deerstalker
https://blackgirlnerds.com/how-ahsoka-tano-taught-me-lessons-i-didnt-know-i-needed-to-learn/
To be completely transparent, I am not a Star Wars fan. Therefore, I’m not writing for people who can quote Luke Skywalker and have stormtrooper paraphernalia. I’m writing this article for women like me who have admired and needed strong female leads.
Although I’m not a fan of the franchise, that’s not to say that I won’t one day give it a chance and admire Anakin Skywalker like everyone else. However, for the sake of this article, I want to focus on Rosario Dawson’s character, Ahsoka Tano.
After all, she is why I continued watching the show, which just finished its first season that streamed on Disney+. Even though I only understood half of each character’s complex backstories in the first few episodes, I didn’t switch to another series. Ahsoka captured my attention and solidified my commitment to the show.
Ahsoka was a character I knew very little about. I still don’t know if what is attached to her head is hair or an extra body part. Yet I was amazed by her talents. She wielded two lightsabers and destroyed her opponents with them. She is a multi-layered heroine who taught me about life and how to navigate through life’s challenges with grace and skill.
Here are the lessons I took away from watching Ahsoka, and here’s why I think every woman should embody parts of this character.
Before you read on, there are some spoilers, so I continue at your own risk.
How to be a respectable rebel
I don’t know how often her robot partner, Huyang, told her she wasn’t following Jedi protocol. Yet she knew that sometimes following pre-dated regulations doesn’t always lead to the best outcome.
While she bent the rules occasionally, she still respected what it meant to be a Jedi. She trained, and she honored her teachings from her master. When she fought against her master, Anakin, she put up a good fight. Yet she respectfully disobeyed yet defeated Anakin during their fight sequence.
Life isn’t black and white. Often, rules are set to help us; sometimes, as women, we must live by our own rules and honor who we are.
It’s okay to show both my hard and soft sides
As a Jedi, she is an exceptional fighter. Robots, stormtroopers, a powerful witch, you throw almost any opponent at her, and she can defeat them. The execution of these fight scenes is something I enjoy about the show. The way Ahsoka gracefully and fiercely maneuvered her lightsaber made me question why there’s the expression “you hit like a girl.”
Despite her toughness, her soft side came out when she wasn’t in fighter mode. Her words were often soft-spoken and chosen carefully. She was thoughtful and curious.
Ahsoka’s actions are great reminders that women must be tough, but showing our soft side doesn’t mean we are weak. Yet if someone mistakes softness for weakness, like Ahsoka, it’s okay to show off some ass-kicking moves.
The importance of forgiveness and compassion
The show exhibited many disappointing moments between Ahsoka and her former apprentice, Sabine Wren. I know that Ahsoka was especially disappointed when Sabine went willingly with the enemy. Heck, I was mad at Sabine for giving up so easily.
Yet, as disappointing as the situation was, Ahsoka looked past it. She never questioned Sabine on why she did what she did. She didn’t scold her for her decisions. Instead, Ahsoka showed Sabine compassion, just as her master showed her.
These scenes were great reminders that even when the ones we care about may frustrate us, showing them compassion is essential.
The value of hard work and dedication
Ahsoka did not have a day off. When she wasn’t trying to get ahead of her enemy’s plans, she was training, meditating, and always staying on top of her game.
Thanks to Ahsoka, I’ll be hitting the gym more often. However, besides staying physically fit, I was reminded that it’s important to stay mentally fit. When you’re mentally strong, you leverage more power than with physical strength alone. No, I’m not talking about wielding the force.
Mental strength means having a clear mind to make the best decisions. Ahsoka taught me that life doesn’t always get easier, but I can overcome challenges with the right training.
Whether we are a mentor or a mentee, we are all learning from each other
Throughout the series, the theme of master and apprentice is seen with Ahsoka and Sabine, the crazy old guy, and the feisty blonde girl, Ahsoka and Anakin. There was always one person whose role was to listen to and follow the lead of the other. However, Ahsoka showed me that relationships are bi-lateral.
Although in a mentorship, one person is more skilled than the other and has knowledge and wisdom to bestow on the other, that doesn’t mean the teaching goes one way.
I watched Ahsoka be distrusting, doubtful, and perhaps even a little upset at her former apprentice. But in the end, she learned to trust her, even when she made decisions she disagreed with.
