Julia McGrath ’23
Staff Writer
Star Wars fans old and new will find that Tales of the Jedi, a series of six new animated short films, brings something new to the iconic franchise. While the fandom has long been divided on multiple different topics, this new show focuses on two fan-favorite characters that bridge that gap: Count Dooku and Ahsoka Tano. The former has made a notable appearance in the prequel films, played by the late Christopher Lee. However, until recently, Ahsoka Tano has only made appearances in Star Wars’ animated television shows, like The Clone Wars and Rebels.
Voiced by Ashley Eckstein, Tano is known primarily for being Anakin Skywalker’s padawan, or apprentice. While the seven seasons of The Clone Wars give ample time to explore their relationship, Tales of the Jedi focuses more on Ahsoka herself, Anakin only making an appearance in one of the three shorts focused on Tano specifically. For instance, the first short in the series, titled “Life and Death,” tells the story of how Ahsoka was found to be Force-sensitive. On her first birthday, Ahsoka’s mother, Pav-Ti, takes her hunting, but in typical Star Wars fashion, all does not go to plan. Long story short, after the chaos is over and baby Ahsoka miraculously survives everything she came up against, the last line of the film explains it all: “Ahsoka is Jedi.”
Known in deeper Star Wars lore as Darth Tyranus, the version of Count Dooku seen in Tales of the Jedi is still a Jedi Master, and the three short films dedicated to him document his turn to the Dark Side. While the episodes focus mostly on Dooku losing faith in the Republic and the Jedi Order by association, one event in particular stands out as the driving force behind Dooku’s choice.
WARNING: SPOILERS FOR THE PHANTOM MENACE AHEAD
In the short aptly called “The Sith Lord,” when Count Dooku hears about his apprentice Qui-Gon’s death, he is so lost in his own grief and anger that he immediately goes to meet with Darth Sidious to pledge himself to the Dark Side. Dooku insists that Qui-Gon didn’t have to die, and that the Jedi Council should have listened when he warned them about the coming darkness. When a Jedi Master who follows Dooku to Sidious urges him to come back to the Light, Dooku says it’s too late for him. This leaves the viewer heartbroken for Dooku, and it’s even sadder when one considers Dooku’s unfortunate role in Anakin’s downfall.
Tales of the Jedi shows beloved characters in a different light and makes an old story feel new again. Learning more about Ahsoka and Dooku, following them on adventures and dark moments throughout their lives reminds the viewer of what Star Wars really is: a tale of both hope and loss, of light and darkness, a tragedy akin to the Ancient Greeks. The six short films leave the viewer wanting more, as most Star Wars content does, but this author has a feeling that a second season will come at some point in the future.
Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi is available on Disney+ for a monthly subscription payment of $6.99.
