The following contains spoilers for Ahsoka Episode 6, "Part Six: Far, Far Away," streaming now on Disney+.
Ahsoka Episode 6, "Part Six: Far, Far Away," just served up a new breed of Stormtrooper, the Night Troopers, with ties to 2019's Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
This previously unseen Stormtrooper variant appears midway through Ahsoka's sixth installment, aboard Grand Admiral Thrawn's (Lars Mikkelsen) Star Destroyer. Like their commander, Captain Enoch (Wes Chatham), the Night Troopers sport battle-damaged armor repaired with various materials, including a gold-like substance. The resulting vein-like effect is reminiscent of the traditional Japanese art of kintsugi and strongly resembles the aesthetic of Kylo Ren's helmet in The Rise of Skywalker. It also tracks with previous reports that Ahsoka would feature Stormtroopers in protective garb inspired by both kintsugi and the ninth Skywalker Saga entry.
Aside from their striking appearance, Ahsoka's Night Troopers are notable for their apparent devotion to Lars Mikkelsen's Grand Admiral Thrawn. The Imperial grunts are shown fanatically chanting Thrawn's name as he marches through their ranks in the bay of what appears to be the Chimaera, the same Star Destroyer the warlord captained in the animated series Star Wars Rebels. "Part Six: Far, Far Away" also marks the live-action debut of Thrawn, who last appeared on screen in Rebels, in which he was voiced by Mikkelsen.
Rosario Dawson Made Stormtrooper Performers "Geek Out"
Fans don't get to see the Night Troopers in action in Ahsoka Episode 6, although Ahsoka Tano's (Rosario Dawson) imminent arrival indicates it won't be long before they enter the fray. When the Night Troopers do finally go head-to-head with Ahsoka, Thrawn will presumably expect them to maintain better composure than the real-life Stormtrooper performers who encountered Dawson on Disneyland's Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride. According to Haunted Mansion director Justin Simien, Rise of Resistance's Stormtroopers were "truly were in awe" of Dawson when he and the star recently made their way through the attraction.
That said, even Dawson herself is still capable of being overwhelmed by the experience of coming face-to-face with the Star Wars franchise. The actor admitted as much in a recent interview, recalling how she momentarily froze while shooting a "classic, proper Star Wars" scene during principal photography on Ahsoka. "I remember the director called action and I just kind of…didn't move? I was just so transfixed by the moment," Dawson said.
New episodes of Ahsoka premiere on Disney+ on Tuesdays.
Source: Disney+