After George Lucas’ prequel trilogy ended in 2005, Lucasfilm sought a new means to keep the excitement alive for the brand. Luckily, they already had proven that Star Wars fans would accept watching their favorite characters in animated form back in 2003. Back then, Lucasfilm approached Genndy Tartakovsky to help them create a series of animated shorts so that they could promote sales of new characters. These shorts tapped into the near endless potential of skirmishes that occurred whilst the Clone Wars waged across the galaxy.
Rather than returning to the 2D animated style of the shorts, Lucasfilm decided to reboot the Clone Wars concept with gorgeous 3D visuals. Since this new series would now air as full-length 22-minute episodes, each character would have ample time to develop and show their personalities. In some ways, the multitude of episodes gave characters from the films more options to develop than their source material.
Furthermore, this new series gave the creators a chance to introduce new characters into the franchise. Starting with the movie, fans fell in love with the new additions to the cast, like Anakin Skywalker’s padawan, Ahsoka Tano. Even past the conclusion of the series, fans still desire to hear of the fates of these new characters. So, they continue to show up in projects set much later than the Clone Wars, such as Rebels and the Mandalorian.
Presenting the top ten characters from Star Wars: The Clone Wars
10. General Grievous
General Grievous began his life as a flesh and blood Kaleesh, where he was a fearsome warlord even back then. While he had elected to replace several parts of his body with cybernetic upgrades, a horrendous shuttle crash devastated most of his organic body. Thus, nearly the entirety of his body became rebuilt as a cyborg creature, with only parts of his chest and head remaining. Not long after his rebirth as an android, Count Dooku approached him and taught him the assorted styles of lightsaber combat.
As General Grievous officially entered the Clone Wars on the Separatist side, he quickly gained a reputation as a frightening and effective commander. The first time the Republic faced him in battle, he surrounded their forces and demanded that they decide: surrender or death. By the end of that battle, only three of the seven Jedi involved in that skirmish escaped with their lives. Thus, Grievous began his collection of lightsabers from each of the Jedi he slew.
From that point on, General Grievous remained one of the top threats in the Separatist army. Each time a Jedi encountered him; they knew there was a high chance that they would not survive. Even experienced Jedi masters, like Obi-Wan Kenobi, respected his skills.
Near the end of the war, General Grievous received a special mission from Darth Sidious to directly invade the Republic’s capital, Coruscant, and kidnap the Chancellor. While he successfully invaded the planet and slew all the Jedi that protected Chancellor Palpatine, he did not leave the planet unscathed. As he fled the battle, Mace Windu crushed the plates around his organs, injuring his strained lungs. Not long after, he fell by the hand so of Obi-Wan Kenobi.
9. Mace Windu
Samuel L. Jackson played this Jedi in the Star Wars prequel films and thus he wins, end of story!
Mace Windu was already an experienced Jedi Master when the Clone Wars began. He sat on the Jedi council even before the Galactic Trade Federation started their siege of Naboo. However, he was reluctant to believe that the ancient enemies of the Jedi Order, the Sith, could ever reemerge to threaten the Galaxy’s peace. Then, when Qui-Gon Jinn presented Anakin Skywalker as potentially the chosen one, he skeptically expressed his doubts. Even as Anakin grew into a full Jedi Knight, Mace continued to doubt that he would fully commit himself to the Jedi ways.
Later, as war threatened to break out, Mace Windu understood that the Jedi Order alone could not fight the war. They had been the peacekeepers for the Galactic Republic, not their soldiers. Thus, he quickly accepted the clone army their revealed presence and officially sanctioned for use in the war. Moreover, he agreed with Yoda that they should keep an eye on the senators, for they skeptically accepted the warning that Darth Sidious had control over the Senate.
Mace Windu rarely engaged in combat during the Clone Wars series, for he often sat on the Jedi Council. However, whenever he entered the fray, he proved to be an effective negotiator and fighter. He played a crucial role in the liberation of Ryloth. Moreover, he defended his own life as Boba Fett targeted him for his role in Jango Fett’s death.
