In every incarnation, whether in the Clone Wars, the prequels, Rebels, or A New Hope, Obi-Wan Kenobi is a hero. He was a holonet hero (along with Anakin) during the Clone Wars, he discovered the Clones on Kamino and defeated General Grievous in the prequels, defeated Maul in Rebels (and showed compassion to his old Nemesis as well), watched over Luke for what must have been a lonely twenty years on Tatooine, and sacrificed himself to Vader to save Luke in A New Hope. Even after death, his Force ghost was often there to advise Luke. Obi-Wan wasn’t perfect–he made some questionable decisions concerning Anakin when it mattered most–but he always loved him and did what he thought was best. Obi-Wan’s commitment to the Light never wavered, and his impact on the galaxy can’t be overstated.
Luke Skywalker
There will be some who think Luke should be higher up in the list, and I get that. Luke is the original hero of Star Wars, after all. He blew up the first Death Star, was a hero of the Rebellion, saved his friend Han from Jabba the Hutt, confronted the Emperor, and brought his father, Darth Vader, back to the light. And don’t get me started on that hallway scene in the Mandalorian! Totally awesome. But, like all humans, Luke had flaws. Or rather, he made some mistakes–most glaringly, after his gaffe with Ben Solo, he retreated from the fight, and from the galaxy, cutting himself off from the Force. Not from cowardice, just regret, and shame, and a firm belief that the Jedi must end. Luckily, he got over that and helped the Resistance at Crait–sacrificing himself so they could get away, in the most Jedi-like way possible. Bravo, Luke.
Din Djarin
Din Djarin was just your average bounty hunter (well, possibly an exceptional bounty hunter) until he met a little guy name Grogu, and then he became the Dadalorian. He formed a strong, yet tender, bond with this special child, and would do anything to protect him. Even if it meant giving him up, he would do what was best for Grogu. As most parents do–in the end, we have to let them go. Which isn’t heroic, just necessary, but Din was definitely heroic in his quest to protect Grogu from those who would harm/take him, and to get him where he ultimately belonged–with a Jedi. Not that we sobbed or anything when the time came for Grogo to go with Luke, lol. I’m eager to see what kind of hero he’ll be to the Mandalorians in future seasons of the show.
Rey
Rey is the hero of the sequel trilogy, becoming the last hope for the Jedi as the First Order grows in power. She joins the Resistance and becomes fast friends with Finn and Poe, as well as forming a strong bond with Leia, who takes her on as an apprentice. Rey is the only person, besides Leia herself, who believes Ben Solo can be turned back to the light. When she fatally injures him on Kef Bir, she instantly turns around and Force heals him, showing a compassion that defines her. On Exegol, she defeats Palpatine with the help of the Jedi who came before, nearly giving her life to do it. With Palpatine gone, the Sith Eternal and the First Order fall, freeing the galaxy from evil once again.
Han Solo
Despite his smuggler/scoundrel status, Han Solo early on becomes one of the bigger heroes of the galaxy. No matter how he might prefer to think of himself, he’s got a big heart and always ends up doing the right thing. He comes back at the last minute to help Luke blow up the first Death Star, becomes a General in the Rebellion and leads the attack on Endor, ultimately being successful in that mission, allowing the second Death Star to be destroyed. He helps free the Wookiees from the waning Empire on Kashyyyk. When the First Order threatens the galaxy, he plays his part to help, but loses his life in trying to bring his son back from the Dark. He begins the saga as a pilot for hire who’s in it for the money; he ends it with sacrificing himself for love.
Chewbacca
Wherever Han Solo is, there is Chewbacca. Whenever we talk about loyalty in Star Wars, we must talk about Chewie. A copilot, a good shot with a bowcaster, a steadfast friend. When Han helped save him from the Imperials in Solo, he owed Han a life debt, and stood by his side for many years. Chewie helped his friends during the Rebellion, and then went back home for awhile to be with his newly freed family on Kashyyyk. He eventually found his way back to Han Solo, and once again stood against tyranny and fought the First Order.
