– Spoiler Review –
This piece was written during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike (the WGA one is over as of September 27). Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, this show, and those it continues stories from, wouldn’t exist. Consider supporting the strikes here.
Has it all been leading to this? The question remains pertinent in the Ahsoka season one finale episode “Part VIII: The Jedi, The Witch, And The Warlord,” as while we get plenty of enticing cliffhangers and hints where this story will go next, the show’s unwillingness to dive much deeper made one wonder why these characters got to this point.
I’ve never been against cliffhangers or unresolved storylines, or mysteries without clear answers, as I am still a big LOST fan and always will be after all, so my issues with Ahsoka’s finale “Part VIII: The Jedi, The Witch, And The Warlord,” stems less from what’s yet to be revealed and more about how the superficial time we’ve spent with most characters has made these mysteries unsatisfying. This is not the first time I’ve taken umbrage with the show’s lack of motivations for its characters, and while it’s made progress despite some clunky writing, it still feels like it wasn’t enough by the season’s end. Morgan Elsbeth is a prime example, as she seems happy to help out the Great Mothers, which only became clear as a sub motivation besides her newly revealed friendship with Grand Admiral Thrawn until we met the Mothers, but she’s quite miffed when they choose her to stay behind to cover their exit; what was she expecting, what did she really want from helping them, and what were her own goals besides the goals of others? With her death and how the show was written, we’ll have to wait for a book or comic to maybe fill in the gaps, leaving her death (again, sort of) more of a shrug, despite how satisfying her final battle was against Ahsoka Tano. Then there’s Thrawn himself, who in the books at least had an ulterior motive of joining with the Empire to recruit its resources against a threat to his home, the Chiss Ascendancy, but he’s all too happy to spout “Long Live the Empire” one too many times like it explains anything for why he’s doing what he’s doing or what he has planned, and he feels more like a character all fans are just expected to know than someone to get to know. To put it another way: he stands at attention a lot, sounds smart, sneaks in a little snide remark before jumping away back to the main galaxy, and just looks menacing throughout it all, but he feels like caricature of someone we know rather than a fully-fleshed out character; It’s hard to care about him as the next big bad if this is all he’s shown us he can do at the moment.
Also, what are the Great Mothers’ goals with coming to the main galaxy? And for Baylan, who did finally get some much needed exploration a few episodes back, it still feels like we only scratched the surface of who he is and what he’d like to see from a galaxy made anew, leaving me only interested in the connections to Mortis with what he’s after and less about how this will affect him; this lack of deeper development becomes tragic due to Ray Stevenson’s untimely passing, who chewed up all his scenery. Another point to mention is Sabine and Ahsoka’s fractured history, and while it was nice to see it mostly resolved by episode’s end, it felt too much like the scenario I was worried about in my review of “Part VII: Dreams and Madness.” The moment we learn the truth behind Ahsoka abandoning Sabine and her training, after hints during Sabine and Baylan’s conversation, the two put aside these past moments and become a team again, like Huyang wanted for them, yet this feels much like Ezra’s brush with the dark side resolved in the same episode we first see it, aka Rebels’ “Steps into Shadow.” I’m glad it’s resolved between these two, but these details coming so late when Ahsoka already sort of achieved a Zen mindset after her World Between Worlds encounter with Anakin Skywalker make it almost moot, as it was clear she was already ready to move on from her earlier concerns, which we only just finally learned about. Ahsoka’s welcomed character development in the show makes Thrawn’s ‘victory’ here, leaving her and Sabine behind in the other galaxy, lose a lot of its teeth, as his snarky final line feels like it falls on deaf ears and is rather just to tell us, viewers at home, that Thrawn is definitely a bad dude, as if we might not be sure already/give Ahsoka some motivation for wanting to eventually help deal with him if/when they ever return. All in all, by the end of Ahsoka’s first season, the bad guys just feel like mustache-twirling bad guys and I have no real connection to them due to the lack of compelling motivations, while if I wasn’t already a big fan of Rebels and The Clone Wars, I can’t imagine forming much of a connection to the main cast had this been my first exposure to them, regardless of the brilliant performances by most. As I feared, the show was willing to push plot forward but still didn’t take enough time to really push its characters forward, overall, with it. May there be a writer’s room for the next season or place these characters appear…
