Returning characters Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) and Jacen Syndulla (Evan Whitten) stole the spotlight in Ahsoka episode 3, “Part 3: Time to Fly,” but there is one more returning character viewers may not have immediately recognized. Lee Nelson appeared briefly in the episode as Hamato Xiono, who has a little bit of Star Wars history beyond Ahsoka. Xiono is one of the senators who Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) seeks aid from to deal with the potential return of Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen).
The senators, along with Chancellor Mothma, attend the meeting via hologram. In addition to Mothma and Xiono, Senator Rodrigo (Jacqueline Antaramian), Senator Mawood (Maurice Irvin), and an unnamed Senator are in attendance. However, Mothma and Xiono stand out the most because they are the only ones in the meeting who are not new to the Star Wars franchise. Mothma has been quickly climbing the ranks of the New Republic after aiding the resistance during the Galactic Empire’s reign, though this is our first time seeing her as Chancellor. Meanwhile, the last time we saw Xiono before Ahsoka, he was actually quite a bit older.
Hamato Xiono’s Star Wars history
So far, Ahsoka hasn’t given us many details about Xiono. We just know that he’s part of the New Republic Senate and that he’s not a very likable guy. That’s because he is quite rude to Syndulla when she goes to the Senate for help. Xiono is the most dismissive of the notion that Thrawn is still alive and also insults Syndulla on a sensitive subject by suggesting she wants the resources for her “personal quest to find Ezra Bridger.” Additionally, despite his arrogance and rudeness, he later admits that he never fought directly in the Galactic Civil War. This results in Syndulla accusing him of sitting back and waiting to see who came out on top before he chose a side.
This reluctance to choose a side can also be seen in Xiono’s last appearance. Xiono was a supporting character in the canon animated series Star Wars Resistance. This series takes place almost two decades after the events of Ahsoka and actually sees Xiono’s son, Kazuda “Kaz” Xiono (Christopher Sean), taking center stage. In the series, Kaz is a pilot for the New Republic who ends up becoming an important figure in the Resistance against the First Order. He occasionally turns to his father, who is still serving on the New Republic Senate, for aid and advice. Unfortunately, despite the time difference, Xiono still boasts the same ideals he does in Ahsoka.
Throughout Star Wars Resistance, Xiono is very disapproving of his son’s work with the Resistance. Just as he downplays Thrawn’s return, he downplays the danger that the First Order poses. He even thinks that the Resistance are extremists and says he simply wants peace rather than fighting. Unfortunately, it was this reluctance to fight and spark a war that aided the rise of the First Order. Xiono’s reaction to the return of Thrawn and the First Order shows the danger in the New Republic politicians’ complacency and and their reluctance (or refusal) to take threats seriously.
It will be interesting to see if Xiono’s story continues in Ahsoka and further builds a foundation for his actions in Star Wars Resistance.
(featured image: Disney+)
