The Mandalorian creator Jon Favreau confirms the Ahsoka Disney+ TV show will be a major part of the story being developed in that part of the Star Wars timeline. The Mandalorian no longer stands alone; rather, Lucasfilm has transformed it into a launchpad for other spinoff TV shows. The Book of Boba Fett was just the first, but 2023 will see the release of both Ahsoka and Skeleton Crew, set in the same post-Return of the Jedi time period.
Screen Rant spoke exclusively with Favreau about the evolving narrative.
"Ahsoka is a big part of what's happening in this time period. The question of how the different stories, like Skeleton Crew and The Book of Boba Fett overlap? That is going to be something that's ever-evolving, but there are strong stories that are being built concurrently within that world."
According to Favreau, fan-favorite Ahsoka Tano - the former Padawan of Anakin Skywalker, now played in live-action by Rosario Dawson - is a crucial figure in this developing story. The evolving nature of this era perhaps explains recent discussion of The Mandalorian's place in the timeline, because it sounds to be rather complex.
The Mandoverse Will Continue To Grow
One of the biggest takeaways from Favreau's comments is that the Mandoverse's creator himself doesn't have a firm picture in mind for where things are going. He and Lucasfilm's Dave Filoni undoubtedly have ideas, but recent comments about The Mandalorian not currently having an ending in mind lend credence to the idea that the narrative has many years ahead before coming to a conclusion. Both creators have stated they prefer open endings, and the story unfolding may ultimately culminate in something that leaves room for a number of the characters to continue on in future stories.
With Ahsoka set to bring in Grand Admiral Thrawn, a ruthless Imperial warlord, the story seems to have its villain waiting in the wings. Though the Chiss' motives won't be revealed until the TV show premieres, Thrawn poses a far greater risk than even Moff Gideon to the protagonists. Ezra Bridger, a Jedi last seen in Star Wars Rebels but now cast for live-action, will also be on the way to assist Ahsoka Tano, but it's easy to imagine the need for an army of Mandalorians to take on Thrawn and whatever forces are under his command.
Skeleton Crew doesn't receive as much attention due to its unknown nature, but the series should be just as pivotal to the ongoings of the overarching story as The Mandalorian. While the group of kids lost in space may not bump into Boba Fett himself, a bounty hunter like Krrsantan doing a job for the daimyo could encounter them. They may even be instrumental in making a discovery about Thrawn, one that pays off down the road when The Mandalorian and its spinoffs crossover. Ahsoka is likely to set the stage for what should be the next phase of Mandoverse storytelling, and future additions to the narrative will come organically.