Unfortunately, despite Mace Windu’s skepticism, he never suspected that Chancellor Palpatine was Darth Sidious. He only learned the truth after Anakin Skywalker revealed Darth Sidious’ identity to him. Unfortunately, this knowledge came too late to save either himself or the Republic.
8. Padmé Amidala
Throughout the entirety of the Clone Wars, Padmé Amidala was secretly married to the Jedi Knight, Anakin Skywalker. Both kept their relationship a secret because the Order forbade Jedi from holding onto attachments, such as a loved one. Thus, their relationship would oust Anakin from the Order if it anyone discovered it. Not even their closest friends could learn that the two had wed.
Even though Padmé did not have the skills nor training of a Jedi Knight, she could fend for herself. She could defender herself with a blaster, when necessary. She would even stubbornly sneak into enemy territory to learn about their activities. These activities have led to enemies such as Ziro the Hutt capturing and nearly executing her.
However, her strengths lay in her ability to reason and negotiate, which had made her an effective politician. At every turn, she would argue for peace amongst the planets of the Republic. She would also reassure those in need of help, such as Duchess Satine. Even those that disagreed with her policies respected Padmé for her diplomacy.
As the war continued, she never lost faith in the light within her husband. Even slips from Anakin, such as momentarily choking her former flame, Clovis. Despite Anakin’s temper flares, she loved him and believed that he was good at heart. Unfortunately, her faith in him led to tragedy on Mustafar. For, as she sought out Anakin to prove that the Jedi were wrong about him, Obi-Wan stowed away on her ship. After Anakin mistakenly believed that Padmé betrayed him, he force-choked her. With her faith in Anakin shattered, her heart broke and she died during childbirth soon after.
7. Captain Rex
Originating from the first generation of Clone Soldiers that served in the Republic forces, Captain Rex, CT-7567, earned respect as the commander of the 501st legion. He gained the respect of his men by caring for every one of them. Furthermore, he held the respect of the Jedi that he served under, especially Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano. He also cared for the rules and strictly adhered to the orders that he received.
On several occasions, Captain Rex rose to change the tide of the battle to the Republic’s favor. He recognized when commando droids disguised themselves as clone troopers. He also saw the folly of a frontal attack on Umbara, instead, helping them see the attacks from the Umbarans.
Unfortunately, Rex, like all clones, had an inhibitor chip within his brain. Thus, when Palpatine activated Order 66, he initially tried to slay his long-time friend, Ahsoka Tano. Surviving the assault, Ahsoka subdued Rex until they could remove the inhibitor chip from his brain. With the chip removed, he returned to being her trusted ally and kept her safe from the attacks of other clones.
After the war, Captain Rex traveled across the galaxy, occasionally helping other clone troopers, like the Bad Batch, remove their inhibitor chips. He even joined up with the Rebellion’s forces to help them fight against the oppression of the Empire.
6. R2-D2
When it came to the success of Anakin Skywalker’s endeavors, few proved more helpful than his trusted astromech, R2-D2. R2 understood the way that Anakin thought, having known the Jedi since he was a child. He also was amongst the most adaptable and creative droids available. Few could perform a hack faster than R2.
To improve R2-D2’s battle strategies, Anakin refused to wipe the droid’s databanks. Thus, R2 had a wealth of inside knowledge and tactical information at his disposal. This became a glaring issue when he became separated from Anakin, for the Separatists could learn all the Republic’s secrets. Luckily, between R2’s perseverance and troublemaking, he was able to send a distress signal to Anakin.
As Anakin rescued his droid, R2-D2 learned that Anakin’s assigned replacement astromech, R3-S6, was a separatist spy. Thus, R2 deployed each of his tricks and weapons to triumph over the newer droid model before returning to Anakin’s side.
Even as the war came to a close, R2-D2 faithfully remained at Anakin Skywalker’s side. Only after Anakin fell under the dark side’s influence, using the force to strangle his wife, did R2 leave him. While the survivors of the Senate ordered for the wipe of C-3PO’s memories, R2’s remained intact.
