Every time an episode of Ahsoka lands, Fantha Tracks will be giving their responses, and here are our initial gut feelings, deep dives and thoughts on the seventh episode, ‘Dreams and Madness’. Beware of spoilerific elements in here.
Dan Lo
In the movie Minority Report, police chief John Anderton joins an experimental “precrime” program after losing his young son in a mysterious abduction. He is a proponent of the controversial precognitive technology used by the program and excels at his job, but also continues to suffer from depression and drug addiction. In an attempt to cope, his routine involves watching old holographic recordings of his missing son and now estranged wife. He even interacts with the recordings, desperately clinging onto any available remnants of his old life through the old moving images.
In the latest episode of Ahsoka, the title character also plays back old holographic recordings but that’s where most of the similarities end. Well, unless you count that the Force technically involves precognitive abilities too but I digress. The subject of the old holograms here is of course Anakin Skywalker, who makes yet another welcomed appearance on the show. Despite being a recording, this is the most authentic version of the Chosen One we see so far. I still don’t know how real (or even the type of real) the Anakin we saw in the World Between Worlds was, but it was definitely not quite a version of him that actually existed in the real world. The Anakin in this recording has, with his pre-Vader kindness and warmth really shining through in the few lines of dialog he delivers. “If we get separated or something happens” is surely the biggest understatement ever.
Speaking of separations, despite the cracks forming between Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati last time out, I did not expect Shin to get cut loose so abruptly. Baylan apparently senses an irreversible impatience in her, as well as some degree of distrust in his vision. His parting lesson is basically telling her that she is in the process of making a mistake, but it either flies over her head or she doesn’t care. What isn’t clear to me is whether or not Baylan realizes that Shin essentially has no place in Thrawn’s Empire.
The former Jedi General probably did not have “fight Ahsoka Tano again” on his Peridean bingo card, but here we are. Their rematch does not disappoint, and in some ways plays out similarly to their first encounter: Baylan is still clearly the physically stronger duelist, and can (and does) outmatch Ahsoka on an even playing field. However, there are far more differences this time: Baylan ignites his lightsaber first. Perhaps not primarily to kill, but rather to stall. Ahsoka draws both lightsabers this time, and does not bother removing her cloak before doing so. Each combatant establishes their stance only once before lightsabers begin clashing. The duel ends in a way Baylan doesn’t expect, with Ahsoka defying his previous accusations of being a one-trick pony of death and destruction.
By this time, Shin is already engaging Ezra and Sabine with night troopers on the way. This episode really demonstrates just how much to learn she still has. Sorry, I went into Yoda mode there. Neither Ezra nor Ahsoka bother drawing a weapon to fight her, simply relying on the Force as she swings her lightsaber wildly. In the end, the night troopers retreat and leave her outnumbered. Ahsoka offers an olive branch but Shin rejects her by running off. Where will she go? To Baylan, or to Thrawn?
I never had much of an opinion on Ezra’s character from Rebels (blasphemy for some, I know) but I must say I’m already a fan of his live action portrayal. He completely looks and sounds the part, and to me has the right screen chemistry with Sabine and Ahsoka to legitimately come across as long lost friends. Live action Ezra can also pull off good banter and fight sequences equally well, although his refusal to take his lightsaber was mildly disappointing. I’m still holding out hope that he will ignite it before the season is over.
I also like how the Noti are portrayed. Just the right amount of charm, screen time, and comic relief without crossing into obnoxious territory. Unlike the Ewoks, they’re never able to inflict any meaningful amount of damage against their larger and better armed opponents. Not for lack of trying of course, which adds to the humor. Well, one did score a headshot on a bandit with a well thrown frying pan, but only enough to stun him into an easy target for Sabine. Their pods are pretty cool too, although it’s odd that they choose to travel at such slow speeds when they clearly have tons more pace in hand once chased.
I have to admit that Thrawn’s night troopers are a bit of a letdown. When we first see them in the previous episode, their intimidating armor and chanting of the Grand Admiral’s name gave them a menacing presence. However, once they are deployed into action they seem no different from any standard blaster fodder Stormtroopers. I suppose until it’s shown to be otherwise, they are in fact most likely the same troopers in slightly different-looking uniforms. They are probably also rusty after nine years in exile with limited battle opportunities.
