Star Wars the Clone Wars is set in the three years between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. The story is about the intergalactic war between the Republic and the Separatists, also known as the Clone Wars. Oddly enough it is quite important in the Prequel trilogy and and was even mentioned in A New Hope, but never fully explored. I'm glad it wasn't though, because otherwise we would never get this fantastic show.
Allow me to explain. It is generally agreed that although the prequels have interesting ideas and unique concepts, the execution is never fully delivers. Order 66, Palpatine as a traitor, Darth Maul, Anakin's fall to the dark side, all these ideas sound good on paper, but with the poor acting, bland CGI, awful dialogue and characters, the movies become really mediocre. However, with the Clone Wars show you understand what George Lucas was trying to go for.
For example, Anakin is really likable here. He takes risks and is rebellious, but this usually pays of in the end. His main goal is to save and help as many people as possible, and put an end to the Clone Wars. He's usually quite laid back and overconfident, but not in a bad way. In the movies he's an annoying brat, but here you actually grow to care for him. After a while you remember this is the man who will become Darth Vader, and the Clone Wars makes his eventual fall all the more tragic. There are small hints and moments which foreshadow this, especially when Anakin loses his temper.
Obi Wan Kenobi also gets a better treatment. Obi wan and Anakin have a best buddy/brother relationship over the course of the series. Which again, makes their eventual battle in Revenge of the Sith more heartbreaking. (This show is canon, in case you were wondering). Also, Obi wan is usually in the best story arcs. He's the only character who's every appearance is accompanied by an excellent show.
There are plenty of other characters that are further developed. Padme has a fully fleshed out personality, and her views and ideals are are clear. Many of the Jedi Council members such as Yoda, Plo Koon, and Mace Windu are all give at least one arc which develops them more. Once again, it makes their deaths in Revenge of the Sith heartbreaking. Honestly, it should be legal requirement for every Star Wars fan to watch this show before Revenge of the Sith, because it improves that movie by 100%.
The story line is not linear, which means most of the seasons have four or five self contained arcs with their own beginning , middle and end. This makes it extremely easy to start wherever you want, watch in any order, and skip episodes you don't like. Not all the stories feature Anakin and Obi Wan either. Some have Ahsoka Tano as the main character, who goes from being an annoying padawan to one of the the most iconic Star Wars characters of all time.
Darth Maul returns from the dead in the Season 4 finale. I must say, he is the best thing to happen to this show. His burning hatred for Obi Wan Kenobi and desire for revenge are portrayed by the excellent voice acting and superb dialogue. The arcs he appears in are the highlights of the Clone Wars. I know I sound like a broken record at this point, but the Clone Wars once again improves upon the prequels by taking a generic and one note villain and turning him iconic.
Some episodes feature just clones, which are some of my favorite. Over the course of the show the clones try to deal with their origins and become more independent. Captain Rex and Commander Cody are two of the most developed clones of all. Their is usually a really nice vibe in the clones only episodes. They are all voiced by the same actor and all look identical, and yet they always feel distinct and human. They encapsulate a lot of the recurring themes and and are the heart of the show.
Speaking of themes, the Clone Wars has a lot to say on that front. Politics, Economics, the consequences and benefits of war are all here. If you ask me, the best kids shows are the ones that incorporate mature themes and explain them for kids to understand. They have something to say. If I ever have kids, I'd want them to watch this show, because it presents many different lessons that are not usually found in any media.
The animation may be a bit jarring in the beginning, but it heavily improves every season. By the time we reach Season 7, the CGI is on the level of a movie. Because it is animated, the episodes can feature a wide variety of locations, species and battles. The world building is insane. The Star Wars galaxy has never felt bigger. Every planet has something unique and memorable about it, with it's own set of beliefs and ideals
Because of the episodic nature of the show, a wide variety of stories are told. Star Wars has so much more potential than the usual Empire vs Rebellion conflict, but this is the only form of Star Wars media that fully captures this potential. It explores the possibility of a galaxy in war, and the consequences of it as well.
One thing that stopped me from watching this show until now is that it got cancelled In 2014, Star Wars The Clone Wars ended abruptly with Season 6, with many arcs left unfinished. But that is no longer a problem. The Clone Wars was brought back for it's final season just a couple of months ago. Now, no Star Wars fan has an excuse not to watch it. You can go through it whenever and however you want. It is a must watch for anyone who is remotely interested in the saga, for it is Star Wars at it's finest.