Relationships, whether master and apprentice, best friends, parents, and children, aren’t always about what one person can teach the other. They are about how each other can grow from the relationship itself.
The importance of trusting myself
During one episode, Ahsoka somehow communicated with a space whale and convinced it to carry her and her ship inside the whale’s mouth to another galaxy. It was quite the plot twist for me. What I admired at that moment was how calm she was in uncertainty. She had no way of knowing how things were going to turn out. When basic logic and Huyang dictated that something could go wrong, she trusted her instinct.
In those moments of uncertainty, it wasn’t about making the right decision. Instead, Ahsoka focused on trusting that she could handle the outcome no matter where life led her.
Life is uncertain, and most of us, especially myself, often want some guarantee of a positive outcome. Someone, please tell me if I take this risk, everything will work out okay. Yet, instead of needing outside confirmation that I’ll be okay, I can take a page from Ahsoka and trust myself. I can remind myself that despite the outcome, I will be okay.
Embraces new beginnings
Ultimately, Ahsoka became stranded in some random galaxy that looks like a desert wasteland. Instead of regretting her decision and trying to restrategize, she accepted that she was where she was supposed to be.
Her peaceful acceptance reminded me that new beginnings aren’t always bad; instead, they are opportunities.
To be completely transparent, I am not a Star Wars fan. Therefore, I’m not writing for people who can quote Luke Skywalker and have stormtrooper paraphernalia. I’m writing this article for women like me who have admired and needed strong female leads.
Although I’m not a fan of the franchise, that’s not to say that I won’t one day give it a chance and admire Anakin Skywalker like everyone else. However, for the sake of this article, I want to focus on Rosario Dawson’s character, Ahsoka Tano.
After all, she is why I continued watching the show, which just finished its first season that streamed on Disney+. Even though I only understood half of each character’s complex backstories in the first few episodes, I didn’t switch to another series. Ahsoka captured my attention and solidified my commitment to the show.
Ahsoka was a character I knew very little about. I still don’t know if what is attached to her head is hair or an extra body part. Yet I was amazed by her talents. She wielded two lightsabers and destroyed her opponents with them. She is a multi-layered heroine who taught me about life and how to navigate through life’s challenges with grace and skill.
Here are the lessons I took away from watching Ahsoka, and here’s why I think every woman should embody parts of this character.
Before you read on, there are some spoilers, so I continue at your own risk.
How to be a respectable rebel
I don’t know how often her robot partner, Huyang, told her she wasn’t following Jedi protocol. Yet she knew that sometimes following pre-dated regulations doesn’t always lead to the best outcome.
While she bent the rules occasionally, she still respected what it meant to be a Jedi. She trained, and she honored her teachings from her master. When she fought against her master, Anakin, she put up a good fight. Yet she respectfully disobeyed yet defeated Anakin during their fight sequence.
Life isn’t black and white. Often, rules are set to help us; sometimes, as women, we must live by our own rules and honor who we are.
It’s okay to show both my hard and soft sides
As a Jedi, she is an exceptional fighter. Robots, stormtroopers, a powerful witch, you throw almost any opponent at her, and she can defeat them. The execution of these fight scenes is something I enjoy about the show. The way Ahsoka gracefully and fiercely maneuvered her lightsaber made me question why there’s the expression “you hit like a girl.”
Despite her toughness, her soft side came out when she wasn’t in fighter mode. Her words were often soft-spoken and chosen carefully. She was thoughtful and curious.
Ahsoka’s actions are great reminders that women must be tough, but showing our soft side doesn’t mean we are weak. Yet if someone mistakes softness for weakness, like Ahsoka, it’s okay to show off some ass-kicking moves.
The importance of forgiveness and compassion
The show exhibited many disappointing moments between Ahsoka and her former apprentice, Sabine Wren. I know that Ahsoka was especially disappointed when Sabine went willingly with the enemy. Heck, I was mad at Sabine for giving up so easily.
Yet, as disappointing as the situation was, Ahsoka looked past it. She never questioned Sabine on why she did what she did. She didn’t scold her for her decisions. Instead, Ahsoka showed Sabine compassion, just as her master showed her.
These scenes were great reminders that even when the ones we care about may frustrate us, showing them compassion is essential.