As much as I enjoyed the fight scenes in this episode, Thrawn is arguably the main highlight. Cool, calculated, and always a step (or five) ahead of his opponents, just like in Rebels. Last week was his live action debut but this time we get to see him operating as a full fledged military commander again, greatly enhancing his screen presence. The only time Thrawn seems to be caught off guard is the moment he learns that Ahsoka’s master was Anakin Skywalker, but quickly regains his composure. He immediately asks Enoch if he’s certain that there is only one starship. Is he being thorough, or expecting someone else? Even when Baylan goes missing from battle, Thrawn simply adjusts his strategy on the fly without much visible concern. With only one episode remaining in the season, Thrawn is still in exile and has yet to come face to face with the title character. My guess is the finale’s closing scene will show the Grand Admiral’s arrival back to the known galaxy, while it now seems all but certain that there will be a second season.
One question that lingers in the back of my mind is what do the Nightsisters get out of all this? Aside from a ride to a different galaxy, of course. While the value of that shouldn’t be understated, there must be something more. Does it have to do with the occupants of the catacombs? With their monopoly on “dark magick”, surely they wouldn’t need Thrawn’s assistance if their plan involves a mass resurrection unless it needs to occur in a different galaxy for some reason. I wonder all this because they seem slightly too subservient to Thrawn with no apparent reason or return that would warrant such loyalty.
Some random thoughts to wrap up: Does Hamato Xiona have something personal against Hera Syndulla? He’s almost written like a villain. Same team, guys! Seeing a visible ring of purgill bones in the daytime sky is both cool and a little morbid. Does Huyang know he quoted Leia? Were those space plankton? Ahsoka sliding down the staircase is a cool move, but probably unnecessary. The rear airstairs of the Boeing 727 don’t form a ramp, and D. B. Cooper presumably did just fine. If Ahsoka had just landed pretty much anywhere *but* right in front of Baylan though, she could have saved some time. Did Ezra underestimate Shin for a moment? How did he get sucker Force pushed by her? We still don’t know who’s all in the catacombs, but it seems very important that every single one of them be loaded into the Star Destroyer prior to departure. I am aware that this is the third time this season that I’ve referenced Tom Cruise in the introduction. I really did not plan that. Despite hinting strongly that Thrawn has the upper hand at this point, the episode interestingly ends on a positive note too. This feels strange to me. Are we intentionally being lulled into a false sense of optimism?
Jen Sopchockchai Bankard
I put this episode on par with Episode 5, which has been my favorite of the season thus far, because it gave me the same uplifting feeling that Ahsoka communing with the purrgil did. More importantly, it counteracted last week’s episode, which generated some concerns. When Ahsoka wrestled with Sabine’s choice to give Baylan the map rather than destroy it, it was unclear if she had really gone through a complete transformation from Gray to White. In this episode, however, she radiated light and wisdom in a way that felt completely consistent with where she seemed to be at the end of Episode 5. Rosario Dawson’s performance is off the charts here, as she’s everything I would want Ahsoka to be: compassionate, daring, funny, and fierce.
Ahsoka does not greet Sabine with coldness or hostility. Natasha Liu Bordizzo’s face (which had so many expressions in this episode!) indicates that Sabine expected some kind of tongue lashing. Instead, Ahsoka simply smiles, happy to see her. That gives Sabine permission to smile back, in relief. The smiles get even bigger as Ahsoka lets out a joyful, heart-melting laugh. She hugs Ezra and looks upon him for the first time since he pulled her out of Malachor through the World Between Worlds, and this look did everything to convey to me that she’s made substantial progress since her trials in Episode 5. She’s learned to let go of her fears and enjoy this moment. In contrast to her attempt to Force-choke Shin in episode 2, we see her extend a hand and offer to help Baylan’s power-hungry, hot-headed apprentice in Episode 2. “I can help you,” Ahsoka says. This surprises Shin so much she gets spooked and runs off.
Ezra demonstrates a similar sense of zen. When Sabine tries to change the subject with Ezra by saying “it’s complicated”, he very kindly asks, “The usual level, or worse?” This line says so much about Ezra and the unconditional trust that he has in Sabine. They have so much of a shared history that he doesn’t push her or get angry that she’s not telling him the whole story. He knows that even if it’s “worse,” that she did what she thought was right and that they’ll get through it all somehow. They always do. I now feel more secure that the Ezra we see here would never say, “What did you DO, Sabine?!” Perhaps his time with the Noti on Peridea has afforded him a wisdom and maturity not even Rebels fans have seen. And I have to say, after all the Jedi have been through in the history of Star Wars, from the folly of The Clone Wars to Luke’s failures in starting a new order, it was so nice to see two powerful Jedi exhibiting sage warmth, despite the circumstances.
The absence of the Noti from my review last week in NO WAY indicates a lack of enthusiasm for them. They are adorable, whimsical, and do wonders for science fiction/fantasy world building in this series, which has had critters like Loth-cats and humanoid aliens like Ahsoka and Hera, but no in-between alien races that blur the line between creature and person.
