Ahsoka - SPOILERS

[R_J_K75]

Did not like those NJO books the basic idea was fine.

Cmon, drunken Han Solo was worth the price of admission alone. I agree though, IIRC there were more duds in that series of books than good ones.

 

[Zardnaar]

Cmon, drunken Han Solo was worth the price of admission alone. I agree though, IIRC there were more duds in that series of books than good ones.

Yeah think I liked 4 or 5 of them. Never reread them.

 

[MarkB]

When Ahsoka recovered the star map globe, was anyone else thinking "Ah, she's found the Apple of Eden, she'll be able to influence the fate of mankind for centuries to come"?

I found a lot of the line deliveries in the first episode very flat, like, there was zero energy in the scenes. The second episode did a bit better.

I hope we get to see more of Chopper than just his head.

 

[Kaodi]

Told you that blade was red

KotoR references. HK droids and maybe Rakata being the ancient race?

Ooo... that would be really interesting if the ancient race were the Rakata. Though whoever it is I am wondering why the Nightsisters were the only ones with a connection to them.

 

[Zaukrie]

I just want a simple straw wars show, that is just fun. We already have Andor. I'm just going to turn off my brain and enjoy the fun.

 

[Kaodi]

Maybe it has been mentioned before in other places but one thing that might be really interesting here when all is said and done is to see the parallels with Obi-Wan, the other eponymous show about a "Jedi" . Both feature a master and apprentice relationship, though at a radically different life stage. Both also feature a supporting cast of other force wielders, but whose lives too a different direction after the fall of the Jedi. Both feature someone getting run through with a lightsaber and not dying, though that part is the one really weird thing to me. I am not sure if it is supposed to be foreshadowing of some kind.

 

[Clint_L]

I just want a simple straw wars show, that is just fun. We already have Andor. I'm just going to turn off my brain and enjoy the fun.

I will never, ever understand this sentiment. Good writing and entertainment are not antithetical. Turn off my brain? Bad writing takes me right out of the story, and my entertainment value plummets. Unless it gets so ridiculous that I start having fun at a meta level, like the last episode of Mandalorian. But at that point, I'm basically watching pro wrestling.

Take the opening scene of Ahsoka. The opening of an entire series is super important, and this one took me instantly out of the story:

1. A text crawl. Okay, I know, Star Wars, and you could make a case for it with the original movie because there was a lot of narrative heavy lifting needed to plunk the audience in media res like that, but at this point it's just a lazy trope, IMO, so right away instead of being in the story I am kind of rolling my eyes. And, quite frankly, the backstory presented in the text crawl sounded way more interesting than what was in this episode - they should have started by showing us that story! Still, Star Wars gotta Star Wars, so I can let it slide.

2. Smart person does something indescribably stupid to set plot in motion. The Republic spaceship commander declaring that he will let the obvious bad guys onboard to "call their bluff" is exactly like the teenager going down alone into the basement in the middle of the slasher movie. Every single person watching knows exactly what is going to happen and is screaming at him to not be such a moron. Consider that: A) he is transporting a high value prisoner that these obviously bad guys somehow know about, so something has to be up; B) they are using old Jedi codes and he knows that Jedi are real and very powerful since he just received a prisoner from Ahsoka; C) what if they just want to get a ship onboard so they can, I dunno, blow it up or something?

There is no world in which his decision makes any kind of sense. But no, he goes to confront the very Jedi-looking bad guys (with clearly visible lightsabers) with just six guards, making sure to stand as close as possible for the inevitable impalement. Because putting themselves needlessly in harms way is what a captain does, I guess? Then, after effortlessly disposing of him and the six guards, Bad Jedi Apprentice magically appears on the bridge within literal seconds, because apparently Jedi can now teleport as well (recall that the opening shot established how massive this ship is). And then she does it again because we cut to her with Bad Jedi Master down in the prisoner block, since apparently they now have complete run of the ship. Bad Jedi Master demonstrates a convenient new Jedi power that allows him to magically unlock prisoner cells (this magical unlocking power also conveniently goes away in the next scene when Ahsoka could have used it). Then we get some classic expositing where the villains lay out their plan for the audience and set up the next scene.

It's just all so lazy. As an audience member, my takeaway was that the New Republic are led by idiots who deserve to lose (this will be doubled and tripled down on throughout the episode) and that the writers lack even one original idea (seriously, someone tell me one original idea that happened in this entire episode. Just one).

Why not have the Bad Jedi stealth their way onto the ship through a good plan and their powerful Jedi abilities, to demonstrate that they are both clever and capable. Then have things go south after they use stolen codes or brute force to bust out the prisoner, so they cut their way to freedom despite facing some truly formidable foes - a competent captain and tough, persistent Republic soldiers. That would tell me that I should take these bad guys seriously, because they went right through some pretty tough opposition, demonstrating both smarts and strength - Ahsoka better look out! And leave me with some mystery - hint about what is happening next, but don't just lay it all out like Dr. Evil giving a powerpoint presentation.

 

[wicked cool]

My thoughts
Better than obi/boba but not as good as andor/mandalorian (so far)

Was the David tenant character robot in the rebels show? Don’t remember him but he’s already 1 of my favorites

Hope we see zeb but have a feeling he isn’t in the show

Agree with poster 1 that this literally takes moments from Indiana jones top gun etc and just copied it
Dialogue seems to be slow
Makeup not as good or believable as strange worlds for aliens (see hemmer)
Jedi combat seemed not as good as previous work

Overall it’s enjoyable and great for rebels fans but I was expecting mandalorian quality

Just curious for those who watched at the top of the hour did you feed cut out in episode 2 and cause you to go back in

 

[Zaukrie]

I will never, ever understand this sentiment. Good writing and entertainment are not antithetical. Turn off my brain? Bad writing takes me right out of the story, and my entertainment value plummets. Unless it gets so ridiculous that I start having fun at a meta level, like the last episode of Mandalorian.

