The Clone Wars and Rebels - A First Timer's Thread
- Thread starter tomalak301
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If you can get your hands on it, you might want to read the comic 'Son of Dathomir' at this point. It's one of a number of things that came out in the wake of the cancellation, and is adapted from the unproduced episodes that covered what happens to Maul next and how he escapes Sidious.
And yeah, the Maul/Shadow Syndicate arc is pretty nuts in terms of how far they pushed the envelope. I think CN even insisted on a few edits like the decapitation scenes (plural!) which LF put right back in for the bluray and digital releases. Also from a technical standpoint this was another landmark in terms of action and sheer number of assets and effects on screen at once. Also, RIP the Twilight; the fugliest "hero ship" that even the show runners forgot about 5 seconds after it was off the screen.
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I don't think The Clone Wars was ever actually meant to be a "kids' show". I believe it was rated TV-PG in the US from the start, and that's an general audience rating. Kids shows have either a TV-Y for stuff intended for young kids, or a TV-Y7 for stuff for older kids. So if TCW was meant to be a kids show it would have had one of the Y ratings, rather than a PG.
Yeah, Clone Wars I never treated as a kid's show. Especially not with the Padawans dying, impaling, and anti-aircraft fire killing clone pilots like it was a WW2 film.
This is one of those moments where being spoiled about Ahsoka leaving the Jedi Order didn't really matter that much. I'm actually reminded of a major character from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and what happened to her in season 5 and my reaction to it even though I knew it was coming. One of the things Clone Wars did really well this season is have tightly written arcs, and this Ahsoka leaving the Jedi Order arc was as tight as they come. She's accused of a crime she didn't commit, is on the run from everyone, is forced to stand trial, and in the end when she is presumed innocent, she still declines the offer to come back because it's about Trust and how the Jedi Order was so quick to turn on her. Having the real killer be Barris actually did surprise me, but I should have seen it coming just because of the conversation she had with Ahsoka in part 2 of this arc after the funeral. I think it was also Ventress who convinced Ahsoka to leave, mainly speaking about her own experience of being abandoned.
On a whole, Season 5 was an amazing season. I think there was so much to like, and even the Droid arc has aspects to enjoy, like Gregor and that ultra cool explosion of the ship to end that arc. After season 4, I lamented that it felt like there was very little Ahsoka that season. In Season 5, she was featured in two major arcs, became a much more interesting character and her turning her back on the Council after they turned their back on her (especially knowing what is to come) brought it back full circle to the warning she received during the Mortis arc. In a way, Barris was right, the Jedi have become warmongers and not peace makers and they are extending this war.
Was Season 5 supposed to be the final season of the show? There were elements in the finale that made me think it was, especially the subtle hints of what happens in Revenge of the Sith. If it was supposed to be the end, that's a hell of a way to go out, and one can even say The Clone Wars was Ahsoka's story, starting as this young girl to be Padawan to Anakin Skywalker and ending with her realizing she must walk a different path. That was quite a journey too.
On a whole, Season 5 was an amazing season. I think there was so much to like, and even the Droid arc has aspects to enjoy, like Gregor and that ultra cool explosion of the ship to end that arc. After season 4, I lamented that it felt like there was very little Ahsoka that season. In Season 5, she was featured in two major arcs, became a much more interesting character and her turning her back on the Council after they turned their back on her (especially knowing what is to come) brought it back full circle to the warning she received during the Mortis arc. In a way, Barris was right, the Jedi have become warmongers and not peace makers and they are extending this war.
Was Season 5 supposed to be the final season of the show? There were elements in the finale that made me think it was, especially the subtle hints of what happens in Revenge of the Sith. If it was supposed to be the end, that's a hell of a way to go out, and one can even say The Clone Wars was Ahsoka's story, starting as this young girl to be Padawan to Anakin Skywalker and ending with her realizing she must walk a different path. That was quite a journey too.
Is it recommended after I watch Season 6 of Clone Wars to go into Rebels and then watch Season 7 after Rebels?
Watch Season 7 first.
No, Season 5 was just as far as they got when the Disney acquisition happened and the show was cancelled, Apparently just moving it to Disney XD wasn't an option, because: reasons!?
"Season 6" as it stands isn't really a full season, it's just what they had already in the can, but hadn't broadcast before the axe came down; it was released to Netflix like a year or so later. For a while, the episode you just saw, was "the end". Similarly, the recent season 7 is just 3 arcs of 4 episodes, not a full season.
Reports vary, but I think the intent was for the show to end with season 8. Not counting what later ended up is Season 7; so far we can account for about 8 arcs that were at least written and in various stages of being recorded and shot (yes; "shot". Lucas came up with a unique process for making these shows that isn't at all typical.)
- One arc that focused on Boba and Cad Bane doing a semi adaptation of 'The Searchers' on Tatooine. It may also have tied into the 1313 game that was being developed around that time, and was also axed by the acquisition.
