A long time ago, in a galaxy called Cartoon Network, George Lucas and Dave Filoni brought about The Clone Wars, and some of the best story telling in the Star Wars universe.
So why, oh why is that so many of the Star Wars fans I meet have never seen it?
The Cartoon Network series ran for five seasons. Voice actors included guests as awesome as David Tennant, Star Wars stars like Anthony Daniels, Samuel Jackson and Christopher Lee, and animation veterans like Dee Bradley Baker and Tom Kenny.
And it introduced the world to Ashley Eckstein who created her own universe for fans.
When Disney bought Lucasfilm, the series was cancelled, but Netflix brought about 13 more episodes for season six. It’s been on Netflix and now it’s back for a seventh season on Disney+. The new (and final) season kicked off with some solid episodes focused on Rex and a new crew of Clone Troopers.
The series also paved the way for one of my other favorite properties: Star Wars: Rebels. (Again, why aren’t you watching this?)
I know a lot of people who don’t like Star Wars or have never seen any of the movies. It’s not for everyone. But if you love Star Wars and if you believe in the Force, here are eight reasons why you should watch it!
The acting is better than the prequel trilogy
The Clone Wars is set between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. The acting is mostly awful in those movies. But somehow, the animated characters and voice actors give much better performances. The stories are emotional. There is more chemistry between Padme and Anakin. More of Palpatine’s manipulation of Anakin. More depth to villains like Dooku and Grievous. I can remember waiting each week for a new episode because the stories were just so good.
Jedi lore explained
The prequels introduce all the metachlorian stuff that doesn’t really make sense. The Clone Wars does a lot to corse correct Jedi lore. You get all sorts of insight into the Force and how Jedis can become Force ghosts. The show reveals how the younglings find their kyber crystals and build their light sabers.
Ahsoka Tano is the best character in Star Wars
We meet Ahsoka Tano (voiced by Ekstein) as Anakin’s teenaged padawan. She questions everything and takes after her master in her tendency to want to do things her own way.
She grows in skill and strength through the series, fighting with two lightsabers. She’s courageous and comes to the aid of much more experienced Jedis and allies when others have given up. Her journey leads to some dark places, and this new season should tell more of her story.
New worlds to see
The Clone Wars characters travel to places not seen in the movies like Alderaan, Mon Cala, Mandalore, and Rodia. Episodes open mid battle on some of the most interesting places, with crazy plants, creatures and aliens, some familiar and some new.
Title cards
I love the little inspirational cards before each episode. The blue type on black is reminiscent of the beginning of the movies. Each episode starts with a little nugget of wisdom that would make a great book for the self development section of the book store.
So much back story
Obi Wan has a whole arc with an ex-girlfriend. Jedis who are just background characters in the movies are fully realized heroes – Plo-Koon, Kit Fisto and Luminara Unduli. They have families they left behind, tragedies they’ve faced, and struggles with the light and dark sides.
The Villains
The series has great bad guys beyond the movie characters: Cade Bane, Savage Opress and Aurra Sing. Boba Fett is a young dude set on revenge. Only Darth Maul – who survived being sliced in half – has a bigger chip on his shoulder. He hates the Jedi who destroyed him and the Sith who abandoned him.
Another one of my Clone Wars faves is Hondo Onaka. He’s a pirate and smuggler, and although he’s sometimes on the wrong side of things, he’s always hilarious.
The Clone Troopers
Rex, Cody and so many of the others get stories. They’re brothers, but they have personalities, problems and fears. They’re so much more than just bucket heads.
Are you coming to the light side?
Ok, so there are Jar Jar appearances. But because the stories and writing are so much better, he’s not as annoying. Seriously.
So if you’re going to give Clone Wars a chance or if you’re already a fan, comment below!
Robin Cabana loves to nerd out about Star Wars, Doctor Who, Game of Thrones, Disney and so much more. She has a pug named Penny and lives in New Jersey. 