The newest Ahsoka reintroduces some familiar Star Wars faces
Warning: This article contains spoilers about the third episode of Ahsoka, "Time to Fly."
The newest episode of Ahsoka welcomes some familiar faces back to a galaxy far, far away.
The third episode of the live-action Star Wars series debuted on Disney+ on Aug. 29, following Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) and Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) as they continued their search for the missing Grand Admiral Thrawn. Much of the episode centered on Ahsoka's attempts to train Sabine in the ways of the Force, while elsewhere, General Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) fights to convince her New Republic superiors to aid them in their quest to find Thrawn.
Among those superiors? Chancellor Mon Mothma, played by a returning Genevieve O'Reilly. Mothma, of course, is a pivotal figure in Star Wars, rising from senator to leader of the Rebel Alliance. (Caroline Blakiston originated the role in 1983's Return of the Jedi, while O'Reilly has played Mothma in Revenge of the Sith, Rogue One, Andor, and the animated Rebels.) Chronologically, Ahsoka marks her latest appearance, having now been elected chancellor of the New Republic.
Lucasfilm Ltd. Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly, center) in 'Ahsoka'
The Mothma of Ahsoka is older than the young upstart senator we last saw in Andor, and her appearance here highlights her long history with Hera. But despite her loyalties to the rebel general, Mothma is overruled by her fellow senators, who decline to provide any support to Hera's quest to find Thrawn.
Fortunately for Hera, she's got at least one ally: her young son Jacen, who makes his live-action debut in this episode. Jacen is the son of Hera and her late husband Kanan Jarrus (voiced in Rebels by Freddie Prinze Jr.), who died before the boy was born. As the son of a Twi'lek mother and a human father, Jacen boasts green hair — and he also wants to follow in his father's footsteps, eager to become a Jedi like Kanan. Jacen first popped up in the series finale of Rebels, and he's played in Ahsoka by Mr. Robot actor Evan Whitten.
As part of EW's recent cover story on Ahsoka, Winstead opened up about how she was particularly drawn to Hera's role as a mother and her relationship with Jacen.
"What I love about her is that she's such a strong leader and fighter, and she's also so maternal and nurturing," Winstead explained in an interview conducted prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike. "We don't often see that depicted on screen. We see army generals being these very masculine, hard figures. And Hera has that, but she also has this softness to her. She really wants her crew to be loved and looked after, and at the same time, she's pushing them to be better."
Ahsoka airs Tuesdays on Disney+ at 6 pm PT/9 pm ET.
To hear exclusive interviews with the Ahsoka cast as well as full episode recaps, listen to EW's Dagobah Dispatch podcast.
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