Today I'm going to talk about how the Clone Wars TV series not only fixed the Star Wars prequels, but the show is also a roadmap for how Lucasfilm should be treating the saga in the modern day. Welcome back, Screen Crush. I'm Ryan Ary, and do you guys remember when fans hated the Star Wars prequels? The intense backlash made a Modb Best, Jake Lloyd, and Hayden Christensen essentially retire from acting. But today, go to any Star Wars celebration, and those same actors get standing ovations.
So, what changed? The Clone Wars fixed the story of the prequel trilogy. So, we are going to explain how this series fixed each aspect of the prequels that fans hated and how this incredible show gave those movies more context, character development, and they also recconed and fixed a lot of plot holes. Now, the Clone Wars were first mentioned in A New Hope. You fought in the Clone Wars, but we didn't actually hear about them again technically until Attack of the Clones after the Battle of Geonosis begun. The Clone War has. So, with the clone troopers fully deployed and Count Dooku leading the separatist, the end of Attack of the Clones set up a major story arc. The original Galactic Civil War that we have been imagining in our heads since 1977. But then, Revenge of the Sith began 3 years after attack of the clones toward the tail end of the Clone Wars. So, the movie opens with the Battle of Coruscant, which is one of the last major battles of the war. So, by the middle of Revenge of the Sith, the Clone Wars ended when Obi-Wan kills General Grievous.
It was a bit of a bummer because the war happened almost entirely offscreen. The Clone Wars are essential to understanding how the Jedi and the Republic fell and we didn't get to see them. In addition to skipping years of action-packed battles, this gap between movies also weakened the overall story of the prequels. So, let's talk about each element of the prequels that didn't work and how the Clone Wars enriched the story. So, let's start with the greatest character created for the Clone Wars series, Ahsokaano. Look, Star Wars has always been a franchise known for reccon in its universe. After all, they did make Luke and Leia brother and sister to wrap up a love triangle. That's real. Look it up. I'm not making that up. But probably the greatest Star Wars reccon of all time was the introduction of Ahsoka Tano, who was Anakin Skywalker's previously unknown Jedi Padawan. So Ahsoka's existence completely rewrites the Star Wars timeline, showing this headstrong Jedi have to grow by training an apprentice gave Anakin more depth.
Throughout the arc of the show, we see Anakin grow attached to Ahsoka, the same kind of attachment that causes his fall, which we'll talk about in just a bit. But more importantly, Ahsoka showed that you can introduce main characters outside of the movies. She is the protagonist of this show. We begin with her as an annoying Padawan. And we see her grow into a teacher and a warrior that can kick Darth Maul's ass. She even falls for a boy, Lux Boner, showing that she struggles with the same temptations that caused Anakin's fall. Ahsoka is the relatable point of view character that the prequel trilogy lacked. I mean, no wonder Dave Filona can't bring himself to kill the character off.
Now, let's talk about the prequel problem with Palpatine. So, between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, Palpatine amassed considerable power by weaponizing the political system. But, we didn't see that on screen, which makes everybody around Palpatine in the prequels seem to just be inept. To the audience, it was really obvious that Palpatine was a villain angling to take control of the Republic. But in the Clone Wars, we saw Palpatine manipulate the government over the course of seven seasons. We see how he manipulated not just the Jedi and the Republic, but also Count Dooku and the Separatists. After all, Palpatines's plan was never really to keep Dooku as his apprentice.
Now, ironically, getting this story right required a deeper dive into galactic politics after fans criticized the prequels for showing too much parliamentary procedure. But with the Clone Wars, the nuances of Palpatines's political plot became clear, proving that the people around him weren't fools. They were lulled into serving him over time. Hell, at times there were even separatist and Republic senators like Mina Bontter and Padme Amadala who entered into peace talks to end the war. And we see Palpatine squash these talks by assassinating Mina Bontter and pinning blame on the Republic. This stos the flames of violence, secures even more power for himself, and guaranteed that the war would continue.
Also, in the prequel trilogy, the Jedi, well, they looked like idiots. They worked closely with a Sith Lord for years, even following his orders as he acquired substantial power right under their noses. The Jedi also betrayed their own beliefs. Rather than remaining peacekeepers, they quickly became soldiers fighting a political war. The time jump between episodes 2 and three made this problem worse. On screen, the transition from poet monk to soldier happens at breakneck speed with little explanation for why the Jedi have betrayed their values. The Clone Wars addressed these issues by showing how Palpatine trapped the Jedi. See, they saw the Republic as essential to maintaining peace in the galaxy. So, when the Republic was threatened, they had to intervene. Unfortunately, Palpatine anticipated that response and orchestrated the war to force the Jedi to gradually betray their values. Now, at first, the war made the Jedi seem like heroes. But as time went on, the galaxy and even some Jedi began to doubt what the Jedi stood for. We see this in the Clone Wars series, but not in the prequels. Because I have come to realize what many people in the Republic have come to realize that the Jedi are the ones responsible for this war.