- One was released on the official website in a crude "story reel" format; basically a fully voiced animatic. (there were actually two story reel arcs released, but one ended up getting finished for season 7.)
- Two more were adapted into the 'Dark Disciple' novel which covers Asajj's fate, though they seem to have been intended to be broken up between season 6 & 7.
- One "mostly clones" arc on Kashyyykk.
- One is what became the 'Son of Dathomir' comic I mentioned.
- An arc that was to see Ahsoka return to the temple and explore it's lower levels and uncover some forgotten Sith shrine down there (yes, Jedi and Sith temples do tend to get built on top of each other over the millennia.)
- And some arc involving Padme going back to Mon Cala.
Either way, going by the production codes on the various concept art that's been released, they had plans for episodes up to at least '720', and that wouldn't have even been the final arc. So there's a full season's worth of material that still never got made, plus maybe a whole other season on top of that.
No, I'd carry on with TCW till the end before watching Rebels.
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Wow, I didn't realize there was so much that still never got made. I figured with the Netflix episodes, Dark Disciple, Son of Dathomir, the story reels, and the Disney+ episode we had seen pretty much everything that had been planned.
I know. I was deliberately avoiding mentioning the Bad Batch directly, because he's not there yet! 
It's worth bearing in mind that while the show was broadcast in 22 episode seasons, it was produced in batches or "seasons" of 25 episodes. That means they're always well ahead of the broadcast schedule and always have another full arc or two for next season basically done before the previous season finale even airs. And since they write and record about a year before broadcast, it means on top of all that they have almost a full season in various stages of production.
Hell, two of the episodes in "season 6" that got put out on Netflix were hold overs from the 4th production season, that got shuffled out of the schedule to make room for the youngling arc. (which was itself kinda/sorta a backdoor pilot for a spin-off that never was.)
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I felt that the Yoda arc, which wound up being the final completed arc, made for a great spiritual successor to the Mortis arc. I don't want to spoil who the guest voices are, but the guest voices are top-notch, and it delves into the nature of the Force
Season 6 has gotten off to a rocking start. I thought there might have been a slight decrease because of the way Ahsoka left and how brilliant that scene was to end season 5, but Season 6 has shown no signs of the show slowing down. This is how you do a prequel. This 4 episode arc showing the inhibitor chip which leads the way to Order 66 was really really great, especially considering the development of the clones this series has had. Fives's death actually was quite sad and you can just see the dread oozing out of Palpatine when he's speaking to the Jedi council. In the last night, there has been so much backstory to the direction of the prequel trilogy that I almost feel like I need to rewatch those movies. That will probably be something I do this year, rewatching the entire Star Wars movie Saga, except maybe the sequel trilogy.
I also have to say what happened to Fives is kind of like what happened to Ahsoka. The Jedi just don't listen, and I think this goes back to my thought a few weeks ago about are the Empire and the Jedi so dissimilar? I hate to say they deserved Order 66, but I'm starting to kind of understand Palpatine's point.
I also have to say what happened to Fives is kind of like what happened to Ahsoka. The Jedi just don't listen, and I think this goes back to my thought a few weeks ago about are the Empire and the Jedi so dissimilar? I hate to say they deserved Order 66, but I'm starting to kind of understand Palpatine's point.
This is the hardest part about the prequels and the Clone Wars is how much the Jedi are so responsible for what happens. It's hard to want the Jedi to return simply because of how poorly they behave throughout this period.
It's unfortunately, because the Jedi ought to be the good side, the people we regret seeing them fall apart. Sadly, there is little there to inspire me to want them to come back. I think you have an interesting point.
Thanks. I also think this might give some Gravitas to Luke in Last Jedi. One of the common complaints about that movie was the way Luke acted, kind of the old senile man who wanted the Jedi to end. Knowing about what the Jedi were doing during this period, and the whole thing about senility eating at a person, maybe Luke was right. Also, watching what happened to Ahsoka, (I know they can't bring Mark Hamil back) but there is that Ahsoka series coming and I wonder if we might see a Luke Skywalker appearance in that show. Maybe that show can shed a light on his transformation from Return of the Jedi to Last Jedi, especially since the reason why Ahsoka left the Jedi order was because she saw how screwed up they were.
I know it is a common complaint about Luke in The Last Jedi. I odn't want to derail the thread, but I was seriously hearing this comment since the PT was released-that what happens is the Jedi's fault. And that's a bitter pill to swallow when a lot of fans grow up with "the guardians of peace" from Obi-Wan in ANH and Luke's triumphant declaration of being a Jedi in ROTJ. It sounds all wonderfully magnificent, but the harsh past still casts a long shadow. And Luke feared the past repeating itself.
I know many people will go with the Jedi are good and were just manipulated in to the situation. It's why Palpatine coming back doesn't bother me as much; he was unbeatable throughout the PT and CW. Why start now?
Ok, tangent over. But, I appreciate your observations..
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