''Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' is an American
computer-animated
Computer animation is the process used for digitally generating animations. The more general term computer-generated imagery (CGI) encompasses both static scenes ( still images) and dynamic images (moving images), while computer animation refe ...
television series
A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...
created by
George Lucas
George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker. Lucas is best known for creating the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' franchises and founding Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chairm ...
. It is set in the fictional ''
Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
'' galaxy during the three years between the prequel films ''
Episode II: Attack of the Clones'' (2002) and ''
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith'' (2005). Lucas called it a continuation of the previous
Genndy Tartakovsky produced
2003 ''Clone Wars'' series.
Dave Filoni served as supervising director of the series. The series began with
a theatrical feature film that was released on August 15, 2008, and debuted on
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, Car ...
two months later on October 3, 2008.
Episodes had a running time of approximately 22 minutes to fill a half-hour time slot (compared to the 3–15 minute episodes of the previous series). The seventh season was released exclusively on
Disney+
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment
Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and deligh ...
, where it no longer needed to fit specific time slots, and run times were approximately 24 to 26 minutes.
In early 2013, Lucasfilm announced that ''The Clone Wars'' would be "winding down". Thirteen episodes comprising a new sixth season were made available in the U.S. for streaming on
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
, along with the entirety of the series, beginning March 7, 2014.
A project known as ''
The Clone Wars Legacy
''Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' is an American computer-animated television series created by George Lucas. It is set in the fictional '' Star Wars'' galaxy during the three years between the prequel films '' Episode II: Attack of the Clones'' ...
'' adapted unproduced story arcs into other formats, such as comics and novels.
The series was revived for a seventh and final season of 12 new episodes, which premiered on Disney+ on February 21, 2020.
''The Clone Wars'' received mostly positive reception at first and later acclaim from critics and became a significant ratings success, becoming one of Cartoon Network's highest-rated shows during its initial run. The series was also nominated for numerous industry awards, including the
Daytime Emmy Awards and the
Annie Awards
The Annie Awards are accolades which the Los Angeles branch of the International Animated Film Association, ASIFA-Hollywood, has presented each year since 1972 to recognize excellence in animation shown in cinema and television. Originally desig ...
.
Some characters created for ''The Clone Wars'' have gone on to appear in other works, including the animated series ''
Star Wars Rebels'' (2014–2018) and live-action series ''
The Mandalorian'' (2019–present), ''
The Book of Boba Fett'' (2021–present), and
an upcoming spin-off of the former focused on one of ''The Clone Wars main characters,
Ahsoka Tano
Ahsoka Tano is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Introduced as the Jedi Padawan of Anakin Skywalker, she is a supporting character in the animated film '' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' (2008) and the subsequent animated telev ...
.
A
sequel and
spin-off
Spin-off may refer to:
*Spin-off (media), a media work derived from an existing work
*Corporate spin-off, a type of corporate action that forms a new company or entity
* Government spin-off, civilian goods which are the result of military or gove ...
of ''The Clone Wars'', ''
Star Wars: The Bad Batch'' (2021–present), centers on
the titular clone trooper team introduced in ''The Clone Wars''
' seventh season, while a spin-off
anthology series
An anthology series is a radio, television, video game or film series that spans different genres and presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a differ ...
, ''
Tales of the Jedi'' (2022–present), centers on
Count Dooku
Count Dooku of Serenno, also known by his Sith, Sith name Darth Tyranus, or simply as Count Dooku, is a fictional Character (arts), character in the Star Wars, ''Star Wars'' franchise, created by George Lucas. One of the main antagonists of the St ...
and Ahsoka at different stages of their lives before, during, and after the events of ''The Clone Wars''.
Series overview
Setting
''The Clone Wars'' is set during the ''Star Wars''
prequel trilogy
The ''Star Wars'' prequel trilogy, colloquially referred to as the prequels, is a series of epic space-opera films written and directed by George Lucas. It was produced by Lucasfilm Ltd. and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The trilogy was re ...
era, taking place over a span of three years in between the films ''
Attack of the Clones
Attack may refer to:
Warfare and combat
* Offensive (military)
* Charge (warfare)
* Attack (fencing)
* Strike (attack)
* Attack (computing)
* Attack aircraft
Books and publishing
* ''The Attack'' (novel), a book
* '' Attack No. 1'', comic ...
'' and ''
Revenge of the Sith
Revenge is committing a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. Francis Bacon described revenge as a kind of "wild justice" that "does... offend the law ndputteth the law out of office." Pr ...
''. The protagonists comprise returning characters from the films, including
Anakin Skywalker
Darth Vader is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. The character is the central antagonist of the original trilogy and, as Anakin Skywalker, is one of the main protagonists in the prequel trilogy. ''Star Wars'' creator George ...
,
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi () is a fictional Character (arts), character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Within the Star Wars original trilogy, original trilogy, Obi-Wan is a Jedi Master as a supporting character and is portrayed by English actor Alec Guinn ...
,
Padmé Amidala,
Yoda, and
Mace Windu
Mace Windu is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Windu was portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson in the prequel trilogy. Jackson reprised the role in the 2008 animated film '' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' and with voice only in the 20 ...
, as well as new characters created specifically for the series, such as Anakin's Padawan
Ahsoka Tano
Ahsoka Tano is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Introduced as the Jedi Padawan of Anakin Skywalker, she is a supporting character in the animated film '' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' (2008) and the subsequent animated telev ...
and clone
Captain Rex of the
501st Legion.
The series is centered on the
eponymous conflict between the
Galactic Republic
The Galactic Republic, often referred to as simply the Republic, is a fictional galactic polity depicted in the ''Star Wars'' universe, where it existed prior to the establishment of the Galactic Empire. The Republic is most prominently por ...
and the
Confederacy of Independent Systems, a separatist movement organized by the
Sith Lord Count Dooku
Count Dooku of Serenno, also known by his Sith, Sith name Darth Tyranus, or simply as Count Dooku, is a fictional Character (arts), character in the Star Wars, ''Star Wars'' franchise, created by George Lucas. One of the main antagonists of the St ...
. The
Jedi Knights of the Republic lead their legions of
clone trooper
Clone troopers are fictional characters in the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. They have been featured in a number of ''Star Wars'' media, including the live-action films '' Episode II: Attack of the Clones'' (2002) and '' Ep ...
s against the Separatist
droid
Droid or DROID may refer to:
* A robot, or specifically android (robot)
Entertainment
* Droid (band), an American metal band
* ''Droid'' (film), a 1988 science fiction film
* Droid (''Star Wars''), science fictional machines from the ''Star ...
armies headed by the
cyborg commander
General Grievous
General Grievous is a character and antagonist in the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. Grievous was introduced in the 2003 animated series '' Star Wars: Clone Wars'' (voiced by John DiMaggio in the second season and Richard McGo ...
