Ahsoka Ahsoka Episode 1.01 - Discussion Thread (Spoilers Allowed)

That sequence reminded me of the last scene in the original "Predator" and I mean that in a good way.

 

The IGs can also self destruct, just not as nuclear.

 

I didn't mind it, wasn't expecting it though.

 

I think I just discovered the dumbest post in all of the internet. Whatever you think of Dave Filoni you wouldn’t say he hates Star Wars. Or actively knows nothing about it. Yet I stumbled on a Reddit post that implied exactly that. Sometimes the internet can reach new lows of idiocy

 

And meanwhile I'd be among those that would say Dave Filoni saved the franchise.

 

I wondered with Ahsoka's stoicism and those silences, is she communicating with Anakin's spirit? If she was I think they'd have made it more obvious but it's a nice touch to leave the audience guessing just what she's thinking at those times.

 

Probably a bacta pad on the wound though? lol.

 

I'm probably just tripping but this Ep reminded me of TPM more than once.

The beginning when Baylan & Shin get off the ship with their robes up.. reminded me of QuiGon/ObiWan on the Trade ship.

Then when Shin is on Lothal & her tracking device finds Sabine & floats back to her. Obviously reminiscent of Maul on Tatooine.

 

TPM is my favorite SW picture, so I was delighted to see the callbacks. Filoni loves TPM too, his commentary on the Qui-gon, Obi-wan, Maul fight was perfect.

 

The Internet can be a hive of scum and villany. I come across too much stuff that seems to be just for the purpose of hating on a franchise because they want to see it fail, like they have some personal vendetta against it without any valid reasons.

 

Absolutely!

 

To me, the opening scene was far more reminiscent of RotJ than TPM. The unexpected shuttle arrival, the way the passengers came down the ramp and were met by guards, all of it looked like the DS2 scaled way down.

 

I got ROTJ vibes from the scene of Ahsoka arriving on Home One. But that opening scene was pure TPM IMO.

 

Small thing in the opening: I like that the beginning of the crawl mirrors Obi-Wan's message from ROTS/Rebels. "I regret to report that both our Jedi Order and the Republic have fallen, with the dark shadow of the Empire rising to take their place."

 

Favorite “picture”? Were you recently on vacation in 1952, or something?

Joking aside, TPM is one of my favorite SW films on a visual level, so I agree. Really enjoyed that opening.

 

I haven't voted yet. It took us a while to get done moving and settling in. But the show is great. I'd say I like it more than Kenobi...at least so far. I mostly liked that show mainly for Obi, Leia, Vader, and the Rebels per se. The new character Reva was awesomely portrayed, but writing-wise, she needed more story.

Comparing that to this, Ray Stevenson is definitely scene-stealer. Looking forward to seeing more of Hera and Sabine, as we haven't finished the episode. But it's good so far.

As for Ahsoka herself, I can see why some of my friends and respected critics feel that Rosario is playing Ahsoka a bit too stoic in some scenes, but I imagine that will ease off as the series goes on. Thus far, I'm getting a good impression, and I gotta admit I like how Baylan and Shin are orange-wielding Dark Jedi. Looking forward to seeing more about them. I can't really compare Shin to Zannah. Zannah is one of my all-time favorite characters in the EU on par with Satele herself, the Dark Woman, Bastila, and Darth Traya. I think Shin is going to be a different sort of character. Similar but different if you dig what I mean. As for Baylan, he's mysterious and intriguing so far. Joruus C'baoth would not work in live action. People would drag Disney and Lucasfilm for making a character with some problems a villain, and rightfully so. C'boath, to me, was never insane. He just acted that way to justify his greed and his sense of superiority over others. After all, he could use the dark side in a terrifying way. He's like that Jedi that Starkiller fought on the junk planet. Some people just are consumed by the darkness and they prefer that to coping in a healthy manner with their pasts. Much like old Vader.

Baylan and Thrawn...yeah...looking forward to that combo and seeing what Shin can contribute. I get the sense we're going to get to see the more clever Thrawn I recall from Zahn's novels now.

Leaning toward a 9 to vote for... Most impressive so far.

 

Okay. 9 definitely. I do like how Rosario is handling this. The way she performs the voice and the action scenes are great. She's alluding to Ashley a bit while doing her own thing. I just think that Ahsoka's facial expressions are better conveyed through animation, but I imagine I'll adjust. I'm just used to seeing Ahsoka when she's, like, 17, 30-something, etc. And I'm accustomed to her being very agile and a dervish to ward off Vader. This is just me. It's going to take a little bit for me to adjust to Ahsoka being in live action.

 

I think the vibe Dawson is bringing is pretty much right. Ever since CW season 5, 7, the Jedi Order betrayal, and just growing up in general, she’s become more mature and less plucky and optimistic. And then of course the Vader stuff.

She still has that ever-present Ahsoka smirk, but it’s clearly hiding a defeated person underneath, something I hope this series digs into.

Who has she really spoken to about this whole Anakin thing? I’m guessing part of her journey of becoming a reliable master for Sabine/Ezra will require her to finally make peace with all that.

 

I don't think the way she is, is meant to a something related to further development. she is just the calm and collected state of a jedi.

She is older and wiser, makes her more a master figure than a padawan.

 

I liked it a lot, and a big reason why was the general "this feels like TPM" sense throughout. Best score of the television projects as well.

 

Sure, that too. However, IMO, the scene in question in TPM is very reminiscent of the RotJ scene you're talking about, as the Trade Federation ships have that scaled-down Death Star look to their mid-sections. And we've heard from Doug Chiang and others that this was deliberate. So, yeah. There's rhyming going on all over the place here!

 

I wavered on this, but I'm going with a 10.

I think this premiere is a fantastic experience, largely through visuals, pacing, and music. It's rich, cinematic, mythic, and reverent. It has a developing urgency, but everything breathes well. In fact, I think Ahsoka's rendezvous with Home One encapsulates a lot of that; and by the way, I absolutely love the angle and framing of the X-Wings moving away and the T-6 coming out of hyperspace above them. Kudos for the editing, too, particularly the three times when there's a fitting sound paired with a screen wipe. At first, I thought the ending duel seemed visually odd, maybe even a bit crude, but it's grown on me and works as being between two unconventional apprentices.

The characters have always been a highlight of Rebels, so it's an amazing thing, as a fan, to get more time with them here. And there's Lothal itself. I love seeing Ryder and Jai, then Sabine's high-speed intro, and then just continuing to the tower -- seeing that makeshift living space fully realized and feeling wonderfully, somewhat whimsically lived-in while getting a sense of where Sabine is figuratively.

Hera works well as the emotional center, and I think Winstead has a very nice presence in the role. I like how she and Huyang try to move Ahsoka back toward Sabine. It's fitting, also, that the latter two characters each have a private puzzle scene at opposite ends of the episode. Pretty much everyone's weighed in on it, so in short I think Ahsoka has enough expressiveness here, given her circumstances.

 

I enjoyed the first episode, and the whole thing looks very promising. Rebels is my favorite animated SW show, and I think that this is a worthy successor. I must admit, though, that I found myself wanting to strangle Sabine Wren several times.

 

Yeah, I just get…a good feeling from this show. It’s hard to put a finger on it.