R2D2
Okay, so maybe R2 should be at the top of the list. Because without this little droid, our heroes wouldn’t have gotten very far. His very first act on screen is to get the Death Star plans from Princess Leia and get them off the Tantive IV, away from the Imperials and into the hands of Obi-Wan Kenobi on Tatooine. In every movie and in the Clone Wars, he’s always plugging into some data portal or other and gathering information, making doors open or close, distracting the enemy, and whatnot. In the sequel trilogy he’s largely absent, powered down since Luke disappeared, but he carries the last piece of the map to Luke’s location inside him. He’s a feisty, brave little astromech, with plenty of grit and attitude. He also has the patience (most of the time) to put up with Threepio’s insufferable complaining. Now that’s heroic.
Kanan Jarrus (and the entire Ghost crew).
Kanan Jarrus is one of my favorite Jedi, and he, along with the rest of the Ghost crew–Hera, Sabine, Zeb, Chopper, and of course, Ezra–belongs on this list of heroes. Kanan used to be Caleb Dume, a Jedi Padawan who survived Order 66. The experience haunted him, and at first, he tried to forget who and what he was in order to survive. But once he met up with Hera, he decided to help those in need, and then later, become an important part of the Rebellion against the Empire. He stumbled around at first in training Ezra, but eventually found his groove, and his own Padawan became a hero of Lothal–freeing that world from the Empire’s grip. Kanan sacrificed himself to save those he loved, and it’s one of the most painful deaths for me in Star Wars.
Honorable mentions:
the entire Rogue One crew
Clone Wars Anakin Skywalker
Captain Rex
Bail Organa
Lando Calrissian
Poe Dameron and Finn
I could go on and on. There’s so many great heroes in Star Wars, people doing what is necessary to make the galaxy a better place.
What about Yoda? He’s a great Jedi Master, and I do love him. But let’s face it, he was the head of the Jedi Order when it fell. He made mistakes. Instead of following the Force, he followed the “rules” of the Jedi. He got the Jedi involved in politics and in a pointless war. Yes, they were all duped and drawn in by Sidious, but come on. He was their leader, hundreds of years old and ostensibly “wise.” So I can’t call him a hero, at least not until he trains Luke, and at that point, any Jedi could have done it. His wisdom comes after the fact. But I still love the guy, lol.
Who are your favorite Star Wars heroes? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!
Here’s a collection of great fan art I’ve been finding of the wonderful women of Star Wars:
I love images of Ahsoka with Morai, and this is one of the best I’ve seen.
Naturally I can’t find the artist for this one. It was uploaded by Dorothy on Pinterest, that’s all I know!
This is a simple drawing of Admiral Amylin Holdo, but I love the purple in it in honor of her awesome hair, lol.
I think the artist’s name here is Niki LeFay. Maybe?
Jyn is one tough woman but she looks pretty and vulnerable here.
No artist info, but it’s on displate.com.
This is a gorgeous portrait of Rey. Again, a tough young woman whose youth and beauty are captured in a still moment.
Alice X. Zhang, on wwprice1.tumblr.com
I could never find any Sabine Wren fan art that I really liked, but this one is great. I wanted one without her helmet on, since I like to see faces, although this one has a manga kind of feel. Love the colors.
Zyralynn on devientart.com
What “Women of Star Wars” fan art collection would be complete without Leia Organa? This one is lovely, capturing her regal face with an underlying sadness.
kittrose on devientart.com
I tried to find one of Hera Syndulla that I liked, of just Hera without Kanan, but most of them were either cartoonish or sexualized (or they didn’t look like her at all). I’ll keep looking. Do you have any favorites of Hera?
What do you think of these images? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!
There’s a TON of Ahsoka Tano fan art out there, and there are many that are fantastic. It was hard to choose just a few for this post, but I came up with a few favorites:
I think I’ve posted this one on here before, but I love it so much I had to do it again. I think it was created before Season Two of the Mandalorian, before Grogu and Ahsoka actually met; but this prescient artist clearly imagined a tender moment between them.
S. Menyhei, ebaumsworld.com
I love this one with Ahsoka’s talisman, Morai, and the symbols of the World Between Worlds.
a-smiling-travesty.tumblr.com
The energy and brilliance of this one is wonderful.
Natalie Herrera, artstation.com
This one is just as bright and colorful, but softer, less fierce and more luminescent.