. Unbeknownst to the galaxy, the mysterious
Darth Sidious
Sheev Palpatine, also known by his Sith name Darth Sidious, is a fictional character in the '' Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. Initially credited as the Emperor in the original trilogy films, ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) ...
controls and manipulates both sides of the war as part of his master plan to eliminate the Jedi and create a
new governing state under his rule. To that end, the series depicts the gradual deterioration of the Republic into the beginnings of the Empire that Palpatine would make official in ''Revenge of the Sith''. Other antagonists include Dooku's apprentice and assassin
Asajj Ventress
Asajj Ventress () is a character from the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Originally intended to appear as an antagonist in the 2002 film '' Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones'', she was first introduced in the 2003 micro-series '' Star Wars ...
, infamous bounty hunter
Cad Bane
Cad Bane is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Created by George Lucas, Dave Filoni and Henry Gilroy, the character was introduced to serve as a recurring antagonist in the 2008 computer animated series '' Star Wars: The Clone ...
, and rogue Sith Lord
Darth Maul.
The series was initially conceived as an
anthology
In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs or excerpts by different authors.
In genre fiction, the term ''anthology'' typically categ ...
, with episodes sharing few narrative connections, but later seasons would feature longer story arcs that span several episodes.
Synopsis
Season 1
Season one focuses on various battles fought between the Republic and the Separatists. The Jedi compete with Count Dooku and General Grievous in an effort to convince different planetary systems to join their cause. There are also several episodes that do not focus on the conflict with the Separatists, but rather other aspects of the Clone Wars.
Season 2: Rise of the Bounty Hunters
Season two focuses on the involvement of
bounty hunter characters in the Clone Wars. Darth Sidious hires Cad Bane to steal a holocron from the Jedi Temple that jeopardizes the future of the galaxy's Force-sensitive children; a Separatist droid manufacturing facility on
Geonosis
The fictional universe of the ''Star Wars'' franchise features multiple planets and moons. While only the feature films and selected other works are considered canon to the franchise since the 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm by The Walt Disney ...
creates new weapons that threaten to turn the tide of the war; Grievous increases his attacks on the Republic fleet and overwhelms the Jedi; the
Mandalorian
Mandalorians are fictional people associated with the planet Mandalore in the ''Star Wars'' universe and franchise created by George Lucas. Their most distinct cultural features are their battle helmets, chest armor, wrist gauntlets, and often ...
terrorist faction Death Watch takes advantage of their planet's neutrality to target the
pacifistic Duchess Satine Kryze; and the assassin
Aurra Sing mentors the young
Boba Fett
Boba Fett ( ) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. First appearing in the ''Star Wars Holiday Special'' (1978), where he was voiced by Don Francks, he is an armored bounty hunter featured in both the original and prequel fi ...
in seeking revenge against Mace Windu for the death of Boba's
father.
Season 3: Secrets Revealed
Season three focuses on the development of certain characters as the war rages on. Anakin learns about the nature of the
Force
In physics, a force is an influence that can change the motion of an object. A force can cause an object with mass to change its velocity (e.g. moving from a state of rest), i.e., to accelerate. Force can also be described intuitively as a p ...
and his role as the
Chosen One in an ancient Force realm; Ahsoka begins to grow into her own and is faced with several challenges that test her independence as a Padawan; and Asajj Ventress is betrayed by Dooku and left for dead, causing her to return to her Nightsister coven and attempt to exact revenge on Dooku through the use of her own pawn, the Nightbrother
Savage Opress
This incomplete list of characters from the '' Star Wars'' franchise contains only those which are considered part of the official ''Star Wars'' canon, as of the changes made by Lucasfilm in April 2014. Following its acquisition by The Walt D ...
. Other episodes explore the democratic role of the Republic Senate in the Clone Wars, and how different planets are affected by the galaxy-wide conflict.
Season 4: Battle Lines
Season four focuses on the escalation of the Clone Wars through battles of growing intensity on different fronts. Captain Rex and the 501st Legion are forced to go against their orders and act independently to oppose the rogue Jedi general Pong Krell; Obi-Wan fakes his death and goes undercover as a bounty hunter to thwart a Separatist plot to kidnap Chancellor
Palpatine
Sheev Palpatine, also known by his Sith name Darth Sidious, is a fictional Character (arts), character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. Initially credited as the Emperor in the original trilogy films, ''The Empire Strikes ...
; Ventress abandons her past and becomes a bounty hunter following the Separatists' massacre of the Nightsisters; and Savage finds his long-lost brother, Darth Maul, who seeks revenge against Obi-Wan for his
defeat over a decade prior.
Season 5
Season five features five main story arcs. In the first one, the Republic helps a group of rebels from Onderon, led by siblings Steela and
Saw Gerrera
Saw Gerrera is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was originally introduced as a minor character in the animated series '' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'', where he was voiced by Andrew Kishino. He was subsequently played by Fo ...
, liberate their planet from Separatist occupation. The second arc focuses on a group of Jedi younglings who, after completing their path to becoming Padawans, have to prove themselves by rescuing Ahsoka from pirates. The third arc revolves around a team of droids who, while undertaking a mission to intercept an encrypted Separatist message, encounter an
amnesia
Amnesia is a deficit in memory caused by brain damage or disease,Gazzaniga, M., Ivry, R., & Mangun, G. (2009) Cognitive Neuroscience: The biology of the mind. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. but it can also be caused temporarily by the use ...
c former clone commando and must help him recover his memories to escape the planet they have been stranded on. The fourth arc deals with the return of Darth Maul, who joins forces with Death Watch and other criminal syndicates to take over Mandalore and exact revenge on Obi-Wan. The final arc features Ahsoka being framed for bombing the Jedi Temple and later convicted of being a cold-blooded murderer, she would struggle to prove her innocence leading to her fearing who she can trust and running from the Republic. Though Anakin captures the real culprit that framed Ahsoka, she was left questioning the trustworthiness of the
Jedi Council
Jedi (), Jedi Knights, or collectively the Jedi Order are the main heroic protagonists of many works of the '' Star Wars'' franchise. Working symbiotically alongside the Old Galactic Republic, and later supporting the Rebel Alliance, the Jedi O ...
, so she elects to abandon the Jedi Order, leaving Anakin devastated.
Season 6: The Lost Missions
Season six consists of four story arcs: clone trooper Fives investigating the premature activation of
Order 66 in a fellow trooper's mind, and discovering the truth about the inhibitor chips implanted in each clone's brain, only to be silenced by Palpatine before he can expose it; Padmé trying to help her old flame
Rush Clovis
This incomplete list of characters from the '' Star Wars'' franchise contains only those which are considered part of the official ''Star Wars'' canon, as of the changes made by Lucasfilm in April 2014. Following its acquisition by The Walt D ...
expose the corruption in the Intergalactic Banking Clan, which causes tensions in her and Anakin's relationship when he learns about her secret mission and intervenes;
Jar Jar Binks
Jar Jar Binks is a fictional character of the Gungan race from the ''Star Wars'' saga created by George Lucas. Jar Jar appears throughout the ''Star Wars'' prequel trilogy – as a major character in '' Episode I: The Phantom Menace'', with a ...
and Mace Windu rescuing the captured Queen of Bardotta from a cult headed by the Nightsisters' former leader,
Mother Talzin
This incomplete list of characters from the ''Star Wars'' franchise contains only those which are considered part of the official ''Star Wars'' canon, as of the changes made by Lucasfilm in April 2014. Following its acquisition by The Walt Dis ...
