The biggest piece of Star Wars news in a long time dropped last week when it was revealed that Rosario Dawson had been cast to play a significant role in Season 2 of The Mandalorian, Ahsoka Tano. The casting of Rosario Dawson would be a huge piece of news regardless of what character she was playing, but many fans are flipping out because Ahsoda Tano is actually one of Star Wars' most popular characters. If you're only familiar with Star Wars through the live-action films and television, then you may not be all that familiar Ahsoka, as she debuted in the animated The Clone Wars movie, but she's had one of the more interesting journeys of anybody in the galaxy far, far, away not named Skywalker.
Rosario Dawson will be the first person to play Ahsoka Tano in live-action. While the character has been around for years, up until now, she's only ever appeared in Star Wars animated series such as The Clone Wars and Rebels. If you're not looking to binge watch 200 episodes of television, but you still want to be up to speed on everything you need to know About Ahsoka Tano, here are the essential things you need to know.
Ahsoka Was Anakin Skywalker's Padawan
Ahsoka Tano is from the race known as togruta, and she, like most Jedi, was brought into the order as a child. As a teen, she was assigned to be the padawan learner of Anakin Skywalker. Yoda made the decision, seemingly to help Ahsoka learn the ways of the Force, but also to help teach the brash Anakin Skywalker some responsibility. Initially, Anakin has no interest in a sidekick, but eventually, she endears herself to him, both by being capable, and by being just as willing to act brashly as he is.
As a Jedi padawan during the Clone Wars, she held the rank of commander in the Republic military, and proved herself not only a capable Jedi, but also a strong pilot and leader. She traditionally fought using a daisho sword configuration, a pair of lightsabers, one of a standard length, with a second shorter blade.
Ahsoka Tano Left The Jedi Order
While Ahsoka Tano had proved herself on multiple occasions during The Clone Wars, her time as a Jedi would end somewhat tragically. Following a terrorist bombing at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, Ashsoka would be framed for the murder of the only suspect. Ashsoka was banished from the Jedi order so that she could be put on trial by the Republic.
While Anakin Skywalker would eventually find the evidence that Ahsoka was innocent, and she would be cleared of the charges, the damage between her and the Jedi had been done. The Jedi Council offered to let her return, Ahsoka declined the offer and left the Temple. While Ahsoka would cease being a Jedi in name, various Star Wars books and comics would continue her story, making it clear that she continued to live her life as a hero, fighting the Dark Side where she could.
Ahsoka Tano Was Part Of The Early Rebel Alliance
Following The Clone Wars animated series, a new animated show would debut in 2014. Star Wars Rebels would tell the story of the early rebel alliance prior to the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, focusing on the crew of a ship called the Ghost. The ship included Kanan Jarrus, a Jedi who had survived the Clone Wars, and a young Force sensitive boy named Ezra Bridger. In the show's first season, the Ghost crew worked with an unknown person using the codename Fulcrum, who would supply them with intel. At the end of that season, it would be revealed that Fulcrum was actually Ahsoka Tano.
When Ahsoka learned of the existence of Darth Vader, he also learned that she was still alive, which, as one can imagine, made things complicated for Ahsoka. Knowing that her former master was still alive, Ahsoka did eventually confront Vader, and nearly died in the process. However, Ahsoka was last seen in Rebels in the aftermath of the battle of Endor.
Ahsoka Was At The Siege Of Mandalore
One of the questions about Ahsoka Tano's appearance in The Mandalorian Season 2 is just how the character will fit into the story. One answer may come from an event referred to in both the Disney+ series, and Star Wars Rebels. In an episode of Rebels, Commander Rex, a former Clone Trooper, says he served beside Ahsoka at the Siege of Mandalore. That event is also referenced by Moff Gideon at the end of Season 1 of The Mandalorian.
While we've never seen the Siege of Mandalore, we know that it's an event near the end of The Clone Wars that will be shown in the currently running final season of The Clone Wars animated series that is ongoing on Disney+. This will also mark Ahsoka's return to the series. Since, at this point, Ahsoka has, as far as we know, left the Jedi order, which also means she left the Republic army, exactly how she will fit into the Siege of Mandalore is unclear, but under the circumstances, the fact that she was there seems quite important.
Ahsoka's Ultimate Fate Is Unknown
We already knew that Ahsoka had survived the original trilogy, the final moments of Star Wars Rebels confirmed that, but The Mandalorian Season 2 might answer a lot of questions fans have had about what happened to her after that. The big question is whether she lived to see the events of the sequel trilogy. When Rey communes with The Force during her battle with Emperor Palpatine, she hears the voices of many former Jedi, including Ahsoka Tano, the the thing is, all the other Jedi she hears, are confirmed to be dead, which led many to believe that by the time Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker comes along Ahsoka is too.
Clone Wars and Rebels producer Dave Filoni has at least left the door open to the possibility that she is still alive. Whether this new season of The Mandalorian completes the story of Ahsoka Tano, or simply adds another chapter to it, we don't know.
Bob Iger had already implied that new Star Wars series could spring up around new characters being introduced in The Mandalorian's new season, so we could very possibly be in for a lot more Ahsoka in the future. Fans will almost certainly be more than ok with that. How much Ahsoka will be in The Mandalorian, at this point we don't really know. Luckily, we don't have too long left to wait, as Season 2 will hit Disney+ this fall.