The value of hard work and dedication
Ahsoka did not have a day off. When she wasn’t trying to get ahead of her enemy’s plans, she was training, meditating, and always staying on top of her game.
Thanks to Ahsoka, I’ll be hitting the gym more often. However, besides staying physically fit, I was reminded that it’s important to stay mentally fit. When you’re mentally strong, you leverage more power than with physical strength alone. No, I’m not talking about wielding the force.
Mental strength means having a clear mind to make the best decisions. Ahsoka taught me that life doesn’t always get easier, but I can overcome challenges with the right training.
Whether we are a mentor or a mentee, we are all learning from each other
Throughout the series, the theme of master and apprentice is seen with Ahsoka and Sabine, the crazy old guy, and the feisty blonde girl, Ahsoka and Anakin. There was always one person whose role was to listen to and follow the lead of the other. However, Ahsoka showed me that relationships are bi-lateral.
Although in a mentorship, one person is more skilled than the other and has knowledge and wisdom to bestow on the other, that doesn’t mean the teaching goes one way.
I watched Ahsoka be distrusting, doubtful, and perhaps even a little upset at her former apprentice. But in the end, she learned to trust her, even when she made decisions she disagreed with.
Relationships, whether master and apprentice, best friends, parents, and children, aren’t always about what one person can teach the other. They are about how each other can grow from the relationship itself.
The importance of trusting myself
During one episode, Ahsoka somehow communicated with a space whale and convinced it to carry her and her ship inside the whale’s mouth to another galaxy. It was quite the plot twist for me. What I admired at that moment was how calm she was in uncertainty. She had no way of knowing how things were going to turn out. When basic logic and Huyang dictated that something could go wrong, she trusted her instinct.
In those moments of uncertainty, it wasn’t about making the right decision. Instead, Ahsoka focused on trusting that she could handle the outcome no matter where life led her.
Life is uncertain, and most of us, especially myself, often want some guarantee of a positive outcome. Someone, please tell me if I take this risk, everything will work out okay. Yet, instead of needing outside confirmation that I’ll be okay, I can take a page from Ahsoka and trust myself. I can remind myself that despite the outcome, I will be okay.
Embraces new beginnings
Ultimately, Ahsoka became stranded in some random galaxy that looks like a desert wasteland. Instead of regretting her decision and trying to restrategize, she accepted that she was where she was supposed to be.
Her peaceful acceptance reminded me that new beginnings aren’t always bad; instead, they are opportunities.
5 Things from the Devil May Cry Video Games We Hope Gets Directly Translated into The Netflix Series
Besides the iconic Resident Evil series, which has received numerous adaptations into various media, including movies, TV, and even podcasts at this point, the Devil May Cry franchise is also one of the most successful of CAPCOM’s IPs. Though recognized as one of the greatest gaming series ever made, Devil May Cry hasn’t really received the same amount of studio-adoration as Resident Evil. Not that it wasn’t adapted into other media since there was a reasonably voice-acted Japanese-style animated series in 2007, but most of those adaptations weren’t backed up by powerful distribution companies.
In 2018, Adi Shankar, who previously worked on Netflix’s Castlevania, teased the possibility of Devil May Cry receiving an animated series at Netflix. The news was confirmed by the streaming giant approximately one month later, and there hasn’t really been much talk about the project since then. This has since changed as Netflix dropped an announcement trailer, proving that the project has seen some development behind the scenes.
Now that we’ve finally received a taste of the thrilling action that awaits us upon the series’ release, the Devil May Cry fandom is ecstatically discussing which aspects of DMC Netflix might adapt. In the spirit of stoking the fires of anticipation, here are five things from the Devil May Cry video games we hope get directly translated into the Netflix series.
J.D. Morrison
J.D. Morrison was the only side character from 2007’s Devil May Cry: The Animated Show that was adapted into a Devil May Cry video game. CAPCOM obviously had a change of heart when it came to Morrison’s depiction, and instead of modeling the character as a Caucasian man, as he’s portrayed in the anime, Devil May Cry V introduces Morrison as an older, more experienced African-American man who provides the Devil May Cry agency with information.
