‘Ahsoka’ Episode 7 Review – The Essence Of Star Wars, And Only That

Despite the show rounding the fourth turn into the final stretch, Ahsoka is still surprisingly tough to predict. Each episode properly follows the last, and there isn’t a pacing problem by any means. Yet, still, we have one episode left and it feels like a million things could, and perhaps even should, happen. There are open conflicts, swinging loose threads, and fresh wounds that’ll either have to carry over into the next season or be quickly resolved in this one. It’s an interesting conundrum the show has got itself in, though credit where credit is due, it has undeniably earned our trust thus far.

As far as this penultimate episode goes, it continues that trend of nonexistent predictability and spends some time in the trenches; most of episode seven is spent on physical conflict. We’ve got multiple space battles, a chase scene on land, gunfights, lightsaber fights, and the use of rocks, pots, and pans as weapons all along the way. Ezra, who can finally be talked about now, makes a relatively hefty character decision to opt for the force as his weapon in lieu of his lightsaber (until he must use a blaster, for which he doesn’t hesitate).

Episode seven is a whirlwind of chaotic symphonies of familiar sights and sounds, broken up early on by a diplomatic boardroom conversation so boring Filoni has to send in an entertainment lifeline. No spoilers, of course, but it feels very self-aware in spite of the scene’s necessity. The sequence revolves around Hera, who is well performed and certainly a comforting presence, but at least so far, her inclusion feels disconnected.

Again, she has to be here, and her adaptation being a success ensures this isn’t a total loss, but cuts away from Sabine and Ezra or Ahsoka and Huyang, whose plots are all connected tightly to Hera’s own journey through the inner corporate workings of the New Republic. None of it stands to the core heroes vs. villains arc of the show, and almost always is frustrating when Hera isn’t on-screen. It’s probably the show’s biggest problem and also the most prevalent in this episode. That certainly weighs it down.

Thankfully, the rest of the episode being focused on all the fun is enough to carry it to the end, along with the excitement for next week’s finale. We also get perhaps Rosario Dawson’s best individual performance as Ahsoka yet, as well as a moment where she reunites with Eman Esfandi’s Ezra. Their simple hug is a series highlight, due greatly to the power of their performances.

To that, Esfandi plays a perfect Ezra in his television acting debut. He’s sharp and moves with the character’s defined sense of whimsy; the transition, much like most of this show’s animation to live-action sequences, is seamless. For the uninitiated, it could serve as a sweeping introduction to his character, too. One that wraps him up into a few moments of pure Ezra Bridger, simultaneously explaining where he’s been and why. It just works; Filoni keeps it short and sweet and lets the longtime character speak for himself. This episode, through all the insanity, really is just an extension of that.

Is it a bit rudimentary? Yes, but it simply works and serves as a satisfying conduit into whatever next week’s episode has in store. The gang is (almost) back together, and the timing is just right. Thrawn is on the rise, and the Rebels are going to do all they can to stop him. The best part of this show is still that it feels like a continuation of Rebels, for fans and newcomers alike. It exudes pure Star Wars, and after a few of the recent missteps the franchise has seen, that’s really all we can ask for.