Last night I watched the latest episode of ‘Ahsoka’ Part Six: Far, Far Away. Grand Admiral Thrawn, one of Star Wars’ iconic villains, has finally arrived in live-action form in the series. However, his late appearance raises questions about whether it can salvage a show struggling with storytelling issues common in recent Star Wars TV productions.
Thrawn, known for his intelligence and sophistication, had a rich history in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. However, in ‘Ahsoka,’ the anticipation for his arrival didn’t quite live up to the hype.
Originally introduced in 1991, Thrawn was a fan favorite, but Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm erased his stories from canon. He eventually appeared in ‘Rebels’ and a new book trilogy by Timothy Zahn.
‘Ahsoka’ had pacing and focus issues, similar to ‘The Book of Boba Fett’ and ‘Mandalorian’ season 3. Thrawn’s entrance in episode 5 failed to make the expected impact, overshadowed by other plot developments.
The problem in ‘Ahsoka’ appears to be the delayed introduction of the main antagonist. Unlike the original Star Wars films that introduced villains early, ‘Ahsoka’ withheld Thrawn’s origins, which may have backfired with casual viewers.
Now, ‘Ahsoka’ faces the challenge of salvaging a story that has paid little attention to Thrawn, with only a few episodes left. Thrawn’s long-awaited entrance may have pleased die-hard fans, but for the broader audience, it might be too little, too late. The fate of ‘Ahsoka’ hangs in the balance.
