Ahsoka Tano was officially brought into live-action in The Mandalorian season 2, episode 5, "The Jedi", and the people behind the show made sure to address any and all potential backlash with one simple line. Undeniably the biggest moment in the series so far, Ahsoka Tano's introduction in "The Jedi" not only resurrected a character whose story was thought to be over but also saw that character make the jump from animation to live-action, which could've been considered a pipe-dream a few years ago.
While seeing Ahsoka Tano in the flesh was undoubtedly an exciting moment for fans of the Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels animated series, as well as general Star Wars fans who've wanted to see Jedi other than the Skywalkers on-screen, her appearance came with a bit of skepticism. There was doubt among many people regarding how Ahsoka would look in live-action, how her personality would translate outside of animation, and how Rosario Dawson would portray her since she didn't voice the character in the original shows. Thankfully, The Mandalorian was prepared for all that.
If The Mandalorian's version of Bo-Katan Kryze wasn't enough to convince viewers that the production team was able to handle animation-to-live-action translations, "The Jedi" proved that point even more with Ahsoka, who looked and acted exactly how she should have. And just in case people would complain, the writers snuck in a line about firsts that mocks the potential backlash, specifically those without an open mind. When Ahsoka Tano says she wants to see if Grogu will listen to Din Djarin, he says, "That would be a first," to which she replies, "I like firsts. Good or bad, they're always memorable."
Ahsoka made an admirable point. In Star Wars, particularly in the movies, so much comes from seeing things and learning new ideas for the first time. That's one of the best elements about George Lucas' original trilogy and one of the worst things that befell Disney's sequel trilogy, which was at times forced to retread the past a bit too much. And it's an even tougher line to toe with shows like Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, and The Mandalorian, which are beholden to past properties. Thankfully, all three were successful in navigating those areas, especially with Ahsoka. She's appeared in all three shows and has been exceptional in all of them.
Although Ahsoka Tano hasn't appeared in the main movies, she is a cornerstone character and someone who is more involved with the overarching story than people may realize. She's the connective tissue, as evidenced by her searching for Grand Admiral Thrawn, knowing Bo-Katan Kryze, and being a former Jedi, but so much could have gone wrong if her appearance in The Mandalorian wasn't handled properly. So it's great that the person who created her, Dave Filoni, was responsible for overseeing her introduction. It worked out in the end, but judging by Ahsoka's comment to Mando, it seems the writers and producers were ready for any and all feedback.