AI Reimagines Ahsoka Tano As Roman Warriors - The Results Are Breathtaking
Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) had been making waves on Dave Filoni's animated "Star Wars" shows for years before she first appeared in live-action on "The Mandalorian" and went on to star in her own "Ahsoka" show. Ahsoka's garderobe of sleeveless tunics and robes has been relatively unchanged throughout her tenure. Still, because of her animated roots and lengthy presence in the franchise, she's a pretty logical choice for an AI-fueled reimagining. Now, an Instagram channel — @dreamaivision — has done just that. The channel used AI to create a series of images of Ahsoka as one of the most iconic fighting classes from Earth's history — a Roman warrior.
This AI reimagining depicts the popular "Star Wars" character in variations of gear inspired by Roman armor, complete with a stern, battle-ready expression on her face. Depending on the image, she's armed with some combination of lightsabers, a short spear, a shield, and arrows. "Imagine Ahsoka Tano as a Roman warrior in ancient times," the text accompanying the powerful images reads.
Roman Empire-themed Ahsoka is a drastic change from her traditional design elements
Given the obvious imperial elements in both, there are obviously certain similarities between the Roman Empire and "Star Wars." Though, in all fairness, it's debatable whether the decidedly rebel-minded Ahsoka would fight in Empire armor in either scenario.
Instead of the Roman Empire, the "Star Wars" lore has often drawn inspiration from Westerns and samurai movies. Rian Johnson has revealed that his influences for "The Last Jedi" featured both genres, and "Star Wars" was inspired by several elements from Akira Kurosawa's 1958 samurai flick "The Hidden Fortress." Ahsoka Tano is no exception. "A wandering samurai character is what she really is at this point," Dave Filoni described the live-action version of the character to Vanity Fair. Ahsoka's samurai-style battle with Diana Lee Inosanto's Magistrate Morgan Elsbeth on "The Mandalorian" Season 2 episode, "Chapter 13: The Jedi," truly drives this home.
Perhaps this is why it's so refreshing to see Ahsoka in the military uniform of another, different culture. Since she's essentially already a sci-fi ronin, seeing her as a Roman warrior brings another element to the character — and how she might have looked should "Star Wars" have been influenced by different sources.