Actually, I am not even sure this is part of the canon anymore…dammit Disney (Note to self: Look up if this is canon and if my entire childhood is really a sham.) So besides, the original movies, the prequels and apparently made-for-tv movies, I have not really delved into the Star Wars universe…until now. Officially I blame fellow TN writer, Beth who posted on FB asking about what the official canon is now. There was a mention of The Clone Wars series and I connected the dots to the cartoon series that Netflix has been suggesting I watch for quite a while now. Before jumping in, it was necessary to rewatch Episodes IV-VI — mostly because I recently let Wil Wheaton read Armada to me and there were so many Star Wars references that the next thing that I knew, I was in line at target with the Star Wars Blu-rays being rung up. Damn that Wil Wheaton and his narrating smoothness. Damn those hidden subliminal messages. Damn that Beth for posting about Star Wars. Damn it all because I finally watched the animated series and guess what?
Star Wars: The Clone Wars wrecked me.
I am emotionally raw. I am loosing sleep. I am irrationally angry at fictional characters. I am bereaved. I am vacillating between loving and hating Anakin Skywalker. I am a ball of emotions.
The series begins with the animated feature film and then the animated TV series, both of which can be found on Netflix. The Clone Wars officially take please between Episodes II and III. What you come to realize as you begin this series as Anakin gets his own Padawan (a jedi student apprentice) that you are watching with an enormous sense of foreboding and quite the unexplained amount of morbid curiosity. Assuming that everyone reading at this point has seen the movies, you know that Anakin loses himself to the dark side and commits horrible crimes against the galaxy as Darth Vader. Even more disturbing is the cold-blooded killing of his fellow Jedi…even the young Jedi. I remember feeling sick over his actions in the third movie, so why would I want to watch him off on adventures with his fellow Jedi fighting for the Republic? This is where you come to terms with being a masochist because the series is just that good.
Padawan Ahsoka Tano is my favorite
She is young and talented young Jedi who keeps Anakin on his toes. George Lucas said that the character of Ahsoka was developed for the series as a means of showing how Anakin grows from being brash, impulsive and undisciplined Padawan in Episode II to a more reserved Jedi Knight in Episode III. Regardless of her being a tool, she is a full fledged character who is smart, witty, strong and quite badass (she later regularly wields two light sabers.) She can go toe-to-toe with Anakin with the barbs, but they truly care for one another, even if the Jedi way is to not form attachments.
And because I loved her character so much, I was devastated in the later seasons as Ahsoka went through her own struggles with the Jedi council and with Anakin. I’m not actually sure that I will ever truly recover from what felt like a betrayal.
Animated Anakin is actually likable
While I probably don’t hate the prequel movies as much as other fans do, Anakin often felt super moody and whiny. The Anakin of The Clone Wars has matured, he is still wild for a Jedi, but he is someone you can root for. He has the respect of other Jedi and the respect of the Clone commanders. He still drives Obi-wan kind of crazy, but their relationship is great to watch. This is where you start to feel even more distraught about the series. Over a course of 6 (or 7 seasons depending if you watch the unfinished episodes online), Anakin is someone you really come to know and understand his struggle. He are invested in him as a character but you know that he will break your heart. He is the bad boy that you want to date but know to start stocking up on the Ben and Jerry’s for the inevitable crying while downing pints of ice cream sesh.
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Obi-wan’s dry wit plays so well with Anakin’s snark. They find themselves in impossible situations and somehow make it out alive until you realize eventually, they don’t.
Clones are actually pretty awesome
The films don’t really give you a sense of the clones other than being a tool used by the Sith Lords to perpetuate the war and ultimately kill the Jedi. However, the series shows you all sorts of clone personalities, how they give themselves nicknames, how they struggle with their own purpose in the war, how they look at brotherhood and a glimpse of mutual respect between the Jedi and the Clone commanders. You become attached to certain clones who, through the horror of war, are sometimes killed. This is why you don’t name the puppy if you aren’t going to keep it! UGH.
In the end, it is still worth it
Well, I say that now. Ask me again in a week when I’m still tossing and turning over this series. Next, I’m off to watch Star Wars: Rebels. Wish me luck!
Have you watched the Clone Wars? Are you willing to watch so I can finally talk about this with people at a level that only other fandom peeps will understand?
Bonus: While watching the series, I immediately wrote to Nastasha (our resident coplay master) that she should do Ahsoka and then I quickly realized that she was already way ahead of the curve.
Natasha makes one badass Ahsoka
