Ahsoka 1.01. and 1.02.
The first two episodes of the Ahsoka miniseries have been released.
First impressions: I still have trouble emotionally connecting to Rosario Dawson's version of Ahsoka. This is not really due to the difference between animation and live action, or her as an actress - I mean, I loved her in the Netflix Marvel shows as Claire - , but mostly due to the show, and Ahsoka's earlier cameos in The Mandalorian, being set in an era where she's at the middle aged zen master stage of her life. And one big character trait of Clone Wars Ahsoka was her passion and drive. Of course she was decades younger, a teenager, and the show was very much her growing up tale, but still, this was part of what made such an engaging character, and such a great foil for Anakin. Why their Master/Padawan bond became so intense.
Now, I think I know where Filoni is going by making Sabine Ahsoka's Padawan. He knows how important the Ahsoka and Anakin relationship was to The Clone Wars, and wants to make another Master and Padawan combination who initially clash over their similarities the heart of this show. It's not a bad idea at all! But it still means I have to start from scratch with this version of the characters, and I'm not there yet.
(Seriously though: given how much Totruga makeup anyone playing Ahsoka in a live performance has to wear, which means the physical age of the actress in question isn't central, why no A.E.?)
Speaking of Sabine: I've seen all of two or so Rebels episodes, and I know she's a very popular character there, but she didn't endear herself to me by ghosting what's his name at the ceremony. That's a Tony Stark at the start of Iron Man 1 kind of move, and when he did it to Rhodey, it was because the script wanted to signal it was a jerk thing to do and he's in need of a wake up call, which he promptly got. Whereas here, I thought the script wanted me to think Sabine was a cool rebel for doing it (and also angsty because of the missing Ezra). Whereas what I thought was: Look, no one should be forced to attend a ceremony they don't want to attend, but then say so in the first place when getting the invite! Don't say yes and then don't show up! Boo, hiss.
Other than that, Sabine and Hera were fine, an I like that we have three female main characters on the hero side of things plus two on the villain side. And the late Titus Pullo Ray Stevenson, to whom the pilot was dedicated, sob, as a dark side Jedi. He and his padawan haven't yet done much more than be menacing fighters, but I look forward to learn more about them. Morgan Elsbeth as a former Night Sister of Dathomir gives me happy Clone Wars vibes, but I wish she were in business for herself and not for Thrawn. Yes, I know Thrawn is supposed to be the best villain ever, but look, I read the original Heirs to the Empire trilogy when it got published way back when, and I didn't get it, and I still don't. Ah well. Maybe his life action counterpart will do the trick.
The New Republic using that many former Imperials in their administration has been called an explanation as to why the Sequel trilogy opens with a basically destroyed Republic (again) and the facists are back, but speaking as the citizen of a country where about 70% (ex?) Nazis were employed in the administration(s) post WWII, which yes, I do think is shameful, that doesn't necessarily follow. Still: since the Sequels didn't bother with world building beyond wanting to have a situation where its heroes are the underdog again, I appreciate Filoni and friends doing the actual world building work in the Mandalorian and here.
That's it for now: looking forward to next week!
First impressions: I still have trouble emotionally connecting to Rosario Dawson's version of Ahsoka. This is not really due to the difference between animation and live action, or her as an actress - I mean, I loved her in the Netflix Marvel shows as Claire - , but mostly due to the show, and Ahsoka's earlier cameos in The Mandalorian, being set in an era where she's at the middle aged zen master stage of her life. And one big character trait of Clone Wars Ahsoka was her passion and drive. Of course she was decades younger, a teenager, and the show was very much her growing up tale, but still, this was part of what made such an engaging character, and such a great foil for Anakin. Why their Master/Padawan bond became so intense.
Now, I think I know where Filoni is going by making Sabine Ahsoka's Padawan. He knows how important the Ahsoka and Anakin relationship was to The Clone Wars, and wants to make another Master and Padawan combination who initially clash over their similarities the heart of this show. It's not a bad idea at all! But it still means I have to start from scratch with this version of the characters, and I'm not there yet.
(Seriously though: given how much Totruga makeup anyone playing Ahsoka in a live performance has to wear, which means the physical age of the actress in question isn't central, why no A.E.?)
Speaking of Sabine: I've seen all of two or so Rebels episodes, and I know she's a very popular character there, but she didn't endear herself to me by ghosting what's his name at the ceremony. That's a Tony Stark at the start of Iron Man 1 kind of move, and when he did it to Rhodey, it was because the script wanted to signal it was a jerk thing to do and he's in need of a wake up call, which he promptly got. Whereas here, I thought the script wanted me to think Sabine was a cool rebel for doing it (and also angsty because of the missing Ezra). Whereas what I thought was: Look, no one should be forced to attend a ceremony they don't want to attend, but then say so in the first place when getting the invite! Don't say yes and then don't show up! Boo, hiss.
Other than that, Sabine and Hera were fine, an I like that we have three female main characters on the hero side of things plus two on the villain side. And the late Titus Pullo Ray Stevenson, to whom the pilot was dedicated, sob, as a dark side Jedi. He and his padawan haven't yet done much more than be menacing fighters, but I look forward to learn more about them. Morgan Elsbeth as a former Night Sister of Dathomir gives me happy Clone Wars vibes, but I wish she were in business for herself and not for Thrawn. Yes, I know Thrawn is supposed to be the best villain ever, but look, I read the original Heirs to the Empire trilogy when it got published way back when, and I didn't get it, and I still don't. Ah well. Maybe his life action counterpart will do the trick.
The New Republic using that many former Imperials in their administration has been called an explanation as to why the Sequel trilogy opens with a basically destroyed Republic (again) and the facists are back, but speaking as the citizen of a country where about 70% (ex?) Nazis were employed in the administration(s) post WWII, which yes, I do think is shameful, that doesn't necessarily follow. Still: since the Sequels didn't bother with world building beyond wanting to have a situation where its heroes are the underdog again, I appreciate Filoni and friends doing the actual world building work in the Mandalorian and here.
That's it for now: looking forward to next week!