AHSOKA - 2023 Star Wars TV

[mstrox 6,651]

I haven’t watched yet, and I still have Mando S3 to watch beforehand - but I’m curious to hear from anybody who did not watch the cartoons.  Did you find that this worked?  Did you feel like you were missing vital context?  Did it seem a little lumpy, like moments were designed to be call-backs, or did it flow nicely?

[Evanus 217]

So this one does have an actual Star Wars score? Huh, maybe there's hope after all.

[Courtney Sees Ghosts 269]

11 hours ago, mstrox said:

I haven’t watched yet, and I still have Mando S3 to watch beforehand - but I’m curious to hear from anybody who did not watch the cartoons.  Did you find that this worked?  Did you feel like you were missing vital context?  Did it seem a little lumpy, like moments were designed to be call-backs, or did it flow nicely?

I intentionally didn't rewatch Rebels to test this out and I followed it perfectly fine. My memory of Rebels is very shoddy outside of music. 

[Manakin Skywalker 4,897]

1 hour ago, Courtney said:

I intentionally didn't rewatch Rebels to test this out and I followed it perfectly fine.

 

Same, but in my case because I forgot 

 

I could remember most of the big plot details (I still haven't seen Season 4 at all yet, so I was going by information I've heard second-hand over the last few years). More than anything there were just a handful of references that I didn't catch until looking them up online. I assumed Clancy Brown was playing the same character, but couldn't remember his name so I wasn't certain. I had no recollection of who Jai Kell was until I saw a Rebels image earlier today (not to mention he didn't sound like Rufio).

[crocodile 8,020]

I've never watched Clone Wars or Rebels but the first two episodes of this are still quite enjoyable regardless.

 

Karol

[Jay 37,374]

I've never seen any animated Star Wars anything but look forward to checking out this show as soon as I have time

[Tom Guernsey 2,287]

1 hour ago, crocodile said:

I've never watched Clone Wars or Rebels but the first two episodes of this are still quite enjoyable regardless.

 

Karol

I wonder whether, if those shows didn't exist, it would matter that much... I mean the original Star Wars trilogy was nominally set mid-story and each film back filled certain amounts of plot. You just enjoy the mystery of certain elements as, one assumes, they will explain them to the extent required for those who haven't watched the animated shows. It's only because those shows exist do people try to second guess how much you need to know to enjoy Ahsoka. In all likelihood, the answer is you don't need to know anything but if you do know something, you get the joy of easter eggs (I mean, every TV show sequel/remake/spin-off has to be full of easter eggs these days it seems and not just stand on their own).

 

Having said that, I'm thinking this is finally the point at which I don't know if I give a shit about Star Wars any more. I've only seen the first episode, but it felt kinda plodding and not very involving. I'm going to stick with it as hopefully it'll become more involving. The music felt a bit more appropriate and was more interesting than Obi-Wan (although agreed that the Sith massacre section with the piano chords was... a choice) but not as distinctive as Mandalorian.

[A24 4,346]

While the writers from Stars Wars and TESB had learned their trade from great movies, the writers of this show have clearly learned everything they know from mediocre video games. 10 minutes was all I could bear.

[rough cut 1,714]

The first two episodes were a pleasant surprise! It felt very Star Wars-y. The music, no doubt, played a big part in this. His music was one of the things that made Rebels stick out and ground it self as not “just” an animated show for kids - and he totally kicks ass here. Om not too familiar with the material, so the themes don’t stick out to me (yet), but it fits right into the sonic universe that Williams created.

 

Also, good to see a script that handles female characters (three of them!) without being “in your face” as many other TV shows handle women.

 

My only complaint is that I thought the actors for Sabine and Hera were a bit wooden and distracting to watch, I didn’t really buy their performance but hopefully they’ll grow into their roles.

[GerateWohl 4,373]

Watched the first two episodes today. General impression very positive, but that mainly based on my lowered star wars live action show experience, because the show so far doesn't make anything terribly wrong. But that is enough for a start.

First episode, directed by Filoni himself, same as his Mando episodes, feels a little too slow paced. Every scene seems a little too long and too slow. As if they had just very few dialogue and thought, "We build all these beautiful sets for these scenes. Just stand there a little for some time to let people enjoy watching the sets around you." If animated Rebels would have been so slow, you would think, something is wrong with the animation.

