Unbelievable Transformations: Jaw-Dropping Changes to Ahsoka Characters in Star Wars Rebels

Several characters from Star Wars Rebels will make their live-action debut in the upcoming series Ahsoka. Chopper is the only character from Rebels who has previously appeared in live-action in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Sabine Wren, Hera Syndulla, Grand Admiral Thrawn, and Ezra Bridger will all be introduced in live-action for the first time in Ahsoka, which can be considered as Star Wars Rebels season 5. This opportunity allows viewers to see these beloved characters in a new medium, almost nine years after the premiere of Rebels.

It has become increasingly common for animated Star Wars characters to transition into live-action. For example, Bo-Katan Kryze and Ahsoka Tano made their live-action debuts in The Mandalorian season 2, and Cad Bane appeared in live-action in The Book of Boba Fett. While Ahsoka can be enjoyed by those who have not watched Rebels, the series continues various storylines from the animated show, even recreating moments from its finale. Naturally, the live-action versions of these characters will look different from their animated counterparts. From changes in Sabine's armor design to Ezra's hair color, Ahsoka presents nine alterations to the appearances of Star Wars Rebels characters.

9 Sabine’s Armor Is Different Rebels’ Epilogue

8 Sabine’s Hair Color Is Different From Rebels’ Epilogue

Subtle yet noticeable discrepancies exist between Sabine Wren's armor in Ahsoka and the Star Wars Rebels' epilogue. Ahsoka is reconstructing the epilogue from Star Wars Rebels, depicting the moment when Sabine admires the mural she painted and is reunited with Ahsoka Tano. While the lighting in Rebels may account for Sabine's attire appearing darker, her chest plate exhibits a distinct design in the live-action adaptation. The stripe pattern on the armor varies slightly in Ahsoka compared to Rebels, and there is also a disparity in how the belt is fastened. Nevertheless, these alterations are minimal, and Ahsoka's portrayal of Sabine remains remarkably faithful to the depiction in Rebels.

In the final scene of Rebels, there is a subtle yet noticeable difference in Sabine's hair color compared to her live-action appearance in Ahsoka. While Sabine is known for frequently changing her hair color, it appears slightly different in the epilogue. In live-action, her hair remains purple, but it is a different shade compared to Star Wars Rebels. Additionally, Sabine's hair in Rebels appears more vibrant and uniform than in the live-action iteration. This change is likely a deliberate decision by the Ahsoka show, both for stylistic and practical reasons.

7 Thrawn’s Lips Are Different From Star Wars Rebels

Grand Admiral Thrawn had never made his on-screen debut prior to Star Wars Rebels season 3. Thrawn's initial appearance was in Timothy Zahn's novel, Heir to the Empire, which was part of the Expanded Universe. The only official visual depictions of the character previous to Rebels were found in Star Wars comics. As a result, Ahsoka had ample opportunity to shape Thrawn's live-action appearance. While Lars Mikkelsen's portrayal of Thrawn closely resembles the character's typical depiction, there is a noticeable absence of the reddish hue on his lips seen in Star Wars Rebels.

6 Thrawn’s Hair Color Is Different From Star Wars Rebels

Thrawn's hair in Ahsoka differs from his appearance in Star Wars Rebels. In stylized animated shows, dark hair often appears bluish. The color of Thrawn's hair, whether it is black or blue, has been a subject of debate, but Ahsoka opts for the former. In Star Wars Rebels, both Thrawn and Ezra Bridger had blue-black hair, raising the question of whether Thrawn's hair was meant to look blueish or if it was simply a stylistic choice in Rebels. In Ahsoka, however, Thrawn's hair is entirely black, devoid of any shades of blue.

5 Jacen Syndulla’s Hair Color Is Different From Rebels’ Epilogue

Jacen Syndulla is notably absent from any Ahsoka trailer. Nonetheless, a Star Wars LEGO set strongly hints at Jacen Syndulla's appearance in Ahsoka. Jacen, the offspring of Hera Syndulla and Kanan Jarrus, was introduced during the concluding epilogue of Star Wars Rebels. The fate of Jacen Syndulla following Star Wars Rebels remains a mystery awaiting Ahsoka's revelation. Intriguingly, Jacen, who is a human rather than a Twi'lek, sported green hair in Rebels. However, in Ahsoka, Jacen is depicted with brown hair. This alteration sparks the question of whether Ahsoka is revising Jacen Syndulla's Rebels appearance, or if Sabine had dyed Jacen's hair green at some point.

4 Rebels’ “Ahsoka The White” Look Is Missing From Ahsoka

In Star Wars Rebels’ epilogue, there is a noticeable difference in Ahsoka's appearance compared to her portrayal in the main storyline. Unlike the "Ahsoka the White" look, where she wore a white cloak and carried a staff reminiscent of Gandalf's transformation in Lord of the Rings, Ahsoka is seen wearing a gray cloak in what seems to be her version of the Rebels epilogue. This raises questions about the reason behind her change of cloaks within the same scene.

3 Hera’s Jacket Never Appeared In Star Wars Rebels

2 Hera’s Flight Cap Is Different From Rebels’ Epilogue

Hera's attire in Star Wars Rebels remained largely unchanged. However, Ahsoka gave her a refreshed appearance that still maintains a familiar Rebels aesthetic. The flight cap and pilot goggles make a comeback, but Hera's jacket from Ahsoka's wardrobe never made an appearance in Star Wars Rebels. Nonetheless, in Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, Hera sported a similar jacket, adopting a more realistic 3D model portrayal.

Hera's flight cap in Rebels' epilogue resembled the one she wore, but it differed from the actual cap. In her final scene in Star Wars Rebels, Hera sported a brown flight cap with a prominent orange stripe running through its middle. However, in Ahsoka, the cap lacks this distinct orange stripe. Moreover, the size of the flying goggles varies, appearing shorter in live-action compared to Rebels. Nevertheless, it is important to note that Hera has donned different flight caps and goggles throughout the Star Wars canon, so this alteration is not a retcon similar to Jacen Syndulla's hair.

1 Ezra’s Hair Color Is Different From Star Wars Rebels

Currently, the only images we have of Ezra Bridger in Ahsoka come from the holomessage that Sabine is viewing. It is uncertain what extent Ezra will play in Ahsoka, but the show appears to heavily focus on the search for Ezra and Thrawn. Although we have not seen a live-action version of Ezra Bridger outside of the hologram yet, there is already a noticeable difference compared to his portrayal in Rebels. In live-action, Ezra's hair is completely dark, whereas in Rebels, his hair had a blueish tint, particularly in seasons 1 and 2. This variation is attributed to the distinct animation style of Star Wars Rebels.