While Thrawn is doing who knows what with the Nightsisters (but likely resurrecting dead stormtroopers with dark magick) and ordering Morgan to destroy purrgil “with prejudice” when they appear, Ezra has harmonized with his surroundings, befriending the Noti to the point at which they have become his own little band of rebels, as Sabine says. Last episode tells us this, but this episode shows us how the Noti have welcomed Ezra as one of their own, giving him his own pod and protesting in fear of his safety when he tells them to go hide. With many viewers not having seen Star Wars Rebels and having no idea who Ezra Bridger is and how he ended up on Peridea, the choice to ally him with the Noti and actually make this “peaceful people” who have “survived well enough” a part of the fight this week is a very efficient way of conveying Ezra character to that sector of the audience.
l can’t forget that Morgan said last week that her ancestors domesticated the purrgil and rode them “before time was counted.” And now only their bones remain in this new galaxy. So, I suspect that the Dathomiri witches weren’t particularly nice to our dear space whales.
I must confess now that drawing a parallel between the Ewoks and the Noti was all a circuitous way for me to crush on Eman Esfandi as Ezra Bridger. On the one hand, his intonation harkens back to Ezra’s familiar cockiness, as he’s in over his head but unwilling to admit it. There’s a flippancy in his voice that comes off as laughably misguided (he really should be more worried). He is, after all, the type of person who gives “Jabba the Hutt” as his alias when he doesn’t want to share his real name. On the other hand, I also believe that he’s strong enough with the Force to actually pull this off. He still says the line with a sense of determination. The combination swindled my heart.
Ezra’s most notable quality of late, however, is that he has been stranded in Peridea, as far from his home, Lothal, as he could possibly be. He’s had nothing but time to reflect and meditate while trying to survive alongside the Noti. He has been the prisoner of time and its passing. He has no choice but to remain static, frozen in time as the other galaxy far, far away marches on. When he’s catching up with Sabine, we see just how much history he’s missed: “The Empire was defeated. The Emperor died. There’s a new republic. Zeb’s training recruits, and Hera’s commanding the fleet.”
What are the “loose threads,” as the Nightsisters would say? Thrawn is trying to escape exile, with some mysterious cargo (probably coffins full of… long dead Nightsisters? More Night troopers? Centuries of pickling that they can’t bear to leave behind?)
Ahsoka and Sabine, now that they’ve reunited with Ezra, need to stop Thrawn from returning (they won’t) and also find a way home.
Baylan is searching for some unknown, mystical source of power on Peridea so that he can break the cycle of Jedi, Sith, Rebellion, and Empire.
The first two items on this list on in direct conflict with one another, in a race against the clock. Considering how Hera ends her scene in this episode with the phrase “hope for the best and prepare for the worst,” it’s very likely that Thrawn — if only to be around for the Mando-verse movie slated for May 2026 (at the earliest; that date is very much a moving target due to the recently concluded writers’ strike and the ongoing actors’ strike) — will succeed and prove Hera right. I have not minded that we still don’t know what Baylan’s looking for, but I do hope that we get at least a hint of what it is by the end of the finale. I can see Baylan throwing a wrench into Thrawn v. Ahsoka, disrupting their conflict with the unleashing of whatever he’s discovered at the 11th hour. I predict that it will not matter as much what Baylan finds (at least not yet), but rather the fact that he has found it, changing the game as he did this week through his absence.
It seems time will be on no one’s side next week.
(This is condensed and edited – with permission – from Jen’s The Long Take review, which you can subscribe to here)
Ross Hollebon
Thrawn’s reaction to learning Ahsoka Tano’s Master was General Anakin Skywalker was the highlight of the episode for me. As the Chiss looked up, measured, yet with a rare level of concern, from the Inquisitorial database dossier, I felt fortunate to have devoured the canon Thrawn novels by Timothy Zahn.
In Thrawn: Alliances, released in 2018, the brilliant military strategist meets Anakin in space above Batuu. Their exchange is brilliant and the two would eventually partner in order to accomplish their disparate goals but I will not go any further in terms of spoilers. But, for those of you who have not read the novel, Thrawn has experienced Anakin’s unique approach to problem solving. It is this experience that leads him to tell Mogan Elsbeth, “And if she’s [Ahsoka] anything like her Master, she will be unpredictable and quite dangerous.” Thrawn has put himself on notice, not only because of the presence of Anakin’s former Padawan, but later in the episode because another former Jedi, General Baylan Skoll, has also gone off script.
Skoll all but releases Shin Hati in telling her, “Your ambition drives you in one direction. My path lies in another,” before offering her a parting lesson on the importance of patience. Shin, stunned but determined, and the the warrior nomads begin their aggressive descent towards the caravan of peaceful Noti, led by Ezra Bridger and Sabine Wren. A skirmish ensues, including Ahsoka reaching the surface, outsmarting Baylan, and rescuing and reuniting with her friends from Star Wars: Rebels, as they narrow down their retreating enemies to just a perplexed Shin.
