Did Ahsoka Seriously Rip Off Disney's Treasure Planet?

"Ahsoka" on Disney+ effectively functions as "Star Wars Rebels" Season 5. As such, numerous references exist to various things that are part of "Star Wars" lore. That shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, but what may be surprising is the idea that "Ahsoka" took its plot from an underrated Disney film from 20 years ago.

TikTok user @melialisette made a video pointing out how the spherical map in "Ahsoka" is nearly identical to the one in 2002's "Treasure Planet." They look awfully similar, being gold balls with lines and circles on them. Characters then have to turn the ball in just the right way to unlock a green-tinged holographic map that presents an outline of the galaxy. In "Ahsoka," the map leads to the whereabouts of Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) and Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi). In "Treasure Planet," it leads the user to the location of the titular world. 

Not only that but in both cases, the sphere shows exactly where to go by activating it near a cliffside. Granted, there's still plenty to differentiate the two properties, and it's likely the device being similar is merely a coincidence. But as long as people talk about "Treasure Planet," that's always a good thing.

Mysterious maps designed to lead the protagonist to someone or something are pretty commonplace in science fiction. This isn't even the first time a map MacGuffin has been utilized in a "Star Wars" property, as maps play pivotal roles in both "The Force Awakens" and "The Rise of Skywalker." There is a better chance Dave Filoni and crew were more inspired by those uses than the one in "Treasure Planet," but it's hard to ignore the aesthetic similarities. 

Plenty of other "Ahsoka" viewers thought something similar, as the comments on the Tiktok are flooded with people voicing their appreciation, like one user writing, "I immediately yelled 'Treasure Planet!' and my husband tried to argue with me." Whether intentional or not, the nod came at an opportune time. Disney is still in the midst of releasing live-action remakes of some of its most beloved films. "Treasure Planet" didn't exactly light up the box office when it first came out, but it quickly became a beloved film to numerous fans. 

Of all the Disney films that should get live-action remakes, "Treasure Planet" should be high on the list. It would be a chance to introduce a new audience to the story so many have already fallen in love with. It may just get a chance now that Disney has run through the likes of "The Lion King" and "The Little Mermaid." And if "Ahsoka" gets a good reception toward the end of its season, maybe it'll ignite an even greater desire to see "Treasure Planet" get another shot.