For instance, we saw the Jedi Pong Krelll become disillusioned with the Jedi order and plan to not only abandon the Republic but to join the separatists as well.
We also see young Padawans like Ahsokotano and Barisafi on the front lines. And this emphasizes how far the Jedi had fallen. These benevolent peacekeepers use child soldiers to fight a war. Certain arcs even showed the kids being put into dangerous situations and treated like they're expendable cannon fodder. Like in season 2, episode 6, Weapons Factory. In that episode, Baris, Offy, and Ahsoka are trapped under debris and their near death. Baris's Jedi Master, Luminara Undoui, discourages Anakin from trying to save them. Ironically, they only survive because of Anakin's attachment to Ahsoka.
Palpatine also orchestrated public opinion to make himself seem like the true representative of the people and make the Jedi look like outsiders. Now, this happens with literally one speech in Revenge of the Sith, but in the show, we see glimpses of the public's turning opinions on the Jedi. Now, with this turn in opinion, if the Jedi were to oppose Palpatine, then their actions would look like treason. And by the time the war started, it was already too late for the Jedi. Now, you guys know how much we love Star Wars here at the channel, and that's why we love designing Star Wars parody shirts for our merch store. We have so many of our favorites. There's Stay on Target, prequel, apologist, original trilogy, Free Gorman. I have friends everywhere.
Somehow Palpatine returned.
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Now, we did see key moments of Anakin's fall in the prequels, like when he slaughtered the Tuscan raiders, and I slaughtered them like animals. But in Revenge of the Sith, after he finds out Palpatine is an evil Sith Lord, who by the way looks really damn evil, he turns on a dime. On screen, only 7 minutes and 8 seconds pass between this, you're the Sith Lord, and this. That is an abrupt transition, and it takes us right into Anakin killing kids and declaring, "From my point of view, the Jedi are evil."
But the Clone Wars provides a much deeper understanding of why Anakin believed that and what led him to turn on Mace Wendu. In the show, Anakin loses faith in the Jedi over time. Anakin becomes a soldier and he spends every day exposed to violence. So throughout the war, he begins to see violence as a way to solve his problems, even if it's not technically the Jedi way. He kills Talic from behind. Not very honorable. He also kills Admiral Trench in cold blood. And he even uses Vader's iconic force choke to kill separatists. When you see Anakin Skywalker in the Clone Wars series, it's a lot easier to imagine this guy becoming Darth Vader.
Also, Anakin's relationship with Padme becomes richer and more nuanced through the series. We see that he becomes jealous of her friendships with other men, which leads into the idea that he sees Padme as a thing that he can possess and control. And this is how George Lucas described Anakin's fall. You're allowed to love people, but you're not allowed to possess them. We also see how the Jedi's mistakes with Anakin make him more susceptible to being manipulated by Palpatine. The council deceives Anakin into believing that Obi-Wan had died just so they could complete a mission. They also refused to help neutral planets when they were in need. And all of this makes Anakin see the Jedi Council as a lying body that he cannot trust.
But the defining moment of the Clone War series was when Ahsoka was framed for murder and the Jedi Council turned their backs on her. It is the council's opinion that Padwan Ahsoka Tano has committed sedition against the Republic and thus she will be expelled from the Jedi order. Anakin realized the Jedi were too embroiled in Senate politics to protect one of their own. After Ahsoka's name is cleared, she decides to leave the order, and this makes Anakin grow especially bitter against the Jedi Council. In context, this explains why he said, "From my point of view, the Jedi are evil." He saw the Jedi Council as a corrupt body.
The Clone Wars also breathes new life into Obi-Wan Kenobi. Now, in the movies, he's very much a stoic Jedi who's inexperienced at training an apprentice partially leads to Anakin's fall, but he doesn't really have a character arc in these movies, and frankly, it's kind of a waste of a charming actor like Ean McGregor. But the Clone Wars gave Obi-Wan a love interest to Team Cre. Now, this was a controversial idea, but it gives the character so much nuance and lets us see Anakin's fall in a whole new light. Now, when Obi-Wan was a young man, he and Qui-Gon were assigned to protect Satine, just like Anakin protects Padme in Attack of the Clones. The two fall for each other, but they are too committed to duty to act on their feelings.
Had you said the word, I would have left the Jedi order. Now, this shows us that any Jedi can be tempted, and it makes Anakin's fall all the more tragic. But this also addresses a major prequel trilogy problem. Obi-Wan never reported his suspicions about Anakin and Padme to the Jedi Council. So, the prequels hinted that Obi-Wan knew the truth. You know, with Anakin flirting with Padme in front of Obi-Wan in Attack of the Clones and Obi-Wan acknowledging that she liked him. She was pleased to see us. There's a cut monologue in Revenge of the Sith where Obi-Wan reveals that he knew the truth and he also guesses immediately that Anakin was the father in Revenge of the Sith. Anakin is the father, isn't he? You are the father.
