As we count down to the end of 2023, the StarWars.com writers celebrate the year with their favourite Star Wars announcements, releases, and moments from another 12 months of riches! Here are five of their picks, take the link to read more.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 2 made us cry in the best way.
“When have we ever followed orders?” It’s a moment that haunts my dreams and consistently makes me cry with every rewatch. And it’s an example of why The Bad Batch continues to be one of my personal favorite Star Wars stories. After meeting Clone Force 99 in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the Batch was forever changed when Order 66 was declared — as seen in the opening scene of the spinoff series premiere. The introduction of Omega made the crew more of a Dad Batch as they adopted their sister and tried to carve out a new life for themselves. But Season 2 was all about heartbreak. Echo leaving to help Rex. Finding a community on Pabu only to have nature threaten to destroy it all. Tech…well, you know. And that cliffhanger season finale? With Season 3 coming next year, we can’t wait to find out what happens next. – Kristin Baker
The Mandalorian took us back to Mandalore in Season 3 of the Disney+ series.
The beloved found family of Din Djarin and Grogu returned this year, setting off on a new quest to redeem the Mandalorian for the transgression of willingly removing his helmet. The Armorer tasked him with bathing in the Living Waters beneath the Mines of Mandalore in order to end his exile and that undertaking reunited him with Bo-Katan Kryze and took fans along for the journey to the storied planet. With a closer-than-ever look at life in the burgeoning New Republic, the reveal of a pivotal moment in Grogu’s past, and the return of an old enemy in Moff Gideon, plus dazzling guest stars and an unexpected new beginning for the survivors of Mandalore, Season 3 of The Mandalorian told a can’t-miss story for Star Wars fans. – Kelly Knox
Ahsoka arrived — and she brought along some familiar friends in Sabine Wren, Hera Syndulla, Ezra Bridger, and more!
For those who have followed Ahsoka Tano, the former Padawan of Anakin Skywalker originally introduced in 2008’s animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, seeing her lead a live-action series was reason to celebrate. Led by series star Rosario Dawson, who once again deftly brings a more experienced version of the character to life, a calm sage who can still get rough and tumble when need be, the story also brought many of our favorite characters from Star Wars Rebels into live action and continued that beloved show’s story, with Sabine Wren played by Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Hera Syndulla played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Ezra Bridger played by Eman Esfandi. But it was Ahsoka’s surprise reunion with Anakin Skywalker that will go down as an all-time great Star Wars moment, a shining example of Ahsoka’s strength in its meditations on friendship and teaching. These are long-running Star Wars themes, and Ahsoka creator Dave Filoni explores them at great length here — not just as plot points, but inviting viewers to examine their role in our lives, an exercise in forgiveness and understanding for ourselves and others. As Filoni himself was mentored by George Lucas, one can read Ahsoka as a deeply personal statement, layered with thrilling lightsaber action and the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn. Either way, Ahsoka delivered a payoff to Rebels fans, cleared a path for future stories, and had something to say. That’s quite a hat trick. – Dan Brooks
We returned to Star Wars Celebration Europe!
For the third time, Star Wars Celebration crossed the pond to London to celebrate everything and anything Star Wars. During four days in April, fans gathered from around the world to cosplay their favorite characters, attend (and host!) panels, shop exclusive merchandise, and just talk Star Wars with friends new and old. In addition to the news of three new Star Wars films, new trailers debuted for Ahsoka, The Acolyte, Skeleton Crew, The Bad Batch, and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. (Yes, we know that last one isn’t Star Wars, but Indy will always get an honorable mention here!) We can’t wait to get together at Star Wars Celebration Japan in 2025! – Amy Richau
Hasbro’s HasLab is bringing the Ghost to our toy shelves.
In celebration of the Ghost’s appearance in Ahsoka, the team at Hasbro announced plans to turn the iconic ship into an enormous 3.75”-scaled toy for The Vintage Collection. Through their HasLab crowd-funding program this year, Hasbro gave collectors the opportunity to bring home the fan-favorite ship, one of the largest vehicles that the company had ever produced. The toy-making team worked closely with the crew behind Ahsoka, including Doug Chiang and the wizards at Industrial Light & Magic, to make their version as close to its on-screen counterpart as possible. In addition to the incredibly detailed interior with cockpit, crew quarters, and more, the Ghost is packed with extras, including a detachable Phantom II, special mural cardbacks for figures of Hera Syndulla, Kanan Jarrus, Garazeb “Zeb” Orrelios, and Ezra Bridger, and even a little Loth-cat. Over 20,000 fans will receive their Ghost in the fall of 2024. Impressive. Most impressive! – Brandon Wainerdi
What were your favourite Star Wars moments from 2023? Let us know….
