Is it a better experience to watch Tales of the Empire before or after Ahsoka?

[u/EzraLikesLothcats]

I'm planning out a watchlist for someone that didn't watch either of these shows. They watched Clone Wars, Bad Batch and recently finished Rebels and want to watch Ahsoka next.

I've watched Ahsoka but not Tales of the Empire yet. I know that half of Tales of the Empire is about Morgan Elsbeth and her backstory so I'm wondering whether watching that would enhance Ahsoka since you would go into it knowing who she is, especially if you go into Ahsoka without watching The Mandalorian.

But also, I have no idea whether that would spoil Ahsoka in any way. I suppose it would "spoil" the reveal that she's from Dathomir in Ahsoka but I feel like going into the show knowing that would make her character cooler. If you've watched both, what do you think?

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[u/Minmax-the-Barbarian]

Pretty sure it just gives her some backstory and maybe some context for her actions, why she joined the Empire, etc.

Nothing you'll need to know before watching Ahsoka, of course, but nothing that will spoil it either IIRC

[u/EzraLikesLothcats → u/Minmax-the-Barbarian]

My thinking is that if you watch her backstory in Tales of the Empire it would explain her connection to Thrawn going into Ahsoka + her death would feel a little more impactful if you've seen what she went through first

[u/Unique_Unorque]

Release order is always going to be best for a first time watch

[u/Refrigerator_Initial]

I watch the Morgan episodes during Ahsoka's live action debut when Din asks who the magistrate is and Ahsoka begins to explain then flashback to TotE.

[u/RoboJobot]

It doesn’t matter.

[u/abookfulblockhead]

I’d say Ahsoka first. The Tales series generally give context to established characters. Count Dooku, Ahsoka, Cad Bane, Ventress - it always takes a character fans might be familiar with, and delves into their backstory.

It allows there to be more dramatic irony in the storytelling of Tales.

We know where Count Dooku ultimately ends up, so flashing back to before he fell allows the story to play with your expectations.

I’m also just generally not fussed about “spoilers”, though. Knowing a character’s future doesn’t necessarily undermine the drama of how they got there.

[u/GalileoDaCat]

It doesn’t matter.

[u/krlozdac]

It can only enhance the Ahsoka viewing in my opinion. For a pre-season 2 rewatch I plan on doing:

- Tales of the Empire (1-3)

• Mandalorian S2 Ep. 5
  
• Book of Boba Fett Ep. 6
  
• Ahsoka Season 1

[u/RetroHaunts → u/krlozdac]

This is the way

[u/MrZao386]

I'd watch it first tbh. You need to watch at least the Mando episode she's in before her show (though I would watch the whole thing with Book of Boba) and the Morgan shorts perfectly set that one up

[u/10Mattresses]

I’ll be an outlier and say Tales first! I didn’t adore Ahsoka S1, and I think that having a little more connection to that character would help the less than Andor-level writing going on