Max Nocerino 
I am VERY excited to see this new galaxy in STAR WARS: AHSOKA. But I also fear it may be anti-climactic because the episode is setting an alarming trend of what may come.
STAR WARS: AHSOKA Part 4 begins where the climactic confrontation is destined to ensue. In a creepy dark forest on a distant world with two fallen Jedi, a former Jedi, a Mandalorian, and a witch. Seems like the formula for the perfect science fantasy, right? Well,….kinda. I like the story direction this show has taken. We have outgrown the Galaxy fans have been bound to for over 40 years. It’s time to stretch our wings and jump into hyperspace. I am VERY excited to see this new galaxy. But I also fear it may be anti-climactic as I feel this episode is setting an alarming trend of what may come.
LIGHTSABER DUELS
This episode certainly isn’t deficient in lightsaber duels, so fans will be somewhat happy. However, it is obvious that Disney did not hire the ultra-talented sword combat instructor, Nick Gillard who was used in all 3 of the Prequel movies. The lightsaber duels under his eye were choreographed magnificently and Disney’s iteration just doesn’t measure up. The blocks and strikes don’t have the finesse and poise of the Prequels. They come off as a hybrid of Original Trilogy and Prequel Trilogy in terms of consistency. Also, they have taken the worst decision from Episode I and applied it to the mysterious (not-so-mysterious Marrok) whom Ahsoka easily deals with, but perhaps he is not done just yet.
The bad guys have some potential to be interesting characters. But for now, they are cliche, boring and uni-dimensional. We need to see some character-building. The good guys, on the other hand, pack a lot of depth and personality, and my new favorite character is quickly becoming Huyang. The 25-THOUSAND-year-old droid is probably the only individual around who remembers when Yoda was just a wee padawan.
SABINE WREN
Sabine proves herself to be a formidable fighter (just like in Rebels). It is fun to see her switch from blasters to lightsabers as she duels a much more experienced Force user.
I also like to see Hera piloting the ghost with her inter-special son in the passenger seat. In the previous episode, we only saw the Ghost’s auxiliary ship, the Phantom. But now we get to see one of the coolest starships in the Star Wars canon mythos (after the Millennium Falcon of course) being piloted in live-action, alongside a familiar bearded face that many know from The Mandalorian. Hera is still sassy and headstrong and plays to her own book. I am glad we are getting a taste of it in real action. She seems like an excellent mother (despite her large responsibilities) and I think Kanan would be proud of the family he never got a chance to be a part of.
VERDICT
The end of this episode looks promising, and I redact my complaints, if it goes in the direction it should. For now, it is to be determined. Yet, I’m sure fans will be BLOWN away by the appearance of a character we have waited to see interact with Ahsoka in live action in quite some time. Not great. Not bad.
Future of the Force will cover the series from every angle. And that begins with our customary in-depth review that will drop within hours of each episode. And if that isn’t enough, our traditional poster and concept art coverage will keep you entertained as we build the hype for the latest episode.
Star Wars: Ahsoka is streaming on Disney Plus now!
FORCE FACTS
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When Marrok was slashed and (killed?) by Ahsoka, a blast of what looked like Nightsister spirit ichor erupted from his chest, similar to Savage Opress when he died. Savage was augmented with Nightsister magic and it left his body as he passed, like a spell fading. Since Morgan Elsbeth was a former Nightsister, it is very likely that she used magic to enhance Marrok and may even be the reason why he survived the (presumed) purge of the Inquisitors.
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It is stated that even if Elsbeth’s coordinates are a tad off; the bad guys will be lost in the intergalactic void between galaxies. This seems very accurate as intergalactic travel is almost never seen in any Legends or Canon story, and is probably much harder and much more dangerous as the star they are locking on to, to make the jump is vastly further away from the galaxy’s edge. Even the jump itself is a magnitude of power far beyond the norm as it unleashes a shockwave in space that destroys several X-Wings.
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Skoll speaks to Sabine about her desperation to find Ezra as she regards him as the only family she has left. We know from The Mandalorian that Mandalore was bombed and devastated, so it aligns perfectly with the new continuity, that Clan Wren is gone, as well as Ursa and Tristan, Sabine’s mother and brother respectfully. This is very sad and makes me wonder if Sabine and Mando are the only Mandalorians active in the galaxy at this point. The rest are hiding of course.
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Ahsoka falls off a rock outcrop overlooking the sea and winds up in the World Beyond Worlds. I always thought you needed a portal to access this nexus of time and space. But apparently, having a near death experience should do the trick as well.
Max Nocerino is a regular Staff Writer for The Future of the Force. He is a passionate Star Wars fan and loves the literature of the galaxy far, far away. Follow him on Twitter where he shares his love of the Force frequently!