Clone Squadron Radio on twitter.com
Ahsoka’s relationship with Rex is special, and I love this one of them together as their world shatters and falls apart.
Ksenia Zalentsova on twitter.com
Ahsoka the White. The colors are beautiful here.
Ksenia Zelentsova, artstation.com
I began this post with the artist S. Menyhei, and I’ll close out with the same artist, this time of Ahsoka and Vader during their confrontation on Malachor. The first was quiet and tender, while this one is dynamic and full of emotion. The many sides of Ahsoka.
S. Menyhei
What do you think of these images? Do you have any favorite Ahsoka fan art? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!
There are literally dozens of aliens from Star Wars, and there are so many that I find interesting that it’s hard to choose just five as favorites. But I forced myself, and this is the list I came up with:
Kaminoans. Their moral values notwithstanding, I just love these tall, willowy aliens from Attackof the Clones. I love the way they seem to float as they walk, their slow manner of speaking, and those loooong necks, lol. But it’s their eyes that really capture me. Big, dark, almond-shaped, and it looks as if there are galaxies spinning in them. Elegant and ethereal. They are from the planet Kamino.
Taun-We
Twi’leks. The first Twi’lek I ever saw was Jabba’s slave girl in Return of the Jedi. I got the impression they were beings known for their loveliness, at least the females, and that’s often true. Hera is certainly lovely, and plenty of others are, too. But Xi’an from The Mandalorian? Not so much. It’s the Twi’lek’s diversity that I love–their skin can be many different colors: green, blue, red, tan, and many others in between. Their lekku can have different patterns, and they often decorate them with bindings. And again, I just think they just look cool. They’re from the planet Ryloth.
Hera Syndulla
Togrutas. Togrutas are another species that have lekku, as well as montrals on the top of their heads. They sweep around them like a crown or a headpiece, which adds to their impressive mien; and they have white markings on their face, which I believe are as different as each individual. Ahsoka and Shak-Ti are the Togrutas I’m most familiar with. Togrutas are from the planet Shili.
Ahsoka Tano
Nautolans. I seem to have a thing for lekku and tentacles, lol, as Nautolans have several long tentacles sprouting from their heads. I also love their green skin and large, black eyes. Kit Fisto is the main Nautolan I’m familiar with, and I have to admit I like the look of Clone Wars Kit more so than the movie version. We also get to know him better in Clone Wars, and I loved him in the book The Cestus Deception. There is also a Nautolan in the new novel Light of the Jedi, a Captain Bright. I learned from him that their tentacles can sense emotions and moods from other beings. Nautolans are at home in the water, and come from the waterworld of Glee Anselm.
Kit Fisto
Whatever Klaud is. Klaud is basically a big space slug, which normally would turn me off, but there’s something about him that just charms me. Maybe it’s those big, googly eyes, or the girlish shriek he lets out when the Falcon is under attack in The Rise of Skywalker. I learned in the novelization that Klaud has a keen mind and a talent for the mechanical (despite being armless), which is why Leia assigned him to the Falcon. I looked up his species, and according to Wookiepedia, he is a male Trodatome. No information on his home planet, however.
Klaud
What are your favorite Star Wars aliens? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!
I’ve been rewatching the animated series Rebels, and I’ve just finished Season Two. Not only is it longer (22 episodes rather than 15), but it was so much more emotionally satisfying. Several familiar characters make an appearance (or reappearance), and the finale was amazing. But we’ll get to that.
So much more happens in this season, and this post could be unbearably long if I mention everything, so I’ll try to point out the most important events and highlights.
Hera
So now the Ghost crew are a part of Phoenix Squadron, led by Commander Sato, along with Ahsoka. Hera and the rest of the crew are all gung-ho about it, but Kanan isn’t so sure–he’s reluctant to join the nascent Rebellion, remembering the Clone Wars and what happened to the Jedi because of it.
They receive a transmission from Minister Tua on Lothal–she wants to defect and she needs their help. She’ll give them important intel in exchange. But before they can retrieve her, she’s killed, engineered by Vader in a plot to draw the Rebels out. Kanan and Ezra end up fighting Vader, and it’s clear to them they are way out of their league–he’s more powerful than anyone they’d ever encountered. They hightail it out of there, but they’re stuck on Lothal. Lando makes another appearance here, as he owes them a favor, and he gets them off the planet.
