Ahsoka Episode 5 Review “Shadow Warrior”: Past and Present Merge In This Episode
Cast: Rosario Dawson, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ray Winstone, Ivanna Sakhno, Diana Lee Ilosanto, David Tennant, Lars Mikkelsen, Eman Esfandi
Director: Dave Filoni
Streaming Platform: Disney+
Filmyhype.com Ratings: 4.5/5 (four and a half stars)
We enter the second half of the new Disney+ TV series Ahsoka Episode 5 entitled “Shadow Warrior”, directed and written by Dave Filoni, a jewel for the saga and a joy that fills the heart of every fan. Ahsoka‘s Episode 5 takes one last look at the past and turns his gaze to the future. The last episode left us anxiously waiting, and with the arrival of this fifth episode entitled “Shadow Warrior”, we find an episode full of crucial themes for Star Wars and a large quantity of Easter eggs. Dave Filoni certainly bewitched us with this episode, unexpected and surprisingly more than successful, welcomed with great joy by the fans. The reasons for this success are given by the product itself, as in 1×05 we have a mix of the “purest” themes of Star Wars, the uniqueness that distinguishes the saga, and a concentrated immersion in the character of Ahsoka, without counting the soundtrack and special effects, plus the “Guest Star” we were all waiting for.
After the defeat of “Fallen Jedi”, Ahsoka rises from her ashes. As a character and above all as a series, he launches himself towards a final rush that has every appearance of being a new beginning for Star Wars. It is worth remembering that Lucasfilm chose to organize an event at the cinema in the USA and UK for the aforementioned episode, making the remaining fans regret this experience. The approximately 46 minutes of this Fifth Part are something that deserves the room to obtain the best possible involvement from the audience. It is no coincidence that a new film directed by Filoni was announced a few months ago, closing the “Mandoverse”. The path becomes clearer and clearer, episode after episode. Ahsoka now seems to be the spearhead of this new era of Star Wars, with all due respect to Mando. This is where the budget is, you see the investment and it will be a fundamental building block for something bigger.
Ahsoka Episode 5 Review: The Story Plot
The episode restarts exactly from the point where episode 4 left off, with the shocking reunion between Ahsoka and Anakin in what appears to be the World between Worlds presented by the animated series Star Wars: Rebels inside of its fifth season. It is not clear how Ahsoka gets there, especially since we discover how the togruta is in physical “reality”. it was sinking into the depths of the ocean. The script, on the other hand, remains mysterious in this particular aspect and does not bother to give explanations: Jacen himself perceives the woman in the water but at the same time the sounds of lightsaber combat. This choice obviously may not be liked and responds above all to fan service needs that have long called for a “face to face” meeting between the live-action versions of Anakin and Ahsoka but which, on the other hand, follows a topos as old as the world but which almost always works: the one in which a character poised between life and death has a vision that leads him to choose to survive and save himself.
Whether this choice is acceptable or not, it is really difficult not to be moved by the beauty of the images shown on the screen. The setting of what appears to be the World Between Worlds is truly incredible, as is the one in which, in a muffled atmosphere, we retrace two events of vital importance for Ahsoka‘s emotional growth over the years that occurred in the famous Clone Wars. These are elements that can be understood generically by all the most attentive viewers, but which, on the other hand, can be contextualized and appreciated more by those who have passionately followed the Star Wars animated series, in this case especially the numerous seasons of Clone Wars.
Thus we witness the reunion between Ahsoka and her Master, Hayden Christensen decidedly happy to be back in the role of the character who made him famous and who dressed just like in Clone Wars, reflects and makes his Padawan reflect, but also a spectator on the role assumed by the Jedi during the war and how the students while maintaining their own identity, end up assimilating and making their master’s nature their own, an element that partly frightens Ahsoka, who we see now as an adult and more aware, but still with doubts and hesitations, now still young and unaware, a child soldier is thrown into a war in which she cannot find the meaning.
Ahsoka Episode 5 Review: And Analysis
Having fallen into the waters of Seatos after being defeated in a duel by the former Jedi Baylan Skoll, Ahsoka awakens in the plane suspended between time and space, called the “World Between Worlds”. In this dimension, she meets her Master Anakin again, stating with surprise that he has not changed: as we are shown in Episode III and The Clone Wars 7, that is the last time they see each other. Recalling memories of the lost battle against Baylan to his young Padawan, Anakin confirms that there is still hope for her to live. This phrase might seem only aimed at a meaning strictly linked to survival, but as we will see during the episode it is a reference to the Dark and Light Side of the Force, such as when he explains to Ahsoka that the reason why he is there is to complete his training, which consists of choosing between “live or die”. Theorized since the Jedi of antiquity, the World Between Worlds also known as the Dispersion of Vergences was visited by two living beings of flesh and blood. Ezra Bridger visits it in Star Wars Rebels 4×13, on which occasion the dimension shows itself as a space-time connection, opening portals to various crucial moments in the history of the galaxy.