; and Yoda embarking on a journey to learn more about the nature of the Force after he is visited by the spirit of the late
Qui-Gon Jinn.
Season 7: The Final Season
Season seven consists of three story arcs. The first one is focused on Captain Rex's character, as he, Anakin, and
a team of clones with genetic mutations rescue ARC Trooper Echo, previously believed to have been killed in action, and defeat the Separatists on Anaxes with his help. The second one focuses on Ahsoka, who befriends sisters Trace and Rafa Martez and helps them settle a debt with the Pyke Syndicate, while trying to conceal her Force powers because of the sisters' hatred of Jedi. The final arc, which is set concurrently with ''Revenge of the Sith'', depicts the Siege of Mandalore, a battle that had been referenced in previous ''Star Wars'' media. Ahsoka reluctantly returns to the Republic to lead an assault alongside Rex and Mandalorian warrior
Bo-Katan Kryze
Bo-Katan Kryze is a fictional character in the '' Star Wars'' franchise. She was introduced in the computer-animated television series '' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'', in which she was voiced by Katee Sackhoff. Sackhoff subsequently reprised he ...
against Maul's forces on Mandalore. Once Ahsoka confronted Maul, he shares a haunting vision about her previous master Anakin, and how Palpatine's plan is about to come into full effect with Anakin in the center of it. After Maul is captured, Ahsoka is eager to speak to Anakin about what Maul told her, but while in a
Venator-class Star Destroyer
Star Destroyers are capital ships in the fictional ''Star Wars'' universe. Star Destroyers were produced by Kuat Drive Yards, later Kuat-Entralla Engineering, and serve as "the signature vessel of the fleet" for the Galactic Republic, Galactic Emp ...
, Palpatine executes Order 66, causing Ahsoka to be attacked by her own clone troopers. She manages to restore Rex's free will, and releases Maul to cause a distraction, but he ends up disabling the ship they are on. All three ultimately escape. The final scene of the series shows Anakin, now Darth Vader, finding Ahsoka's lightsaber among the ship's wreckage some time later, and leaving with it in silence.
Episodes
The series started with a
theatrically released animated film; this decision was made after the production team watched completed footage of several early episodes for the planned television series, which were ultimately combined into a single
feature-length film
A feature film or feature-length film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation in a commercial entertainment program. The term ''feature film'' originall ...
.
Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures is an American film production and distribution company of the Warner Bros. Pictures Group division of Warner Bros. Entertainment (both ultimately owned by Warner Bros. Discovery). The studio is the flagship producer of liv ...
distributed the film, while subsequent episodes aired separately on
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, Car ...
. For the film,
Christopher Lee
Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee (27 May 1922 – 7 June 2015) was an English actor and singer. In a long career spanning more than 60 years, Lee often portrayed villains, and appeared as Count Dracula in seven Hammer Horror films, ultimat ...
,
Anthony Daniels
Anthony Daniels ( ; born 21 February 1946) is an English actor and mime artist, best known for playing in 10 ''Star Wars'' films. He is the only actor to have either appeared in or been involved with all theatrical films in the series, and h ...
,
Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel Leroy Jackson (born December 21, 1948) is an American actor and producer. One of the most widely recognized actors of his generation, the films in which he has appeared have collectively grossed over $27 billion worldwide, making him ...
, and
Matthew Wood reprised their roles as
Count Dooku
Count Dooku of Serenno, also known by his Sith, Sith name Darth Tyranus, or simply as Count Dooku, is a fictional Character (arts), character in the Star Wars, ''Star Wars'' franchise, created by George Lucas. One of the main antagonists of the St ...
,
C-3PO,
Mace Windu
Mace Windu is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Windu was portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson in the prequel trilogy. Jackson reprised the role in the 2008 animated film '' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' and with voice only in the 20 ...
, and the
B1 Battle Droids
In the ''Star Wars'' space opera franchise, a droid is a fictional robot possessing some degree of artificial intelligence''.'' The term is a clipped form of " android", a word originally reserved for robots designed to look and act like a huma ...
, respectively, from the live-action movies, but Lee and Jackson did not return for the television series.
On December 5, 2011, a full-length feature cut of one of the Season 3 trilogies of episodes (the one composed by "Nightsisters," "Monster," and "Witches of the Mist") was released for download on
iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
as an uninterrupted movie that was previously shown at selected screenings in 2010. The three episodes were written by
Katie Lucas, who had previously written the Season 1 episode "Jedi Crash" as well as the Season 3 episodes "Sphere of Influence" and "Assassin." A repeat of season one aired in "decoded" episode format. Each installment contained unobtrusive text windows giving supplemental information about the characters and events playing out on screen.
The series was cancelled in March 2013, after the conclusion of its fifth season, as a result of
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
's acquisition of
Lucasfilm
Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC is an American film and television production company and a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, which is a business segment of The Walt Disney Company. The studio is best known for creating and producing the ''Star Wars'' and ' ...
and the decision to remove most ''
Star Wars Expanded Universe
'' Star Wars'' has been expanded to media other than the original films. This spin-off material is licensed and moderated by Lucasfilm, though during his involvement with the franchise ''Star Wars'' creator George Lucas reserved the right to ...
'' works from
canon. Despite this, ''The Clone Wars'' was one of the few pieces of ''Star Wars'' media to remain part of the new continuity established by Disney, and a sixth season was released on March 7, 2014, on
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
, along with additional media, such as comic books and novels, based on unfinished story arcs that would have been included in the season. On July 19, 2018, Lucasfilm announced at
San Diego Comic-Con
San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California since 1970. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International: San Diego; but it is co ...
that ''The Clone Wars'' would return with 12 new episodes in a seventh season to be released on
Disney+
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment
Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and deligh ...
.
A trailer for the season was released on April 14, 2019, at
''Star Wars'' Celebration Chicago. On August 23, 2019, series creator
Dave Filoni announced at the
D23 Expo that it will be the final season.
On March 17, 2014, in recognition of the release of the complete series on Netflix, StarWars.com released the official chronological episode order for the first six seasons; this was later updated to include links to the episodes on Disney+.
Cast and characters
Main
*
Matt Lanter
Matthew MacKendree Lanter (born April 1, 1983) is an American actor and model. He began his modeling career in 2004. The same year, he acted in the film '' Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius'' and the television series '' Point Pleasant''. He went ...
as
Anakin Skywalker
Darth Vader is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. The character is the central antagonist of the original trilogy and, as Anakin Skywalker, is one of the main protagonists in the prequel trilogy. ''Star Wars'' creator George ...
, Lom Pyke, Additional voices
*
James Arnold Taylor as
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi () is a fictional Character (arts), character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Within the Star Wars original trilogy, original trilogy, Obi-Wan is a Jedi Master as a supporting character and is portrayed by English actor Alec Guinn ...
