Ahsoka Season 2 Is Making A Major Change To Rosario Dawson's Star Wars Character

"Star Wars: Ahsoka" season 1 does more heavy lifting than most Disney+ "Star Wars" shows when it comes to incorporating Legends lore into the official canon. Where "The Mandalorian" brings many characters from Dave Filoni's animated "Star Wars" shows into live-action and even makes Katee Sackhoff's Bo-Katan Kryze a co-protagonist in season 3, "Ahsoka" is a full-on sequel series to the much-loved "Star Wars Rebels" and features many of the show's characters. Even Ahsoka Tano's (Rosario Dawson) former master Anakin Skywalker is back, with Hayden Christensen reprising the role from the prequel trilogy and "Obi-Wan Kenobi."  

Not content with just revisiting old glories, "Ahsoka" also introduces a new and ambitious storyline that revolves around Peridea, a mysterious planet outside the known "Star Wars" galaxy. Perhaps even more importantly, it explores the world-weary temperament of the adult Ahsoka, whose melancholy disposition is a far cry from her happier days. For fans who've been missing the more animated (in both senses of the word) version of Ahsoka, Dawson has great news. During an "Ahsoka" panel discussion at Comic-Con Scotland 2025, the actor strongly suggested her character will lighten up in "Ahsoka" season 2: 

"She had a more of a strong gravitas at the beginning, and she was a little bit more unflappable. And I'm liking that she's relaxing, she's kind of getting back into her joy. I think those moments with Hayden [Christensen] and Anakin were so important for her to heal something so she could be more present. And that's what I'm really enjoying. I think we get to explore that a lot more in the second season. [...] I'm really glad that we get to add more joy into her life and see her relax a little bit more and work in community a little bit more than she has."

Ahsoka Tano's relationship with Anakin Skywalker is one of the longest-running and most emotional arcs in the "Star Wars" franchise. Originally voiced by Ashley Eckstein, Ahsoka started out as a plucky padawan whose initial difficulties with her master Anakin (voiced on "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and "Rebels" by Matt Lanter) evolved into a true friendship that's a highlight in both characters' stories. The latter's fall to the dark side inevitably soured the relationship, as well as Ahsoka's worldview. 

This wounded, ronin-like, serious Ahsoka Tano is the one we meet on "The Mandalorian" and "Ahsoka" – a formidable but guilt-ridden warrior and tactician whose enigmatic and rarely seen smile never quite reaches her eyes anymore. However, after Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) defeats her in a lightsaber battle, she meets Anakin's Force ghost. (Recall that the Christensen iteration of this character was arguably the most controversial change George Lucas made with the 1997 "Star Wars Trilogy: Special Edition.)

Anakin then proceeds to spend the majority of "Ahsoka" season 1, episode 5 ("Part Five: Shadow Warrior") walking Ahsoka through their complex past on the purgatory plane known as the World Between Worlds. This turns out to be a transformative experience for her, and since the ending of "Ahsoka" season 1 reveals that Anakin's Force ghost is looking after her on Peridea, there's every chance that the two characters will continue to interact going forward. Perhaps this unconventional reunion with her old master will become a key element in Ahsoka's improved mood during her show's sophomore season.

"Ahsoka" season 1 is streaming on Disney+. Season 2 has yet to receive a premiere date.