Warning: This review contains spoilers for Ahsoka episode 5. What an awesome episode. Following on from last week’s Hayden Christensen reveal, Ahsoka confronts her dark past with Anakin while Hera and the other New Republic renegades try to save her in “Part Five: Shadow Warrior,” the latest episode of the latest Star Wars streaming series. Every episode of Ahsoka’s first season was written by the character’s co-creator, Dave Filoni, who spearheaded the whole series. But “Shadow Warrior” has extra authorial significance because it’s the first episode Filoni has directed since the pilot. It’s also the longest episode since the pilot, but it justifies its extended runtime with engaging character development and mind-blowing dream sequences.
Rosario Dawson finally gets a chance to act in “Shadow Warrior.” She’s no longer confined to just crossing her arms and delivering one-liners; she gets to have heartfelt conversations with Anakin and Hera that finally deepen her characterization at this crucial juncture in her overall arc. Ahsoka’s playful lightsaber duel with Anakin in the World Between Worlds is the first time that live-action Ahsoka has interacted with live-action Anakin. Ironically, this particular sequence might have looked better in animation than live-action. But Dawson’s on-screen chemistry with Christensen saves it. They translate Anakin and Ahsoka’s big brother/little sister dynamic into live-action beautifully. Even hearing Christensen call Ahsoka “Snips” is a joy.
This duel leads to the peak of the episode, and the peak of the series so far: the mesmerizing Clone Wars flashback sequence. It gets off to a trippy start as Ahsoka crashes down to the ground and stands up as her teenage self. Padawan-aged Ahsoka is played brilliantly by Ariana Greenblatt, best known as Sasha from Barbie and young Gamora from Avengers: Infinity War. Much like she did in Infinity War, Greenblatt captures the young character perfectly. The transition from level-headed adult to hot-tempered teen is seamless. Her anger at Anakin feels real; her fear in the face of warfare feels real. If Lucasfilm wants to make an Ahsoka-centric live-action Clone Wars series (even though that era of Star Wars history has been done to death), Greenblatt could easily carry the whole show.
This flashback/dream sequence is an emotionally charged, visually stunning journey through Ahsoka’s long and complicated relationship with Anakin. Shots are fired in all directions around Ahsoka; warships fly overhead; Clone Troopers flee from enemy forces through the literal fog of war. This scene really sells the terror of Ahsoka’s childhood as essentially a child soldier. There’s a really distinctive, cinematic vision at the helm. The Mandalorian movie is in very safe hands with Filoni in the director’s chair.
Hera has gone from a B-plot burden to one of the best parts of the show. In earlier episodes, she just argued with New Republic brass via hologram. She still does that now, but she’s finally jetted off into space and joined the main adventure. Her mother-son moments with Jacen in the cockpit are truly heartwarming, and they each split up into their own compelling duos in the middle of this episode. Hera bounces her feelings about Ahsoka off of Huyang’s cold but compassionate worldview, while Jacen is left to hang out with war criminal droid Chopper. Jacen and Chopper don’t get a ton of screen time together here, but they have the potential to become a classic Star Wars double act over the next few episodes.
As with every other Ahsoka episode, “Shadow Warrior” is bolstered by stunning visual effects. Marvel could learn a lot from Lucasfilm, because Lucasfilm is clearly giving its VFX artists plenty of time to make sure the visuals are as sharp and refined as they can be without having to rush to meet absurd deadlines. This isn’t TV VFX; it’s a far cry from the CDC explosion in The Walking Dead. These effects are so spectacular that they’d be a breathtaking sight on the big screen, let alone on a TV screen (which might have been why this episode was given a surprise theatrical release). The World Between Worlds is entirely computer-generated, but it feels like a real, tangible place. The Clone Wars-era action puts Attack of the Clones’ clunky VFX to shame, and Filoni uses creative framing to really convey the scale of the massive Purrgil as Ahsoka tries to talk to them. She’s shot from behind as a Purrgil floats over to communicate with her and it fills the whole rest of the frame.
Any story is only as good as its ending, and “Shadow Warrior” builds to a perfect ending. It’s not a tantalizing cliffhanger like the last couple of episodes – which revealed Anakin in the World Between Worlds and saw Baylan Skoll sending his best men into the woods to hunt down Ahsoka and Sabine – but it does stir up all the right emotions before the end credits roll. The bright lights of hyperspace illuminate Ahsoka’s face as she looks ahead with a smile, determined to find Ezra, optimistic about their chances, and the fleet disappears with the Purrgil pod. This final scene captures the bittersweet feeling of hope in the face of extreme adversity that defines Star Wars.
Ahsoka
Episode 5: Ahsoka confronts her dark past with Anakin in the World Between Worlds while Hera tries to save her.