, Plo Koon, Osi Sobeck, Additional voices
*
Ashley Eckstein
Ashley Eckstein (; born September 22, 1981) is an American actress and fashion designer. She is the founder of the fashion label Her Universe. She is best known for voicing the role of Ahsoka Tano throughout the '' Star Wars'' franchise, beginn ...
as
Ahsoka Tano
Ahsoka Tano is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Introduced as the Jedi Padawan of Anakin Skywalker, she is a supporting character in the animated film '' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' (2008) and the subsequent animated telev ...
, Additional voices
*
Dee Bradley Baker
Dee Bradley Baker (born August 31, 1962) is an American voice actor. Much of Baker's work features vocalizations of animals and monsters. Baker's roles include animated series such as ''Avatar: The Last Airbender'', ''Codename: Kids Next Door'', ...
as
Clone Troopers
Clone troopers are fictional characters in the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. They have been featured in a number of ''Star Wars'' media, including the live-action films '' Episode II: Attack of the Clones'' (2002) and '' Ep ...
, Saesee Tiin, Onaconda Farr, Bossk, Admiral Trench, Additional voices
*
Matthew Wood as
General Grievous
General Grievous is a character and antagonist in the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. Grievous was introduced in the 2003 animated series '' Star Wars: Clone Wars'' (voiced by John DiMaggio in the second season and Richard McGo ...
,
Battle Droids
In the ''Star Wars'' space opera franchise, a droid is a fictional robot possessing some degree of artificial intelligence''.'' The term is a clipped form of " android", a word originally reserved for robots designed to look and act like a huma ...
, Wat Tambor, Poggle the Lesser, Additional voices
*
Tom Kane as
Narrator,
Yoda, Admiral Wullf Yularen, Additional voices
*
Catherine Taber
Catherine Anne Taber (born December 30, 1979) is an American actress. She is known for voicing Padmé Amidala in '' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' and Lori Loud on ''The Loud House''.
Biography
In 2000, Taber made her feature film debut starring ...
as
Padmé Amidala, Additional voices
*
Terrence C. Carson
Terrence C. Carson (born November 19, 1958) is an American actor best known for portraying Kyle Barker on the FOX sitcom ''Living Single'' and voicing Mace Windu in various ''Star Wars'' media. He is also known for his long-running voice role as ...
as
Mace Windu
Mace Windu is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Windu was portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson in the prequel trilogy. Jackson reprised the role in the 2008 animated film '' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' and with voice only in the 20 ...
, Additional voices
*
Corey Burton as
Count Dooku / Darth Tyranus,
Cad Bane
Cad Bane is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Created by George Lucas, Dave Filoni and Henry Gilroy, the character was introduced to serve as a recurring antagonist in the 2008 computer animated series '' Star Wars: The Clone ...
, Ziro the Hutt, Additional voices
*
Nika Futterman as
Asajj Ventress
Asajj Ventress () is a character from the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Originally intended to appear as an antagonist in the 2002 film '' Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones'', she was first introduced in the 2003 micro-series '' Star Wars ...
, Additional voices
*
Katee Sackhoff as
Bo-Katan Kryze
Bo-Katan Kryze is a fictional character in the '' Star Wars'' franchise. She was introduced in the computer-animated television series '' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'', in which she was voiced by Katee Sackhoff. Sackhoff subsequently reprised he ...
*
Sam Witwer as
Darth Maul, The Son, Additional voices
Recurring
*
Ian Abercrombie
Ian Abercrombie (11 September 1934 – 26 January 2012) was an English actor and comedian. He was best known for playing Justin Pitt (Elaine Benes' boss) during the sixth season of '' Seinfeld''. He also played Alfred Pennyworth on ''Birds of Pr ...
(seasons 1–6) /
Tim Curry (seasons 5–6) /
Ian McDiarmid
Ian McDiarmid (; born 11 August 1944) is a Scottish actor and director of stage and screen, best known for portraying the Sith Lord Emperor Sheev Palpatine / Darth Sidious in the ''Star Wars'' multimedia franchise. Making his stage debut in '' ...
(season 7) as
Chancellor Palpatine / Darth Sidious
*
Greg Baldwin as Gwarm, Tera Sinube, Additional voices
*
Ahmed Best
Ahmed Best (born August 19, 1973) is an American actor, comedian and musician. He is known for providing motion capture and the voice of the character of Jar Jar Binks in the ''Star Wars'' franchise.
Best likewise collaborated with director Geor ...
(seasons 1–6) /
Phil LaMarr (Credited as B.J. Hughes) (Season 1) as
Jar Jar Binks
Jar Jar Binks is a fictional character of the Gungan race from the ''Star Wars'' saga created by George Lucas. Jar Jar appears throughout the ''Star Wars'' prequel trilogy – as a major character in '' Episode I: The Phantom Menace'', with a ...
*
Clancy Brown
Clarence John "Clancy" Brown III (born January 5, 1959) is an American actor. Prolific in film and television since the 1980s, Brown is often cast in villainous and authoritative roles.
Brown's film roles include Viking Lofgren in ''Bad Boys'' ...
as Savage , Additional voices
*
Jim Cummings
James Jonah Cummings (born November 3, 1952) is an American voice actor. Since beginning his career in the 1980s, he has appeared in almost 400 roles. Cummings has frequently worked with The Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros., including as th ...
as
Hondo Ohnaka, Additional voices
*
Olivia d'Abo as Luminara Unduli
*
Anthony Daniels
Anthony Daniels ( ; born 21 February 1946) is an English actor and mime artist, best known for playing in 10 ''Star Wars'' films. He is the only actor to have either appeared in or been involved with all theatrical films in the series, and h ...
as
C-3PO
*
Ben Diskin
Benjamin Isaac Diskin (born August 25, 1982) is an American actor who was affiliated in Studiopolis, Bang Zoom!, SDI Media, Funimation, VSI Los Angeles, and NYAV Post.
Early life
Diskin was born in Los Angeles County, California to a Jewish fami ...
as WAC-47, AZI-3, Additional voices
*
Robin Atkin Downes
Robin Atkin Downes is an English actor known for his work in animation and video games.
Early life
Downes was born in London. He earned an MFA from Temple University in Philadelphia.
Career
Downes has voiced characters in animated films s ...
as Rush Clovis, Cham Syndulla, Additional voices
*
Gideon Emery
Gideon Emery is an English actor and singer. He is best known for his role as Deucalion in ''Teen Wolf'' and for providing voice-over work in video games, television series and films.
Early life and education
Emery was born to Pauline, a compet ...
as Lott Dod, Mee Deechi, Additional voices
*
Jon Favreau
Jonathan Kolia Favreau (; born October 19, 1966) is an American actor and filmmaker. As an actor, Favreau has appeared in films such as ''Rudy (film), Rudy'' (1993), ''PCU (film), PCU'' (1994), ''Swingers (1996 film), Swingers'' (1996), ''Very ...
as Pre Vizsla
*
Dave Filoni as Embo, Additional voices
*
Brian George as Ki-Adi-Mundi, King Katuunko, Additional voices
*
Barbara Goodson as Mother Talzin
*
Anna Graves
Anna Graves is an American voice actress best known for her voice-over work on multiple video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as ...
as Duchess Satine Kryze, Sugi, Meena Tills, Additional voices
*
Jennifer Hale as Aayla Secura, Riyo Chuchi
*
Julian Holloway
Julian Holloway (born 24 June 1944) is a British actor. He is the son of comedy actor and singer Stanley Holloway and former chorus dancer and actress Violet Lane. He is the father of author and former model Sophie Dahl.
