Ahsoka star warns fans which Star Wars shows to watch before series

❘ Published: 2023-07-18T09:20:04

Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) in The Mandalorian

Lucasfilm

Star Wars crew, listen up – there’s homework to do. The original Ahsoka voice actress has warned fans about which shows to watch before the live-action series drops, and let’s just say, it’s a lot.

Season 1 of Ahsoka follows on from Star Wars’ rising Disney Plus collection, which includes the likes of Andor, The Mandalorian, and Boba Fett.

The official synopsis of the show, premiering in just over a month, reads: “Ahsoka Tano investigates an emerging threat to the galaxy following the fall of the Empire.”

But unless you’re up to scratch with the wider Star Wars universe, you might want to get watching, as there’s some important backstory that you need to know before tuning in, according to one star.

Ahsoka star tells fans to watch these Star Wars shows before premiere

Ashley Eckstein, who voices Ahsoka in the animated series, has urged fans to watch Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, and maybe even Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi ahead of the release of Ahsoka.

Speaking to Cinema Blend about the upcoming live-action show, which sees Rosario Dawson reprise the role of the eponymous character, Eckstein expressed her excitement for its release.

She went on to say: “I actually recommend to everyone who is excited about the upcoming Ahsoka series, I highly recommend that you take the time to watch Clone Wars, and watch Star Wars Rebels, and even Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi.

“Because if you don’t, you’re going to miss out on crucial, crucial backstory that you really need to know to fully enjoy the Ahsoka series, which is so exciting.”

This advice kind of goes against that of showrunner Dave Filoni, who was asked by Collider which arcs on Rebels people should watch prior to Ahsoka. His response? “You wouldn’t need to watch any,” although he swiftly added: “You really should.”

Just to give a little context for the not-so-hardcore Star Wars fans out there, Star Wars: The Clone Wars consists of 133 episodes over seven seasons, while Star Wars Rebels has four seasons totalling 75 episodes.

So unless you’ve been following these animated shows for the past decade, you’ve got a lot of catching up to do. Thankfully, Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi is a little easier, with just one season featuring six episodes.

Or you could go with the first half of Filoni’s advice, and simply watch Ahsoka with the knowledge you already have.

To find out more about Ahsoka Season 1, which premieres on Disney Plus on August 23, head here. And you can check out some of our other Star Wars hubs below: