DUBAI: It is not the faint thrum of lightsabers as they come to life. It is not the distant planets on the edge of the Outer Rim. And it is not the cuddly loth-cats.  

It is the characters and their decades-spanning stories that keep fans returning to franchises that have existed for longer than they have. And the makers of “Ahsoka” know this.  

In the latest series to come from the Star Wars universe, Ahsoka Tano, a favorite character from the animated series “The Clone Wars” and “Rebels,” gets her standalone show.

Set after the events of “The Mandalorian,” the former Jedi Knight (who was also padawan to Anakin Skywalker aka Darth Vader) is desperate to maintain the newfound peace and hunt down any remnants of the now defunct Empire. This includes finding the long-banished Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen), who is also being sought by Imperial sympathizers.  

However, behind the search for Thrawn lies another motivation — finding Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi), a young Jedi who sacrificed himself to save Tano and the other Rebels. Find Thrawn, find Ezra, or so she believes. 

While “Ahsoka” does not skimp on the lightsaber duels, starships and Imperial droids, the series really sings when it delves deeper into its characters. Apart from former Ahsoka, the show also takes its time to reacquaint audiences with Sabine Wren (played by Natasha Liu Bardozzo), the bull-headed Mandalorian, who is still grieving the loss of her former rebel crewmate Bridger. 

Also making her live-action debut is General Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), rebel leader and pilot of the Ghost, who appears alongside her cranky-yet-trusty droid Chopper. 

With longtime Star Wars creator Dave Filoni leading the creative team, along with cinematographers Quyen Tran and Eric Steelberg, as well as an excellent score from Kevin Kiner, “Ahsoka” looks as polished as any of the feature films and more. The creators also went to great lengths to bring the familiar landscape of Lothal to life. 

The only drawback so far is that the show may not completely resonate with those not caught up on the animated series, and that is a shame because some of the best characters and storylines come from “The Clone Wars” and “Rebels.” 

But, all in all, while we have six more episodes to go, it is not hard to see that “Ahsoka” — not unlike last year’s “Andor” — is a love letter to the extended Star Wars universe, and fans are in for a treat.