And despite all the effects, the series manages to not look cinematic at all.

 

Best scene: Sabine making her new haircut with just one cut with her knife.

 

Endcredits including music are very Game of Thrones, obviously intended.

The music for the opening crawl was cool.

[DarthDementous 1,059]

Sabine cutting her hair felt like a very superficial reference to Kanan, I don't know what was being implied there thematically

[Luke Skywalker 1,796]

I got heavy mulan vibes from that scene…

 

 

one thing i tought, and i have seen other people mention it in the net is that the inquisitor “Marrok” could be Sam Witver. There was something in his pose and frame that remembered me from the movements in the force unleashed.

 

I dont know if he will be a version of starkiller (whose real surname was “Marek”) or just finaly the oportunity for him to appear in live action star wars… he was also the voice of maul, the brother and i think sidious in clone wars and rebels.

 

it seems he appears in the end credits as voice cast….

 

[DarthDementous 1,059]

13 hours ago, Luke Skywalker said:

I got heavy mulan vibes from that scene…

 

 

one thing i tought, and i have seen other people mention it in the net is that the inquisitor “Marrok” could be Sam Witver. There was something in his pose and frame that remembered me from the movements in the force unleashed.

 

I dont know if he will be a version of starkiller (whose real surname was “Marek”) or just finaly the oportunity for him to appear in live action star wars… he was also the voice of maul, the brother and i think sidious in clone wars and rebels.

 

it seems he appears in the end credits as voice cast….

 

Sam Witwer has done additional voices in almost every new Star Wars project

 

He was the Stormtrooper in TFA talking about T-16s

 

I wouldn't read much into this unless he's given a full credited role

[Tom Guernsey 2,287]

Enjoyed episode 2 a lot more than the first one. Clearly should have watched them as a single feature length intro... music seems good if a smidge generic orchestral sounding, although becoming acquainted with the major themes will probably help so thanks to those posting in aid of that!

[GerateWohl 4,373]

By the war, anybody else struggling with Mary Winstead as Hera? Somehow for me she doesn't really match the cartoon character. Sabine works quite fine. 

[Jurassic Shark 12,091]

1 minute ago, GerateWohl said:

By the war, anybody else struggling with Mary Winstead as Hera?

 

Star war, or clone war? 🤔 

[GerateWohl 4,373]

Rebel war.

[Jurassic Shark 12,091]

Haven't seen that one.

[LB Makes Stuff 240]

Thought I’d check up on the worst Star Wars content creator since the Geeks and Gamers channel. Out of 5 videos, only one is mildly interesting: the Huyang one. The rest are so obviously bait it’s not even funny.

[Manakin Skywalker 4,897]

56 minutes ago, LB Makes Stuff said:

Thought I’d check up on the worst Star Wars content creator since the Geeks and Gamers channel. Out of 5 videos, only one is mildly interesting: the Huyang one. The rest are so obviously bait it’s not even funny.

 

Why give those people more views?

[Faleel 5,360]

Surely Zeroh is worse?

[mstrox 6,651]

They’re all Worse

[Faleel 5,360]

2 minutes ago, mstrox said:

They’re all Worse

Some of us are even worser

[Tallguy 3,402]

On 23/08/2023 at 10:22 PM, Courtney said:

Aw yeah, the Rebel Fanfare. I'm sure we'll hear that soon for sure. 

 

I will actually be surprised. As I've noted elsewhere, there seems to be a move in Disney to get away from Williams entirely. The reason we're getting the thematic material we have is because it's Feloni and Kiner building on what THEY had already built.

 

There's a cranky old man part of me that feels that this move is entirely financial rather than artistic.

 

18 hours ago, GerateWohl said:

By the war, anybody else struggling with Mary Winstead as Hera? Somehow for me she doesn't really match the cartoon character. Sabine works quite fine. 

 

I was struggling until she had the scene with Chopper. Then it clicked. She'll be fine.

 

I haven't watched any previews or clips in months. Did they actually keep Sabine's short hair a secret? My daughter just about lost her mind when she grabbed the knife. (It's nice to let someone else be the crazy fan for a change.)