Anyways, as for what all happens in the episode, let’s start with one of my favorite parts: Ezra Bridger builds a new lightsaber! Rummaging through Huyang’s collection of parts but largely ignoring the droid, there’s a zeal to Ezra’s construction which Eman Esfandi plays into so well, it’s hard not to feel his excitement for the process and tell how much he’s been looking forward to this moment/why he didn’t want the saber he gave Sabine back. When Sabine Wren checks in on her friend’s progress, revealing to Huyang who was Ezra’s Master, the whole scene really clicks, as Huyang begins discussing what he knew about Caleb Dume/Kanan Jarrus as a youngling, and finds Ezra the final part of the saber: the exact same emitter Kanan used for his saber, which Huyang held onto in case Kanan would’ve needed a replacement. It’s such a touching, wonderful moment and Eman brings so much of the emotion to the table that fans of Rebels already feel, while Sabine’s reaction to Ezra’s fond memories of his Master helps push up the issues she needs to discuss with hers now they’re reunited. Ezra holding a new, blue lightsaber (same kyber as from his last saber or a new one Huyang had lying around?) is a joy to see, especially once he does so alongside Ahsoka and Sabine as they storm the cathedral later, and I love the connection to Kanan it allows him to have, even all these years, and parsecs, later.
Sabine leaves Ezra to his excitement and heads outside the ship, which floats above the Noti, for some fresh air, yet runs into Ahsoka sitting outside already. The two finally talk about what happened on Seatos, but thanks to Ahsoka’s newfound groove, she’s not mad or disappointed in Sabine’s choice and sees the benefits of it/how it must’ve been the Force’s will regardless. If anything, Sabine’s progress despite her choice seems to help Ahsoka realize, as we learned from Huyang as he tells Ezra what happened between these two, she was wrong to be so worried about training Sabine more after the death of her family in the Empire’s purge of Mandalore (which we now know took place after Endor, so maybe as part of the Contingency plans we saw in Aftermath Trilogy/Battlefront II/Alphabet Squadron Trilogy). A lot of that concern came from her own past and her own worries about what of Anakin was inside of her and what she might pass on, if she’d unlock the dark parts of Sabine by making her more powerful and skilled, though as I mentioned already, she came to peace with Anakin and what she has to offer students after her recent World Between Worlds visit. Seeing these two looking beyond what happened and ready to team up together again, as Master and Apprentice, is heartening to see.
After two TIEs come and mess up everyone’s day, from the Noti to the T-6’s, Thrawn is both happy with the results yet preparing for the impossible about the Jedi still making it to the fortress in time to mess with his plans for leaving. On his side is the newly powered up Lady Elsbeth, who received some dark magick powers (undefined) and the Sword of Talzin (which Talzin used against Mace Windu in TCW), and his legion of super loyal Night Troopers, whom aren’t against making the sacrifice of staying behind if it means Thrawn gets to leave. Also, Thrawn has the Chimaera at his disposal, so when the Jedi roll up on their trusty rat/dog steads, he orders a bombardment to impede their incursion, yet they manage to dodge the assault and hold open the door long enough to get inside, proving the impossible was…actually quite seemingly possible. There’s a real fun scene of Sabine, Ezra, and Ahsoka holding back and eventually taking down the Night troopers as easily as you’d imagine stormtroopers would fall against several well-trained Jedi, but their purpose and usefulness is far from over: while the Night troopers proved not to be reanimated Nightsister zombies when we first met them, the Great Mothers pull them back into service by making them into zombies here, giving the Jedi Trio an undying problem!! It was really neat to see this happen, as it’s been a bit since the Nightsisters raised their own against General Grievous’ forces on Dathomir, and it also made it feel like a wink and nod at the Death Troopers Legends novel. Once they start locking the doors behind them, the Jedi Trio gets enough time to break away…only to run into Morgan. Ahsoka decides to face her alone, despite Sabine’s insistence, and the other two head up to try and board the leaving Star Destroyer.
