'Star Wars' Universe needs a new anchor and Ahsoka Tano should be the one to take over from the Skywalkers
The Skywalkers have been central to the 'Star Wars' franchise for decades. Whether it's the nine main films, the various movie and television spinoffs, or even the extended universe novels, the Skywalkers have been at the heart of it all. The perhaps ironically named 'The Rise of Skywalker', however, claims to have brought the Skywalker Saga to an end. Now, the 'Star Wars' universe needs a new anchor, and that anchor should be Ahsoka Tano.
Introduced in 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' and voiced by Ashley Eckstein, Ahsoka was first brought in to round off the story of Anakin Skywalker (Matt Lanter) as his own padawan, but she quickly became central to the series in her own right. Her popularity was enough to have her brought her back in 'Star Wars: Rebels' and she will be making her first live-action appearance in 'The Mandalorian'. Additionally, the character will reportedly be getting her very own TV series, according to noted industry scooper Daniel RPK, who noted on his Patreon that an "Ahsoka Tano show of some kind is in development for Disney+."
While it would be great for the 'Star Wars' franchise to head off in an entirely new direction, the backlash to 'The Last Jedi' proves that fans aren't ready for the franchise to venture into new territory without a heavy dose of the old. Ahsoka Tano is a character that embodies the best of both. A major part of the Clone Wars, an integral part of the galaxy's history, Ahsoka has been an essential part of the ancient Jedi tradition — while also being the first to recognize that the old ways must be rejected when they don't live up to the ideals they set. She is the perfect person to create a new path for Force wielders in the galaxy.
Rey (Daisy Ridley) was trained by Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) — both important figures in their own right, but largely ignorant of what it meant to be a Jedi warrior. Leia spent most of her life focusing on skills unrelated to her Force abilities, while Luke's knowledge of the Jedi way is all second-hand knowledge, gleaned from books and a brief training period with Yoda (Frank Oz). Ashley's Tano has been raised in the ways of the Jedi and knows the full extent of what the Light Side of the Force can do.
Ahsoka Tano embodies the legacy of 'Star Wars' at its best, and her popularity proves that new characters can become an essential part of the franchise's lore without being a member of the Skywalker clan. She is fierce, powerful and though she lost her faith in the Jedi Order, she never once lost hope. She is one of the 'Star Wars' franchise's best characters and deserves a chance to anchor the series going forward.