REVIEW: Star Wars The Clone Wars: The Final Season (spoiler free)
It was surreal for me to watch the final season of the Clone Wars, because I had already felt like I watched the final season twice already. After the show was cancelled after the end of season five, I figured that was the last season. Then, in 2014, the show came back for a supposed final season on Netflix, dubbed "The Lost Missions." Finally, cut back to 2018 when it was announced we would be getting a final season of 12 episodes to properly finish off the show.
As someone who has watched and enjoyed this show since its beginning in 2008, what do I think of the season? Overall, while I wish we would have gotten more arcs adapted, and some episodes are certainly better than others, the final four episodes of the season alone are enough for me to say the season was worth it. In fact, I'd say that the final season was a perfect reflection of the show as a whole, as we got arcs that were decent, some that were not as decent, and some that are incredible, but no matter what, each has changed and impacted the Star Wars galaxy and lore for good, and for the most part, for the better.
Before I talk about the individual arcs, I want to give praise for the technical aspect of this season. This season looks absolutely stunning. The animation and character models have improved so much, it's hard to imagine how far it is come from the first season and the 2008 film.
The lighting, action scenes, and effects are top notch, and composer Kevin Kiner comes back one last time to deliver some new, truly impactful music. And of course, I can't forget the vocal performances, as everyone did a fantastic job, as it is honestly some of the best acting in the franchise. Particular praise has to go to Dee Bradley Baker as Captain Rex, Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano, and Sam Witwer as Maul, as the season really revolves around them, and they carry the material they were given to perfection in my eyes.
So the first four episodes of the season was an arc called "The Bad Batch." This arc was previously released in 2015 as an unfinished story reel, before getting the finished treatment this season. The story revolves around Rex and Anakin working with an experimental group of clones called, well, the Bad Batch, as they work to rescue a clone trapped by the Separatists, while at the same time working to beat the Separatists at a key battleground in the war.
Having seen the reels before, I mostly knew what to expect coming into this arc. I really liked the arc back then, and I enjoyed it well for the most part, though not as much as the first time. The personal conflict with Rex is strong, and there are really big and creative battles spread throughout.
However, my biggest problem with the arc is that the Bad Batch themselves, while cool, and visually and functionally distinct, only have face-value personalities, and don't get to shine as much as they could have. There was a planned arc that was ultimately cut with them that could have expanded them more, but for this arc, they're cool, but at a superficial level.
Still, I was having fun throughout the arc, and it had some added scenes, such as a scene between Anakin and Padme, that were nice, new additions. Overall, I'd give this arc a solid 8/10.
Well, they can't all be winners. Yes, for many critics, and especially for many fans, the next four episodes, the "Ahsoka's Walkabout" arc, was the lowest point in the season. If I'm being honest, I don't blame them. While I didn't outright hate this arc, as I thought there have been worse arcs and episodes, I feel like this arc didn't need to be four episodes, or at the very least, could have been a lot better.
The plot sees Ahsoka shortly after she leaves the Jedi Order, and through a complex series of events, gets involved helping two sisters, Trace and Rafa Martez, out of a...bad situation dealing with the Pyke Syndicate, while at the same time trying to avoid letting her past as a Jedi be known.
The biggest reasons why this arc is hated so much by fans is that they feel the arc is redundant, and weirdly paced, as well as finding the sisters, especially Trace, annoying. To me, I was mixed on the sisters, as I feel sympathy for them and the situation they are facing, especially when their traumatic past with Jedi is revealed. At the same time, they do make very bone-headed decisions, which can get annoying. I, like a lot of people, felt one of the episodes was entirely pointless, as the trio start the episode in jail, and end up back in jail.
Still, it is always great to see Ahsoka again, and the lessons and experiences she goes through, especially seeing the Republic and Jedi through the eyes of normal people, were compelling to me. The last episode also connects and leads to the final arc of the show. I think people wouldn't mind this arc as much if it wasn't part of the last season of the show, which only has 12 episodes, as this arc wasn't originally planned as the penultimate one of the show. Overall, I give this arc a 6/10.
And now we come to the final arc of the show, the one that all fans, including myself, have been looking forward to the most..."The Siege of Mandalore." This was the arc that Dave Filoni wanted to end the show on originally, as it connects fully with Revenge of the Sith.
To me, this season was entirely worth it for this arc alone. This is where the real focus, care, and attention for this season went. This isn't just four episodes, though each episode individually is among the best in the show. This is essentially a movie, and one of the best movies in the franchise. I loved this arc, and, for right now, I believe is the best arc the show has ever had.
I will be doing an entire separate spoiler article on this arc alone, because there is so much to discuss and analyze. To keep it as spoiler-free as possible for now, the arc sees Ahsoka and Rex teaming up with Bo-Kotan and her Mandalorian group to rid Mandalore of Maul and his army. The arc also showcases a very important sequence from Revenge of the Sith from Ahsoka and Rex's perspective, and from there, shows how the two survive the events of the film and venture off...only to be reunited in Rebels years later.
Everything about this arc is near perfection, the action, drama, acting, storytelling, suspense, character moments and dynamics...it's all fantastic. It caps off with a somber but fitting ending, and left me empty knowing the show I loved so much for years came to an end, but fulfilled, knowing that it finally got the ending and conclusion it deserved for so long. I give this arc a 9.5/10.
This leads to what I think about the season overall. Like I said, a weak arc aside, my biggest issue honestly is that I, selfishly, wanted more, as we could have animated the Crystal Crisis Arc, the arcs that were in comics and books, as well as the six that haven't been told at all in some form.
Still, I can tell Filoni and his team put their heart and soul into this season, and for that I am truly grateful. Plus, if nothing else, we have a satisfying conclusion with the Siege of Mandalore, and the potential to maybe see new arcs added in the future, just not counted as part of a season.
I give season 7, the final season, a solid 8/10.
