Ahsoka Tano recently made her latest live action appearance in The Book of Boba Fett. The show received mixed reviews from fans and critics, but had plenty of surprising cameos that, for many, made up for the relatively dull main plot line involving the title character’s battle for control of Mos Espa with the Pyke Syndicate. Tano’s cameo came in Chapter 6 - In the Desert Comes a Stranger, an episode that felt largely out of place (along with its predecessor) but still had major callbacks to previous Star Wars stories, such as the Jedi’s appearance.
Ahsoka has come a long way since her debut in The Clone Wars in 2008, where she was just a teenaged Padawan assigned to a reluctant Anakin Skywalker. Not only has her character had a significant impact on the Star Wars canon, but her popularity has soared as well. In time, Tano has become one of the most popular characters of the entire franchise. Here’s how.
As stated, Ahsoka Tano made her debut in 2008’s The Clone Wars movie, a title which was originally scheduled as a television film before George Lucas abruptly altered plans in order to give it a theatrical release. The film was poorly received at the time, perhaps because audiences hadn’t yet come around to the Star Wars prequels yet (in the modern day, the trilogy has seen a huge resurgence in popularity). Unfortunately, Tano was the subject of bigoted attacks by some viewers who complained of a young female Jedi’s sizable role in a project. Voice actress Ashley Eckstein discussed in interviews her struggle with having to overcome the unfair and harsh words.
The criticism of Tano was not exclusive to just ignorant viewers, though, as many questioned the canon logic of Anakin having an apprentice before Revenge of the Sith. In that film, there was no mention of Ahsoka or any Padawan for that matter, and Anakin was specifically denied the rank of Master in a moment that contributed to his fall to the dark side of the Force. Some audiences also critiqued the tone that Tano brought to the film, which is an odd assessment given that Star Wars has always been a kids-oriented franchise.
The jury was still out on Tano when The Clone Wars debuted as a TV show on Cartoon Network later that year, but it was in this medium that Ahsoka truly exploded with popularity. At first, Anakin and Obi-Wan were positioned as the leads of most of the episodes of the show, along with some important clones like Rex and, of course, Ahsoka. However, over time, Tano’s role become more central, first as she was partnered equally with Anakin and Obi-Wan as a trio, and then eventually as she took on a starring role.
The final arc of The Clone Wars demonstrates this perfectly. Anakin and Obi-Wan appear only briefly, thus taking a back seat to Ahsoka during the Siege of Mandalore. The lightsaber battle of the arc, which saw Tano fight Maul on the planet, was firmly centered on Ahsoka. There was no Skywalker or Kenobi there to take the spotlight, and the focus was all on Ahsoka. The four episode arc was a send off to The Clone Wars as a series, but also this era of Ahsoka Tano as a character. The younger version of Tano was the initial iteration to ingratiate herself with Star Wars fans, and the Siege of Mandalore was a perfect capstone for that. Of course, the excellent work done in previous seasons to improve Tano’s character and continue her excellent arc, as well as the way in which her presence furthers Anakin’s story and turn to the dark side, were the initial stories that helped Ahsoka become a fan favorite.
Tano’s popularity increased even more with Star Wars Rebels, and her small yet pivotal role in the next animated series helped her become a fan favorite even more. Tano famously died in season two of Rebels at the hands of Darth Vader, a scene that has since gone down in the Star Wars history books as one of the best of the entire franchise, before being revived via pseudo-time travel in the final season. Tano didn’t appear extensively in Rebels, but she certainly made an impact that helped her become an even bigger fan favorite.
Ahsoka’s jump to live action, where she is primarily today, is the next jump in her popularity. Her position within the Star Wars fandom was secure, but Rosario Dawson taking on the role in The Mandalorian season 2 and The Book of Boba Fett brought Ahsoka’s popularity to new heights. Tano has always been a unique character, not quite a Jedi but not a non-Force user, and certainly on the light side. Her relationship with Anakin Skywalker is a particularly beloved aspect of Ahsoka. The two are set to reunite when Ahsoka gets her own solo series, with Hayden Christensen reportedly signing on to play Anakin as a Force ghost in the upcoming show.
Ahsoka Tano’s rise to become one of the most popular Star Wars characters is a remarkable journey, especially given the reception from a minority of fans when she first appeared. Now, as her journey continues in live action, Tano might be set to become an even bigger fan favorite.