Minister Tua and Agent Kallus
They escape, but Vader tracks them to the fleet. Ahsoka, on board the Ghost, feels his presence, and he feels hers; he murmurs, “The apprentice lives,” in apparent surprise. Ahsoka is shocked and passes out; later she tells Kanan and Ezra that she doesn’t know who he is, but I don’t particularly believe her. She suspects Anakin, I think, but says nothing to the others.
The Imperials burn Tarkintown on Lothal in retaliation, and the Rebels decide not to go back there; they don’t want to endanger anyone else. Ahsoka asks the Ghost crew to find an old friend of hers, believing that he can help them find a new base. The friend turns out to be none other than Captain Rex, along with two other clones: Gregor and Wolf. They’re in “retirement” on some desert planet, clomping around on some old Republic walker that has seen better days.
Captain Rex, Gregor, and Wolf
Kanan absolutely does not trust them, and understandably so. He’d seen clones turn on the Jedi and kill his own master, Depa Billaba. Rex states that he didn’t betray his Jedi, and explains that he and the others removed the chips in their heads that commanded the clones to kill their former generals, but Kanan’s prejudice runs deep. The others seem to like the clones, though. They need to fight some Imperials off, and the clones go back with them to the fleet. The reunion between Rex and Ahsoka is wonderful to see; and although it takes Kanan a while to come around, I love that Rex becomes an honorary member of the Ghost crew.
Unfortunately, Vader has sent out more Inquisitors, and they encounter two of them–Seventh Sister and Fifth Brother–on an old Republic medical frigate they’ve gone to in order to get medical supplies. They escape, but encounter them again when they discover they’re after Force-sensitive babies. They manage to rescue the kids, and we get to see a fabulous display of Ahsoka’s skills as she duels them both before escaping.
Fifth Brother and Seventh Sister
Ezra starts to feel a bit overwhelmed with his Jedi training with Kanan, on top of soldier training with Rex (and the chores Hera gives him on the Ghost), and while trying to escape his responsibilities he encounters Hondo Ohnaka. Since the fall of the Republic and the rise of the Empire, Hondo has come down a few notches in life–no longer the leader of a formidable pirate gang; he scrapes by in whatever way he can, smuggling and making deals with other pirates. He’s as funny and selfish as he was in Clone Wars, and he’s so fun to watch. He takes a shine to Ezra, who he considers to be his young protege in the art of the con.
Meanwhile, Hera brings an experimental B-Wing into the fleet, to be perfected and mass produced, and she becomes Phoenix Squadron Leader. Kanan and Rex go on a mission together to save Ezra and Commander Sato from the Imperials, and start to bond a little bit; Kanan even calls Rex his “friend.” Sabine has an adventure with an old friend, who’s now an enemy, and then becomes her friend again. I can’t remember her name, but she has gorgeous lavender eyes.
Ezra has Force visions about his parents, and is convinced they need to go back to Lothal. They encounter Ryder Azadi, the former Governor of Lothal, imprisoned by the Imperials–along with Ezra’s parents. He tells Ezra his parents heard the message of hope he sent out in Season One, and was inspired to help the other prisoners escape. But they themselves didn’t make it. It’s assumed they are dead, and Ezra deals with his grief.
Kanan comforting Ezra, as Ryder Azati looks on
Princess Leia shows up on Lothal as an ambassador from Alderaan, bringing three ships full of medical supplies and relief aid. Of course, she expects the Rebels to “steal” her ships, and in this way she helps the Rebellion in the best way she can. She’s about Ezra’s age here, and they have an adventure in getting the ships off Lothal for the Rebellion, without making Leia look guilty. She’s pretty good at making the Imperials look like fools.
In trying to find new, safer hyperspace routes, they encounter a group of Mandalorians on Concordia Dawn called The Protectors that work for the Empire. They take its leader, Fen Rau, prisoner, and get use of the hyperspace route. Zeb finds out he’s not the last of his people, and they help two survivors find a safe haven beyond the Outer Rim. They go on a mission with Hera’s father, the famed Twi’lek freedom fighter Cham Syndulla. Father and daughter have a strained relationship, but they resolve their differences and get a new ship for the fleet to boot. On a mission to get fuel for the Ghost, they encounter space whales called Pergil, and Ezra makes a Force connection with them (they’ll become an important plot point in a future season). Imperial Agent Kallus and Zeb are stranded on a frozen moon, and have to work together to escape with their lives (the experience leaves an impression on Kallus that bears fruit later).