As the Chimaera begins to lift off, Sabine and Ezra come face to face with Death troopers who are technically dead Death troopers, and they make for a formidable foe when lightsaber slices don’t do much besides annoy them. As Ezra and Sabine find themselves being choked to death by the deadly corpses, Sabine tries one more time to access the Force, reaching out in hopes of calling her lightsaber back to her and save herself…AND SHE DOES! That’s right, Sabine Wren opens up her abilities in the Force with death staring her in the face, calling the blade to her and doing the usual zombie stopping move with a lightsaber to the head, and helping break Ezra free. The ship’s already out of reach, but Sabine is ready to use with her new abilities and tells Ezra to trust her, allowing her to help him make the impossible jump. He hesitates, for just a moment, but trusts in his friend and takes off running, using the Force to jump and then she pushes him further, allowing to latch on, jump in, and take out the patrolling troopers. Before he gets a chance to help Sabine do the same, Morgan and Ahsoka’s battle makes it way up top, alongside all the reanimated Night troopers, and Sabine must make a choice: stick together with her Master or go with Ezra.
Thanks to Natasha Liu Bordizzo’s performance so far, Sabine’s ultimate choice feels even more satisfying than I imagined, as she stays back to help Ahsoka! A Master and Apprentice are better together, and Sabine’s able to keep the Night troopers at bay as Ahsoka finishes off Morgan, not before losing one of her lightsabers in the process. The two are rescued by Huyang, who repaired the ship with the help of the Noti in one of the episode’s funniest scenes, and the ship takes off, hoping to catch up with Thrawn and get aboard before he jumps. Their ship doesn’t have enough power to catch up in time, which is when Thrawn throws in his petty little jab at Ahsoka before they jump away, leaving them stranded in the other galaxy! I LOVED this development, as while them getting back easily could sort of ruin the stranded storyline, them being stuck here for now makes sure it’s not an easy ending for the show. I’ll be very curious to see how and when this, and all the other hanging threads, will be dealt with going forward, as we don’t have a clear roadmap on what’s next. Back in the main galaxy, Thrawn and the Great Mothers arrive on Dathomir, looking out on their horde of sarcophagi, ready to begin whatever they have planned for the galaxy. It’s interesting, but like I said, without much motivation, it feels more like just setting up plot since we have no idea what their goals are beside vague threats to the galaxy.
Also in the main galaxy, the same shuttle Baylan and Shin first used in the premiere flies into a New Republic ship, where General Hera Syndulla is on hand, as well as Chopper, and a sizeable amount of crew, to greet the mysterious shuttle. A Night trooper walks down the ship’s ramp and, after a series of chatters, Chopper heads over without hesitation to greet them. The trooper removes their helmet and… it’s EZRA! He’s back and home!!! Hera is about to enter tears at seeing her Space Son, and it’s only through the acting here, past familiarity with the characters from Rebels, and the Kiner family’s score this scene has any emotional impact, as otherwise it just seems oddly written and conducted scene, especially how briefly and wordless it is. A new challenge has been unlocked for Dave Filoni: LET HERA HUG SOMEONE! Anyone?! Only Ahsoka is ever seen hugging Hera’s biological and Space sons, without a single hug given out by Hera, whatsoever. I’m damn glad to see Ezra back, but it didn’t quite hit like it could’ve overall.