[Hego-Damask-II 15]

16 hours ago, Manakin Skywalker said:

 

Why give those people more views?

This is why if I want to confirm my suspicions, I simply let the preview run for a few seconds and read the subtitles.

[JNHFan2000 2,969]

2 hours ago, Tallguy said:

 

I will actually be surprised. As I've noted elsewhere, there seems to be a move in Disney to get away from Williams entirely. The reason we're getting the thematic material we have is because it's Feloni and Kiner building on what THEY had already built.

 

There's a cranky old man part of me that feels that this move is entirely financial rather than artistic.

 

 

I was struggling until she had the scene with Chopper. Then it clicked. She'll be fine.

 

I haven't watched any previews or clips in months. Did they actually keep Sabine's short hair a secret? My daughter just about lost her mind when she grabbed the knife. (It's nice to let someone else be the crazy fan for a change.)

No, it was in the 2nd trailer I believe

[Larry O 115]

On 28/08/2023 at 10:29 AM, GerateWohl said:

By the war, anybody else struggling with Mary Winstead as Hera? Somehow for me she doesn't really match the cartoon character. Sabine works quite fine. 

This is a problem with the show in general: Filoni is neither writing, nor directing, any of these people to act like people. It's bizarre. It's as if in the jump to live-action he decided these vibrant, emotional characters needed to be almost completely desaturated not just in their aesthetic, but in their characterization. This is almost as true-to-the-prequels awkward and amateurish as Kenobi was. 

That said: Kiner is shining pretty well here, which is not what I was expecting based on most of his previous work, especially on Rebels and that last season of The Clone Wars where his original composing was pure wallpaper and his "inspired by" pieces were remarkable if only for how anemic and clumsy they were as impersonations (Zimmer, Vangelis, Williams, Trapanese, etc). 

But the score for these first two episodes, while still obviously very ersatz-Johnny, has a lot of really enjoyable moments and melodies in it. 

[Courtney Sees Ghosts 269]

9 hours ago, Tallguy said:

 

I will actually be surprised. As I've noted elsewhere, there seems to be a move in Disney to get away from Williams entirely. The reason we're getting the thematic material we have is because it's Feloni and Kiner building on what THEY had already built.

 

There's a cranky old man part of me that feels that this move is entirely financial rather than artistic.

 

I'm in the camp that I don't think Williams' themes or style need to be used unless the project calls for it. Considering this series is focused solely on characters Williams never worked with, I'm not upset that Williams material isn't being used here. In the grand scheme of things, there's like two Williams themes that they can't avoid using, one of which I think will be saved for when a certain Sky Guy arrives.

I'm just happy the Kiners are using their own themes again, love that continuity at work.

[Fargo 297]

My main takeaways from the first two episodes:

 

The opening “Raiders” scene with Ashoka was really drawn out and seemed like they were just padding the runtime. Did we need to see her do the same thing three times to those little pillars to line them up? What’s the point?

 

The scene with Hera & Chopper chasing the ship was my favorite. Super fun and felt the most “Star Wars-y”.

 

There was a scene with Hera and Sabine talking, and was the laziest directing/editing I’ve seen in a show recently - 100% just a shot-reverse shot of a conversation that lasted forever. No camera movement, no character movement, no style - just a dry exposition dump. 
 

Everything else was fine. The two red-saber baddies have good presence, and I love the  performance of the male dark Jedi. 

[Faleel 5,360]

55 minutes ago, Fargo said:

My main takeaways from the first two episodes:

 

The opening “Raiders” scene with Ashoka was really drawn out and seemed like they were just padding the runtime. Did we need to see her do the same thing three times to those little pillars to line them up? What’s the point?

 

I prefer to think of it as the "Tears of the Kingdom" scene

 

Personally I thought Shin Hatti's stalking walk thingy to be kinda silly.

[JNHFan2000 2,969]

Music from Ep. 3 was so good. Can't wait for the first album next week. I really need those chase cues. They were some of the best music written by Kiner (and co.)

 

I also really enjoyed the training music at the beginning. And the arrival at the New Republic fleet

 

The episode was good. It was fun to see so many people and other things from earlier SW projects. Mon Monthma, Jacen!!! (although I would've thought he'd be older) and Purgill!! That was great moment.