Early life
Holloway was ...
as
Almec, Admiral Killian
*
Tom Kenny as Nute Gunray, Lt. Tan Divo, Greedo, Additional voices
*
Jaime King
Jaime King (born April 23, 1979) is an American actress and model. In her modeling career and early film roles, she used the names Jamie King and James King, which was a childhood nickname given to King by her parents, because her agency alread ...
as
Aurra Sing, Additional Voices
*
Phil LaMarr as Bail Organa, Kit Fisto, Orn Free Taa, Additional voices
*
Daniel Logan as
Boba Fett
Boba Fett ( ) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. First appearing in the ''Star Wars Holiday Special'' (1978), where he was voiced by Don Francks, he is an armored bounty hunter featured in both the original and prequel fi ...
, Clone Cadets
*
James C. Mathis III as Gregar Typho
* Jameelah McMillan as Halle Burtoni, Queen Neeyutnee
* Angelique Perrin as Adi Gallia, Additional voices
*
Kevin Michael Richardson
Kevin Michael Richardson (born October 25, 1964) is an American actor. Known for his distinctively deep voice, he has mostly voiced villainous characters in animation and video games. In film, Richardson voiced Goro in ''Mortal Kombat'' (1995) ...
as
Jabba the Hutt, Additional voices
*
Meredith Salenger as Barriss Offee, Additional voices
*
Jason Spisak
Jason Spisak () is an American voice actor, producer, and computer programmer in animation and video games, and producer and founding member of Blackchalk Productions. He is also the co-leader of the Symphony OS Project and the designer of Symphon ...
as Lux Bonteri, Additional voices
*
Stephen Stanton as Mas Amedda,
Tarkin, Additional voices
*
Tasia Valenza as Shaak Ti
*
Gwendoline Yeo as Nala Se, Additional voices
Notable guests
*
Pernilla August as Shmi Skywalker
*
Bob Bergen
Robert Bergen (born March 8, 1964) is an American voice actor. He voices Warner Bros. cartoon characters Porky Pig and Tweety and has voiced characters in the English dubs of various anime. He formerly hosted the children's game show '' Jep!'', ...
as Lama Su
*
Artt Butler as Captain Ackbar
* Flo Di Re as Jocasta Nu
*
Dave Fennoy
Dave Fennoy is an American voice actor. His video game roles have included Lee Everett in '' The Walking Dead'', Bluebeard in ''The Wolf Among Us'', Finch in ''Tales from the Borderlands'', Gabriel the Warrior in '' Minecraft: Story Mode'', and ...
as Pong Krell
*
Mark Hamill
Mark Richard Hamill (; born September 25, 1951) is an American actor and writer. He is known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the ''Star Wars'' film series, beginning with the original 1977 film and subsequently winning three Saturn Awards f ...
as
Darth Bane
Darth Bane is a fictional character in the '' Star Wars'' franchise. He was created by George Lucas, within the ''Star Wars'' canon where he is first mentioned in a deleted scene from '' Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace'', where Bane ...
*
Andrew Kishino as Saw Gerrera
*
Liam Neeson
William John Neeson (born 7 June 1952) is an actor from Northern Ireland. He has received several accolades, including nominations for an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and two Tony Awards. In 2020, he was placed 7th on ''The I ...
as
Qui-Gon Jinn
*
Simon Pegg as
Dengar
*
Kath Soucie as Mon Mothma
*
George Takei as Lok Durd
*
David Tennant as Huyang
Production
At April 2005's
''Star Wars'' Celebration III,
George Lucas
George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker. Lucas is best known for creating the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' franchises and founding Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chairm ...
announced that "we are working on a
3-D continuation of
the pilot series that was on the Cartoon Network; we probably won't start that project for another year."
Lucas hired
Dave Filoni after having seen episodes of ''
Avatar: The Last Airbender'' he had worked on.
By July 2005,
pre-production had begun on the series, according to
Steve Sansweet
Stephen J. Sansweet (born June 14, 1945) is the chairman and president of Rancho Obi-Wan, a nonprofit museum that houses the world's largest collection of '' Star Wars'' memorabilia.
Prior to his retirement in April 2011, he was Director of Con ...
, head of Lucasfilm fan relations. Sansweet referred to the series as "the next generation of the ''Star Wars'' saga, a cutting edge 30-minute, 3-D computer-animation series based on the Clone Wars that take place between ''
Episode II'' ... and ''
Episode III''." Sansweet described the look of the new series as "a melding of Asian anime with unique 3-D animation styling." Primary production took place at the
Lucasfilm Animation facility in Singapore.
According to another statement by Sansweet, "Lucasfilm Animation will be hiring a total of about 300 digital artists and others in both California and Singapore locations to produce not only the series but animated feature films in the years ahead." He said about the series, "to get the series underway, Lucasfilm Animation has hired key production and creative talent to lead the development of its first animation project." Sansweet has said that "a large component of the future of ''Star Wars'' and Lucasfilm is
CGI animation."
Lucasfilm Animation used
Autodesk software
Software is a set of computer programs and associated documentation and data. This is in contrast to hardware, from which the system is built and which actually performs the work.
At the lowest programming level, executable code consists ...
to animate both the film and the series. The
Maya 3D-modeling program was used to create the highly detailed worlds, characters and creatures.
Character designer Kilian Plunkett referred to the character designs from
Genndy Tartakovsky's original 2003 ''Clone Wars'' series, and animators reviewed designs from the 2D series when creating the animation style.
In 2007,
Rob Coleman
Rob Coleman (born April 27, 1964) is a Canadian animation director; he is currently the creative director at Industrial Light & Magic Sydney, Australia. Previously, he was the Head of Animation at the award-winning Australian visual effects and an ...
divulged that one episode was complete, with 15 more in production, and that he was going to direct five of the first 22 episodes. He revealed that the reaction from licensees was very positive, and that the final assembly of shows was done at
Skywalker Ranch.
Speaking at
PaleyFest on March 3, 2007, Lucas revealed that the series would be episodic, and as such would not focus on
Anakin Skywalker
Darth Vader is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. The character is the central antagonist of the original trilogy and, as Anakin Skywalker, is one of the main protagonists in the prequel trilogy. ''Star Wars'' creator George ...
's story; with episodes dedicated to
clone trooper
Clone troopers are fictional characters in the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. They have been featured in a number of ''Star Wars'' media, including the live-action films '' Episode II: Attack of the Clones'' (2002) and '' Ep ...
s and other characters. Lucas revealed further information in a fan interview, including a new character named
Ahsoka Tano
Ahsoka Tano is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Introduced as the Jedi Padawan of Anakin Skywalker, she is a supporting character in the animated film '' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' (2008) and the subsequent animated telev ...
