Ryan Shoots First: Ahsoka (Ep5) “Shadow Warrior”
I always thought “The Siege of Mandalore” would be my favorite non-film Star Wars content but nothing is the same as it was 45 minutes ago.
Holy crap that episode was pure art. I can’t tell you how many times I shouted, how many times I put my hands on my head, and how my times I welled up inside. I tried to temper expectations after last weeks cliff hanger because there was no way it could build up to everything I have in my head. Anakin and Ahsoka finally hashing things out all these years later. And yet I was blown away, what transpired never even occurred to me to be in the realm of possibility for what they would do and I was left with my jaw on the floor.
What this series has done and this episode specifically is bring the wonder back to Star Wars. Not to say other stuff hasn’t been good, Andor in a different way was revolutionary but much of Star Wars has been mired in canon and timeline sticking. Trying to fill in gaps and iron out plot holes. It’s become almost a chore to piece it all together. And while yes for the super dorks like me we still enjoy that stuff and I’ve liked everything that’s come out for one reason or another but this show and this episode filled me with that sense of awestruck wonder and pure imagination that the original trilogy did almost 30 years ago. I can’t remember the last time something from Star Wars made me feel that way, not only was anything possible but I had no idea what was coming next. It’s more than just the storyline as well, the shots, the score everything in this show seems to be trying to push the thought that something new is coming and it is unlike anything we’ve seen before. And oddly enough in a fandom obsessed with whether something “feels Star Wars” the idea of something entirely new and unknown is maybe the most “Star Wars feel-y” thing we have seen in decades.
Observations
- The long slow burn here with this beautiful scenery
- I know I have said this many times but a live-action Hera just walked out of the Ghost, how did we get here?
- Yes Chopper is 100% the best protective uncle you could have
- Huyang breaking my heart there
- Wow that shot in the world between worlds
- This is already more than I thought it would be a lightsaber fight?
- Cmon Hera you know enough to listen when your force-sensitive child feels something
- He hears the battle!!
- That’s right his father was mother f&^*ing Kana Jarrus
- WHAT no way no frikin way
- Hayden in the Clone Wars armor…with the haircut…. Just like the Hot Toy
- REX in phase 2 armor!
- This actress for young Ahsoka is crushing it
- YOOO Mauldolorians!
- REX AGAIN, I can’t take this
- I am on another earthly plane right now
- Ahsoka the white is born
- The long space tracking shots are amazing and pure OT
- All those creatures Dave obsesses over in these shows was building to this moment
- I am running that one back right away… replay.