And it is precisely thanks to this that Ezra manages to save Ahsoka Tano before Darth Vader can take her away from us. Considering that this dimension is a material embodiment of the Force, although we may have doubts about whether the Anakin in front of us is a ghost of the Force (Obi-Wan/Yoda style), or an illusion, we are certain of the presence of Anakin’s material thanks to one of his phrases: the ” I’ve heard this before ” that he pronounces in response to an Ahsoka who is reluctant to face him, is similar to the phrase pronounced by Luke Skywalker, Anakin’s son who in episode VI addresses these to him words: “ I will not fight you father ”. This makes us notice how much attention is paid to the dialogues and the saga in the script and on Filoni ‘s part. Two hypotheses therefore arise: either Anakin appeared in Ahsoka‘s mind, or it is a materialization of Anakin’s cosmic Force in the World Between Worlds.
There is also the possibility that all this happens only in Ahsoka‘s head, but what matters in the events of this episode is that she, our Togruta, finally comes to terms with herself, understanding the meaning and value of her heritage facing his identity crisis due to the past. Another fact is that thanks to Hayden Christensen’s interpretation of Anakin Skywalker which is nostalgic and at the same time different from how we remember him in the most mythical moments of the prequel trilogy, the duel with Ahsoka radiates complicity between them which to a “recent” Star Wars fan it might even seem cheesy, but considering their unique relationship, has perfect logic. What mainly marks Ahsoka is that she became Anakin’s Padawan amid the Clone Wars, with responsibilities that were far too great for a child and beyond her experience.
The battles and losses that she suffers mark her deeply, and those who have followed the disastrous animated feature film up to the episodes of the Tales of the Jedi miniseries will surely have memories of an Ahsoka who is unable to find her place in the Order. And then, finally, what we suspected is confirmed: Ahsoka has difficulty managing her role as a former Jedi and Master towards Sabine precisely because of her heritage: A Legacy of Death and Destruction? No, in reality, there is much more than this to our “smart girl”. Even though it was Anakin who trained her, the one who was supposed to be the Chosen One but who ultimately chose the dark side of the Force and became Darth Vader, the Lord of the Sith, the reality is that he will never be just one or the other. ‘Else; what Ahsoka must accept, and so does the audience, is to consider this nature of Anakin and separate the protagonist from him in this sense, because only she can define what her heritage is.
And reliving the flashbacks of the Battle of Ryloth and the Siege of Mandalore – crucial moments of his training – where his internal conflict develops, we also see the Twi’leik in the first memory and Darth Maul’s Supercommando in the second, who help to understand how the two surreal scenes we witness are set up chronologically, and in which we can also observe Anakin in two very different moments of his life. Every little detail has been taken care of, from the costumes of Anakin and a younger Ahsoka identical to those present in the animated series, or we can notice the care used in the use of the cameo of Temuera Morrison – at least his voice – as the awesome Captain Rex. Furthermore, the atmosphere that one breathes while the horizon is obscured by fog and thus obscures the surrounding environment, is another breathtaking element that must also have depended on a factor relating to the available budget but which has managed to keep both the “new” audience and the most loyal fans linked to the previous chapters.
So the way these scenes were done was not only to cover the cost of the special effects but also to confuse us about the true nature of memories and even illusions, given that over the minutes spent in the World Between Worlds, there are moments in which Anakin and Ahsoka regain awareness of their identity in the present by using it to relive those moments albeit in their guise of the time; but there are also moments, in fact, most of them when they are completely immersed in memories of the past. This creates confusion that does not cause any type of annoyance to the public but rather fascinates as it perfectly mixes past and present.
But we owe a play of light and photography that particularly struck us, we owe it to Filoni, we are talking about the figure of Anakin who merges with that of Darth Vader in several scenes, amid the war, the fog, and always in the balance between the light and dark sides of the Force, accompanied by the soundtrack that pops up from time to time. What was worrying in these episodes was also knowing how to manage the space that Ahsoka and Anakin occupied, because the latter, thanks to his presence, could have caused enough fuss to cover with his story and reappearance, the time to dedicate to the protagonist Ahsoka; but this didn’t happen at all, and it’s always thanks to the extreme and zealous attention to detail by the entire team.