 

Best part was that extended action scene towards the end. I llved the different pieces. First the chase, then the attack by the giant hyperspace ring, the shutdown and Ahsoka on the wing, the Purgill and then the hiding in the forest. It was all done very well.

 

The final shot of Ray Stevenson was also interesting. The only moment of him in this episode, but it made an impact. There was so much going on in his head. It's intruiging and looking forward to see what they do with him.

[Gabriel Bezerra 303]

This episode could have been an email.

 

I don't know if it's because I'm watching late at night or if the show is spreading it's story too thin, as a few arcs in Clone Wars also felt a little padded to hit 4-episodes.

This episode was just a chase with a few moments that could fit in another episode, I was expecting to be on my way to Peridia by the end of this episode (please don't make Thrawn a second to last episode reveal at the end, PLEASE!)

 

Ahsoka is feeling more like herself so that was nice, seeing purggils was great and I wouldn't be suprised if that cue was written by Russell. Seeing the New Republic suck is entertaining, Mom Mothma taking the role of Palpatine and just... not doing much is classic Mothma, was not expecting a "Resistance" cameo. Jacen has green hair, so the Lego set is outdated. Monday I watched the 4K77 restoration of Star Wars (with the original dub, in outstanding mono!) and then the training this episode calls back to the movie, though I think that a Kanan mention is long overdue.

[Courtney Sees Ghosts 269]

6 hours ago, JNHFan2000 said:

 

 

The final shot of Ray Stevenson was also interesting. The only moment of him in this episode, but it made an impact. There was so much going on in his head. It's intruiging and looking forward to see what they do with him.

 

[Tallguy 3,402]

15 hours ago, JNHFan2000 said:

Jacen!!! (although I would've thought he'd be older)

 

The actor is 13.

 

10 hours ago, Gabriel Bezerra said:

Jacen has green hair,

 

When did he not have green hair?

[enderdrag64 624]

1 hour ago, Tallguy said:

When did he not have green hair?

The figure in the LEGO set that released earlier this month had brown hair, so people were assuming that it would have been changed to brown for this show

[DarthDementous 1,059]

The green hair is a bizarre way to indicate that he's half-human half-Twilek

[GerateWohl 4,373]

18 hours ago, Gabriel Bezerra said:

This episode could have been an email.

 

I don't know if it's because I'm watching late at night or if the show is spreading it's story too thin, as a few arcs in Clone Wars also felt a little padded to hit 4-episodes.

This episode was just a chase with a few moments that could fit in another episode, I was expecting to be on my way to Peridia by the end of this episode (please don't make Thrawn a second to last episode reveal at the end, PLEASE!)

 

Ahsoka is feeling more like herself so that was nice, seeing purggils was great and I wouldn't be suprised if that cue was written by Russell. Seeing the New Republic suck is entertaining, Mom Mothma taking the role of Palpatine and just... not doing much is classic Mothma, was not expecting a "Resistance" cameo. Jacen has green hair, so the Lego set is outdated. Monday I watched the 4K77 restoration of Star Wars (with the original dub, in outstanding mono!) and then the training this episode calls back to the movie, though I think that a Kanan mention is long overdue.

Yes, we are already in episode 3 and still everything feels like introduction. Probably they skip the middle act an plug a short rushed finale to it? Would feel then like a Denis Villeneuve movie.

[1977 1,743]

On 31/08/2023 at 8:07 AM, DarthDementous said:

The green hair is a bizarre way to indicate that he's half-human half-Twilek

 

Eew.

 

Just watched all three episodes back to back and was really disappointed. Think I'll pass on the rest.

 

 

[Tallguy 3,402]

So I don't know if real people have this reaction or just clickbait on the interwebs. But apparently there is a low level freakout that Ahsoka is suggesting that "anyone" can use the Force. And I say "right on"! (And of course they have to tie it to The Last Jedi because that's "bad".)

40 years ago I was similarly annoyed that Return of the Jedi suggested that the Force was something that could only be inherited. Then The Phantom Menace stated that Force sensitivity was literally a measurable physical trait.

