Star Wars Rebels Writer Throws Shade at ‘Ahsoka’ Over Sabine’s Jedi Twist

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Henry Gilroy, a writer from the show Star Wars Rebels, recently criticized a surprising plot point in Season 1 of Ahsoka. The new series, created by Davie Filoni and continuing the story from Rebels, revealed that the character Sabine Wren (played by Natasha Lui Bordizzo) has a connection to the Force. Many fans were unhappy with the season finale when Sabine, a Mandalorian warrior, unexpectedly used these powers without any training.

I was listening to the Pod of Rebellion podcast, and Dave Filoni’s co-writer, Beau Willimon, talked about Sabine Wren becoming a Jedi in Ahsoka. Honestly, it was a surprise to him too! He said it wasn’t what they’d planned at all when they were working on Rebels. Apparently, they even discussed it back in Season 3 and felt it would take away from Ezra’s journey and felt like something they’d already done before.

That wasn’t the original intention at all. We discussed it back in Season 3 and ultimately decided it would overshadow Ezra’s storyline and felt repetitive – like we’d already explored that territory. We believed giving Sabine Jedi training was unnecessary, as she was already a remarkably skilled and unique warrior.

He stated he wasn’t involved in the Ashoka series, so he was surprised when it moved forward. He explained that the entire story team had previously agreed it was a bad idea.

To be honest, I wasn’t involved in the ‘Ashoka’ series at all, so I was really surprised when it happened. Our story team had actually discussed it and all agreed it wasn’t a good idea. We weighed the pros and cons and concluded it felt like a step backward, so we didn’t think we should pursue it.

Gilroy explained that he believed Sabine didn’t require Jedi abilities to be a strong leader or have a compelling narrative. He specifically highlighted her experiences with the Darksaber as a prime example.

He explained what resonated with him about her Dark Saber storyline: it demonstrates that you don’t need to be a Jedi Knight to embrace Jedi principles.

What I find so compelling about her journey with the Dark Saber is that you don’t need to be a Jedi to live by Jedi principles and adopt their way of thinking. That’s more meaningful than someone suddenly using Force powers without any prior training, like just pushing Ezra around with the Force out of nowhere.

The writer of Rebels explained that he believed turning Sabine into a Jedi weakened the impact of her story as it was originally presented in the popular animated series.

I thought making her a Jedi actually weakened her character, because she’s strong enough without needing the Force.

The second season of Ahsoka will bring Sabine back next year. This new installment of the space-based series finds Sabine, played by Natasha Bordizzo, stranded in a different galaxy with Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson). There, she’ll learn to use the Force while facing off against the enigmatic Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati.

Was Making Sabine a Jedi a Good Idea?

It’s always thrilling for Star Wars fans when a beloved character unexpectedly discovers their connection to the Force. Seeing a familiar hero or villain suddenly reveal Jedi abilities is one of the most satisfying experiences for a fan.

Thinking about the Sabine Wren storyline now, it probably wasn’t the best creative choice. Henry Gilroy raises some valid points when he discusses why that part of the Ahsoka series has become so controversial.

As he pointed out, a major theme in Sabine’s storyline on Rebels was her realization that she didn’t need to be connected to the Force to be a strong leader. She could live by the principles of a Jedi without actually being a Jedi.

This created a compelling contrast with Ezra Bridger (played by Eman Esfandi in Ahsoka). Ezra was the group’s Force-sensitive apprentice, while Sabine was uniquely different – and that was a good thing. It was exciting to see Sabine hold her own against Ezra without needing to use the Force herself.

Adding Force sensitivity feels like it diminishes Ahsoka’s accomplishments so far. The first season of Ahsoka almost suggests she couldn’t have succeeded without it, which raises the question: did she really need the Force all along?

With Season 2 of Ahsoka expected around 2026, viewers should get a better understanding of Sabine’s journey to becoming a Jedi. The new season will likely explain why she needed to start formal Jedi training as a Padawan at the end of Season 1.

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2025-11-18 09:45