Back on Peridea, we get to see Shin approaching the marauder encampment, raising her blade above her head, to signal she’s here to take over? I think? She seems sad and reluctant, but seems to think it’s likely her only choice, but here’s hoping she’ll take up Ahsoka on her offer soon. Elsewhere on Peridea, we catch up with Baylan’s journey towards…whatever is calling him and we end the season still wondering what it could be, but there’s one (well, two, technically three) hints: for starters, we see him standing in the hand of a giant statue, which is made in the visage of the Father, while another one of the Son can be seen next to him! Father? Son? What am I talking about? Didn’t I mention some ancient Zeffo Sith in my last review? The Father and Son will be familiar to animation fans, as they were beings/gods in the realm known as Mortis, first seen in The Clone Wars when Ahsoka, Anakin, and Obi-Wan all visited it, and later seen in a mural on Lothal in Rebels that unlocked a doorway into the World Between Worlds. These were powerful, ancient beings, even more ancient than the Zeffo, which met their end during Anakin and group’s visit. It’s long been a love-it-or-hate-it arc of the animated show, shrouded in mysticism, but I’ve always enjoyed it and am curious to see how/who/what it’s connected to in regards to what Baylan’s after. Our only other hint is the mountain Baylan looks at in the distance, which seemingly has glowing lights shooting out of it…could this be canon’s attempt at the derisive Legends Abeloth storyline, a character connected to the Mortis realm Filoni did help collaborate on, from Fate of the Jedi (which Chris will be covering sometime soon in his Legendary Adventures series)? I hope not! Or some other Legends storyline/combination of things? Or something totally new and/or connected to the Zeffo? We’ll have to wait who knows how long to find out, but I am beyond intrigued where this will all go!
What of Sabine and Ahsoka, left on Peridea? Well, they hunker down with the Noti for the night, because of course, why wouldn’t you hang out with these cute little kind creatures. Sabine approaches Ahsoka, who is standing off on a ridge, regarding the night sky, and the two women discuss Sabine successfully helping Ezra return home and how she did a good job, but also how it’s time to move on. It’s a line with many meanings, for Ahsoka to move on from Anakin, for Sabine to move on from worrying about Ezra, and for them maybe to literally move on, to leave Peridea and explore the galaxy they find themselves in rather than wait to see if anyone will ever return for them. This seems like the most likely outcome as Ahsoka, having seen Morai, the convor who has been with her through pivotal moments and is spiritually connected to the Daughter, the other Mortis god, probably saw the bird’s appearance as a sign things were still going in the right direction, no matter the outcome. As Sabine and Ahsoka get ready to return to the Noti’s camp, Sabine seems to notice something, but calls it only shadows in starlight, but when Ahsoka turns around, she knows what it is.
Anakin Skywalker’s Force Ghost (they can travel to different galaxies too!) looks on proudly after his apprentice, as the episode closes.
Here are a few other things:
- The case against Rosario Dawson and her family was never truly resolved, as it was only due to the court not rescheduling that the charges were dropped, so this is still an outstanding issue if and when the plaintiff decides to reopen things. This disclaimer will come with every episode reminding readers of this, as it’s the very least we can do for trans fans of the Saga.
- Will be curious to see how long before we get some confirmation on what the next steps are for the Star Wars TV universe, especially given how things have been delayed due to the producers acting poorly about the strikes, as it’s hard to imagine we’ll get a continuation, beyond maybe something in Skeleton Crew, of this storyline for a few years. Just another notch in the argument for this all being animation instead.
- I would hope not having Leia in “Part VII,” beyond meaning they might be trying to finally cast actors for original trilogy characters, means the VFX costs too much for CGI/Deepfake faces and either Baylan is recast for any potential return or his story is sort of resolved off-screen to honor Stevenson.
Ahsoka’s Season One Finale “Part VIII: The Jedi, The Witch, And The Warlord” certainly has a lot of razzle dazzle and some full circle arcs for Sabine and Ahsoka, but its emotional weight and lingering mysteries come up short due to a lack of character development and clunky writing.
+ Sabine and Ahsoka reconnecting
+ Ezra’s home!!
+ Some of these lingering threads are intriguing
– Character motivations are lacking…
– …robbing many moments of emotional weight…
– …with no help from the writing.
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website on Bluesky, Twitter @MynockManor, and Instagram @mynockmanor.
AHSOKA REVIEWS
Season One: Part I: Master and Apprentice / Part II: Toil and Trouble | Part III: Time to Fly | Part IV: Fallen Jedi | Part V: Shadow Warrior | Part VI: Far, Far Away | Part VII: Dreams and Madness