Allow me to explain. It is generally agreed that although the prequels have interesting ideas and unique concepts, the execution is never fully delivers. Order 66, Palpatine as a traitor, Darth Maul, Anakin's fall to the dark side, all these ideas sound good on paper, but with the poor acting, bland CGI, awful dialogue and characters, the movies become really mediocre. However, with the Clone Wars show you understand what George Lucas was trying to go for.
For example, Anakin is really likable here. He takes risks and is rebellious, but this usually pays of in the end. His main goal is to save and help as many people as possible, and put an end to the Clone Wars. He's usually quite laid back and overconfident, but not in a bad way. In the movies he's an annoying brat, but here you actually grow to care for him. After a while you remember this is the man who will become Darth Vader, and the Clone Wars makes his eventual fall all the more tragic. There are small hints and moments which foreshadow this, especially when Anakin loses his temper.
Obi Wan Kenobi also gets a better treatment. Obi wan and Anakin have a best buddy/brother relationship over the course of the series. Which again, makes their eventual battle in Revenge of the Sith more heartbreaking. (This show is canon, in case you were wondering). Also, Obi wan is usually in the best story arcs. He's the only character who's every appearance is accompanied by an excellent show.
There are plenty of other characters that are further developed. Padme has a fully fleshed out personality, and her views and ideals are are clear. Many of the Jedi Council members such as Yoda, Plo Koon, and Mace Windu are all give at least one arc which develops them more. Once again, it makes their deaths in Revenge of the Sith heartbreaking. Honestly, it should be legal requirement for every Star Wars fan to watch this show before Revenge of the Sith, because it improves that movie by 100%.
The story line is not linear, which means most of the seasons have four or five self contained arcs with their own beginning , middle and end. This makes it extremely easy to start wherever you want, watch in any order, and skip episodes you don't like. Not all the stories feature Anakin and Obi Wan either. Some have Ahsoka Tano as the main character, who goes from being an annoying padawan to one of the the most iconic Star Wars characters of all time.
Darth Maul returns from the dead in the Season 4 finale. I must say, he is the best thing to happen to this show. His burning hatred for Obi Wan Kenobi and desire for revenge are portrayed by the excellent voice acting and superb dialogue. The arcs he appears in are the highlights of the Clone Wars. I know I sound like a broken record at this point, but the Clone Wars once again improves upon the prequels by taking a generic and one note villain and turning him iconic.
Some episodes feature just clones, which are some of my favorite. Over the course of the show the clones try to deal with their origins and become more independent. Captain Rex and Commander Cody are two of the most developed clones of all. Their is usually a really nice vibe in the clones only episodes. They are all voiced by the same actor and all look identical, and yet they always feel distinct and human. They encapsulate a lot of the recurring themes and and are the heart of the show.
Speaking of themes, the Clone Wars has a lot to say on that front. Politics, Economics, the consequences and benefits of war are all here. If you ask me, the best kids shows are the ones that incorporate mature themes and explain them for kids to understand. They have something to say. If I ever have kids, I'd want them to watch this show, because it presents many different lessons that are not usually found in any media.
The animation may be a bit jarring in the beginning, but it heavily improves every season. By the time we reach Season 7, the CGI is on the level of a movie. Because it is animated, the episodes can feature a wide variety of locations, species and battles. The world building is insane. The Star Wars galaxy has never felt bigger. Every planet has something unique and memorable about it, with it's own set of beliefs and ideals
Because of the episodic nature of the show, a wide variety of stories are told. Star Wars has so much more potential than the usual Empire vs Rebellion conflict, but this is the only form of Star Wars media that fully captures this potential. It explores the possibility of a galaxy in war, and the consequences of it as well.
One thing that stopped me from watching this show until now is that it got cancelled In 2014, Star Wars The Clone Wars ended abruptly with Season 6, with many arcs left unfinished. But that is no longer a problem. The Clone Wars was brought back for it's final season just a couple of months ago. Now, no Star Wars fan has an excuse not to watch it. You can go through it whenever and however you want. It is a must watch for anyone who is remotely interested in the saga, for it is Star Wars at it's finest.