‘Ahsoka’ Part Four Director Peter Ramsey On the Episode’s Emotional Reunion, Akira Kurosawa Inspirations, and More
The director behind episode 4 of Ahsoka, Peter Ramsey, discussed with IGN what it was like bringing back an important legacy actor for the episode’s bombshell ending. Ramsey also discussed what it was like directing for Ahsoka versus The Mandalorian. He also elaborated on the series’ inspirations and how it impacted episode 4.
Spoilers for Episode 4 “Fallen Jedi” below
Episode 4 of Ahsoka ends with the title character mysteriously being transported to the World Between Worlds, a dimension of the Force that allows for travel within space and time that was first introduced in an episode of Star Wars: Rebels. While in this dimension, Ahsoka turns around to see her former master, Anakin Skywalker, played by Hayden Christensen.
In his interview with IGN about the Ahsoka episode, Peter Ramsey elaborated on Hayden Christensen’s feelings while on set. It appears to have been an important moment, not only for the character but for Christensen as well:
“He’s a really sweet, low-key guy. He was pretty happy about being there after all this time. It had a lot of meaning for him.”
When shooting the end scene with Rosario Dawson and Hayden Christensen, Ramsey had interesting directorial notes for both actors. For Christensen, Ramsey emphasized to him that Anakin hadn’t seen Ahsoka for years. For Dawson, Ramsey emphasized to her that Ahsoka is trying to get her bearings first and foremost:
“[Hayden and I] just talked about what it’s like for [Anakin] to be seeing Ahsoka after all this time, that it’s a reunion for them. And I just told him, ‘It’s like you haven’t seen your daughter in two years. She’d gone off to college and you’re seeing her again and she’s like a different person but still your daughter…’
On the Rosario side of it, she knew what it meant in the story and it was just about selling the idea that she was waking up somewhere really having no clue as to what was going on, not understanding ‘Am I dead? Am I alive? Am I where I think I could be?’ And the way that expression changes at the very end when she sees him and says his name is so sweet and it was just like her turning back the person she was the last time she saw him.”
This isn’t Ramsey’s first Star Wars directorial gig either, as he also directed an episode in season 3 of The Mandalorian titled “The Pirate.” When discussing the differences between directing The Mandalorian and Ahsoka with IGN, Peter Ramsey pointed out the themes behind the series. Ramsey notes that Ahsoka is slower paced, versus The Mandalorian which has a much faster pacing, and that’s also what Dave Filoni noted to him as well:
“From the start, [Dave Filoni] really made it kind of clear he was after a little more – he was really interested in focusing on the characters. He wanted the pace to be a little different. People say ‘it’s slower, it’s slower.’ Well, part of that is the desire for a little more mood, slightly different nuance to it versus Mando, which is kind of like spaghetti western, kind of like ‘wham, bam, thank you ma’am.’ Dave wanted a slightly different feeling.”
Finally, Ramsey mentioned how he and Dave Filoni share an admiration for Japanese director Akira Kurosawa. Kurosawa is most known for his samurai films which also were a big inspiration for George Lucas. That inspiration continues into Ahsoka:
“The other thing that [Dave Filoni] and I really bonded over is we just have a mutual love over Akira Kurosawa’s films. Kurosawa’s a huge touchstone for both of us, and the whole samurai mystic and a lot of that, which obviously, it’s right there in the episode. It’s in his episodes too. It’s in his stuff. He had a feeling in mind for it all along.
Feel free to check out our review of “Fallen Jedi” before tonight’s episode of Ahsoka. Episode 5 of Ahsoka is directed by Dave Filoni and will also premiere in select US and London theaters. We will also have our review of the episode posted the morning after.
Born and raised in Hawaii, Jay Goodearl runs the YouTube Gaming channel “Good Games, Dude” His channel aims to open up video games to beginners and immediate players and help them understand what makes games the art form that it is.