, over 100 episodes and a possible appearance by
Boba Fett
Boba Fett ( ) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. First appearing in the ''Star Wars Holiday Special'' (1978), where he was voiced by Don Francks, he is an armored bounty hunter featured in both the original and prequel fi ...
. The first trailer for the series was released on the official ''Star Wars'' website on May 8, 2007. In an interview in the September 24, 2007 issue of ''
TV Guide
TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...
'', Lucas confirmed that 39 episodes of the series had been completed.
On April 8, 2007, ''
Ain't It Cool News
Ain't It Cool News (AICN) is an entertainment news website founded by Harry Knowles and run by his sister Dannie Knowles since September 2017, dedicated to news, rumors, and reviews of upcoming and current films, television, and comic book proje ...
'' reported that musician
Eric Rigler had recorded music for the series. Rigler disclosed that each planet in the ''Star Wars'' galaxy would have its own theme music. The episode Mr. Rigler performed on was based on Bulgarian
music
Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ...
and played on
Uilleann pipes.
Kevin Kiner composed the original score for each episode.
Stuart Snyder, who oversaw Cartoon Network and other
Turner Broadcasting System
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (alternatively known as Turner Entertainment Networks from 2019 until 2022) was an American television and media conglomerate. Founded by Ted Turner and based in Atlanta, Georgia, it merged with Time Warner (lat ...
cable networks from 2007 to 2014, said he became interested in the new ''Clone Wars'' series immediately upon starting the job in May 2007. Snyder flew out to San Francisco, California to screen several episodes, and told Lucas the only place he wanted to see the show was on Cartoon Network. Snyder wished to create an
action/
adventure block of shows on Friday night in an attempt to rejuvenate Cartoon Network. Snyder expressed confidence that the shows would help boost ratings: "You catch me at a time where I have a smile on my face because of our internal results. I can say there's a little bit of bragging on the third quarter for us."
Lucas considered excluding the "Young Padawans" arc from Season 5 and airing it separately from ''The Clone Wars'' as a feature-length pilot for a
spin-off
Spin-off may refer to:
*Spin-off (media), a media work derived from an existing work
*Corporate spin-off, a type of corporate action that forms a new company or entity
* Government spin-off, civilian goods which are the result of military or gove ...
series that never materialized. The pilot movie was shown at ''Star Wars'' Celebration. Seasons 6, 7, and 8, were in some form of production at the time of the show's cancellation in March 2013, shortly after Lucasfilm was purchased by Disney.
Release
An online comic released alongside the series depicts story snippets between episodes.
Broadcast
On August 31, 2008, a sneak peek of ''The Clone Wars'' was shown on
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, Car ...
. The series premiered on October 3, 2008, at 9 p.m. on Cartoon Network. ''The Clone Wars'' on Cartoon Network is shown in a 16:9 (1.77:1) aspect ratio, cropped from its original aspect ratio (OAR) of 2.35:1 (as seen in the UK Sky Premiere screenings). The show began airing on their
Adult Swim
Adult Swim (AS; stylized as dult swim
Dult is a village in Batala in Gurdaspur district of Punjab State, India. It is located from sub district headquarter, from district headquarter and from Sri Hargobindpur. The village is administrated by Sarpanch an elected representati ...
and often abbreviated as s is an American adult-oriented night-time cable television Television channel, channel that shares channel space with the basic cable network Cartoon Network and is programme ...
block on March 14, 2009, making the series the first Cartoon Network series to simultaneously air on both Cartoon Network and Adult Swim. The series also aired from January 15 to March 26, 2009, on
TNT, making it the first form of animation to air on that channel in over a decade.
The show entered an off-network syndication in 2012, and in the fall of that year
Trifecta Entertainment & Media
Trifecta Entertainment & Media is an American entertainment company founded in 2006. The company's founders previously held jobs as executives at MGM Television. Trifecta is primarily a distribution company and also handles advertising sales in exc ...
put it into barter syndication. on Weekends It aired on many affiliates on the
Independent Stations as well as an affiliates of
Fox
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
MyNetworkTV and
The CW
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
(the latter network's
CW Plus
CW may stand for:
Science and technology
* centiwatt (cW), one hundredth of a watt
* Cω, a programming language
* CW complex, a type of topological space
* Carrier wave, in radio communications
* CodeWarrior, an integrated development environm ...
service also carries the program as part of its national schedule). The show has been taken off the air in off-network syndication since fall 2013 due to low costs and was not renewed for Season 2 in the 2013-2014 TV Season due to Disney's completed acquisitions of
Lucasfilm Ltd
Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC is an American film and television production company and a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, which is a business segment of The Walt Disney Company. The studio is best known for creating and producing the ''Star Wars'' and ' ...
In December 2012.
On March 11, 2013, it was announced that ''The Clone Wars'' would be "winding down" to focus on the ''Star Wars'' sequel trilogy and a new series, ''
Star Wars Rebels''. On February 13, 2014,
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
announced that starting on March 7, 2014, they would begin the US distribution of the entire TV series, including some previously unreleased
director's cut
A director's cut is an edited version of a film (or video game, television episode, music video, or commercial) that is supposed to represent the director's own approved edit in contrast to the theatrical release. "Cut" explicitly refers to the ...
s, and the previously unaired new season dubbed "The Lost Missions".
The latter also became available for purchase on digital video stores, such as
iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
, in . The Netflix distribution of the series, along with the Blu-rays, included versions of some episodes with previously censored material. One of the most well-known edits was the removal of the character Ventress kissing a clone after she had stabbed him with her lightsaber.
The show was removed from Netflix on April 7, 2019. For the revival and final season,
the remaining episodes of the series are exclusively available on
Disney+
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment
Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and deligh ...
.
The first episode for Season 7 was released on February 21, 2020, with the final episode being released on
May 4 of the same year.
Home media
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc. (formerly known as Warner Home Video and WCI Home Video and sometimes credited as Warner Home Entertainment) is the home video distribution division of Warner Bros.
It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Video ...
distributed the videodisc releases of the first five seasons, while
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc., doing business as Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, is the home entertainment distribution arm of The Walt Disney Company. The division handles the distribution of Disney's films, television series, an ...
handled the videodisc release of the sixth season as ''Star Wars: The Clone Wars – The Lost Missions''.
Apart from the season-by-season videodisc sets, there were also three special DVD releases consisting of four episodes from a particular season that reflected a certain story arc or theme:
*''A Galaxy Divided'', an early DVD release of the series which included the four season 1 episodes ("Ambush", "Shadow of Malevolence", "Destroy Malevolence", "Downfall of a Droid")
*''Clone Commandos'', another DVD compilation that includes episode five "Rookies" as well as episodes 19 through 21 ("Storm over Ryloth", "Innocents of Ryloth" and "Liberty on Ryloth").
