Star Wars Rebels

Need a crash course in the shared story of Ahsoka Tano, Hera Syndulla and Sabine Wren before Star Wars: Ahsoka? These are the essential Clone Wars and Rebels episodes to watch.

The Clone Wars Movie <br><br> The Clone Wars began life as a theatrical movie before spinning out into the TV series. While many fans would agree the movie is nowhere near as good as what the show eventually became, it's still important to start here for a proper introduction to Ahsoka. The movie sets the tone of the Ahsoka/Anakin dynamic going forward, establishing her as a promising pupil with an independent streak to rival that of her master. Watching the movie will also give you a much better appreciation for how much Ahsoka has grown and evolved by the end of the series.

Cloak of Darkness (The Clone Wars S1E9) <br><br> While The Clone Wars undergoes plenty of growing pains in Season 1, the series is well on its way to finding its groove in this Paul Dini-penned episode, the conclusion of a three-part arc that puts Ahsoka in a solo spotlight. Here we see her take on Asajj Ventress and wrestle with some of the same dilemmas as her master. At what point in war do the ends justify the means, and should Jedi resort to threats of force to get the job done?

Brain Invaders (The Clone Wars S2E8) <br><br> Every once in a while, The Clone Wars pushes Star Wars into full-blown horror territory, and never more memorably than this dark and creepy episode. "Brain Invaders" is basically a mini-zombie movie, with Ahsoka and fellow Padawan Barriss Offee battling their own parasite-infested troops. This episode is significant both in that it's among the first to really highlight Anakin's gradual descent into darkness, and in how much it focuses on the important Ahsoka/Barriss friendship. That's another thread that pays off handsomely down the road.

Lightsaber Lost (The Clone Wars S2E11) <br><br> The lightsaber is a Jedi's most important tool, and losing one can be a matter of life or death. That's a problem Ahsoka struggles with in this Season 2 episode, as the hunt for her missing blade takes her deep into Coruscant. It's a critical part of her journey in the series, one that helps expose Ahsoka to life outside the rigid confines of the Jedi Order.

Assassin (The Clone Wars S3E7) <br><br> "Assassin" is another strong example of a solo Ahsoka episode. In this case, Ahsoka does her best to safeguard Padme after experiencing visions of her assassination (foreshadowing the events of Episode III). That culminates in a terrific showdown with bounty hunter Aurra Sing. The episode includes other geek-out moments to boot, like a nod to the late Qui-Gon Jinn and a storyline set on the rarely seen world of Alderaan. Just try not to get tripped up by the fact that it's hard to place this episode in the series' larger chronology.