Every live-action Star Wars series so far has used characters and referenced events from Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels. This is no surprise, given Dave Filoni’s role overseeing the animated shows before moving on to lead the franchise’s live-action offerings. Although watching the live-action shows doesn’t require knowledge of their animated predecessors, they do leave you feeling out of the loop at times.

Clone Wars and Rebels both tell compelling stories that deepen the films and introduce fantastic characters. But realistically, not everyone has an interest in animation. Fortunately, Clone Wars is rife with episodes and arcs that can stand alone. From foreshadowing Anakin’s downfall to unveiling Sith operations, these essential The Clone Wars episodes are a must-watch for all Star Wars fans.

15

“Lightsaber Lost”

Season 2, Episode 11 (2010)

While stopping some arms dealers in Coruscant’s underbelly, Ahsoka (Ashley Eckstein) loses her lightsaber in a crowd, but doesn’t tell Anakin. Instead, she teams up with Jedi Master Tera Sinube (Gregory Baldwin), an elderly Jedi who has decades of experience dealing with the criminal underworld, and the two set off first to find the thief, and then the client that he sold her lightsaber to.

“LIghtsaber Lost” pulls back from the grand, galaxy-spanning war and focuses on a smaller story centered around the shady underbelly of the Republic’s capital planet. Sinube is what really elevates this episode: between his habit of falling asleep and his love for a good pun, he possesses amazing deductive and observational skills, which help teach a simple but effective lesson about the value of experience and the importance of taking things slow. —Tyler B. Searle

14

“Rookies”

Season 1, Episode 5 (2008)

Captain Rex and Commander Cody split from their Jedi to inspect a relay outpost on the Rishi Moon, but arrive to find it overrun by commando droids. With only a trio of untested clone recruits left alive, Rex and Cody must retake the outpost and inform the Republic Fleet before the Separatists can launch an invasion of Kamino.

“Rookies” was one of the earliest episodes that forwent Jedi characters to focus on the lives of the Clones, making it a keystone episode that shifted the Clones from a copy-and-paste army to beloved characters with their own individuality. The lack of Jedi characters also raises the stakes, since the Clones can’t count on lightsabers or the Force to save them; instead, they have to rely on their training and teamwork skills. —Tyler B. Searle

13

“Hostage Crisis”

Season 1, Episode 22 (2009)

The final episode of Season 1 sees bounty hunters led by Cad Bane (Corey Burton) infiltrate the Senate building and take several senators hostage to use as bargaining chips for the release of Ziro the Hutt (Corey Burton). Anakin Skywalker was visiting Padmee before the takeover, but he left his lightsaber with her, forcing him to get creative as he tries to battle the bounty hunters unarmed.

For fans of The Book of Boba Fett, “Hostage Crisis” is a must-watch because it is Cad Bane’s introductory episode and remains one of his best thanks to its sharp writing and pacing. Not only does he and his team take over the Senate building with ruthless efficiency, but they also get away after only losing a few droids, effectively establishing Bane as a formidable new adversary. —Tyler B. Searle

12

“The Mandalore Plot”

Season 2, Episode 12 (2010)

Kick-starting the Mandalore arc, “The Mandalore Plot” dove head first into the political turmoil of Mandalore as a faction seeking pacifism clashed with a rival group hoping to revive their people’s warrior culture. Fearing that Mandalore may join the Separatists, the Jedi send Obi-Wan to investigate due to his past relationship with the planet’s Duchess, Satine Kryze (Anna Graves), which reveals a romantic past between the two which complicates the mission.

In addition to its many intriguing plot elements, the episode also served as a crash course in Mandalorian history and politics, including the introduction of the Darksaber and the entrance of the Death Watch. While “The Mandalore Plot” offers plenty of exposition on Mandalore, the entirety of the Mandalore arc is worthwhile as its exploration of Obi-Wan’s past love adds a fascinating new layer to his concern for Anakin over his romance with Padme.

11

“Lethal Trackdown”

Season 2, Episode 22 (2010)

The season two finale focused on the rising to power of one of the Star Wars saga’s greatest side characters; Boba Fett (Daniel Logan). While his arc over the previous two episodes established his burning need for revenge against Mace Windu for killing his father and infiltrating a group of training clones in order to get close to the Jedi Master and attempt an assassination.

