When Star Wars: The Clone Wars ended, fans not only felt a loss for the show but a loss for one of the most beloved characters in the Star Wars universe, Ahsoka Tano. Viewers were disappointed to no longer see the strong female apprentice to Anakin Skywalker and felt her pain as she exited the Jedi Temple.
At the end of The Clone Wars it seemed as if that character would be lost forever, but there was a tremor in the Force and everyone rejoiced as Ahsoka make a shocking surprise reappearance in the season ender of Star Wars Rebels. To this, fans rallied with the cry of Ahsoka Lives! and at that moment supporters Amy Ratcliffe and Johnamarie Macias decided to put together an Ahsoka Lives Day for Star Wars Celebration 2015.
Ratcliffe shared how it all came together:
“Shortly after the Season 1 finale of Rebels, Dave Filoni shared a sketch of Ahsoka on social media with a thank you note. Fellow Ahsoka fan Johnamarie Macias and I were talking about the sketch and about creating a t-shirt from it (which I wore to Ahsoka lives day), and it hit me. Why not choose a day at Celebration, ask everyone to wear Ahsoka tees, costumes, etc., and call it #AhsokaLives Day. I shared the idea with Johnamarie and a flurry of excited messages went back and forth. She worked with Illedra to create some art for the Facebook event and made buttons…and we were off and running.”
The crew of #StarWarsRebels and I are blown away by your response to the finale. Thank you! http://t.co/yXwfDeilpW pic.twitter.com/FY9O72JqtE
— Dave Filoni (@dave_filoni) March 4, 2015
Word of the fan-run event spread quickly through social media. The only requirement was to wear Ahsoka Tano related clothes and show up for a group photo on the second day of the convention. Little did fans know, Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka) and Rebels executive producer Dave Filoni would make a surprise appearance. They came early and spent time chatting and taking pictures with fans. Ratcliffe acknowledged the respect and appreciation of Lucasfilm, who sent a camera crew over to capture the event for the archives.
Once everyone was organized into place, photos were taken alongside Eckstein and Filoni; but it was the fans who were the real stars, from little padawan dressed in homemade Ahsoka costumes to women and men clad in Her Universe Ahsoka Lives shirts. The outpouring of emotion from the fans was heartfelt, not only was everyone there because they loved Star Wars but because they loved Ahsoka. Fandom within a fandom at its best.
