Star Wars Rebel executive producer Henry Gilroy says they never planned to make Sabine Wren a Jedi in the animated series, and don't understand why it happened in Ahsoka.
"It was absolutely not the plan… We really felt, not only did it step on Ezra’s story, but it was a retread. Like we already did this," Gilroy told Pod of Rebellion. "The idea of Sabine training as a Jedi when she is already this fantastic warrior of her own type, we felt like this is overkill."
Sabine is a Mandalorian warrior when we meet her in the animated series Star Wars Rebels. In Disney's live-action Ahsoka series, which continues the Rebels storyline, she receives Jedi training from the titular ex-Jedi herself, but isn't Force-sensitive in the traditional sense. However, the Force is technically present in all living things so with training Sabine would be able to harness it eventually (which she seems to do by the end of the show).
"I had nothing to do with the Ahsoka series, so I was shocked," Gilroy continued. "What I love about the story with the Darksaber is that you don't have to be a Jedi to have Jedi ideals… I think that's what's really the more important thing, rather than Force pushing Ezra a hundred feet when she's never used the Force before."
We'll see more of Sabine and Ezra Bridger in Ahsoka season 2, which is expected next year.
Star Wars Rebels and Ahsoka are streaming now on Disney Plus. For more, check out our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and shows for everything else the galaxy far, far away has in store.