Both his character design in the game and his voice acting depict Morrison as a middle-aged man within the game’s storyline. There was some controversy surrounding the actor voicing Morrison in Devil May Cry V, and if Netflix chooses to bring in Morrison in its own adaptation, we’d like to hear a more suitable voice actor for the role. Keith David seems like an excellent choice.
Agni and Rudra
Besides Dante’s iconic Rebellion—the sword that was bestowed upon him by his father, the Dark Knight Sparda—Agni and Rudra are quite possibly the best weapon set in 2006’s Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening. Collectively known as Firestorm, Agni and Rudra are a pair of living twin demon swords sealed away by Sparda himself in Temen-ni-gru, and they serve as the guardians of the Firestorm Chamber.
Unlike most demons, which are belligerent towards humans just by their nature within the confines of the DMC series, Agni and Rudra are quite courteous and only attack Dante after he demands that they let him through their gate. After he defeats them, they ask to be taken with him as Devil Arms, to which Dante agrees to only under the condition that they remain quiet. Though Dante later sold them as Devil’s Arms as they constantly annoyed him, it would be nice to see these two silly and overly-chatty swords in Netflix’s adaptation.
More of Trish and Lady
The details surrounding the upcoming Devil May Cry anime from Netflix still remain tightly under wraps, but Adi Shankar has already confirmed that we’re looking at a multi-season series, much like Castlevania. Producing multiple seasons would allow Netflix to dive deeper into the Devil May Cry lore and explore its numerous characters, such as Trish and Lady.
Trish was initially introduced in the original Devil May Cry game as an ally to Dante, but it’s later revealed that she’s a demoness created by Mundus to look identical to Dante’s mother (whom he has vague memories of) to lure and kill Dante. She’s eventually defeated by Dante, and later joins the Devil May Cry agency, and becomes a devil hunter alongside our stylish protagonist.
Lady, on the other hand, was introduced in Devil May Cry 3 as a human seeking revenge against her father for seeking demonic ascension. She teams up with Dante and eventually joins the Devil May Cry agency. Needless to say, both she and Trish are playable characters who are very significant to the series’ narrative, and while we’re likely to see them in the upcoming adaptation, we’d like to see the show explore their origins a bit further or for the characters to get more screen time than they got in video games.
Dante’s Awakening
Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening takes place a whole decade before the events of the first game, with Dante just opening his Devil May Cry devil-hunting agency. He’s initially portrayed as a carefree and very self-confident character who becomes entangled in the conflict instigated by his brother Vergil. The two eventually clash mid-game, and Vergil defeats Dante and stabs him with Dante’s own sword, Rebellion, which is believed to have the ability to unite both man and devil.
Unintentionally, Dante’s blood unlocks the seal on the sword, which awakens Rebellion, which, in turn, awakens Dante’s Devil Trigger—a special power that allows demons and demon-hybrids to release their inner supernatural potential and assume their demonic form. Adapting this whole event into the upcoming anime could provide the necessary character development that follows the awakening of Dante’s innate demonic powers.
Vergil
Vergil is the older twin brother of Dante and the main antagonist of the Devil May Cry franchise, and we’d like to see him in the upcoming anime as well. In the narrative, Vergil and Dante go their separate ways following the death of their mother, Eva, with Vergil rejecting his humanity and embracing his demonic heritage, in contrast to Dante. Following the events of Devil May Cry 3, he was enslaved by Mundus and trapped inside one of Machiavelli’s Black Knight Armors, becoming Nelo Angelo, one of the bosses and a primary rival to Dante in the original Devil May Cry.
Honorable Mention: Sin Devil Trigger
The Sin Devil Trigger is a second demonic transformation form, which is often referred to as the True Devil transformation. It was originally available in Devil May Cry 2 only, but following Dante’s absorption of both Rebellion and Sparda (the sword), Dante unlocks his true potential, a Sin Devil Trigger—a form powerful enough to confront the mighty Demon King. As a result of his transformation, both Rebellion and Sparda are reforged inside Dante into a whole new sword called Devil Sword Dante.
Unfortunately, beyond the short announcement trailer, Netflix has not shared any further details about the DMC animated series, such as the release date or whether the series would adhere to the narrative from the video games. Whatever the case may be, the universe of Devil May Cry features some of the most fantastic things in gaming, and our “5 Things” list is way too short to account for all of them. Hopefully, fans of the Netflix original fare better.