Ahsoka season 1 is currently in production, and the news around this year's D23 finally confirmed that it would serve as a sequel to Star Wars Rebels. Not only was Eman Esfandi confirmed to be playing Star Wars' live-action Ezra Bridger, but a first-look image for Ahsoka was shared in which Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) was standing in front of the mural she painted in Star Wars Rebels' epilogue. As such, it's now safe to say that the Ahsoka show will include the search for Ezra Bridger (and Grand Admiral Thrawn, as was hinted at in The Mandalorian season 2), ensuring that the story of the Ghost Crew will finally be continued. Yet, while this story is undoubtedly intriguing, it also comes fraught with risk, potentially relegating the original Ghost Crew's significance within Star Wars lore.

All in all, it's no surprise that Ahsoka is involved in a Star Wars Rebels sequel. The epilogue for Star Wars Rebels, which takes place soon after the Battle of Endor, sees Sabine Wren team up with Ahsoka to go search for Ezra after he defeated Thrawn and disappeared into hyperspace. Ahsoka had promised to find Ezra after he saved her life in The World Between Worlds following her confrontation with Darth Vader in Star Wars Rebels season 2. Yet, although Ahsoka serving as a sequel for Star Wars Rebels makes sense narratively, there is cause for concern when it comes to the Ghost Crew's future in the Star Wars franchise.

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The Ghost Crew is made up of Ezra Bridger, his Jedi Master Kanan Jarrus, Hera Syndulla, Sabine Wren, Garazeb Orrelios, and Hera's droid Chopper, who were the main characters in Star Wars Rebels. They each had distinctive personalities, hopes, fears, character arcs, and development. Though Kanan sadly died near the end of Star Wars Rebels' four-season run, his legacy lives on in his and Hera's son, Jacen Syndulla. With the way the show ended, a sequel to Star Wars Rebels was nearly inevitable, but it remains to be seen if Ahsoka's live-action show is the best platform for it. An animated Rebels sequel might have been better if it could ensure that the Ghost Crew won't be relegated to being side characters in their own story.

Is Live-Action The Best Choice For A Star Wars Rebels Sequel?

Ezra Bridger in Star Wars Rebels and Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano in The Mandalorian

There are, of course, several ways in which a Star Wars Rebels sequel could have been developed. Aside from continuing the story in Ahsoka's show, there also could have been an entirely animated Star Wars Rebels sequel, utilizing its unique animation style, or there could have even been a live-action Star Wars Rebels sequel, but one that was centered on the Ghost Crew and not another character. Though narratively, it makes perfect sense for Ahsoka to be involved in Ezra's and the Crew's continuing story, having that key plot thread play out in her live-action series automatically means that the focus will be on Ahsoka. Lucasfilm cannot justify creating a show titled Ahsoka without ensuring that she is the main character, meaning that while the story of the search for Ezra may feature, it will have to focus mostly on Ahsoka's involvement and her experiences during the quest.

Star Wars Rebels' Ghost Crew deserves to have their story continued, no matter what. If the Ahsoka show is the only manner in which that story gets to live on, then that is of course still cause for celebration. The live-action casting announcements for the members of the Ghost Crew so far look promising. However, questions remain over what other paths the Ahsoka show could have taken, ones that may have freed up Star Wars Rebels' story for another format. Perhaps Ahsoka could have shown her journey between being rescued in The World Between Worlds and the Star Wars Rebels epilogue instead.

Though an animated Star Wars Rebels sequel would have been most welcome, at least audiences know that their favorite Rebels are coming back to Star Wars. Furthermore, the Ahsoka show following the plot thread left by Star Wars Rebels' epilogue doesn't necessarily mean that will be the end for the Ghost Crew. They may function as side characters in Ahsoka, but perhaps they'll return in a different Star Wars medium as the main characters somewhere down the line.