Summary
Ahsoka's status as the most important Star Wars Disney+ show is reaffirmed due to the failures of Marvel Studios' Secret Invasion.
Ahsoka's significance lies in its contribution to the expansion of the Star Wars franchise on television and its connection to the New Republic era. Additionally, it holds importance in relation to Dave Filoni's upcoming Star Wars film.
The success of Ahsoka is pivotal for Disney+ as the platform has heavily relied on Star Wars and Marvel content. Given Ahsoka's favorable reception and potential viewership, the show has great promise.
The failure of Marvel Studios' Secret Invasion highlights the significance of Ahsoka as the leading Star Wars Disney+ TV show. Ahsoka, announced in December 2020, is a spin-off of The Mandalorian and will be the fifth live-action Star Wars series on Disney+, alongside The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Andor. Ahsoka showcases the franchise's expansion on the streaming platform, not to mention the numerous animated projects that have been released alongside the live-action ones.
In contrast, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has released nine TV projects on Disney+ thus far. The most recent, Secret Invasion, unfortunately exposes flaws in Marvel Studios' Disney+ strategy. Consequently, the Ahsoka series emerges as a crucial installment within the major franchise on Disney+ and a pivotal aspect of Star Wars' future.
Ahsoka Was Always Star Wars' Most Important TV Show
Ignoring factors such as the Disney+ performance of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ahsoka has always been considered the most significant TV show in Star Wars' 2023 lineup. This was highlighted during Star Wars Celebration 2023, where it was revealed that Dave Filoni, the creator of Ahsoka and various other Lucasfilm projects since 2008, will be directing a Star Wars feature film. This movie will bring together the various elements of the New Republic era that began with The Mandalorian.
Filoni's film will be one of three upcoming Star Wars movies and its importance cannot be overstated. It acts as a "Star Wars Avengers" of sorts, uniting multiple separate projects under one banner. In relation to Ahsoka, the show will introduce the main villain of the New Republic era. Grand Admiral Thrawn will make his live-action debut in Ahsoka, establishing his goals, power, and the threat he poses to the Star Wars galaxy. This storyline will undoubtedly connect to Filoni's Mandalorian movie, further emphasizing Ahsoka's role in the overarching narrative of this particular section of the Star Wars franchise.
Secret Invasion's Failure Means Even More Rests On Ahsoka
From an industry perspective, the failure of Secret Invasion holds even greater significance for Ahsoka. Since its launch in 2019, Disney+ has heavily relied on Star Wars and Marvel Studios properties. While efforts have been made to create original projects like Willow, National Treasure: Edge of History, and Baymax!, all of these shows, along with many others, have been canceled.
The only consistent presence in Disney+'s extensive content library has been Star Wars and Marvel productions. However, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has recently faced challenges with its Disney+ content. While shows like Loki, WandaVision, and Moon Knight have received widespread acclaim, others have been criticized by fans for their short six-episode seasons or for telling unnecessary stories. Secret Invasion has been the most recent example of these shortcomings within Marvel Studios' offerings on Disney+.
Secret Invasion had the second-lowest viewership among all MCU properties, only surpassing Ms. Marvel. Despite its low viewership, Ms. Marvel received high praise from critics, earning a 98% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the highest-rated MCU project to date. However, Secret Invasion did not fare as well, receiving the lowest approval rating of all Marvel Studios-produced TV shows at 56%. This emphasizes the disappointment of Secret Invasion, which failed to compensate for its low viewership with positive reviews like Ms. Marvel.
Considering the weaknesses in Marvel Studios' Disney+ content, the significance of Ahsoka is even more apparent. This is further connected to the somewhat underwhelming response to The Mandalorian season 3, as highlighted by a report from The Direct, which experienced lower viewership ratings compared to its previous seasons. All these factors underscore the importance of a major success from one of Disney+'s flagship franchises, with Ahsoka bearing the weight of this responsibility.
Can Ahsoka Possibly Be The Success It Needs To Be?
With Ahsoka's significance in the future of both Star Wars and MCU content on Disney+, there is uncertainty surrounding its potential success. However, all indications suggest that Ahsoka will thrive. Industry insiders have consistently reported that Lucasfilm's executives are extremely satisfied with the outcome of the Ahsoka show, even considering it one of Disney+'s finest productions.
Furthermore, Dave Filoni's past achievements in the Star Wars franchise bolster this positive outlook. Having initially worked on the acclaimed animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars with guidance from George Lucas himself, Filoni went on to contribute to Star Wars Rebels after Disney acquired Lucasfilm. Both shows have garnered widespread acclaim, with The Clone Wars effectively enhancing the divisive prequel trilogy's storyline and Rebels flawlessly fitting into the Empire era of Star Wars, showcasing a compelling narrative and compelling characters.
Filoni's achievements with Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels paved the way for his crucial involvement in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett alongside Jon Favreau. Serving as a director, writer, and producer, Filoni is credited with writing The Mandalorian season 2, episode 5 and season 3, episode 7, the latter in collaboration with Favreau. Notably, Filoni also directed The Mandalorian season 2, episode 5, which holds the second-highest rating on IMDb for that season. In addition, season 3, episode 7 stands as the highest-rated of season 3, indicating Filoni's exceptional skill in both writing and directing.
Continuing his success, Filoni wrote and directed episode 5 of The Book of Boba Fett, titled "From the Desert Comes a Stranger." This episode also holds the highest rating on IMDb for the show, further affirming Filoni's outstanding track record in the Star Wars franchise. Ultimately, Filoni's remarkable contributions led to him being entrusted with creating the Ahsoka show, serving as a sequel to his prior Star Wars works. With Filoni's exceptional standards set in both animation and live-action, coupled with the positive feedback from Lucasfilm executives, there are high expectations for the quality of Ahsoka.
Concerning viewership, Ahsoka's success appears to be guaranteed. As the show plays a vital role in the New Republic era, it will naturally attract The Mandalorian's audience who are eager to see the next chapter in this part of the Star Wars timeline. Additionally, Ahsoka's ties to Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels will draw in fans of those series. This is evidenced by the impressive viewership numbers of both official Ahsoka trailers, which have accumulated a combined total of 22.6 million views on YouTube. In comparison, The Mandalorian season 3's trailer has received 15.2 million views.
Based on this, it is likely that Ahsoka will surpass the somewhat disappointing viewership numbers of The Mandalorian season 3. Furthermore, all indications suggest that Ahsoka will deliver a higher level of quality, considering Lucasfilm's confidence in the project and Dave Filoni's successful track record in the Star Wars universe. Hopefully, these factors will combine to make Ahsoka the success Disney is hoping for, and help address any concerns raised by the underperformance of Secret Invasion, which had cast doubt on the future of Marvel and Star Wars content on Disney+.
