Star Wars fans were surprised when Sabine became a Padawan in the Ahsoka series. The last time we had seen this character was on Rebels as a Mandalorian warrior. Having her start training under Ahsoka led to fans questioning whether this was the right move. Recently, the senior writer and executive producer of Rebels expressed his misgivings about making Sabine a Jedi, calling it a big mistake.
Changes for Sabine Spark Reactions
We know Sabine as a female Mandalorian and Rebel leader in the show Rebels. After Ahsoka, her character profile was adjusted to reflect her as “the second known Mandalorian Jedi since Tarre Vizsla.” This transformation occurred sometime between the end of Rebels and the start of the Ahsoka series.
In the latter show, we saw Sabine training under Ahsoka, but not completing it. As a write-up at the time of the Ahsoka release stated, Sabine becoming a Jedi “made sense” from the “thematic viewpoint” of master and apprentice. Yet, Sabine did not show any Force sensitivity in the previous show and prompted some shock from fans.
More recently, fans discovered how writer Henry Gilroy spoke out against “Sabine’s Jedi arc” in Ahsoka, calling this move “absolutely not the plan.” During his appearance on the Pod of Rebellion podcast, Gilroy voiced these sentiments and indicated that he thought this shift not only diminished Ezra’s story but also was “a weak retread.”
This video elaborates on this “call out” and how Henry Gilroy expressed concerns about having the Force spread so widely. Sabine with the Force was an idea that the creative team for Rebels considered. However, the concept was discarded because it would obscure how Sabine was “already this fantastic warrior of her own type.” In essence, this was “overkill.”
Fans tend to agree, as sampled in this Reddit discussion about these changes. As one fan voiced, making Sabine a Jedi undermines how Mandalorians “have historically gone toe to toe with Force users”. Likewise, another comment indicated how Sabine was already a “genius inventor and warrior,” and there was no reason for her to become a Padawan.
There seems to be a consensus building about rejecting this role change in Ahsoka…
Why Sabine the Warrior Is Better than a Jedi
What the above criticisms amount to is that Sabine was a solid character in Rebels, and shifting her to a Jedi didn’t improve this character. That’s not surprising, given her role in this series.
As this assessment of Sabine comments, she was already a “graffiti artist, explosives expert, and Darksaber wielder who is loyal, strong-willed and free-spirited.” In Rebels, Sabine’s mission to infiltrate the Skystrike Academy, learning to wield the Darksaber, and leading Mandalorians were among her top moments.
Hence, it was difficult to improve upon this character, and making her a Jedi became more of a lateral move, not a step up. In comparison, Luke’s ascension to Master evolves his character, whereas Sabine’s becoming a Jedi does not have the same effect.
Sabine also already experienced a high level of emotional drama with her Imperial past. After being brought in by the Ghost crew, “Sabine learned the true meaning of family and friendship.” In turn, she was ready to stand by Ezra and Kanan at all costs. Her renewed tutelage as a Padawan under Ahsoka seemed to re-tread ground in this respect too.
This character likewise found purpose in helping reunite the Mandalorians. Sabine didn’t need the added angle of purpose through the Force. Many fans shared the viewpoint of this video about preferring to leave Sabine “as is”, not only because she was already “cool”, but also because “she didn’t need the Force or to be a Jedi” to be a complete character.
As a tough and resourceful Mandalorian, Sabine was a pinnacle warrior, which is better than a Jedi in this scenario. We can readily raise the criticism of “lazy writing” that has been leveled at Disney projects like The Rise of Skywalker, or the sequels overall.
Yet, in more fundamental terms, Sabine as a Jedi did not improve her leadership trajectory, emotional draw, or warrior talents.
Becoming a Jedi Was a Mistake
Henry Gilroy expressed an opinion that many fans share–that it was a mistake to make Sabine a Jedi. From lack of originality to tampering with an exemplary character, this move in Ahsoka didn’t seem to make sense to those who worked on Rebels or larger audiences.