Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for Episode 7 of Ahsoka.
The Big Picture
- Ahsoka should have focused on its main character and let Thrawn remain missing, as he didn't fit into the story and his potential was wasted.
- Thrawn didn't have a chance to showcase his talents as a strategist and brilliant villain in the limited time he was given.
- Baylan Skoll would have been a better main antagonist for Ahsoka, as he had a personal connection to her and explored the dynamics of the master and padawan relationship.
As a well-loved and accomplished hero, Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson) getting her own series caused no small amount of excitement. But it left Ahsoka with a conundrum – who would be the villain? With a proven entity as the lead, it couldn't be just anyone, especially after Ahsoka fought the likes of Maul (Sam Witwer) and Vader (James Earl Jones) in her animated appearances. The title character needed a new challenge that she couldn't defeat easily, and with the heavy focus on her past, a previous connection couldn't hurt. The series chose Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen), the Chiss who was an Imperial Grand Admiral and a formidable opponent in Star Wars Rebels. With so many characters from that series making their live-action debut, Thrawn seemed to be the perfect choice. His cold logic and unshakable emotions make him menacing, while his near-flawless deductive reasoning makes the unpredictability Ahsoka learned from Anakin (Hayden Christensen) less of an advantage for her.
The choice seemed to make perfect sense, but the execution was lacking. The series played Thrawn up as a distant threat until it was too late for him to make much of a difference. With Thrawn missing, Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) took the role of the series villain and did a phenomenal job. Baylan's past, his knowledge of Ahsoka, his inner conflict with the Dark Side, and his relationship with his apprentice Shin (Ivanna Sakhno) make him the perfect opponent for Ahsoka at this stage. Thrawn may be popular in his own right, but he didn't fit this story, especially with Dave Filoni's upcoming film that could take more time to do him justice. Ahsoka should have focused its attention on its main character and let Thrawn remain missing — at least until a potential post-credit scene.
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'Ahsoka' Introduced Thrawn Too Late
Among many things, Star Warsis famous for its villains, and Thrawn definitely numbers among the most sinister individuals in the franchise. But, while the level of threat a villain poses is based on many factors, one important element is their physical presence in the story, and Thrawn just doesn't get that opportunity. Until the final three episodes, Thrawn remains a spectral fear that few even believed in. Though ignoring him would be a mistake, whatever the New Republic Council may say, he can do little damage from another galaxy, and for more than half the season, that's where he was. With so little time that Thrawn can actually cause harm to Ahsoka and her allies, his potential is wasted.
While Thrawn could have been a terrifying villain in live-action, he didn't have the chance. Thrawn's talents are not action-packed fighting or epic chases. He is a strategist and a brilliant one. For Thrawn's abilities to shine, he needs plenty of time to show off what he can do and how he does it because it cannot be done in a single fight sequence. Ahsoka's seventh episode, "Dreams and Madness," gives him a brief chance to show off, but not enough to justify his late entrance or overpower the villains Ahsoka and Sabine (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) already faced.
Baylan Skoll Is a Better Antagonist for 'Ahsoka'
Though Thrawn was late to the game, the first section of Ahsoka was not lacking in a villain. The series introduced Baylan, a former Jedi who escaped Order 66 and is working as a mercenary along with his padawan apprentice. Baylan has many parallels with Ahsoka herself, including his position as neither a Jedi nor a Sith. Such similarities provide the perfect opportunity to expand the lore and explore the Force outside these organizations. The fact that they are so alike, yet on different paths, makes them natural enemies, and the development of this dynamic could have been fascinating.
But beyond being the perfect foil for Ahsoka, Baylan knew about her long before the series. He fought in the Clone Wars, the same as she did, and even knew Anakin Skywalker. And, as a large part of Ahsoka's journey involves reflection on her past and relationship with Anakin, this is significant. Baylan's ability to throw those memories into her face is an upper hand that Thrawn doesn't share. Though Thrawn knew Anakin, he never discussed Ahsoka with the man and knows nothing of the relationship she shared with her master. Meanwhile, Baylan knows of their actions in the Clone Wars and first heard of Ahsoka from Anakin himself.
But what distinguishes Baylan the most is his relationship with Shin. Between Ahsoka's inner struggles about Anakin and her attempts to train Sabine, the series highlights the importance of the mast and padawan bond. While each individual in the relationship has an effect on the other, all dynamics are different. Yet, the comparison is important. Like the one she shared with Anakin, Ahsoka and Sabine have a fraught relationship, but despite the tension, they care for each other. Baylan and Shin have a more rigid and almost reverent dynamic, but, like Anakin and Ahsoka once did, Baylan and Shin seem to be heading their own ways. Both pairs represent the same bond and how it makes an apprentice who they are. Baylan and his incredibly powerful padawan opposing Ahsoka and her struggling apprentice would be the perfect antagonists for the series if they were given the chance.
'Ahsoka' Should Have Left Thrawn Alone and Focused on Baylan
The series needs an antagonist, but it didn't have to be Thrawn. Ahsoka already had a recognizable character to hype fans, and the show could have worked without Thrawn. And a rushed appearance isn't doing the character any favors. With Dave Filoni's impending film focusing on the New Republic fighting an Imperial Remnant, Thrawn should have been saved for a story that could do him justice. While Thrawn is undoubtedly a threat, he doesn't fit in the series, as seen by the fact that he is nothing more than a namedrop for the first five episodes. Meanwhile, Baylan as the villain fits thematically and plays into Ahsoka's inner turmoil. Leaving Thrawn out of the mix in this particular story would have allowed Ahsoka to use Baylan and Shin to their full potential and saved the ultimate threat for later.
The Ahsoka finale premieres next Tuesday on Disney+.
