‘Ahsoka’ takes a big jump toward its future in the action-packed third episode

By Brian Lowry, CNN

(CNN) — After a somewhat sluggish start, “Ahsoka” felt much more on target as its third episode continued to draw upon “Star Wars Rebels” lore while mixing in abundant action and paying its respects to the original trilogy.

The interactions between Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson) and Sabine (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), in particular, echoed the early training of Luke Skywalker by Obi-Wan Kenobi, and offered a reminder that the past and future of “Star Wars” run straight through the Jedi order.

In that regard, the latest episode (a mere 37 minutes overall, benefiting somewhat from that economy) featured the dazzling spectacle of Ahsoka venturing into space to fight off attacking spaceships using a lightsaber, demonstrating her formidable talents.

Subtitled “Time to Fly,” the third chapter conducted considerable business regarding the overarching plot involving the search for “Rebels” mainstays Thrawn and Ezra Bridger, encountering a space ring with the potential to leap into faraway galaxies, as well as those majestic space whales, the Purrgil, providing another tantalizing hint regarding the hunt for the two missing characters.

For her part, Hera (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) was left to grapple with the myopia of the New Republic leadership to the lingering imperial threat. The show also introduced her son, fathered by the late Kanan Jarrus before “Rebels” breathed its last (a rather adult moment in that animated series, even if it was chastely accomplished off screen).

Disney took the unusual step on Tuesday of releasing specific data about the viewership of “Ahsoka’s” premiere, something the company hasn’t done previously with Disney+ titles. The metric presented, 14 million views, didn’t provide much clarity relative to traditional audience ratings, other than to signal that the studio very much wants the show to be perceived as a hit.

Whatever the numbers, “Ahsoka” now feels as if it’s more solidly building toward its larger narrative at a brisker pace. Keep doing that, and the ratings – however you choose to measure them – should take care of themselves.

The-CNN-Wire
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