Ahsoka Episode 6 May Have Repeated Star Wars' Biggest Mistake
This article contains spoilers for "Ahsoka" Season 1, Episode 6, "Far, Far Away"
"Ahsoka" Episode 6 is arguably the most exciting installment of Dave Filoni's Disney+ series yet. The adventure introduces a brand-new galaxy and a bewitching planet with a mysterious backstory. There are also some cute, fuzzy creatures that will boost "Star Wars" merchandise sales, and Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) makes his long-awaited comeback. More excitingly, it sees Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi) reunite for the first time since "Star Wars Rebels." However, the long-awaited reunion also typifies one of the biggest problems with the "Star Wars" franchise.
Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) is relegated to the sidelines in Episode 6. She and Huyang (David Tennant) receive a courtesy scene at the beginning of the episode, but the rest of it is dedicated to Sabine's quest to find Ezra on Peridea. There's no denying that Sabine has always been determined to find her friend, but it's been Ahsoka's mission for a long time, too. Episode 6 has robbed her of completing one of her main objectives, in her own series no less.
That said, this isn't the first time that a "Star Wars" series on Disney+ has made the main characters sidekicks in their own shows. This is becoming a recurring issue, and it's been detrimental to other series set in the Galaxy Far, Far Away.
The Book of Boba Fett botches the main character's journey
"The Book of Boba Fett" has many problems that rubbed "Star Wars" fans the wrong way. The laconic pacing, repetition, and poor character development are just some of the criticisms that have been lobbied at the bounty hunter's spin-off series. However, the biggest sin was making him a sidekick in two episodes of his own solo project.
"Chapter 5: Return of The Mandalorian" and "Chapter 6: From the Desert Comes a Stranger" both see Boba take a backseat to Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu (David Acord), and they're arguably the two best episodes in the entire series. It's here that Grogu receives his Jedi training courtesy of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), which is more significant than anything that happens in Boba's character journey throughout the season.
But here's the thing: Din and Grogu already have their own series. Giving them such a prominent presence on "Book of Boba Fett" took a lot of shine off a character who's been a fan favorite since "The Empire Strikes Back." So, his first solo outing will go down in history as a missed opportunity to give him the focus he deserves, as well as the series fans always wanted. Then again, the characters who overshadowed him have been subjected to the same treatment in their own show.
The Mandalorian Season 3 sidelines Din Djarin and Grogu
"The Mandalorian" started out as a story about a lost ronin, Din Djarin, and his quest to find redemption. He eventually adopts the adorable Grogu and becomes the pint-sized creature's protector in a dangerous galaxy, which gives the series a quasi-father-son relationship that adds a lot of depth to both characters. Unfortunately, Season 3 sees its main players get lost in the shuffle as other characters take precedence.
"The Book of Boba Fett" is partly to blame for this. The titular bounty hunter's series reunites Din and his little green sidekick after they get separated on "The Mandalorian" Season 2, and the resolution robs their own series of an engaging storyline with stakes and drama. Furthermore, Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) is the main character on "The Mandalorian" Season 3. The meatiest storyline chronicles her journey to reunite the people of Mandalore, which is an interesting arc for her, but not for the characters this show is supposed to be about.
Elsewhere, Din's quest for redemption so that he can rejoin his people is resolved within two episodes, undermining his entire journey until that point. It's clumsy storytelling, and it's understandable why there are concerns about "Ahsoka" experiencing similar issues.
Will Ahsoka return to prominence in her own show?
It remains to be seen how the rest of "Ahsoka" Season 1 will play out, but the current signs point toward her becoming the latest victim of the "Star Wars" franchise's sidekick trend. Sabine's journey has been the most interesting thus far as she's out to prove that she can rise to the occasion, and Episode 6 positions her as the potential star of the show moving forward.
Additionally, with a fan-favorite character like Ezra being back on the board, the upcoming episodes will undoubtedly be dedicated to continuing his story as well. But will that also come at the expense of Ahsoka being given more to do? Episode 6 does tease a future showdown between Ahsoka and Thrawn, though it's likely that Ezra will also factor into the final battle with the Imperial commander.
At this point, the Disney+ shows merely exist to contribute to a larger overarching story with many moving parts. That's fine, but surely they can find a way to make their main characters feel more integral to their own adventures?