The influence of Anakin on Ahsoka emerges once again. Not the creative, powerful, warrior-side that has Thrawn in a guarded state. This is the kind, playful Anakin we are introduced to through a holovid tutorial at the beginning of the episode aboard the Jedi ship while still in the mouth of the Purrgil. A caring, be-better-than-me mentor (who also dropped Asajj Ventress’ name!), who wants his charge to be safe when he is not there for her.
Ahsoka extends her hand to the defeated, deserted, blonde Force-using warrior, still sporting a single braid in her hair and says, “I can help you.” In some hybrid form of anger and uncertainty, Shin turns and runs, mounting her howler and racing to the distance.
I’m not sure of anyone’s next move, but the multiple grandmasters have each set their chess board and we have one more episode to see what can play out during this season of magic, reunion, and desire.
Eric Onkenhout
Ahsoka Part 7: Dreams and Madness landed last Wednesday, meaning there’s only one episode left of arguably the best Star Wars series so far. Andor is in its own category, but Ahsoka is the best of the rest, which is saying something.
Senator Hamato Xiono will do anything to deny things he does not wish to believe. When things appear hopeless for Hera, an old friend appears. When C-3PO enters the court, it provides a feeling of nostalgia and familiarity. It puts a smile on your face. In situations like this, the protocol droid shines, and Mon Mothma treats him with the respect he deserves. 3PO arrived to inform the court that Senator Leia Organa sanctioned Hera’s mission, not knowing that Xiono voted against it. Xiono wisely caves, and the court is dismissed. Funny story. Leia authorized the assignment only after she found out about it.
En route to Seatos, Ahsoka practices her lightsaber technique while listening to the last of the twenty hologram lessons Anakin Skywalker made for her. It’s perfect how Huyang is speaking for all of us when he says the odds of the purgills bringing them to Sabine are microscopic. But Ahsoka smiles back and basically says don’t worry about it. Watching Ahsoka act a little more loosey-goosey instead of being dour all the time is excellent.
Huyang and Ahsoka arrive at Seatos inside the purgill into a minefield surrounding the planet. This reminded me of the mines you’d encounter in the classic X-Wing PC game. They make it through but then face a half dozen fighters.
Meanwhile, aboard the Chimera, Thrawna and Morgan Elsbeth continue their plan for leaving Seatos. Elsbeth informs Thrawn that Ahsoka’s former master was Anakin Skywalker. Thrawn should have known this, as it was mentioned in the novel Thrawn: Alliances. Out in the plains, Ezra and Sabine make their way, escorted by the native Noti, until they are surrounded by bandits. The way the Noti build their machines to resemble their physiology isn’t new in Star Wars. Gungans and Mon Calamari have done this. Even the Geonosians designed their droids like metallic insects.
In true Thrawn fashion, he has the Nightsisters locate Ahsoka with their dark magic. Once their location is found, he orders Captain Enoch to open fire. Thrawn is a brilliant strategist, there is no doubt. But he couldn’t do everything alone. In Rebels, he had Rukh; now he has Enoch, the Nightsisters, and Morgan Elsbeth. Knowing how to delegate and having people he can trust is vital to his plans.
Ahsoka and Baylan Skoll have another explosive rematch. The quick cuts between battles are so Star Wars. Sabine and Ezra fight off the remaining bandits and then face Shin Hati. Ahsoka escapes Baylan’s blade with help from Huyang. But Baylan is conflicted. He respects Ahsoka but also hates what she has become and maybe hates her because she reminds him of his time at the Temple.
One thing Ahsoka does really well is it perfectly links live-action stories to every animated series: The Clone Wars, Rebels, and the sequel trilogy era, including the films and Star Wars Resistance. Where Ahsoka succeeds, compared to The Mandalorian or The Book of Boba Fett doesn’t, is the consistency with each episode. The revolving director door has been an Achilles heel with those series, whereas it’s been a strength in Ahsoka.
Sander de Lange looks at all the reveals and easter eggs in Ahsoka – The Guide Part 7: Dreams and Madness.
Brian Cameron and Ross Hollebon discuss Dreams and Madness on this weeks Good Morning Tatooine.
Mark Mulcaster and Mark Newbold discuss Part 7 on Making Tracks Reaction Chat: Ahsoka S1E7 – Dreams and Madness.
- Hardcover Book
- Fujikawa, Jenn (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 208 Pages - 10/10/2023 (Publication Date) - Insight Editions (Publisher)
