Ahsoka Tano is the most significant alien Padawan in Star Wars history. When she debuted as a 14-year-old Togruta in the 2008 animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the reaction was largely skeptical. Critics found her abrasive, and many fans assumed she would not survive long enough to matter. She then went on to become one of the most beloved characters in the entire franchise, anchoring several seasons of animation, two live-action seasons, and earning a dedicated Disney+ series of her own.
Now, Star Wars is introducing a character built in a similar mold, and she arrives at an interesting moment. With Ahsoka Season 2 looming on the horizon and production officially wrapped, Lucasfilm is rolling out Maul — Shadow Lord, a direct sequel to The Clone Wars, premiering April 6 on Disney+.
At the show's center is Devon Izara, a Twi'lek Jedi Padawan on the run after Order 66, who Maul is targeting as a potential apprentice. She is, in the clearest sense, Star Wars' next great alien Padawan lead, and her introduction reframes the long wait for Ahsoka's return in an interesting way.
Maul — Shadow Lord picks up in the early years of Emperor Palpatine's reign, shortly after Order 66 wiped out the Jedi Order. Maul, stripped of his criminal empire and cut off from his brother and former ally Savage Opress, is operating in the shadows of Janix, a futuristic urban planet untouched by the Empire. His goal is to rebuild his syndicate and pursue revenge, but he cannot do it alone. That's where Devon factors in.
Devon, voiced by Gideon Adlon, is a survivor of the purge. She trained as a Jedi during the Clone Wars and now finds herself without a future, without the Order she expected to join, and without a clear path forward. Head writer Matt Michnovetz described her to StarWars.com as a young person "realizing that the future she expected to have as a Jedi is no longer possible" and who must adapt. Executive producer Athena Yvette Portillo added that Devon is "conflicted between right and wrong, but there's a level of innocence" to her as well.
Maul corners Devon and offers her a deal, claiming that together, they can destroy the Empire. Her Jedi Master, Eeko-Dio-Daki, warns her that Maul will never be a true ally, even if the Empire is their shared enemy. Devon is caught between those two poles, and her arc across the 10-episode series will hinge on which pull wins out. Devon is basically an Ahsoka replacement per her likely trajectory. However, what makes her character even more interesting is that she differs from Ahsoka in many diverse ways.
How Does Devon Izara Differ From Ahsoka Tano?
The parallels between Devon Izara and Ahsoka Tano are what make Devon feel like more than a retread of another iconic Star Wars character. Star Wars fans would recall that when Ahsoka was assigned to Anakin Skywalker as his Padawan, it was Yoda's decision, and neither of them asked for it. Anakin was initially frustrated and reluctant to take on a student, while Ahsoka was ecstatic about the idea, eager to prove herself, and pushed hard to be accepted.
She even called him "Skyguy" as a tease, and he called her "Snips" in return when their bond started to grow. The bond deepened when they fought side by side and saved each other countless times.
Devon, on the other hand, shares a different dynamic with Maul. Maul is the one pursuing an apprentice, and Devon is the one resisting. Where Ahsoka was enthusiastic and had to earn a reluctant master's trust, Devon is being courted by someone she cannot and should not trust, in circumstances far darker than any Jedi training scenario.
Their situation is even more intriguing the deeper you think about it. Because there is no institution behind Devon's potential path, no Jedi Code holding it together, and no Yoda overseeing the arrangement with his wise eyes and experience. It's basically just a desperate former Sith lord offering power to a disillusioned survivor.
The emotions tied to this particular Padawan-master dynamic are also quite different. In Clone Wars, Ahsoka wanted to belong and fought for acceptance before being betrayed by the very Order she loved and ended up walking away. Devon's arc begins after that kind of world has already been destroyed. There is no Jedi Order to belong to. The question for her is not whether she will be accepted by an institution but whether she will resist being claimed by a dark one.
Filling Ahsoka's shoes won't be an easy task for Lucasfilm to pull off with Devon. Since her introduction as a Padawan, the character has blossomed in the franchise and since been rewarded with her own series. The first season of that show ended with her and Sabine Wren stranded on Peridea, a world tied to the mysterious Mortis Gods, while Grand Admiral Thrawn escaped back to the main galaxy.
The finale left threads hanging on purpose, like Baylan Skoll's mysterious pursuit of a greater power connected to the Mortis Gods, Thrawn's return as a galactic threat, and Ahsoka and Sabine's unknown path forward. Season 2 promises to be even bigger and more intriguing.
Ahsoka Season 2 Has a Lot in Store for Star Wars Fans
Ahsoka Season 2 picks up from one of the most consequential cliffhangers in recent Star Wars television. Grand Admiral Thrawn escaped Peridea and is heading back to the main galaxy, bringing with him the remains of the Nightsisters and setting up what could be a full-scale Imperial resurgence. Ahsoka and Sabine are left behind, stranded on an ancient world far from home with no immediate way out, and Peridea is where the season's most intriguing story threads live.
The planet is covered in colossal statues of the Mortis Gods, the primordial Force entities first introduced in The Clone Wars: the Father, the Son, and the Daughter. Baylan Skoll spent Season 1 pursuing something connected to those statues, and the finale left him standing on the Father statue. Season 2 will follow that thread, with Ahsoka and Sabine closing in while the mystery of what Baylan is reaching for deepens.
Meanwhile, Thrawn's return to the galaxy poses a threat to the New Republic. The season runs a second major storyline in parallel, centered on the military response to his campaign. Filoni confirmed that Admiral Ackbar will factor prominently in leading that fight, going head-to-head with Thrawn in what could be one of the most tactically compelling conflicts of the season.
No premiere date for Ahsoka Season 2 has been confirmed, but the series is widely expected in the second half of 2026. When it arrives, it will have been nearly three years since Season 1. The wait will be long, so hopefully, it pays off.
Geraldo Amartey is a writer at The Direct. He joined the team in 2025, bringing with him four years of experience covering entertainment news, pop culture, and fan-favorite franchises for sites like YEN, Briefly and Tuko.