Zeb and Kallus
Those pesky Inquisitors keep finding them, so Kanan, Ezra and Ahsoka go to the Jedi Temple on Lothal to find answers on how to deal with them. Kanan ends up fighting a Jedi Temple Guard, who turns out to be the Grand Inquisitor from Season One. Turns out, he’d been a Guard before Order 66, but became an Inquisitor afterward. He symbolically “knights” Kanan after Kanan admits to his fear that he can’t protect Ezra forever; he can only do his best. Ezra finds himself with Master Yoda, and talks with him about the war; only after Ezra insists that they must fight the Empire does Yoda tell him to go to Malachor. Ahsoka hears Anakin’s voice: “Why did you leave me? Do you know what I’ve become?” Her suspicions and fears about who Vader is, and her guilt over her potential part in it, hits home.
Chopper finds a new friend in AP5, and old Republic droid who now does inventory work for the Empire. They help each other on an adventure, and AP5 suggests a new planet for the Rebel base. It seems perfect at first, but then they discover it’s inhabited by–what else?–giant spiders. But they find a way to keep them away from the base itself.
The last two episodes of the season, “Twilight of the Apprentice” Parts 1 & 2, are the best episodes of the season, and possibly one of the best arcs in the entire show. Following Yoda’s advice, Kanan, Ezra, and Ahsoka go to Malachor, a “forbidden” planet to the Jedi. It contains a Sith Temple, and here they end up meeting Maul, who’s been slinking around there for years, apparently. They encounter three Inquisitors as well–Seventh Sister and Fifth brother, and one other–and they’ve gone there to find “the Shadow,” or Maul.
Ezra and Maul
Basically, Ezra gets separated from Kanan and Ahsoka, and meets Maul, who wants to use Ezra to get to the Sith holocron inside (as well as turn him to the dark side and have him become his apprentice). Ezra, innocent child, believes that Maul wants to help them, and once they get the holocron, he uses it to activate the Temple–he thinks he’ll get the knowledge they seek, but it really turns into a battle station. Ezra realizes this too late, and in the meantime, Maul has blinded Kanan in battle. They’ve managed to kill the Inquisitors and fend off Maul, but Vader shows up for the holocron, and they’re in real trouble. Kanan and Ezra together retrieve the holocron while Ahsoka battles Vader, and it’s this riveting and heartbreaking encounter that makes this episode epic.
Ahsoka battles Darth Vader
During the course of the duel, Ahsoka realizes that Vader is, in fact, Anakin. As the Temple starts to crumble around them, she tells him, “I won’t leave you. Not this time.” Ezra calls her name, but she closes the temple door on him, and they have no choice but to escape without her. We see an enigmatic scene of Vader leaving the Temple, and Ahsoka going into it. It’s a bit vague as to what actually happened, but it becomes more clear in a future season.
So I’ve already written WAY too much, but suffice it to say this was a great season, with an amazing season-ender.
Now that The Mandalorian is over for at least a year, the question is: what’s next on my Star Wars viewing list? Movie marathon? (A marathon, for me, is one movie per day, so an 11-day period of Star Wars). Nah, I want to rewatch one of the animated series, where I can get 2-3 episodes in per day.
I thought about rewatching the Clone Wars, but I wasn’t up for that massive project (7 seasons, some with 22 episodes). Not yet. Maybe as a lead up to The Bad Batch, which will come out some time next year.
No, for now I decided to rewatch Rebels, which is shorter, but no less awesome. There are so many tie-ins from that show in The Mandalorian: Bo-Katan, the Dark Saber, Ahsoka, Thrawn. It’ll be great to go back and relive those moments.
I don’t think I’ll review each and every episode on this blog, but perhaps one post for each of the four seasons. Until then, enjoy a few images and moments from the show:
Do you like Rebels? What’s your favorite moment(s)? Comment below and we’ll talk about it!
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Star Wars and Other Obsessions 