Take the opening scene of Ahsoka. The opening of an entire series is super important, and this one took me instantly out of the story:

1. A text crawl. Okay, I know, Star Wars, and you could make a case for it with the original movie because there was a lot of narrative heavy lifting needed to plunk the audience in media res like that, but at this point it's just a lazy trope, IMO, so right away instead of being in the story I am kind of rolling my eyes. And, quite frankly, the backstory presented in the text crawl sounded way more interesting than what was in this episode - they should have started by showing us that story! Still, Star Wars gotta Star Wars, so I can let it slide.

2. Smart person does something indescribably stupid to set plot in motion. The Republic spaceship commander declaring that he will let the obvious bad guys onboard to "call their bluff" is exactly like the teenager going down alone into the basement in the middle of the slasher movie. Every single person watching knows exactly what is going to happen and is screaming at him to not be such a moron. Consider that: A) he is transporting a high value prisoner that these obviously bad guys somehow know about, so something has to be up; B) they are using old Jedi codes and he knows that Jedi are real and very powerful since he just received a prisoner from Ahsoka; C) what if they just want to get a ship onboard so they can, I dunno, blow it up or something?

There is no world in which his decision makes any kind of sense. But no, he goes to confront the very Jedi-looking bad guys (with clearly visible lightsabers) with just six guards, making sure to stand as close as possible for the inevitable impalement. Because putting themselves needlessly in harms way is what a captain does, I guess? Then, after effortlessly disposing of him and the six guards, Bad Jedi Apprentice magically appears on the bridge within literal seconds, because apparently Jedi can now teleport as well (recall that the opening shot established how massive this ship is). And then she does it again because we cut to her with Bad Jedi Master down in the prisoner block, since apparently they now have complete run of the ship. Bad Jedi Master demonstrates a convenient new Jedi power that allows him to magically unlock prisoner cells (this magical unlocking power also conveniently goes away in the next scene when Ahsoka could have used it). Then we get some classic expositing where the villains lay out their plan for the audience and set up the next scene.

It's just all so lazy. As an audience member, my takeaway was that the New Republic are led by idiots who deserve to lose (this will be doubled and tripled down on throughout the episode) and that the writers lack even one original idea (seriously, someone tell me one original idea that happened in this entire episode. Just one).

Why not have the Bad Jedi stealth their way onto the ship through a good plan and their powerful Jedi abilities, to demonstrate that they are both clever and capable. Then have things go south after they use stolen codes or brute force to bust out the prisoner, so they cut their way to freedom despite facing some truly formidable foes - a competent captain and tough, persistent Republic soldiers. That would tell me that I should take these bad guys seriously, because they went right through some pretty tough opposition, demonstrating both smarts and strength - Ahsoka better look out! And leave me with some mystery - hint about what is happening next, but don't just lay it all out like Dr. Evil giving a powerpoint presentation.

It was really stupid to let the evil Jedi on the ship, agreed. I can think that, and still just watch the show and enjoy it. Not everyone does smart things, even smart people. He likely believed all the Jedi were dead, or nearly all of them.....why not? That's what everyone believes. Order 66 and all....

And, the New Republic is led by a massive beauracracy that is newly in place after defeating a massive empire. What do you expect? I'd expect them to be not all that good at running a galaxy.

If you are expecting more out of this show, you probably shouldn't watch it. As for comparing to Andor.....we have SW w/o Jedi. I like this one has Jedi (or Jedi adjacent) characters.

 

[Clint_L]

It was really stupid to let the evil Jedi on the ship, agreed. I can think that, and still just watch the show and enjoy it. Not everyone does smart things, even smart people. He likely believed all the Jedi were dead, or nearly all of them.....why not? That's what everyone believes. Order 66 and all....

He literally just picked up a prisoner from a surviving Jedi. The audience shouldn't have to make up excuses for why a character does something inexplicably stupid. Instead, write him as smart and competent, so that when the baddies still triumph, it makes them look that much more dangerous.

This episode does the exact same thing with green-skinned general lady later on, as, "I'm sure Sabine taking off with the most important and dangerous object in the universe will be fine" cuts to Sabine having the most important and dangerous object in the universe taken from her. Because of course it does.

And, the New Republic is led by a massive beauracracy that is newly in place after defeating a massive empire. What do you expect? I'd expect them to be not all that good at running a galaxy.

Yeah, but they just defeated a massive empire so the spaceship captain should at least be good at running a spaceship.

If you are expecting more out of this show, you probably shouldn't watch it.

I always expect more out of shows, because there are really good shows, and really bad shows. Andor showed that Star Wars shows can be really good. As I pointed out, it is not hard to come up with an opening scene that is the same length, action-packed, still puts all the necessary pieces in place, and doesn't require the same guys who defeated an evil empire to suddenly be the Keystone Cops. This script was a choice, not an inevitability.

If it came out that this episode was written with AI assistance, I would be completely unsurprised. It has all the hallmarks: it's just a bunch of stock tropes assembled in the correct order to make a Star Wars script.