*''Senate Murders'', DVD from Season 2 episode ''Senate Murders''
*''Heroes on Both Sides'', DVD from Season 3 episode ''Heroes on Both Sides''
*''Pursuit of Peace'', DVD from Season 3 episode ''Pursuit of Peace''
*''Darth Maul Returns'', a feature-length "
director's cut
A director's cut is an edited version of a film (or video game, television episode, music video, or commercial) that is supposed to represent the director's own approved edit in contrast to the theatrical release. "Cut" explicitly refers to the ...
" edited together from Season 4 episodes "Massacre", "Bounty", "Brothers" and "Revenge" and was initially available exclusively at
Target
Target may refer to:
Physical items
* Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports
** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports
** Aiming point, in field artillery, fi ...
.
Reception
Critical response
The theatrical film that served as
the premiere for the series was panned by critics. The series began with generally positive reviews at first and over time the series achieved critical acclaim for its writing, emotional depth, lore expansion and voice acting. On July 11, 2008, television critics were shown a completed episode of the series. ''
The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' called the footage "likely the most photo-realistic animated TV series ever produced."
Season 1
On
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, the first season has an approval rating of 69% based on 16 critic reviews, with an average rating of 5.70/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "With an agreeably entertaining first season, ''Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' opens a fun, kid-friendly chapter of the franchise's sprawling mythology." On
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
, the first season has a weighted average score of 64 out of 100 based on 9 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
''
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. It is the finest grained foliated metamorphic rock. ...
'' gave the season a positive review and stated, "The new series aspires to the level of a virtual-reality game. That's both the source of its great visual charm and the key to its emptiness, which is too dull to get worked up about."
Maureen Ryan of the ''
Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
'' praised the season's "fine" complexity, but criticized its "byzantine" plot and lack of character depth, calling the result an "irritation or boredom".
In 2009,
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
named ''The Clone Wars'' the 89th best animated series, specifically praising the episodes "Rookies", "Cloak of Darkness", and "Lair of Grievous" as having some of the best storylines in the
''Star Wars'' Expanded Universe.
Season 3
On
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, the third season has an approval rating of 100% based on 5 critic reviews, with an average rating of 8/10.
Season 5
On
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, the fifth season has an approval rating of 100% based on 5 critic reviews, with an average rating of 7.90/10.
Season 6
On
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, the sixth season has an approval rating of 100% based on 12 critic reviews, with an average rating of 8.90/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "Sophisticated storytelling and quality animation make the sixth season of ''Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' a fitting end to the series."
Season 7
On
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, the seventh season has an approval rating of 100% based on 24 critic reviews, with an average rating of 7.70/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "Thanks to its beautifully animated action-sequences and its impressively layered storytelling, ''The Clone Wars'' final chapter affirms its place as one of ''Star Wars'' greatest entries."
Ratings
''Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' became the most-watched series premiere in Cartoon Network history. The series averaged 4 million total viewers in its
debut
Debut or début (the first public appearance of a person or thing) may refer to:
* Debut (society), the formal introduction of young upper-class women to society
* Debut novel, an author's first published novel
Film and television
* ''The Debu ...
, according to
Nielsen Media Research. Cartoon Network said the ''Star Wars'' spin-off ranked as the number one channel among all major animated networks in the time slot among total viewers (the largest in the demographic for any premiere telecast of an original Cartoon series). On July 23, 2010, at the
San Diego Comic-Con
San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California since 1970. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International: San Diego; but it is co ...
, Craig Glenday, editor of the
Guinness World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
, presented ''Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' supervising director Dave Filoni, CG supervisor Joel Aron, and lead designer Kilian Plunkett a certificate proclaiming the cartoon series "the highest rated sci-fi animation currently on television". ''Tech Times'' said that, "while the ''Star Wars'' prequel films fail to make audiences care about characters like Anakin Skywalker, ''The Clone Wars'' succeeds." During May 2020, following the release of the seventh season on Disney+, ''The Clone Wars'' became the most streamed digital original show in the United States.
Accolades
Legacy
The animated series ''
Star Wars Rebels'' (2014–2018) and ''
Star Wars: The Bad Batch'' (2021–present) continues the story of some characters from ''The Clone Wars'', including Ahsoka, Captain Rex, Maul, and Darth Vader, in addition to story arcs involving Mandalorians, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Hondo Ohnaka, and Saw Gerrera.
Forest Whitaker
Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Forest Whitaker, various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a British Academy Film Award ...
portrayed Gerrera in the live-action film ''
Rogue One'' (2016). Some of these characters and elements are also featured in the live-action Disney+ streaming series ''
The Mandalorian'' (2019–present),
which Dave Filoni executive produces.
An upcoming live-action series focused on Ahsoka is being spun off from ''The Mandalorian'', with Filoni .
''The Clone Wars Legacy''
At the time of cancellation in March 2013, 65 more episodes were in development.
Thirteen of these episodes were finished to become part of ''Season 6: The Lost Missions'', but there were still additional arcs that were never released. In September 2014, StarWars.com released details of three story arcs from the unfinished episodes.
In 2020, an additional twelve of the unfinished episodes were finished and released on Disney+ as part of the show's seventh and final season.
Literature
= ''Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir''
=
A four-episode arc continued the story of Maul following the events from the season 5 episode "The Lawless", detailing his escape from Sidious; Maul regains control of the criminal Shadow Collective, and battles Dooku, Grievous, and Sidious. The arc was adapted into a four-part
limited comic book series, ''
Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir'', which debuted in May 2014.
= ''Dark Disciple''
=
An eight-episode arc with Nightsister
Asajj Ventress
Asajj Ventress () is a character from the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Originally intended to appear as an antagonist in the 2002 film '' Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones'', she was first introduced in the 2003 micro-series '' Star Wars ...
and Jedi
Quinlan Vos
Quinlan Vos is a fictional character in the '' Star Wars'' franchise. Vos was voiced by Al Rodrigo in the ''Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' television series. The character also appears in various canon and non-canon ''Star Wars'' media like boo ...
was adapted into ''
Dark Disciple
'' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' is an American 3D CGI animated television series created by Lucasfilm Animation, Lucasfilm Animation Singapore, and CGCG Inc. The debut film was released in theaters on August 15, 2008; it served as the introdu ...
'', a novel by
Christie Golden
Christie Golden (born November 21, 1963) is an American author. She has written many novels and several short stories in fantasy, horror and science fiction.
Career
Golden has written many novels and several short stories in the fields of science ...
released on July 7, 2015.
The story follows Vos partnering up with Ventress, hoping to execute Count Dooku.
Story reels
Two arcs consisting each of four episodes were released on the official ''Star Wars'' website for free in the form of complete
animatics
A storyboard is a graphic organizer that consists of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion picture, animation, motion graphic or interactive media sequence. The storyboarding process, i ...
, albeit with unfinished animation as those episodes only went through the earliest stages of production. Both were fully voiced by the cast.
= ''Crystal Crisis on Utapau''
=
In September 2014, four unfinished episodes were released on the official ''Star Wars'' website. The arc took place on
Utapau with Obi-Wan and Anakin investigating an arms deal involving the Separatists and a
Kyber crystal
A lightsaber is a fictional energy sword featured throughout the '' Star Wars'' franchise. A typical lightsaber is depicted as a luminescent plasma blade about in length emitted from a metal hilt around in length. First introduced in the o ...
