Summary
Star Wars: Ahsokabrought Captain Rex from the Clone Wars era to life in its latest episode. This live-action appearance is a first for the character who last appeared inStar Wars: Rebels.
Greenlit after its titular character made her live-action debut inThe Mandalorianand a guest appearance onThe Book of Boba Fettto unanimous fanfare from viewers and enjoyers of the animated series,Star Wars: Ahsokatakes place in the era after the fall of the first Galactic Empire and follows the former Jedi as she investigates a new threat emerging to bring discord to the galaxy far, far, away. The idea of a spin-off series focused on the character had been a long time coming, andAhsokaofficially started productionin May 2022.
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After a stellardebut that outdidThe Mandalorianseason 3, the show has continued to shower fans with live-action debuts and returns of beloved characters, and the fifth episode was no different. Flashing back to the Siege of Mandalore during the Clone Wars era of the timeline,Ahsokaepisode 5 gave fans their first-ever look at the latest addition to Temuera Morrison’s list of conveniently similar-looking characters inStar Wars: The Clone Warsmain character, Captain Rex. The Clone soldier appeared in the middle of a battlefield, giving an update on the next tactical maneuver before urging his subordinates onwards and leading the charge.
Fans immediately took to social media to revel in the debut, with comments praising the decision and the episode in general, with most of the attention concentrated heavily on theClone Warsflashback segment. Also of note was Hayden Christensen’s Anakin Skywalker appearing in his garb fromStar Wars: The Clone Warsin live-action for the first time and giving fans cool moments to fawn over for the next week. Many prospective viewersquestioned how much Christensen would appear inAhsokabefore its debut and were quick to renounce their skepticism after the last episode’s spectacular performance.
Not only is Rex one of the most iconic characters in the franchise, but he also plays a special part in Ahsoka’s story. He was one of the few clones who fought off their inhibitor chips andhelped Ahsoka survive Order 66. Some fans did not initially realize that his appearance on the Disney Plus show was his live-action debut, as they were under the assumption that he must have been featured in the prequel trilogy due to his large role in the Clone War-era canon. Contrary to this belief, Rex was first created as a character for the 2008 animated featureThe Clone Wars,leading to his inclusion as a central figure in the long-runningStar Wars: The Clone Warsseries.
While Rex making his debut and Anakin forgoing his film robes for the more practical armor he wore in his animated appearances make for great moments and even some good character development, the fifth episode has piled on yet more evidence thatStar Wars: Ahsokaisn’t as welcoming to new fansas the pre-premiere messaging led them to believe. Whether or not those who haven’t done the extensive homework that fully appreciating the series requires will still be entertained might be a question for the renewal window.
