Ahsoka is set to launch on Disney+ tomorrow and there's understandably a huge amount of excitement for the series. Much of that is from longtime fans of Ahsoka Tano, a character who was hated when she debuted and later became nothing short of beloved.
It was in the long-running animated series The Clone Wars that we first met Anakin Skywalker's apprentice, while her later return as an adult in Star Wars Rebels saw the former Jedi become a key figure in the formation of the Rebellion. Since then, her story has been fleshed out in novels and even another animated series, such as Tales of the Jedi.
However, for those of you who don't live and breathe all things Star Wars, we appreciate that the first time you met Ahsoka was likely in The Mandalorian or The Book of Boba Fett.
Ahsoka is quite clearly a direct follow-up to Star Wars Rebels, hence why characters like Hera Syndulla and Sabine Wren are front and centre and attempting to track down Ezra Bridger and Grand Admiral Thrawn. If you've not watched the aforementioned TV show, those names are likely to mean very little to you, so are The Clone Wars and Rebels essential viewing prior to watching Ahsoka?
The frustrating answer is yes and no.
We've seen the first two episodes and can report that, if you go in having watched those shows, you'll definitely have a better understanding of the characters, not to mention the significance of certain references and moments.
However, the show is also something of a fresh start for the Ghost crew, picking up with them several years after they last fought the Empire together. All you really need to know is that Ahsoka left the Jedi Order and Anakin behind during the events of Revenge of the Sith (prior to his turn to the Dark Side) and the fact Ezra is a Jedi who went missing alongside the villainous Thrawn after they were pulled into hyperspace by the whale-like Purrgil.
It's obviously too late now to binge your way through The Clone Wars and Rebels but either of the videos below is a great way of at least catching up on the events of Rebels in a reasonable amount of time (many of the ideas introduced in Rebels are now going to be expanded on by Dave Filoni).
The first two episodes of Ahsoka will premiere on Disney+ tomorrow.