Star Wars: The Clone Wars S4

[Christopher]

They dont jump around the timeline anymore.

Source? If, as it appears, this storyline is a lead-in to Palpatine's abduction at the start of ROTS, then it must be leaping ahead to near the end.

And I still don't understand what point you're trying to make. It's still a given that the series must take place within the span of three years at most, because that's the interval between movies.

 

[Set Harth]

I think it's actually a different abduction.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Dave Filoni has stated that as the series grows closer to ROTS we will progress towards the events of the film. That's started to happen as of season four. It seems to be generally accepted that the Clone Wars takes place over the course of 18 months. One could argue that the series began early in the conflict but at least after the micro-series first series since Anakin has his scar is a Jedi Knight, Ventress and Grevious are around. Filoni has also stated (I believe in a recent interview from last fall) that Ahsoka is meant to be our guide time line wise. The nature of the timeline of the show is addressed in this interview.

http://www.theforce.net/jedicouncil/interview/henrygilroyanddavefiloni.asp

 

[Enterprise is Great]

I was really worried Anakin was going to go over to the Dark Side after Obi-Wan "died"...though that might still happen, right?

 

[Set Harth]

Yeah, screw continuity with ROTS, let's treat TCW as a branching timeline in the spirit of STXI.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Yeah, screw continuity with ROTS, let's treat TCW as a branching timeline in the spirit of STXI.

Ever since it became easier to sleep at night while thinking of the PT that way (and incidentally continuing to rewatch it over and over again, naturally), I've been approaching every last show of every series that way. The rate at which gray hairs are appearing has subsided. I'm much happier.

 

[Hartzilla2007]

They dont jump around the timeline anymore.

Source? If, as it appears, this storyline is a lead-in to Palpatine's abduction at the start of ROTS, then it must be leaping ahead to near the end.

Well, the fact that the badies are planning to abduct Palpatine at Naboo where as Grievous is going to do it at Coruscant in ROTS. Not to mention it sounds like this plan is a smaller operation than the ROTS abduction and that Grievous doesn't seem to be directly overseeing this one just the crazy terrorist guy.

Besides I though all the episodes Ashoka was in where in chronological order seeing as they only skip around in time in episodes she isn't in.

 

[Joerib]

Sorry if this has been discussed but when are the Darth Maul episodes to begin?? I have not seen any images of him has anyone?? (fullbody)

 

[Christopher]

Sorry if this has been discussed but when are the Darth Maul episodes to begin??

I think I came upon a mention last night that he'd be in the season finale.

I have not seen any images of him has anyone?? (fullbody)

Fullbody? Is that even possible for Darth Maul anymore?

 

[Mark Boeder]

Just wanted to add a couple of things here. Dave Filoni and the voice actors are often guests on the Forcecast podcast, and they have stated that since the character redesigns of last year, the series is progressing in chronological order.

There is no set end date for the series. At Fan Days in Texas last October, I was talking to Tom Kane (the voice of Yoda and others) who told me that the actors were currently recording season five, and that the writers were already working on season six. That's been stated in other interviews I've heard as well.

Finally, I don't see any reason to automatically assume that this abduction plot is the same one that leads into ROTS.

- Mark

 

[Set Harth]

It would be hilarious if Palpatine stays abducted for the rest of the series.

 

[Christopher]

Finally, I don't see any reason to automatically assume that this abduction plot is the same one that leads into ROTS.

I wasn't "automatically assuming." I just said it seemed probable. The abduction leading into ROTS is the only one we know about, so if we hear mention of a plan to abduct Palpatine, it's natural to suspect (not "assume," suspect) a connection to ROTS. It seems that it would be odd for the writers to mention such a plot if they didn't intend to evoke that thought in the viewers' minds. Maybe subsequent episodes will reveal their reason for doing so if it is a different plot, but as yet we don't have that information. Given the evidence we currently have, the probabilities fall out one way, and they might change if further evidence is presented. Stating a probability is not the same thing as making an assumption, because it's implicitly open to re-evaluation.

 

[Mark Boeder]

Sorry, Christopher, if you took that personally. It was just meant as a simple statement of my own opinion. When I first heard mention of this abduction plot, I did think of the one that leads into ROTS, but dismissed such a connection as unlikely based on the timeframe and the characters involved. However, after thinking upon it further, it is possible that this abduction attempt could fail, yet still plant the seeds for the later action.

- Mark

 

[Disruptor]

Have the abduction suceed and Palpatine be replaced by Darth Sidious using the same face altering surgery used on Obi-Wan...that would throw everything for a loop. Turns out Sidious and Palpatine were two seperate people!

The outrage from fandom would be hilarious.

They'd never do that, though.

 

[Set Harth]

It seems that it would be odd for the writers to mention such a plot if they didn't intend to evoke that thought in the viewers' minds.

