Thanks to Rosario Dawson’s flawless portrayal of the character inThe MandalorianandThe Book of Boba Fett, Disney+‘sAhsokahas earned a lot of attention over the past couple of years. However, unlike the other characters who have consistently appeared in either prequel or sequel trilogy films, Ahsoka is an anomaly, having only appeared inStar Wars: The Clone WarsandStar Wars Rebels, makingThe Mandalorianher first canon appearance in the live-actionStar Warsuniverse.
This begs the question of how significant those animated shows are to the character of Ahsoka and how they would further influence the story. Although this is true to some extent, considering Dave Filoni, who is among the creators ofStar Wars: The Clone WarsandStar Wars Rebels, intends to tie up the storylines from both series. Especially,Rebelsseems like a strong possibility, given a few character appearances from the animated series. So, should you watchRebelsbefore startingAhsoka? Read on to find out.
Rebels and Ahsoka Timeline, Explained
With somany shows in theStar Warsfranchise, the timeline has grown a bit chaotic, and it may appear complex to piece it together for many fans. To determine whether you should watchRebelsbeforeAhsoka, it is essential to learn how the two shows fit into the timeline. So, inStar Wars, there is a way to label it based on the Battle of Yavin, which took place inStar Wars: A New Hopewhen the Death Star was destroyed after Luke Skywalker triumphed over Emperor Palpatine.
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If you’ve seen theAndorseries, which shares an emotional look at the life of rebels, you should have an idea whereStar Wars Rebelsfits in the narrative. Given that the original trilogy takes place between zero and four years before the Battle of Yavin,Rebelsis set around the same time, and apparently, the story has reached a conclusion by the time theAhsokaseries begins. The only evident explanation is thatAhsokatakes place right after the fall of the Empire and coincides with thestory of the New Republic Era, during which The First Order is also created, as seen inThe Mandalorianseason 3.
Is It Necessary to Watch Rebels Before Ahsoka?
Although you should now have a solid understanding of bothRebelsandAhsoka’s timelines, the main question remains: Do you need to watchRebelsbeforeAhsoka? To be honest, Dave Filoni has stated that it is not entirely necessary to go through theRebelsseries to understandAhsoka, but when asked a similar question in aninterview with Collider, he replied, “You wouldn’t need to watch any, but you really should.”
However, he later implied that the fourth season of Rebels would give you everything you need to know about rebels fighting the tyrannical empire and how the story progressed after that. While it may sound reassuring, you will certainly miss a lot if you skip the remainingRebelsepisodes, though nothing major would affect your understanding of the story.
As die-hardStar Warsfans, we strongly advise you to go through the entireRebelsseries, if possible, in order to get the most out of the show. But it looks like there isn’t much time, as the first and second episode ofAhsokais alreadyavailable to watch on Disney+. So, what are the essentialRebels’ story arcs that you should watch beforeAhsoka?
Related:Star Wars: Questions the Ahsoka Series Can Answer
Essential Rebels' Story Arcs to Watch Before Ahsoka
If you are only concerned about the new characters introduced in the series, the first two episodes ofStar Wars Rebelswill provide a clear understanding while setting the stage for the entire series. The animated series introduces us to a group of individuals known as Spectres, who are working against the Empire. It consists of members including the Mandalorian Sabina Wren, Zeb, Hera Syndulla, astormech Chopper, Ezra Bridger, a street thief belonging to the Outer Rim, and a Jedi survivor of Order 66, Kanan.
With the trailer pointing out all the surviving members of this Ghost crew, it is recommendable to watch the story arc “Spark of Rebellion,” which spans the first two episodes of theRebelsseries. Another thing viewers need to be concerned about is the antagonistof theAhsokaseries, Grand Admiral Thrawn. He was initially mentioned inThe Mandalorianduring The Jedi episode when Ahsoka interrogated Lady Morgan Elsbeth about his whereabouts, albeit he did not appear.
If you are interested in learning more about this character, we recommend you watch the “Through the Imperial Eyes” episode from the third season ofRebels, which highlights his intellectual prowess. Although the episode is stand-alone, with little to no connection to any other major story arc, it flawlessly displays the might of Grand Admiral Thrawn and why he has the potential to become one of the bestStar Warsvillains.
After all is said and done, there is no exact way to tell how much of Ahsoka’s story will be dependent onRebels, though it definitely seems like a continuation of it. Our best advice would be to watch the recommended episodes before startingAhsoka. Ifyou enjoyed them, you can still watch the entirety of theRebelsbeforeAhsoka’s first season concludes.
