If you're confused by the fact that two series set between Star Wars: Episode II- Attack of the ClonesandStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sithexist, don't be. They both tackle the subject matter of the Clone Wars, but in drastically different ways.Genndy Tartakovsky, who also directedSamurai Jack and Dexter's Laboratory,created the 2DClone Warsin 2003 asa micro-series of 25 shorts that can be viewed as a two hou long feature. It was highly stylized, with very little dialogue, and a compelling use of visual storytelling that made it seem almost mythical. George Lucas himself co-wrote the series.
The Clone Warspremiered much later, in 2008, afterStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sithhad already come out. It had a much different 3D animation style and was much more dialogue-heavy. Creator Dave Filoni strove to have it fill in gaps in the prequel trilogy Lucas left out, such as developing Anakin and Padme's relationship, as well as giving young Skywalker a padawan of his own after his knighthood. It began first as a film, then a series, the final season of which debuts on Disney+ in February. Below are 5 things that Clone Warsdid perfectly and 5 things that The Clone Warsdoes better.
CLONE WARS: ANIMATION
Clone Warswas animated by the same team that brought the critically acclaimedSamurai Jackto life on Cartoon Network. The animation is therefore heavily stylized with bold, exaggerated linework and elegant silhouettes. It's the equivalent of watching fashion sketches spring to life and perform superhero feats of heroism.
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The Clone Warsby and large had animation that only really got great by the fourth season, which still continued to appeal more to a preteen audience than young adults. While the Star Wars franchise has always been about, including children, it was nice thatClone Warswas aimed at sophisticated adults (and kids were welcome to enjoy it).
THE CLONE WARS: CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
Though each episode ofThe Clone Warswas only 30 minutes, a large amount of character development was packed into it in a short amount of time. Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi's relationship was strengthened, the Jedi Council was given more to do than gossip, and the clone troopers were given rich backstories that differentiated them from one another.
Clone Wars, by contrast, consisted of 3-minute segments that ended up feeling more like motifs, which ended just when they were getting good. Much of the character development felt superficial (with exceptions), mostly because there never seemed to be enough time for it amidst the grandiose scenery.
CLONE WARS:TONE
With its elegant, exaggerated animation style, long moments of silence, and monochromatic color palette (save for lightsabers and clone trooper designations),Clone Warshad a pensive tone. It effectively communicated to its audience that awar was going on, and it was no laughing matter.
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By contrast,The Clone Warshas a downright jovial approach at times, showcasing the adventurous side of theStar Warsfranchise. It would never be able to give viewers moments like inClone Warswhere a squad of troopers methodically take out battle droids using nothing more than real military hand signals.
THE CLONE WARS: STORYLINE
The Clone Warsmay not adhere as strictly to the timeline or chronology of the prequel trilogy, but it's over-arcing storyline is very well defined and sprawling.It follows characters you know and broadens their narrative subtext, as well as introduces new characters who are integral to the plot.
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Since it's a TV show over a movie, episodes can deviate from the main plot and focus more succinctly on particular characters. The through-line story not only gives insight into the struggle of the Jedi Order as it becomes the military strongarm of the Republic, but the toll it takes on the clone troopers.
CLONE WARS: VILLAINS
Unfortunately in the prequel trilogy, villains who were intended to come across as intimidating or dangerous came off as the butt of jokes. General Grievous was given a sputtering cough that seemed to take the wind out of any of his threats, Count Dooku's presence was woefully underutilized in his few scenes, and there werenofemale villains at all to provide variety.
Clone Warssolved all of these problems by making General Grievous terrifying in his mechanical proficiency, Dooku seductively sinister, and it brought forth one of the most deadly villains the Star Wars Universe has ever seen - the Sith apprentice, Asajj Ventress (who was so charismatic,The Clone Warshad to include her too).
THE CLONE WARS: REALISM
The Clone Wars,though heavily imbued with elements to appeal to children, also had its fair share of soul-crushing realism. It dealt with very mature subjects that even the prequel films didn't go into nearly enough depth about, even when they should have.
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Such as the Jedi Order dealing with a war that seemingly was never going to end, or Anakin's thoughts on being a former slave and sending clone troopers who were no different than slaves into battle. Anakin and Padme's relationship was touched on in much more detail, highlighting the beauty of its innocence and the painfulness of its immaturity.
CLONE WARS: MUSIC
James Venable and Paul Dinletir were the two primary composers forClone Wars,though John Williams did contribute several components of the main theme music. James Venable also did the music for the popular seriesSamurai Jack,which had an equally notable score.
The musical tone ofClone Warsis varied, often changing wildly from the deeply atmospheric to the wildly bombastic, and is comprised of new themes created specifically for the series. Some, such as Grievous's theme, were specifically inspired by classic horror soundtracks likePsycho.It truly captured the operatic nature of theStar Warsfranchise.
THE CLONE WARS: THE FORCE
The regulatory use of the Force, by way of its limitations, has always been a subject of ambiguity in the Star Wars Universe.The Clone Warshowever opted to adhere to some semblance of logic, even going so far as to try to have Qui-Gon Jinn explain the parameters of becoming a Force Ghost.
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Clone Warson the other hand, introduced such segments as Mace Windu flying through the air and punching battle droids the size of Cloud City, and Anakin Skywalker clearing entire fields of them with a wave of his hand. While it looked enormously impressive, it was laughably ridiculous.
CLONE WARS: THE CHRONOLOGY
In terms of serving as a series that closely followed the chronology of the prequel trilogy in which it was set,Clone Warsremained a faithful canon companion. It provided key information and backstory for aspects of the prequels that gave them more depth when viewed simultaneously.
General Grievous received a backstory, and Anakin Skywalker's knighthood was highlighted, as well as his spiritual journey. Rather than the "fill in the blanks" approach ofThe Clone Wars,this series created new adventures, like Anakin versus Asajj Ventress on Yavin IV, andObi-Wan Kenobi taking on Durge on Muunilinst.
THE CLONE WARS: EPIC SCALE
For some fans, the only way a series centered on the Clone Wars can be done correctly is to have a scale that properly defines its moment in galactic history.The Clone Warsunderstands the magnitude of such an endeavor and showcases storylines that are as epic as those seen in the prequel trilogy.
For that reason, it truly feels cinematic at times, from the dramatic interactions between essential characters to the fully realized environments all around them. It has a responsibility to a particular timeline in theStar Warsfilm franchise, and it's worthy of the best scenes in it.
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