. The arc also dealt with Anakin's feelings after the departure of Ahsoka.
It was also included in the season 6 Blu-ray.
= ''The Bad Batch''
=
The unfinished animatics for ''The Bad Batch'', a four-episode arc, were screened at the ''Star Wars Celebration'' convention in
Anaheim, California
Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the 10th-most p ...
, on April 17, 2015. Scripted by Brent Friedman, it is a four-part story arc focusing on
a ragtag unit of clone commandos of the same name. The arc was subsequently released on StarWars.com for free shortly after on April 29, 2015. The completed episodes were aired as the first part of the seventh season. A spin-off sequel series titled ''
Star Wars: The Bad Batch'' which follows the titular clone trooper team premiered on
May 4, 2021.
Video games
Seven video games have been released, which are based on the style and character designs of the series.
* ''
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Lightsaber Duels'', a
fighting game
A fighting game, also known as a versus fighting game, is a video game genre, genre of video game that involves combat between two or more players. Fighting game combat often features mechanics such as Blocking (martial arts), blocking, grappli ...
released on November 11, 2008, for
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
.
* ''
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Jedi Alliance'', an action-adventure game released on November 11, 2008, for
Nintendo DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
.
* ''
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Republic Heroes'', another action-adventure game taking place between Season 1 and Season 2, released on October 9, 2009, for
Microsoft Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
,
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation ...
,
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
, Wii,
PlayStation Portable
The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PAL regions on September 1, 2005, ...
,
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
and
Nintendo DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
.
* ''
Clone Wars Adventures
''Clone Wars Adventures'' was an online virtual world based on the animated television series '' Star Wars: The Clone Wars''. Players could create and customize in-world avatars and participate in a variety of Clone Wars-themed mini-games and a ...
'', an
online
In computer technology and telecommunications, online indicates a state of connectivity and offline indicates a disconnected state. In modern terminology, this usually refers to an Internet connection, but (especially when expressed "on line" or ...
PC game launched on September 15, 2010, online by
Sony Online Entertainment and shut down on March 31, 2014.
* ''
Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars'', released in March 2011 by
TT Games for PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360, Wii, Nintendo DS, PC, Mac, and
Nintendo 3DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo. It was announced in March 2010 and unveiled at E3 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS. The system features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS video games. As an eighth-generatio ...
, which further stylizes the characters as part of the
Lego ''Star Wars'' theme and is mostly based on the first two seasons.
* ''Star Wars: The Clone Wars Pinball'', a
virtual pinball adaptation of the series' original run, released in 2013 as a purchaseable add-on for
Zen Studios
Zen Studios is a Hungarian video game developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software with headquarters in Budapest, Hungary and offices in the United States. It is known for its game franchises, ''Pinball FX'' and ''Zen Pinball'', a ...
' ''
Star Wars Pinball
Over one hundred video games based on the ''Star Wars'' franchise have been released, dating back to some of the earliest home consoles. Some are based directly on films while others rely heavily on the ''Star Wars'' Expanded Universe.
''Star ...
'' collection for most seventh- and eighth-generation home video game systems, computers and mobile devices.
* ''
Disney Infinity 3.0
''Disney Infinity 3.0'' (also known as ''Disney Infinity: Star Wars'') is an action-adventure sandbox video game published by Disney Interactive Studios (the last game to be published by the company before their closure) for Microsoft Windows, Pl ...
'', released in September 2015 by
Disney Interactive for
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
, PlayStation 3,
Xbox One
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
, Xbox 360,
Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
The W ...
,
Microsoft Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
,
iOS
iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also includes ...
and
Android
Android may refer to:
Science and technology
* Android (robot), a humanoid robot or synthetic organism designed to imitate a human
* Android (operating system), Google's mobile operating system
** Bugdroid, a Google mascot sometimes referred to ...
, which stylizes select major characters from the show as action figures that become playable only via a
toys-to-life NFC
NFC may refer to:
Psychology
* Need for cognition, in psychology
* Need for closure, social psychological term
Sports
* NFC Championship Game, the National Football Conference Championship Game
* NCAA Football Championship (Philippines)
* Nati ...
system. Each copy of the game comes with the playset, "Twilight of the Republic", which is an alternate storyline set during the Clone Wars era, along with two starting characters, Anakin and Ahsoka. Other characters from the show also appear, although most of them are not playable or are fought as
bosses.
Characters and locations from the show have also appeared in the following ''Star Wars'' games:
* ''Star Wars: Galactic Defense'', a now-defunct
tower defense
Tower defense (TD) is a subgenre of strategy games where the goal is to defend a player's territories or possessions by obstructing the enemy attackers or by stopping enemies from reaching the exits, usually achieved by placing defensive struc ...
game released on iOS and Android by
DeNA, in which a number of playable champions include characters from the show. Several levels in the main campaign also take place on the planet Felucia, a major Clone Wars hotspot featured in some episodes.
* ''
Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes'', a turn-based
RPG RPG may refer to:
Military
* Rocket-propelled grenade, a shoulder-launched anti-tank weapon
**''Ruchnoi Protivotankoviy Granatomyot'' (Russian: ''Ручной Противотанковый Гранатомёт''), hand-held anti-tank grenade laun ...
also released on iOS and Android by
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) is an American video game company headquartered in Redwood City, California. Founded in May 1982 by Apple employee Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer game industry and promoted the d ...
, where some levels take place on planets depicted in the show (such as Dathomir) and a number of collectible, playable characters are from the show.
* ''
Star Wars: Force Arena'', an online
MOBA game released on iOS and Android by
Netmarble, where an August 2017 update allowed players to recruit characters, vehicles and battle units from the series, as well as battle on planets like Felucia.
* ''
Star Wars Battlefront II'', a video game available on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, in which players can battle on or directly above planets like Ryloth and Kamino, where some battles in the series were fought. Wood, Taylor, Lanter and Burton also reprise their voice roles for four new playable heroes (General Grievous, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker and Count Dooku, respectively) being added to the game's third season in late 2018, themed after the Clone Wars.
Notes
References
External links
* at
* at
* at
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008 TV Series)
2000s American animated television series
2010s American animated television series
2020s American animated television series
2000s American science fiction television series
2010s American science fiction television series
2020s American science fiction television series
2008 American television series debuts
2020 American television series endings
American animated action television series
American animated science fiction television series
American children's animated science fiction television series
American computer-animated television series
American television series revived after cancellation
Animated television series reboots
Animated television series about extraterrestrial life
Annie Award winners
Cartoon Network original programming
Disney+ original programming
Interquel television series
Television series by Lucasfilm
Military science fiction television series
English-language Netflix original programming
Clone Wars Clone Wars may refer to:
Star Wars Film and television
* ''Star Wars: Clone Wars'' (2003 TV series), an American animated television series set in the ''Star Wars'' galaxy
* ''Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' (2008 TV series), an American 3D CGI anim ...
Animated television shows based on films
Toonami