Why That Big Reunion On Ahsoka Felt Like An Awkward High School Reunion
This article contains spoilers for "Star Wars: Ahsoka" episode 6 — "Far, Far Away"
It may not seem like it at first glance, but "Ahsoka" is taking a pretty big risk right now. It's one thing to introduce a few characters like Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) and Paz Vizsla into the mix on "The Mandalorian" that have previously only been fixtures in the animated world. It's another thing entirely to hinge a flagpole series on an emotional reunion between two characters that, to this point, have never been seen together in live-action. Even if hardcore fans watched every single episode of "Star Wars Rebels" and were deeply invested in the connection between Sabine Wren and Ezra Bridger, it's still a stretch to think that their relationship could pay off big dividends if and when they ever found each other again.
In episode 6, "Far, Far Away," Sabine's deal with the devil pays off when she is transported to the far reaches of another galaxy to the planet Peridea alongside the lost Jedi Baylan Skoll, his dark apprentice Shin Hati, and the Nightsister Morgan Elsbeth. Her obsessive need to reconnect with Ezra, her long-lost compatriot and confidant, jeopardizes the New Republic and everything that's been sacrificed to ensure that the Empire could never return to power. By traveling out to the far reaches of space to save Ezra, Sabine is also saving Grand Admiral Thrawn from complete exile.
Not realizing she's only a pawn in a much grander scheme, Sabine is allowed to search the planet for Ezra and finally come face-to-face with the man that she's been wanting to find and rescue ever since he was sent hurling out into the Unknown Regions along with Thrawn. Unfortunately, when she finally does track Ezra down, the entire encounter feels more like a precursor to an incredibly awkward slow dance instead of the cathartic moment it should have been.
'It sure took you long enough'
Sometimes, "Star Wars" just can't help itself. There's a fine line between drawing connections between new stories in the galaxy like "Ahsoka" and the moments we all know and love from the original trilogy. When Sabine finally finds a roguish-looking Ezra Bridger in "Far, Far Away," their first interaction after the tumultuous events of "Star Wars Rebels" feels more like a showdown between two gamblers who have double-crossed each other. Instead of having a real moment together, the first bit of dialogue between them almost rehashes the reunion between Han Solo and Lando on Cloud City in "The Empire Strikes Back."
If "Ahsoka" wants to put so much emphasis on rescuing Ezra, to the point where the entire known galaxy that "Star Wars" has resided in up until now is in peril, there should be a little more emotional weight behind a scene that fans have been eagerly anticipating. "Star Wars Rebels" diehards may feel the emotional impact when Sabine and Ezra finally embrace, but casual fans probably needed a little more reason to care.
In the next episode, there may be a little more spark between Sabine and Ezra once they join forces with Ahsoka and try their best to get off the planet together without Thrawn following close behind. If rescuing Ezra was really worth it, the first time he's introduced into live-action should have really been impactful and heartfelt. Instead, Sabine and Ezra look like they need a chaperone at an intergalactic high school dance. If the galaxy is truly at stake, the last couple of episodes of "Ahsoka" need to drive home the relationship between Ezra and Sabine without looking like a John Hughes movie.
New episodes of "Ahsoka" premiere on Tuesday nights on Disney+ at 6:00 pm Pacific, 9:00 pm Eastern.