Unless they're just totally unoriginal. *cough*Even Piell*cough*

 

[ALF]

*Sigh* I had no idea that some of the episodes were written in non-chronological order. I find that to be quite irritating!
Moreover, it's something that I love Star Wars for. No time travel, no jumping around a la Tarantino and a linear story from A to B.
Although it's kind of exciting to hear the series may last longer, I still find the lack of a proper chronology to be sloppy and poorly planned.

 

[Christopher]

Although it's kind of exciting to hear the series may last longer, I still find the lack of a proper chronology to be sloppy and poorly planned.

It doesn't make sense to assume that the only reason for nonlinear chronology is error or incompetence. Given that the series is something of an anthology by nature, following a wide array of different characters in an even wider array of situations, there's no reason why it should be obligated to proceed in strict chronological order. Sure, sometimes the writers come up with new ideas for direct prequels to stories they've already told, but that's not poor planning, just freedom to create as they go. Some people seem to think that the only right way to do a series is to have the whole thing planned out from the start, but from a writer's perspective, that's an absolutely horrible and foolish way to approach a story, because it traps you and leaves you no freedom for inspiration and discovery. The best long-term plan for a series is one with plenty of room to be revised along the way.

Besides, come on, the entire series is set between two movies that came out 10 and 7 years ago -- which in turn were prequels to movies that came out roughly three decades ago. So it's rather bizarre to claim that Star Wars does "no jumping around" in its chronology. (And that's not even mentioning the Expanded Universe, whose various works have jumped all over the timeline far more widely than TCW's episodes have.)

 

[JD]

I found a timeline of all of the SW media, which includes all of the CW episodes. Here's the order they have them in so far.
Season 2 episode 16: Cat and Mouse
Season 1 episode 16: The Hidden Enemy
The Movie
S3E3: Supply Lines
S1E1: Ambush
S1E6: Downfall of a Droid
S1E7: Duel of the Droids
S1E2: Rising Malevolence - S1E4: Destroy Malevolence
S3E1: Clone Cadets
S1E5: Rookies
S3E2: ARC Troopers
S1E8: Bombad Jedi - S1E15: Trespass go in order
S1E17: Blue Shadow Virus
S1E18: Mystery of a Thousand Moons - S2E8: Brain Invaders
S2E11: Lightsaber Lost
S2E9: Grievous Intrigue
S2E10: The Diserter
S2E12: The Mandalore Plot - S2E14: Duchess of Mandalore
S1E 17: Bounty Hunters - S2E22: Lethal Trackdown
S3E4: Sphere of Influence - S3E8: Evil Plans
S1E22: Hostage Crisis
S3E9: Hunt for Ziro - S3E11 Pursuit of Peace
S2E15: Senate Murders
S3E 12: Nightsisters and from here everything else follows the airing order

 

[ALF]

Although it's kind of exciting to hear the series may last longer, I still find the lack of a proper chronology to be sloppy and poorly planned.

It doesn't make sense to assume that the only reason for nonlinear chronology is error or incompetence.

All right. Then I'll suspect it instead.

Some people seem to think that the only right way to do a series is to have the whole thing planned out from the start, but from a writer's perspective, that's an absolutely horrible and foolish way to approach a story, because it traps you and leaves you no freedom for inspiration and discovery.

Fair enough. Although I'd hoped that when the Clone Wars started they would have a plan to approach the 3 year gap between films with some properly thought out timelines. With that mind-numbing chronology that JD just posted it makes me suspect otherwise.

I also suspected that Lucas had learned something through years of people pointing out inconsistencies and plot holes in both trilogies.

It would be hilarious if Palpatine stays abducted for the rest of the series.

Tell me about it! That would be amusing.

What about the animated clone wars series from the early 2000s? Does that fit into the movie+CW series canon?

The 2003 Clone Wars series:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Wars:_The_Clone_Wars_%282003_TV_series%29_episodes
According to the episode listings, the first episode took place 3 months after the battle of Geonosis. And the last?
"This episode's ending dovetails with the opening of Revenge of the Sith." So... how do we reconcile both series' together?

I'm also going to have to believe that Ahsoka's race ages much faster than other humanoids in the SW universe. She sure sprouted up quick.

If a good TV series rewards the viewer for paying attention then I'm at a loss of words to describe how confusing it will be to piece all of the events together for comprehension.

JD, where did you find this info? Have you a link to share?

Yeah, screw continuity with ROTS, let's treat TCW as a branching timeline in the spirit of STXI.

Yes, sadly I agree. I just figured Georgie Boy would get it all right this time. When TCW works, it works so well. I just hoped that there would be a semblance of linear storytelling that literally connected Clones to Sith.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Clones will connect to Sith. Filoni has pretty much said this as I mentioned in my post earlier. They have a loose timeline that takes place over the course of the 18 months of the Clone Wars that allows them to freely tell the stories they want to over the course of the five seasons or whatever it turns out to be. Season Five if it turns out to be the finale next year will bring us right up to Revenge of the Sith...and I don't remember now but I think Filoni has stated that they have no plans to contradict the micro-series finale either.