Ahsoka: Who Is Senator Xiono & Why Does He Look Familiar To DC And Marvel Fans?
One of the most exciting things about Disney+'s "Ahsoka" is seeing numerous notable characters from throughout the extended canon of "Star Wars" finally make their live-action debut. That includes heavy hitters like Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi) from the "Star Wars Rebels" animated series, as well as smaller characters like Senator Hamato Xiono, who previously made several minor appearances in Disney XD's "Star Wars Resistance." As it happens, Xiono's first live-action appearance may throw some devoted superhero fans for a loop for an interesting reason.
The Xiono of "Ahsoka" might actually look quite familiar to fans of both Marvel and DC Comics. That's because the character's actor, Nelson Lee, has previously held substantial roles in live-action TV adaptations based on characters from both publishers. Here's where exactly in the superhero space viewers may have seen Lee before and which roles he played in each production.
Nelson Lee has crossed paths with Stargirl and Blade
On the DC Comics front, Nelson Lee is a recognizable face from his work on The CW's "Stargirl." More specifically, Lee recurs throughout the series as one of its most ruthless villains: Dr. Shiro Ito aka Dragon King. A cold-blooded mad scientist and a devoted ally to the Injustice Society of America, Ito continuously loses more and more of his humanity over the course of the show. By the end of "Stargirl" Season 3, he's quite literally a sentient plush gorilla. Suffice to say, Lee himself is more recognizable from the character's early appearances.
Lee's Marvel-centric role is a little more niche than his "Stargirl" appearance, but it also came many years prior. The actor was actually part of the main cast of the short-lived 2006 show "Blade: The Series," which follows on from the "Blade" trilogy of movies featuring Wesley Snipes. In the show's single season, Lee portrays Shen, a skilled hacker and trusted ally of Blade (Kirk "Sticky" Jones) who seeks revenge on vampires for killing his sister.
Between his DC and Marvel appearances and his newfound role in the "Star Wars" saga, Lee has now appeared in several of the biggest pop culture franchises out there. As for whether he'll pop up in another superhero-related production down the line, only time will tell.