The Untold Secrets of Ahsoka: A Behind-the-Scenes Pitch Meeting Exposé
A thrilling conclusion to the Star Wars show, Ahsoka astounds with its intricate storytelling and compelling characters, showcasing the same daring acts as the Book of Boba Fett, but with resounding success
Warning: SPOILERS lie ahead for Ahsoka season 1!
Summary
Ahsoka has garnered accolades as one of the top-notch endeavors within the Disney+ franchise; however, it lacks in terms of character development and leans excessively towards nostalgic cameos. This is in stark contrast to the mixed or negative ratings received by other Star Wars shows such as The Book of Boba Fett.
Despite its flaws, Ahsoka successfully captures the desires of audiences through its emotional moments and a clear path for future seasons, demonstrating its ability to learn from the mistakes observed in The Book of Boba Fett.
While generally regarded as one of Disney+'s commendable franchise endeavors thus far, our website's latest episode of Pitch Meeting delves into some of the challenges confronted by Ahsoka. Developed by Lucasfilm veteran Dave Filoni, the series serves as a spinoff to both The Mandalorian and a continuation of Star Wars: Rebels. It follows Rosario Dawson's protagonist, a former Jedi Padawan named Ahsoka, on her quest to locate the formidable Admiral Thrawn, with the assistance of her ally Sabine Wren, before the enigmatic Dark Jedi Baylan Skoll can. Supported by a talented ensemble including Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ray Stevenson, and Ivanna Sakhno, among others, Ahsoka garnered predominantly favorable reviews during its eight-episode run.
Fresh off of the show's emotional finale, Our website's own Pitch Meeting series is delving into Ahsoka. The episode, as seen at the top of this article, delves into various narrative issues surrounding the new Star Wars show, particularly the lack of significant character development for its eponymous heroine and the excessive focus on other characters. The video also playfully criticizes the decision to incorporate numerous nostalgic cameos to maintain audience engagement, including the appearance of C-3PO in episode 7, portrayed once again by Anthony Daniels.
How Ahsoka Committed Same Sins As Book Of Boba Fett (But Successfully)
Ahsoka, the Disney+ Star Wars show, has garnered a 70% approval rating from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of the most well-received live-action shows on the platform. The recently released Mandalorian season 3 received a more mixed response with a 51% rating, a significant drop from its predecessors' impressive ratings of 92% and 91%. In comparison, Obi-Wan Kenobi narrowly achieved a "Fresh" rating of 62%, while The Book of Boba Fett received a "Rotten" rating of 53%. As of now, Andor season 1 holds the second-highest Audience rating at an impressive 86%, along with the highest critical score of an almost perfect 96%.
According to the latest Pitch Meeting, Ahsoka's flaws are evident in its struggle to strike a balance between character and universe expansion while also relying on nostalgic appearances. This criticism is similarly directed at The Book of Boba Fett. While the Temuera Morrison-led show focused on filling in the gaps of the bounty hunter's survival in the Sarlacc pit, it lacked a meaningful expansion on his post-Mandalorian story. In contrast, Dawson's show heavily relied on action sequences and the return of characters from Rebels and Clone Wars to drive its plot. As a result, Ahsoka herself had limited character development until the latter half of the season, partly due to Hayden Christensen's return as Anakin Skywalker.
Contrary to The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka managed to successfully meet the audience's expectations by understanding what they wanted to see from the returning Star Wars characters. Although Sabine Wren's reunion with Ezra Bridger may not have fulfilled the hopes of Rebels fans, her journey of embracing the Force and becoming Ahsoka's Jedi apprentice created an emotional experience for those who have followed her since the animated series. Furthermore, the discussions around a second season well before the show's premiere, coupled with Ahsoka's ending providing a more coherent path for its future compared to other standalone titles in the franchise, demonstrate that Filoni and Lucasfilm have taken the lessons from the mistakes of The Book of Boba Fett.
