Ahsoka episode 3 review
The third episode of ‘Ahsoka’ gave audiences the best interpretation of the Force for a long time, showing audiences that it isn’t about midichlorians or birthright or anything, it’s all about the will to learn and train. The writing is a love letter to the original saga, though it does drag on slightly. The excellent visuals of the show stay high.
‘Ahsoka’ starts off slow, keeping its focus on a hyperspace training session, a core part of ‘Star Wars’. Fans would be hard-pressed not to draw analogies with Obi-Wan training Luke here. Ahsoka is now a wise, sage-like character, with many years of knowledge, and Sabine, while she’s known about the Force for a while, is still naive to how it works. It matches Obi-Wan’s position training Luke. It does verge on the repetitive a little, highlighted by how long this scene goes on.
During this session, is the return of the visor blocking vision, a staple in training, though this time used so Sabine can hone her skills at sensing intentions. And it’s great to see her struggle and know she must work to attain mastery. This is highlighted in the cup sequence, which while it is predictable Sabine will lift it later, it’s what Ahsoka says about the Force that will please audiences. It proves that Filoni recognizes how the Force works.
Hera Syndulla has a meeting with New Republic politicians, and it accurately reflects their position of apathy at this time. Mon Mothma (played by the wonderful Genevieve O’Reilly) returns, flanked by politicians who refuse to acknowledge Hera’s status. This is of course why the New Republic falls later on. But where it gets perhaps a little too far is Senator Xiono, who is openly hostile to all the work Hera has done, as though he doesn’t care for her contribution to the New Republic and only hears what he wants.
But after this, fans get a pleasing moment with the return of Jacen Syndulla, someone who has been absent for years. It’s great to see this character again, especially after the books and comics have neglected him. Hopefully, he gets more screen time, but his appearance is well done, especially darkening the hair just a bit.
Once they arrive out of hyperspace, audiences are treated to a dogfight, complete with fighters that would look right at home in World War 2. It’s another way this show returns to what ‘Star Wars’ is. And it’s a moment where Sabine and Ahsoka have a chance to work together and show that they’re friends, a moment appreciated. They can work as a team, a moment immediately reflected when Morgan Elsbeth and Shin Hati fail to work together. The Dark Side cannot be a team, and it shows.
In one part of this fight, Marrok speaks. He’s remained quiet but has now revealed his voice, though it doesn’t indicate who he is. It’s heavily altered. There are several theories as to his identity, and it’s great to ponder who’s below the mask. In other, Ahsoka hops out of the shuttle to distract the fighters. It’s very goofy and very reminiscent of what would be in ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’. And while it is a fun reminder of the antics Ahsoka is capable of, this moment shows that some things are best kept in animation as it doesn’t quite work.
The space battle does go on for some time, and it could have been shortened. Ahsoka and Sabine crash on the planet below, but not before running into Purrgil. It’s a beauty to see these mythic creatures fully in live-action, their scale accurately represented. Once they crash, audiences learn that only seven out of the nine stolen hyperdrives are in the Eye of Sion. Two are being held back for something else, a small but important detail.
The episode ends with Baylan Skoll sending ground troops to find Ahsoka. While it dragged in places, the references to the original trilogy, the meritocratic view of the force, and the awesome space battle sequence all showed that ‘Ahsoka’ continues its run as a fan-pleasing piece of ‘Star Wars’.
