At the "Mando+" panel at Star Wars Celebration, the lucky fans in attendance got some new information and news regarding the hotly anticipated Ahsoka series, and not just that, they got some footage from the show, too, despite it only having just started production. At the beloved Star Wars event, fans got some huge news regarding the show and have been left with a lot to think about.
From character reveals to behind-the-scenes news to casting news to very vague possible plot points that will leave fans guessing for months, there was a bunch to take away from Celebration regarding Ahsoka.
2023 Release Date
The release dates of numerous projects were announced over the course of Star Wars Celebration, either getting specific dates (such as Andor on August 31st) or vague timeframes such as The Bad Batch in the fall.
Ahsoka got the latter which is absolutely no surprise given the fact the series just started production, and it is not a bad thing that fans have to wait until 2023 for the show either, given the amount of Star Wars content coming down the pipeline over the next year.
New & Improved Lekku
When Ahsoka Tano first popped up in live-action, there were criticisms surrounding her Lekku, which appeared much shorter than what fans can see the beloved Togruta donning in Star Wars animation.
Thanks to a new image (seen above) taken behind the scenes from Ahsoka's production and shown at Celebration, fans now know Ahsoka's live-action Lekku will be better represented. It is not only longer, but just generally better looking and crisper in their design. Fans are thankful Lucasfilm found a way to incorporate this and make it work with the new technology.
Ruins
Lucky attendees of Star Wars Celebration got some footage from the show, and in that, Ahsoka can be seen in some stone-covered ruins with some mysterious markings.
While it would be easy to assume these ruins to be Malachor, they are not very Sith-esque and do not resemble what fans are treated to in Rebels. It is light and sunny, and the stone is more neutral, resembling more Jedi-esque ruins if anything. It may well be a Jedi Temple.
Huyang
Unquestionably the most surprising and out-of-left-field reveal in the trailer is what appears to be Huyang. If it is not Huyang, it is the exact same type of droid, and it would be strange for it to be shown in that case.
Huyang is an architect droid who, for thousands of years, taught Jedi how to construct and customize their lightsabers after the Gathering. It will be interesting to see if this is Huyang, where he has been kept all these years and if he will be helping someone craft a new lightsaber, perhaps Ezra or even Jacen Syndulla.
Hera & Chopper
Thanks to his appearance on stage alongside Rosario Dawson, it got confirmed that Chopper, everybody's favorite rage-filled, murderous astromech - who is surprisingly voiced by Dave Filoni - would be appearing in Ahsoka. It is, therefore, no shock to know that Hera will be joining him.
While there is no confirmation of Hera nor knowledge on who will be playing her (it may well be Mary Elizabeth Winstead), she was confirmed by her presence in the trailer as fans got to see her iconic green Lekku and jacket from behind. Their roles in the show will be welcome by adoring Rebels fans who have missed them both.
Natasha Liu Bordizzo As Sabine Wren
Sabine Wren was also confirmed for the show over the course of Celebration, and this was an absolute given since it was she and Ahsoka who ended Rebels with the promise of finding Ezra.
However, what also got announced on top of that was a bit of casting news, with Natasha Liu Bordizzo getting announced to play the iconic Mandalorian. Bordizzo is known for her roles in projects such as The Voyeurs, Guns Akimbo, and The Society. She was announced as part of the show a while ago, and fans correctly speculated she would play the role of the young, creative Mandalorian.
The Lothal Mural, Recreated
Rebels' finale concluded with a beautiful final summary of what happened to the Ghost crew who survived until the end and a mural depicting the family on Lothal. This mural ended up being a part of the footage shown at Celebration.
Many believed at first that it was merely a showcase of how Rebels ended. In fact, it was a recreation. The camera panned out to reveal that the mural had been done in live-action with Bordizzo's Sabine looking on. This, more than anything else, confirms the direct ties to Rebels and how this show is a sequel - whether fans of the underappreciated series like that it is under the title of Ahsoka is another issue.
A Hand Attempting To Use The Force
The most fascinating shot of the footage, the one that will undoubtedly raise the most questions if it gets officially shown to the public, is that of a mysterious hand that appears to be attempting to use the Force to summon a cup.
There are a couple of theories on this. It could be Ezra who, in his time secluded presumably deep in space, has lost or mostly cut off his connection to the Force, similar to Luke or Obi-Wan, and is attempting to get it back. On the other hand, it could be Jacen, who is a shoo-in to appear in the show alongside his mother, and the droid, who is likely his best friend, Chopper.