“Lethal Trackdown” followed Ahsoka and Plo Koon (James Arnold Taylor) as they scoured through the criminal underbelly of Coruscant in search of Boba after he had already tried to kill Windu twice. The episode finds a poignant tragedy in Boba’s story, which closely resembles Anakin’s hateful descent into darkness and suffering.

10

“Nightsisters”

Season 3, Episode 12 (2011)

Starting a three-episode arc which was a glorious look at the Sith, “Nightsisters” focused on Count Dooku (Corey Burton) as he is given orders by Darth Sidious (Ian Abercrombie) to kill his padawan as she grows too powerful. With Dooku failing to carry out the assassination successfully, Asajj Ventress (Nika Futterman) enlists the help of her fellow Nightsisters to take her revenge on Dooku.

Given it is the first episode of the story arc, “Nightsisters” packs a lot of character work and Star Wars mythology into its 25-minute runtime, including shedding some light on the home planet of Darth Maul’s people. The ensuing two episodes are well worth a watch as well as the arc in its entirety, delving into the Nightsisters’ mystical methods while demonstrating how deep manipulation and betrayal run in the ranks of the Sith to be one of The Clone Wars‘ essential episodes.

9

“Ghosts of Mortis”

Season 3, Episode 17 (2011)

Following on directly after the Nightsisters arc, the Mortis arc consisted of three episodes which culminated in the harrowing and damning “Ghosts of Mortis.” Stranded on a mysterious planet after responding to an old distress beacon, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka must decipher what is going on to stave off attacks while figuring out an escape strategy.

Given the episodes as a whole leaned heavily into the mysticism of the force, it could so easily have been disappointing to see the three Jedi have their minds wiped as they are transported back to the galaxy they know. However, given it presents Anakin’s descent to Darth Vader, the amnesiac charm works to a perfectly poignant effect as it reinforces to audiences just where the characters heading.

8

“The Gathering”

Season 5, Episode 6 (2012)

As the beginning of a chapter directed specifically at young Star Wars fans, “The Gathering” presented as a wondrous adventure following a group of young Jedi in training. The first leg of their journey is about as cool as it gets, being taught directly by Ahsoka and Master Yoda and learning about kyber crystals as they construct their own lightsabers as well.

The episode is a clear departure from the series’ surprisingly prominent focus on themes such as political maneuvering and corruption, but it does present a great dose of innocent fun. It also works as a means to learn about the lore behind the iconic weapon of the Jedi, the lightsaber.

7

“The Lawless”

Season 5, Episode 16 (2013)

Having been restored by the Nightsisters in the final episodes of season four, Sith Lord Darth Maul (Sam Witwer) returns as a major antagonist throughout the second half of The Clone Wars. He wreaks havoc upon his return too, working alongside his brother and joining forces with the Death Watch to launch an attack on Mandalore and Duchess Satine.

Fueled by his quest for revenge against Obi-Wan Kenobi, “The Lawless” saw the culmination of Maul’s plan as he stood on the cusp of overthrowing Mandalore’s government, prompting Kenobi to rescue Satine. The episode revealed exactly how evil Darth Maul was, touching on a deep darkness rarely seen so explicitly in Star Wars, and revealed just how much power Darth Sidious possessed as well.

6

“The Wrong Jedi”

Season 5, Episode 20 (2013)

Arguably the best episode to watch for fans of Ahsoka who are relishing the scenes with Anakin and Ahsoka, “The Wrong Jedi” was essentially a Star Wars legal thriller as Ahsoka faces trial for a murder she did not commit. Desperate to prove her innocence, Anakin pursues Asajj Ventress to get the information she has on the truth of the matter.

The final episode of the ‘The Jedi Who Knew to Much’ arc, it also had the added heft of being inspired by the work of Alfred Hitchcock, just like the episodes that preceded it. It also gave The Clone Wars one of its most stunning and powerful stories, with its ending initially a conclusion for the franchise, which adequately showed the moral dilemma Anakin faced as a Jedi knight.