Returning to the scene in which Ahsoka must choose to return to life, almost as if Anakin himself asked her to, as we have already said, she must accept that her Master will never be either just Anakin or just Darth Vader. Following this, Ahsoka makes a decision, touching the Dark Side for the last time, which is reflected in her eyes, holding the master’s red lightsaber, she accepts a metamorphosis which we will see in the new white costume at the end of the episode. She already wore it in the last episode of Star Wars Rebels, when he was about to recruit Sabine and go in search of Ezra. This is a carelessness on Filoni’s part which will perhaps be explained better later, but for now, the theory we can present is that Ahsoka chose to wear gray because she had distanced herself from her apprentice following the various nefarious events, and which we will probably have more clarity in the next episodes.
In this fifth episode, in addition to the exciting scenes in the World Between Worlds, we also have a narrative outline with Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) leading the rescue mission on the planet. A subplot certainly less intriguing than the events of this episode in the supernatural dimension where Ahsoka travels to the past with the ghost of her Master, but there is very interesting information. Here, you are acting with the indirect help of Senator Leila Organa. Here, Filoni reminds us that the New Republic at this chronological point of the saga is already in pieces and too busy with useless controversies even without having to bother Grand Admiral Thrawn, instead of thinking about clearly and necessarily distinguishing itself from Palpatine’s Empire. But also, thanks to these outlines of the main plot, the character, history, and facets of characters like Hera can be explored.
Returning to us, Hera and Carson Teva’s squadron seem to almost give up in the search for Ahsoka and Sabine, but it is Jacen, the son of Hera and Kanan Jarrus in Star Wars Rebels, who resolves and completes the search. Kanan was a Jedi who escaped Order 66 and led the crew of the Phantom, with Hera. Kanan also trained Ezra and for some time Sabine. Jacen demonstrates a strong sensitivity to the Force and seems to have powers with high potential, such as being able to perceive the duel between Ahsoka and Anakin in the World Between Worlds. Here, this is an inexplicable solution if not through the Force, always capable of surprising but which sometimes, as in this case, is used inappropriately to resolve complex writing situations, to which more time and effort should be dedicated to creating the right resolution, without the “magical” element of the Force. Sure, maybe Jacen is destined to become a very powerful Jedi, but it could also be a deus ex machina. Eventually, at Jacen’s direction, the X-Wings find and save Ahsoka before she drowns. From there our protagonist uses psychometry to relive the final moments of the star map before it is destroyed by Baylan and Sabine is taken away.
The episode ends with a soundtrack that had already been noticed in the previous episodes but which in this new chapter is excellent, not only because it recalls the old melodies of the saga but is innovative. In 1×05 we were always carried away by a script and a scenography that made the tension rise until we felt it inside us, resulting with every detail in its possession, a miraculous episode for every fan. We have already talked about the Purrgil in previous episodes, but to summarize they are “space whales” capable of crossing hyperspace. So the solution to search for Ezra Bridger was already served on a silver platter, at least from the first appearance of the Purrgil in this new series. Following the Purrgil, passing through Seatos, also served to create that fascinating sense of adventure and new resolutions regarding Ahsoka‘s Metamorphosis and create a magnificent departure in front of the New Republic; I have to say, you were a good Star Wars: Ahsoka team, the problem now is that it will be hard to do better than that!
Ahsoka Episode 5 Review: The Last Words
So far, it can be said that the fifth episode of Star Wars: Ahsoka is the best, perfect in every way and every detail is taken care of with extreme care and zeal. From Filoni’s direction and ingenuity to the performances of Rosario Dawson and Hayden Christensen to the special effects that give us the visual and alternating fusion of an Anakin poised between the light and dark sides of the Force (Ahsoka finds herself in almost the same situation in his journey), and the events of the Past and Present from which there is no turning back; and consequently to all this there is Ahsoka who makes a decision and comes to terms with herself once and for all, marking her metamorphosis into Ahsoka the white and starting her new path dictated by the legacy that she chooses to make her own.
Ahsoka Episode 5 Review “Shadow Warrior”: Past and Present Merge In This Episode - Filmyhype
Director: Dave Filoni
Date Created: 2023-09-12 19:30
4.5
Pros
- The Clone Wars in live action
- Anakin and his balance of the Force
- Vader's fleeting appearances
- Hayden Christensen's performance
- Directed and written by Dave Filoni
- The excellent soundtrack by Kevin Kiner (with Force theme included)
- The Purrgil and the final scene
- Young Jacen's perceptions
Cons
- The feeling of having missed a great opportunity to see some things at the cinema