[Holko 9,532]

A ton of those "TLJ" people didn't even understand that because they think Jedi=Force User.

[Schilkeman 964]

I've always found it odd how some people get so worked up about which fictional people can and cannot use a fictional ability set in a fictional world. Midi-chlorians served two story purposes: to be a Saiyan power level indicator (though not really, because it's a measure of potential force sensitivity, not ability), and to represent the theme of symbiosis, which, I would argue, is the more meaningful of the two.

[JNHFan2000 2,969]

Wooow!!

 

This was great. That ending made me so fucking happy!

 

Score was fantastic. Those brass & choral outbursts were eslecially great. And that Williams qoute was very well done

[Knight of Ren 789]

Great episode! Probably my favorite one so far. The lightsaber fights were fantastic, and that ending made me so emotional! It opens up a lot of possibilities and I cannot wait to watch the next one, since I think Rosario Dawson said it's her favorite one from the show.

 

Kiner & co.'s score remains consistently interesting, and I loved the mix of exotic percussions and choir in the fights, with hints of Sabine and Ahsoka's theme. And they quoted the theme from Sabine's Sketch, by Sean Kiner, when they're leaving the ship in search of the map!

 

[DarthDementous 1,059]

That episode was absolutely hilarious

[JNHFan2000 2,969]

The thing I enjoyed most about the Williams statement is how it started out beautiful and sweet, the way Ahsoka experiences it, and then when the screen goes dark, it's menacing powerful version for how it really is.

 

Really well done

[Gabriel Bezerra 303]

This was the best episode by far. We're finally getting somewhere.

 

I guess Filoni truly found a way to put non-Rebels viewers and the ones who did in the same boat... by leaving everyone in the dark. The Mandalorian arc in that show is now completely undone by killing Sabine's parents.

 

I don't know how to feel about Ahsoka's inability to die. There's no real reason she went to the World Between Worlds by dying. Yoda communicated with Ezra throught it (Anakin makes sense), but he was in the temple that had a portal for it, and Ezra pulled her... I DON'T WANT TO DISLIKE THE SHOW!

 

I liked the fights, Sabine's trick with the wrist rocket reminded me of Trial of the Darksaber, and I'm pretty sure her helmet being in the planet will be useful. Hera's squad going rogue was nice, Carson Tiva! The ring going warp 20 and how that looked was great (does Star Wars have "warp speed"? I didn't think it did, but that thing is going faster than usual for sure). The samurai fight between Ahsoka and Baylan was great too. Was about to throw a fit if they killed Huyang, no one touches that droid!

 

Though I'm pretty sure the purggils will take Hera and co to Peridia, I hope Ahsoka is not the one to communicate with them... since that will just be another ability she randomly has in the show. We'll see. I need to forget what I know of her character, it's the only way I can trully enjoy it.

[JNHFan2000 2,969]

I think someone else pulled Ahsoka to the World Between Worlds. Either Anakin's spirit or maybe Ezra.

 

The transition from the sea to Ahsoka lying on the floor was so well done by the way

[Brando 1,864]

11 hours ago, JNHFan2000 said:

Thetransition from tge sea to Ahsoka lying in the floor was so well done by the way

I was like oh its the sea, cool, then I was like oh wait thats her

[DarthDementous 1,059]

I wonder how mainstream Star Wars fans are going to react when they find out the World Between Worlds lets you time travel, although judging from some of the reactions to this show it looks like people are willing to accept pretty much anything as long as it has lots of lightsaber fights and/or space battles and That Character You Know(tm)

Seeing a lot of people defend Hera taking a child to a battlefield for example, which doesn't surprise me given these tend to be the same people that are okay with Qui Gon doing the same in the Prequels

At least Qui Gon was characterised as reckless and against the establishment, making Hera that is such a horrible misunderstanding of her character from Rebels that I can only conclude that Filoni actually had very little to do with writing Hera in that show

[GerateWohl 4,373]

Sorry. The 4th episode felt pretty much like make up reasons for fight scenes. And I still wonder how they manage to make it feel that "un-cinematic". It is probably the lack of cinematography and editing. 

Dialogues between Ahsoka and Sabine were quite repetetive, but story over all was fine and the acting is good.