5. Sheev Palpatine/Darth Sidious
The Galaxy encountered no force more threatening nor deceptive than Darth Sidious, who led the Republic under the guise of Chancellor Sheev Palpatine. Unlike his apprentices, the master of the dark side remained cloaked in the shadows, allowing his underlings to set the stage in his favor. Thus, the Jedi only ever heard whispers of his existence, but never directly encountered Darth Sidious throughout the Clone Wars.
As a respected politician, Sheev Palpatine took over the Senate back during the Trade Federation’s siege on the planet Naboo. During these events, he led a vote of no confidence in the current chancellor so that he could take up the position instead. Unbeknownst to both the Jedi and the Senate, Palpatine had staged the entire event, urging the Trade Federation to strike against Naboo under the guise of Darth Sidious.
Later, as war threatened to break out in the Galaxy, Palpatine once again moved in to seize more power for himself. While he initially gave the front that he opposed the creation of an army for the republic, the discovery of a massive battle-droid army led to a vote to bestow emergency powers on him. Palpatine continued to feign reluctance to take this authority as the Senate passed the measure, but he quickly used them to send out the clone army to Geonosis.
Throughout the Clone Wars, Sheev Palpatine continued to play both sides, staging every move to ensure that he benefitted from the war. He paid for Cad Bane to steal the Holocron that had information on force-sensitive children. He also staged several kidnapping attempts on himself to turn attention away from him. In the end, the Jedi never saw him as the lord of the dark side, so their order fell as he initiated his final plot, Order 66.
4. Anakin Skywalker
When Qui-Gon Jinn discovered Anakin Skywalker on Tatooine, he found that the boy had the highest number of midi-chlorians than any Jedi ever known throughout the Jedi Order. Thus, he became convinced that the boy was the prophesized Chosen One that would restore balance to the force. Meanwhile, Anakin had been a slave on Tatooine, so he quickly accepted the offer to leave the planet and become a Jedi. However, when Qui-Gon Jinn presented Anakin to the council, they expressed concern over the boy’s age. They doubted that he would ever be able to give up attachments and embrace the Jedi ways.
Luckily for Anakin, Obi-Wan Kenobi agreed to train him after the passing of Qui-Gon Jinn. Thus, the two formed a close bond as Obi-Wan instructed him on the Jedi ways. Even though these two were close as brothers, Anakin decided to keep secrets, like his love and marriage to Padmé a secret. Still, Anakin respected Obi-Wan as his mentor throughout the Clone Wars.
As the war raged into full swing, Obi-Wan decided that Anakin needed a student of his own, thinking that the position would help Anakin mature. Thus, Obi-Wan arranged for Anakin to take on a Padawan learner, Ahsoka Tano. Over time, Anakin grew to appreciate his role as a master and teacher to his Padawan. The two trusted each other to cover each other’s backs. Still, Anakin did not reveal his secret attachments to his padawan.
By the end of the war, the Jedi’s fears that attachments would lead to the dark side came true. Anakin became so obsessed with saving Padmé from death that he turned to Darth Sidious for the power to save her. In the end, his actions led to the death of his beloved, which he became Darth Vader.
3. Asajj Ventress
Originating from the Nightsisters clan, Asajj Ventress showed some potential with the force and received some training as a Jedi apprentice. Unfortunately, her Jedi master, Ky Narec, perished, Ventress fell into the dark side. As the Clone Wars picked up steam, Count Dooku discovered her and molded her into his Dark Acolyte and preferred assassin.
Not long after the Jedi became aware of Ventress, they learned to fear her fierce combat skills and strategies. She fought against some of the most skilled Jedi, like Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, keeping up with their skills. While they often forced her to retreat, she did not fall to their attacks either.
Ventress’ strengths lay in her ability to lay in stealth and gather information for her master. She framed Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano when she secretly filmed them taking Jaba the Hutt’s son. After Count Dooku betrayed her, she arranged for Savage Opress to become his next apprentice as she held the reigns to control Opress.
