Warning! This article contains spoilers for Ahsoka episodes 1 and 2.
Summary
Ahsoka episodes 1 and 2 bridge the gap between Star Wars Rebels and the latest Star Wars adventure, laying the foundation for the story and introducing important characters.
In Ahsoka, the ongoing lightsaber trend in the franchise persists, as Sabine miraculously survives a lightsaber attack that would typically be lethal.
Sabine's survival can be attributed to plot armor and the nature of her injury, yet it highlights the unfortunate decline in the threat level of lightsabers within the Star Wars universe.
Ahsoka continues to perpetuate one of the more exasperating trends of the Star Wars franchise: the lightsaber. Episodes 1 and 2 of Ahsoka adeptly establish the narrative that is about to unfold by introducing the key characters of the New Republic Era journey. The protagonist starts by reconnecting with her former Padawan, Sabine Wren, in an effort to obtain a map that will guide them to Grand Admiral Thrawn and their missing comrade, Ezra Bridger.
The first two episodes of Ahsoka effectively bridged the gap between the conclusion of Star Wars Rebels and the start of the new Star Wars journey. An interesting revelation in episodes 1 and 2 was the revelation that Sabine had received training from Ahsoka in lightsaber combat and had made personalized modifications to Ezra's lightsaber. This plot development, along with the teased confrontations between Sabine and the new antagonist Shin Hati, perpetuated one of the most frustrating lightsaber trends in the Star Wars universe.
Sabine Survives A Lightsaber Stab That Should Have Been Fatal
In Ahsoka episode 1, Shin Hati tracks Sabine to her home in the Lothal comms tower, a nod to Star Wars Rebels. They have a brief lightsaber duel, which ends with Shin stabbing Sabine in the midriff. However, this highlights a frustrating trend in the Star Wars franchise regarding lightsabers.
The stab should have been fatal for Sabine. Yet, the episode's cliffhanger ending loses its impact when it is revealed that Sabine is barely affected by the wound. By the end of Ahsoka episode 2, Sabine's injury is mostly healed. This trend is becoming more prevalent in the Star Wars series, as lightsabers are losing their effectiveness. Examples include Maul surviving his encounter with Obi-Wan in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, and characters like Finn and Kylo Ren avoiding seemingly fatal lightsaber injuries in the Star Wars sequels. The once-threatening edge of the lightsaber is diminishing.
Sabine Had The Most Important Thing - Plot Armor
Naturally, Ahsoka needed to rely on Sabine's involvement due to her possession of a crucial element: plot armor. A significant portion of Ahsoka's story revolves around the journey of the titular character alongside Sabine. Therefore, the unresolved cliffhanger from the first episode was bound to be addressed promptly. Sabine's presence is essential as she accompanies her former mentor in their search for Ezra and Thrawn's location, making it clear that her survival was never in question in the initial episode.
Moreover, it is worth noting that the battle with Shin concluded with less serious consequences compared to other supposedly fatal lightsaber wounds seen in the Star Wars saga. Sabine did not sustain any critical injuries or experience dismemberment. Consequently, while the continued existence of the frustrating lightsaber trend in Ahsoka can be explained by the show's plot, the survival of Sabine Wren also has a logical basis.
Ahsoka releases new episodes every Tuesday at 6pm PT / 9pm ET on Disney+.