So, if Obi-Wan is such a rule following Jedi Master, why did he not bring any of this information to the council? Because he went through the same thing with his love of Satine. Like the Clone Wars not only reveals that he once loved this woman, it shows us her tragic death. Remember my dear Obi-Wan? So, in that moment, as he's holding the only woman he ever loved, Obi-Wan might have wished that he could go back and leave the order to be with her. So, in the prequels, he might have been happy that Anakin found love. Maybe he was even going to encourage Anakin to leave the order after the war. But the main difference between them was that Obi-Wan knew he had to choose one or the other, whereas Anakin decides that he wants to have it all.
Now, let's talk about the Clone Troopers. So, the name The Clone Wars really invokes the imagination. It makes you picture the Republic fighting against legions of clone soldiers. But in the movies, the clones turn out to be just as boring as droids. They're just look alikes who hang around until it's time to turn on the Jedi. And their heel turn was also confusing. Like, were they waiting for Palpatine to tell them to turn? Was this always the plan? Did they know the entire time that they were going to kill the Jedi? The movies don't really treat the clones as fully human, so they're not characters we care about. But the show makes the clones some of the most compelling characters in the series. Troopers are given names, personalities, and story arcs. The first inkling we get of clone independence is Cut, the clone who deserts the war to start a family.
But we also see the clones in their training when they're worried that they may not make the cut. They won't be able to serve the Republic. And this is especially tragic since we know the clones are being used and manipulated like property and yet they are ultimately loyal to the Republic. And there's even defective clones like 99 who still want to serve the cause. And clone Captain Rex stands out as one of the greatest Star Wars characters of all time. We see him grow and evolve from Anakin's favorite clone commander into a mentor and friend to Ahsokaano. But most importantly, the Clone Wars introduced the inhibitor chip which revealed that the clones did not willingly betray the Jedi. They were programmed to turn on their commanders once Palpatine executed Order 66. So, this altered the Clone story by showing that they were victims and not villains. And it paved the way for great spin-offs like The Bad Batch.
In fact, the Clone Wars was the catalyst for a whole new Star Wars era that, for better or worse, would prioritize TV shows. So, let's talk about the legacy of this show and how I think it points a way forward for Lucasfilm in the next 10 years. So, The Clone Wars was a first of its kind release in 2008. Star Wars had always been a movie focused franchise. An animated show set in the middle of a trilogy was an anomaly and it changed the game. In the 10-year gap between the prequel trilogy and the sequel trilogy, our only on-screen Star Wars were the Clone Wars and Rebels. Now, George Lucas attempted to start a liveaction series called Star Wars Underworld, but couldn't overcome the budgetary limitations of TV. But then, when Disney attempted a return of films with the sequel trilogy, it didn't go well. Today, many fans see the sequels as Star Wars worst movies, and some sequel trilogy actors seem to agree.
And Solo: A Star Wars Story released in 2018 isn't generally considered much better. So, following the sequel's backlash and criticism, Star Wars pivoted to focus on streaming shows. Since The Rise of Skywalker's 2019 debut, no new Star Wars movies have been released. But in that time, we have seen 196 episodes of Star Wars TV. Now, not every show did well, but many were better received in the sequel trilogy. And some, like Andor and The Mandalorian, are arguably the best live-action Star Wars since the original trilogy. The Clone Wars prove just how much Star Wars TV shows can fill in the gaps and improve the movies. But we might be seeing the end of Star Wars TV. Currently, Ahsoka season 2, which is expected to be released later next year, is the only confirmed upcoming liveaction show. Even with animated shows, Star Wars seems to be taking a step back. Maul Shadow Lord is coming out in 2026, but that's the only major animated show in the works, which is a huge change from what we have seen from Star Wars in the last decade.
So, right, is Star Wars going to stop making TV shows? Well, I think Disney is done just throwing money at these shows. Like, when Disney Plus first started, they invested huge amounts of capital to build up a subscriber base. But now, it's actually hard to say. Hell, even Lucasfilm doesn't seem to know where Star Wars is going next. Movies like New Jedi Order or Taikoatiti Star Wars movies have been announced only to be stuck in development purgatory. And at Star Wars Celebration this year, the focus was only on movies. The most significant announcements were about The Mandalorian and Grou, which was releasing May next year, and Star Wars Starf Fighter coming out the year after. So, the golden era of Star Wars TV shows might have ended. Now, I do think it's exciting that Star Wars is coming back to the movies after a really long hiatus, but I think Star Wars is a natural fit for TV. It's huge and episodic and it can sustain a story over a sprawling 26 episode season. So, I hope that someday we get a show that makes the sequel trilogy better, like how the Clone Wars made the prequels better. Like, I want a series that shows us the gradual rise of the First Order, and maybe then we'll have a generation of fans who finally understand this.
Yes, I I I still don't get it.
Big shout out to Liz Dean who wrote this video. You can find her social links below. But what do you think? Did the Clone Wars fix the prequels? Most of the prequels never need fixing. Let us know your thoughts down in the comments below or you can add me on Twitter, Blue Sky Threads, or on our free to join Discord server. And if it's your first time here, please subscribe. Smash that bell for alerts for Screen Crush. I'm Ryan Ary.