Unfortunately, Ventress could not remain in Count Dooku’s good graces through the entirety of the Clone Wars. Darth Sidious took notice of her skills and abilities, so he began to fear that Count Dooku would use her as a weapon against him. Thus, Sidious ordered Dooku to terminate Ventress. After this betrayal, Ventress returned to her home with the Nightsisters before venturing on her own.
While no longer aligned with Count Dooku, Ventress stayed a deadly threat to the Jedi Order. She now acted on her own accord, becoming a bounty hunter. Despite her anger toward the Jedi, she would create momentary truces of convenience with Jedi.
2. Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi first met Anakin Skywalker, he was still the Padawan of Qui-Gon Jinn, on the verge of becoming a Jedi Knight. Along with his master, Obi-Wan left to negotiate with the Trade Federation and break past their blockade. During this mission, the pair found themselves with a damaged hyperdrive on Tattooine, where they met the powerful force-sensitive boy, Anakin Skywalker. While Qui-Gon Jinn was meant to become Anakin’s master, his death by Darth Maul’s hands led to Obi-Wan becoming Anakin’s master instead.
As the Clone Wars loomed over the Galaxy, Anakin’s time as a padawan drew to an end. Obi-Wan trusted Anakin to function on his own. So, the two split off on different missions, with Obi-Wan investigating the activities on Kamino the Geonosis. Thus, Obi-Wan discovered a clone army that a Jedi, Sifo-Dyas, ordered and the droid army for the Separatists.
Even after Anakin became a full Jedi Knight during the Clone Wars, he, and Obi-Wan remained close companions, like brothers. The two often embarked on missions together, even though Anakin was no longer his Padawan. Likewise, Anakin continued to respect Obi-Wan as his moral compass, even if he felt that the man held him back at times.
As the war drew to a close, Obi-Wan witnessed the death of Duchess Satine Kryze, whom he had fallen in love with. Later, he discovered that his former padawan had fallen under the influence of the dark side. Thus, Obi-Wan dueled against his former friend and brother on Mustafar, where he severed both of Anakin’s legs and remaining arm. He then left Anakin to burn on the banks of the lava river as he fled into exile.
1. Ahsoka Tano
Few entered the Clone Wars with a more positive outlook for the future than Ahsoka Tano. Just as the war began, Ahsoka came of age to become a Padawan learner to a Jedi Knight. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan Kenobi believed that Anakin could learn and mature by having a Padawan to teach. Thus, Ahsoka became one of Anakin Skywalker’s closest friends and trusted allies. Where she would call Anakin “skyguy”, he called her “snips”.
Despite the horrors of the war, Ahsoka remained hopeful that good would prevail and allow the Republic to prosper. She made new friends and allies with other Jedi, like Barriss Offee. She also befriended and respected Captain Rex and the clones under him.
Meanwhile, Ahsoka garnered a deadly rival with Asajj Ventress. The two squared off on multiple occasions, with Ahsoka often gaining the upper hand. She also faced off in battle against the likes of General Grievous and Cad Bane.
Despite all her battles, nothing could prepare Ahsoka for the betrayal of her once friend, Barriss Offee. After Offee bombed the Jedi Temple hangar and framed Ahsoka for choking the original suspect, Ahsoka became the sole suspect of the bombings. Even after Anakin cleared Ahsoka’s name, Ahsoka felt betrayed by the lack of trust that the Jedi had in her. So, she broke away from the Order, never returning.
Even after leaving the Jedi Order, Ahsoka continued to fight for the peace of the Galaxy. She confronted Darth Maul as the Jedi Order collapsed. There, he confronted her with the news that Darth Sidious wanted Anakin as his next apprentice. While she never wanted to believe Anakin could fall to the dark side, she eventually learned that he had become Darth Vader.
Who were your favorite characters from Star Wars: The Clone Wars?
Now that we have shared our picks for the top ten characters from Star Wars: The Clone Wars, we want to hear from you. Who were your favorite characters from the cartoon? Do you agree with our list? Let us know in the comments below. Roger, roger!
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