Summary
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars reimagines George Lucas' prequel characters and introduces new ones, becoming a masterpiece that changed how fans view the franchise.
- While some seasons of The Clone Wars are lauded over others, each season offers something for every Star Wars viewer to enjoy, from grandiose battles to quiet contemplative moments.
- Each season of The Clone Wars improved on the last as Dave Filoni and George Lucas experimented with the animation and tone of the series.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars single-handedly helped change how the audience views George Lucas’ prequels. In many ways, Dave Filoni’s masterpiece reinvigorates and reimagines Lucas’ characters, such as Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, while also introducing new ones like Ahsoka Tano and Captain Rex. The Clone Wars spanned seven seasons from 2008 to 2020, and each season tended to improve on the last. From grandiose battles with constant action to the quiet contemplative moments in-between, the series offers something for almost every Star Wars viewer to enjoy. Nevertheless, some seasons of The Clone Wars tend to be lauded over others.
The Clone Wars and its characters have come a long way from the original movie that debuted in 2008. At the time, Ahsoka Tano had just been introduced as Anakin Skywalker’s spunky Padawan and was hated for supposedly breaking Star Wars canon. But every season of the show thereafter slowly established her as one of the most well-rounded and complex characters in the franchise. Now, Ahsoka has earned her own live-action series, featuring several live-action battles from The Clone Wars animation.
7 Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 1 Highlights: “Rookies,” the Malevolence arc, & the Battle of Ryloth Close The Clone Wars season 1 is generally considered to be the weakest of the series. Filoni and Lucas were still experimented and finding the right tone and pacing for the show back in 2008. Many of the arcs are far slower and contemplative than the latter seasons. And while the first season did help establish the feel of the series, time has not been kind to the animation; many of the characters in season 1 are slightly clunky and look harshly lit.
Nevertheless, despite the problems with The Clone Wars season 1, it was monumental in paving the way for Star Wars’ return after the prequels. The Malevolence arc at the beginning of the season showed how the series could tackle large-scale threats. And the standalone episode “Rookies,” helped bring elevate a group of struggling clone troopers into some of the most beloved characters in the franchise. The Battle of Ryloth toward the end of season 1 also showed a softer side of the clones, as troopers Waxer and Boil help a young Twi’lek girl named Numa in the midst of the battle.
6 Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 2 Highlights: introduction of the Darksaber, the Second Battle of Geonosis, & Cad Bane’s Raid on the Jedi Temple Close The Clone Wars season 2 took several more liberties in exploring the galaxy than its predecessor, but still suffered from similar issues. While Cade Bane had his debut in season 1, his character pulled off the impossible at the beginning of the season by successfully raiding the Jedi Temple. The feat of stealing a holocron under the noses of dozens of Jedi firmly established him as one of the most fearsome bounty hunters in Star Wars.
