The following contains spoilers for Ahsoka Episode 6, "Part Six: Far, Far Away," streaming now on Disney+.
The power of storytelling is a major theme in Ahsoka's sixth episode, "Part Six: Far Far Away." In the opening minutes, Ahsoka reminisces on stories Huyang used to tell her and other Jedi younglings about the galaxy's history. Baylan Skoll describes Peridea, the planet where Grand Admiral Thrawn spent his many years in exile, as "Children's stories come to life," a source of folklore even by Star Wars standards. The episode marks the live-action debut of a villain who first appeared in a 1991 Star Wars novel and features three Dathomirian soothsayers inspired by everything from Greek mythology's Fates to the witches of Macbeth. The subtext, by all accounts, is pretty on the nose.
Surprisingly, this episode might be the first Star Wars entry to utter the iconic "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away" phrase in-universe. Its title holds a double meaning as a reference to the franchise and a nod to the heroes' and villains' collective odyssey, traveling literal galaxies to find Thrawn and Ezra Bridger after years of searching the cosmos. Like "Shadow Warrior," the payoff remains satisfying, providing solid characterization and eye-catching visuals while embracing Star Wars' fantastical mythology in ways no live-action property has really done before.
Directed by Jennifer Getzinger, "Far Far Away" quickly leaves Ahsoka and Huyang behind after the prologue, instead focusing on Baylan, Shin Hati, and Morgan Elsbeth's arrival on Peridea, with Sabine Wren as their captive. They meet three ancient Nightsisters, referred to as the Great Mothers, who direct them to Thrawn's ship, the IDS Chimaera. The Star Destroyer Star Wars Rebels fans watched get yanked into hyperspace by Purrgil is still functional -- albeit decrepit and rundown -- and still boasts a sizable Stormtrooper army, with Thrawn commanding a more fanatical authority than his Rebels/EU days. A devotion that, per his opening line, "What was first just a dream had become a frightening reality for those who oppose us," seriously backs up rumors of Dave Filoni wanting his future Star Wars movie to be an updated Heir to the Empire adaptation.
Thankfully, the Grand Admiral remains as intimidating as ever. No one doubted Lars Mikkelsen's ability. After all, he did voice Thrawn in Rebels. But the blue-skinned Chiss' physical translation works well, aided, in large part, by Mikkelsen's commanding, raspy voice and unorthodox villain mannerisms (plus his trademark pipe organs theme). He's more strategic than physically ruthless. He's polite to allies like Elsebeth and his second-in-command Enoch (Wes Chatham) and to longtime adversaries like Sabine -- focused on the bigger picture rather than personal grudges. It's a deliberate contrast to Force-wielding heavy-hitters like Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine and the source of Thrawn's longtime book appeal. Though fans have yet to witness the scope of his brutality, what "Far Far Away" delivers makes the build-up to Thrawn's reveal feel worthwhile for longtime Rebels admirers.
The rest of the episode splits its time between Sabine's hunt for Ezra and Baylan and Shin's pursuit of her. While her trek through the barren hills and rock formations of Peridea aren't that imaginative, Getzinger still supplies Sabine's journey with a neat action scene and an oddball tribe of bipedal turtle natives to keep the episode casually weird. Her lighthearted dynamic with her Howler mount, a mix of wolf, horse, and camel with the goofy persona of a golden retriever. A relationship any pet owner will probably find quite relatable.
The latter interactions explore Baylan's psychology as a Dark Jedi and anti-villain. His conversations with Shin really establish Baylan as Ahsoka's mirror, someone who left the Jedi way behind and embarked down a villainous path without succumbing to the sadistic traits that define Sith and Inquisitors in Star Wars media. Baylan survived the attack on the Jedi Temple and, in his own words, misses "the idea" of Jedi culture despite recognizing its internal weaknesses in hindsight. It's a nuanced outlook, and Ray Stevenson's performance excels at keeping Baylan endearing despite aligning with the space-fascist side. Rather than desiring unlimited power, he just wants a way for the endless Light Side/Dark Side warfare conflict to end once and for all.
It's all strong character work, leading up to the moment Sabine finds Ezra after many years apart -- something Rebels fans have desired since 2018. Between delivering on the promise of seeing these animated characters in live-action and allowing itself to get super weird, "Far Far Away" marks another milestone in Star Wars storytelling history. Such stories are, at their core, just another form of art, and if Star Wars fans know one thing about Grand Admiral Thrawn, it's that he loves using art to defeat his enemies.
New Ahsoka Episodes Air Tuesdays at 9 pm EST/6 pm PST on Disney+.