Spoilers for Ahsoka Part Seven: Dreams and Madness
Ahsoka seems to become more and more Star Wars with each new episode. “Part Seven: Dreams and Madness” captures the essence of the franchise more than the previous episodes. George Lucas’ inspirations and executions come through, giving the serial formula a chance to reward viewers with all the right anticipation while filling each moment with tension or nostalgia and action or excitement.
Bite for bite, the penultimate episode of the first season of Ahsoka was a cinematic adventure peppered with just the right amount of fan service. References and cameos didn’t detract from the story. In fact, they were essential to the plot and never misused. The short 39-minute adventure is surprising in that we only have one episode to resolve the story. One episode hardly seems like enough.
There were few consequences, leaving little time for comeuppance for any of the deserving characters. Obviously, Thrawn will survive. They’ll want him as a central big bad for several upcoming series and a climax film, but we are in a section of the timeline that doesn’t give life insurance to any other single character.
Things start out innocently enough in Ahsoka “Part Seven.” The temporary consequence of Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) disobeying orders puts her in a hearing where Senator Hamato Xiono (Nelson Lee) motions for a court-martial. Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) is visibly relieved to see C-3PO (voiced by Anthony Daniels) enter with word from Senator Leia Organa. As Mon often covered Leia’s butt in Legends novels, Leia covers Hera’s butt, claiming she gave Hera the mission to Seatos in secret. Case dismissed. A little too perfect, but resolutions happen quickly in all things Flash Gordon and Star Wars. Time is better filled with the action to come.
On the path to Peridea, Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) trains to pass the time in hyperspace. Her trainer is a holo of her former Master, Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen). He left her twenty training holos to prep her. His last message was one offering assurance and confidence in her abilities. After Ahsoka’s most recent dealings, she’s come around to not be so conflicted about her relationship with him. She’s learned to separate the Jedi Master from the Sith Lord he became. This should serve her well when confronting Thrawn. He’ll likely try to use it against her as he learns he was her Master later in the episode.
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As the Purrgil come out of hyperspace, they are met with a minefield orbiting Peridea. Ahsoka takes her chances outside the protective mouth of the largest “Star Whale,” but the behemoths retreat in a stampede to escape the damaging explosives. The detonations alert the enemy to Ahsoka’s arrival. The scene is reminiscent of the asteroid field escape in The Empire Strikes Back, containing the battle details of Return of the Jedi.
On the planet’s surface, Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) is not surprised to learn Ahsoka lives. Without a word about it, he is disappointed, once again, in Baylan’s seeming disinformation. Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto) provides him with a data pad containing intel on the approaching Ahsoka. He learns of her former Master. He is cautious and orders his fighters to abandon their pursuit, allowing her to telegraph her next moves from afar.
After navigating the minefield and “escaping” her pursuers by hiding among the planetary ring debris, Ahsoka and her droid, Huyang (voiced by David Tennant), come to the conclusion that Morgan Elsbeth has already found Thrawn. Time is short. Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi), traveling planet-side with the nomadic Noti, discuss what Ezra missed in his absence and what’s happened to their fellow Rebels characters. Sabine is interrupted by a Force Call from Ahsoka, a la Luke/Leia in The Empire Strikes Back.
Meanwhile, Thrawn employs the Great Mothers to locate Ahsoka Tano again. Her Force Call to Sabine leaves her open to location recognition. Thrawn takes advantage by sending a new bombardment to flush her out of the rings. One step ahead, he knows she’ll head to the surface to find Sabine.
All the pieces seem to be in place as Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) and Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno) await the approach of the Noti caravan from a hilltop. Baylan essentially leaves Shin on her own to destroy the group alone. He’s off the a different mysterious calling. Shin is left, clearly feeling abandoned; but she presses on in service to the Empire.
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The marauder clan, somehow now allies with Shin, sharing objectives, charges the Noti caravan to execute Sabine and Ezra. Ahsoka has reached them, and Captain America-dives to the surface from her ship, conveniently landing a short distance from Baylan Skoll. Their duel is short and fairly pointless. No one wins, but this time, Ahsoka doesn’t lose. She gets past him, and he continues on his journey.
Sabine and Ezra battle in hand-to-hand combat with the marauders and Shin. This time, Shin has met her match in an unarmed Ezra, who Force Pushes his way through the fight until Ahsoka arrives. When two carriers of Night Troopers enter the scene, it only gives Ezra a chance to disarm one to arm himself.
Thrawn recognizes that Baylan is missing from the digital schematic. He believes he’s somehow betrayed, so he calls off his troops. Their mysterious cargo transfer is almost complete, and abandoning the Rebels cast on Peridea is as good as leaving them for dead. Outmatched, Shin retreats along with the Night Troopers. Ahsoka offers her help, but Shin silently refuses.
At this point in Ahsoka “Part Seven,” the reunited Rebels friends have the opportunity to properly greet each other. Ezra, once again, voices his excitement for going home. Little does he know they are about to miss the bus.
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