Ahsoka: Who Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s Star Wars Character Could Be
Mary Elizabeth Winstead has been cast in the upcoming Star Wars Disney+ series Ahsoka, and there are several characters she could be playing. Ahsoka Tano, a fan-favorite former padawan from Star Wars: The Clone Wars, made her long-awaited live-action debut in The Mandalorian season 2, played by Rosario Dawson. Much to the delight of longtime Star Wars fans, a live-action Ahsoka series starring Dawson was announced in late 2020, promising exciting adventures for the Force-sensitive Togruta after the events of the original trilogy. Mary Elizabeth Winstead has been cast in Ahsoka, and fans have already begun speculating who she could be playing.
The former padawan Ahsoka Tano left the Jedi Order after most of its members showed no faith in her innocence when she was framed for bombing the Jedi Temple. Ahsoka would reappear in Star Wars Rebels where, in addition to helping found the Rebel Alliance, she explored the mysterious World Between Worlds, a realm where anywhere in time and space can be accessed. Rebels ended with Ahsoka resolving to find the missing Ezra Bridger, who went missing in the galaxy’s Unknown Regions along with Grand Admiral Thrawn. Ahsoka’s dialogue in The Mandalorian season 2 suggests that she may still be searching for Ezra (via Thrawn) making this the premise of Ahsoka.
If Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett are any indications, Ahsoka will be yet another crowd-pleasing adventure in the Star Wars timeline that, in addition to deepening its lore, will bring elements of the Legends universe into the new continuity. Mary Elizabeth Winstead may end up playing the first live-action iteration of a famous canon Star Wars character or depict a new character who, like Din Djarin and Fennec Shand, will enrich the new Star Wars continuity. Ahsoka has an excitingly great amount of potential to tie the Star Wars franchise together, and whoever Winstead plays, she’s sure to be a welcome addition to it.
Ar’alani
Originally a Legends-era character, debuting in the 2006 novel, Outbound Flight, Ar’alani is a Chiss naval officer within the Chiss Ascendancy. Ar’alani was featured far more prominently in the canon universe, with significant roles in Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn novels. With Grand Admiral Thrawn still missing since the Star Wars Rebels series finale and Ahsoka likely still searching for him (and thus Ezra Bridger) in her TV series, Mary Elizabeth Winstead could be playing Ar’alani in Ahsoka, who is a close friend and associate of Thrawn’s who may also be searching for him, putting her at odds (or perhaps on the same side) as Ahsoka Tano.
Hera Syndulla
Hera Syndulla was an early member of the Rebellion, a close ally of Ahsoka Tano, and the captain of the Ghost, which Ezra Bridger served aboard throughout the events of Rebels. Hera is a key Star Wars character, appearing in numerous Star Wars properties, from other animated TV shows, like Star Wars: The Bad Batch to video games like Star Wars: Squadrons. While Hera’s whereabouts after Return of the Jedi‘s Battle of Endor are depicted, very little of her history is known after this. It would not be surprising to see Winstead play Hera in her live-action debut, as she’d be a valuable ally to Ahsoka Tano if she’s navigating the notoriously-treacherous Unknown Regions in search for Ezra. As someone who felt responsible for Ezra well-being during their adventures in the Rebellion, Hera would have plenty of motivation to find her missing friend and crewmember.
Doctor Aphra
The fan-favorite archeologist from various canon Star Wars comics, Doctor Aphra may make her live-action debut in Ahsoka. Little is known of Aphra’s story following the original trilogy era, and she could become a shaky ally of Ahsoka in her search for Thrawn and Ezra Bridger. While possible, it’s highly unlikely, however, that Mary Elizabeth Winstead will play Aphra in Ahsoka. Aphra appears to have an East Asian likeness, so casting a white actress would easily and deservedly cause controversy among Star Wars fans. Should Aphra make her live-action debut in Ahsoka or any other property, she’d likely be played by an actress of East Asian ancestry.
Barriss Offee
Barriss Offee was once a Jedi padawan like Ahsoka Tano, and the two were friends until Offee, disillusioned with the Jedi Order’s participation in the Clone Wars, bombed the temple in protest, framing Ahsoka for the act. Offee has, notably, been absent from the Star Wars franchise following The Clone Wars. Fans had hoped to see her reappear as an Imperial Inquisitor in Star Wars Rebels and later Jedi: Fallen Order, but her fate following her arrest remains shrouded in mystery. Dave Filoni claims that he has plans for the character, so Ahsoka may finally feature the return of Barriss Offee, which would be a fitting place for her to reappear.
Barriss Offee’s quarrel may have been with the Jedi Order writ large, but she made Ahsoka suffer far more than the institution. Offee’s actions directly led to Ahsoka leaving the order, so having her reappear to menace Tano would make their rivalry personal and intense. Offee would, presumably, fall to the dark side and become an obstacle to Ahsoka’s goals of rescuing her friend, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s talents would be used excellently in the live-action debut of Ahsoka Tano’s old enemy.
Mara Jade
A somewhat far-fetched possibility is that Mary Elizabeth Winstead will play Mara Jade, the fan-favorite Force-sensitive from the Legends universe. Mara Jade is the adopted daughter of Emperor Palpatine who eventually left the life of a Sith assassin and became a Jedi Master in Luke Skywalker’s New Jedi Order. While introducing a canon version of Mara Jade is possible, a far better option would be to bring her in from her native reality of Legends. The logo for Ahsoka resembles a portal in the World Between Worlds, implying the realm’s appearance in the series. If this is the case, a character from a different Star Wars reality, such as Mara Jade, could appear in the canon universe, assisting Ahsoka in her conflict. Mara Jade is an extremely layered, complex, and likable character, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead would be an excellent choice to play this Legends-native character in Ahsoka.
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