Rosario Dawson moves with deadly grace as the title ex-Jedi of Disney+’s latest spinoff series, “Star Wars: Ahsoka” — in the fast-paced bits, anyway. It’s in the sluggish dialogue sequences — which are mainly concerned with the usual franchise topics of apprenticeship, the Force and remnants of the Empire threatening the New Republic — that the actress seems a bit restricted.

Regal and wise, Ahsoka can display the shell-shocked quality that’s made the headliners of “The Mandalorian,” “The Book of Boba Fett”(both of which Dawson has cameoed in) and “Obi-Wan Kenobi”seem not entirely present. Maybe all of these veteran space warriors are just burned out?

In Dawson’s case, perhaps the actor’s natural exuberance may be tempered by hours in the makeup chair getting her character’s geometric facial markings applied or from wearing the elaborate horns-and-tails headpiece called montrals that Ahsoka’s space species, the Togrutas, sport.

Or maybe it’s just particularly daunting to bring a fan-favorite animated character, in this case from “The Clone Wars” and “Star Wars Rebels” series, to flesh-and-blood life. Whatever the reasons, the cartoons’ youth is all gravitas now, which suits her current roles as a star-hopping ronin, mentor and universe saver, but doesn’t make for the most charismatic protagonist.

It’s also as if Dawson gracefully allows Ahsoka’s sidekicks to upstage her.

Natasha Liu Bordizzo is the Togrutas’ former apprentice Sabine Wren. Following their falling-out, the young Mandalorian scoots around a prairie world on a jetcycle painted the same purple-to-fiery-orange as her ombre hair. She doesn’t wear her Mando helmet either, so we know the tough teen is a rebel to the core. But she also has a weird cat, which suggests Sabine is a hot-rodder with a good heart.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead, whose husbandEwan McGregorhasportrayed Obi-Wan Kenobifor a quarter century now, plays Ahsoka’s pal Hera Syndulla. An ace pilot turned Republic general, she’s a green-skinned Twi’lek with montrals that don’t look nearly as cumbersome as what’s on Dawson’s head. Winstead brings warm glee to every scene she’s in, even when Hera is a hologram.

Then there’s ex-“Doctor Who” star David Tennant (also of “Marvel’sJessica Jones”and Prime Video’s “Good Omens”), who steals most scenes he voices as Ahsoka’s millennia-old humanoid droid Huyang, just like he did in “Clone Wars.”

他们都经过系列的MacGuffin,金属orb that can lead to the whereabouts of the Empire’s Grand Admiral Thrawn, the dangerous leader played by Lars Mikkelsen. “Star Wars” film alum Hayden Christensen is also on the cast roster; his Anakin Skywalker was Ahsoka’s Jedi master back when she was just a padawan and before he went all Darth. Neither villain appears in the first two “Ahsoka” episodes Disney+ showed critics, but they aren’t missed. There are enough intriguing antagonists — Diana Lee Inosanto’s conniving witch Morgan Elsbeth, the late Ray Stevenson’s Jedi-turned-mercenary Baylan Skoll and his young, ruthless apprentice, Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno) — not to mention legions of assassin bots and Empire loyalists for our heroines’ lightsabers to slice.

When Ahsoka takes on baddies, the series delivers some of the best duels and martial arts choreography in all of “Star Wars” (credit goes to stunt legend and wushu master Ming Qiu). And when it moves through hyperspace or across planet surfaces, this is among the handful of later productions that achieves the visceral spatial intensity one felt watching George Lucas’ galactic battles for the first time back in 1977.

“Ahsoka” creator Dave Filoni, who worked with Lucas to develop the character, has stated his intent to steep the series in propulsive kineticism. The first episode, which he directed, certainly achieves that, as does the second chapter helmed by San Franciscan TV veteran Steph Green — though after a lot of exposition. Still, both hours go easy on the lived-in grunge that’s dulled too many “Star Wars” productions, with this series showcasing cleaner, classic science fiction art direction. The first few scenes even begin on what looks like a well-ordered Starfleet bridge rather than a cramped Millennium Falcon.

All of this gives “Ahsoka” a fresh feel. It would be fresher, though, if “Star Wars” could just find new themes to explore, and do so in ways that don’t require so much standing around talking.

Bob Strauss is a freelance writer.