Star Wars started as a film series, but its TV shows are now a major part of the franchise. With almost seven years passing since the last Star Wars movie, The Rise of Skywalker, and the next film, featuring The Mandalorian and Grogu, still in development, TV shows have become essential to keeping the story going. These shows come in both live-action, like The Mandalorian and Andor, and animated formats, with many being very successful.
As a longtime Star Wars fan, I’ve seen a lot of animated episodes, and honestly, The Clone Wars stands out as the best overall. It’s fascinating considering George Lucas had a hand in it before Disney took over. But the good news is, even after that change, Star Wars animation has consistently delivered fantastic TV. I’ve put together a list of what I think are the 10 absolute best episodes across all the animated series – get ready to dive in!
The Cavalry Has Arrived
Many people underestimate how good Star Wars: The Bad Batch is. As a spin-off from The Clone Wars, it follows a unique group of clone soldiers, each with their own special ability. The show deserves more recognition because it powerfully shows the struggles of these clones during a difficult period in galactic history, making them even more relatable.
Okay, so as a huge Star Wars fan, I gotta say the finale of The Bad Batch, “The Cavalry Has Arrived,” is seriously amazing – though the season 2 finale, with Tech’s heartbreaking scene, comes pretty close. What really stood out to me was that it actually gave the Bad Batch a genuinely happy ending, which is rare for Star Wars! These clones had been through so much since day one, and it felt like the perfect way to wrap up their story. It was really satisfying to see them get that, honestly.
The Lawless
The Clone Wars primarily follows Anakin Skywalker’s journey toward becoming Darth Vader, and explores how his relationship with his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, contributed to his downfall. While Anakin’s story is central, the show also features significant arcs for Obi-Wan Kenobi, including the surprising reveal of a past romantic relationship with Satine Kryze, the Duchess of Mandalore. Satine appears in several key episodes, with “The Lawless” generally considered the strongest.
This episode features a tragic turn of events as Darth Maul and Death Watch seize control of Mandalore. Maul enacts his revenge on Obi-Wan by killing Satine in front of him. Though incredibly harsh, the episode is powerfully crafted and provides crucial insight into Obi-Wan’s character and his actions in the prequel films – especially why he keeps Anakin’s relationship with Padmé a secret from the Jedi Council.
Jedi Night
Star Wars Rebels was Disney’s initial foray into animated Star Wars stories, and given how bold a move it was, it deserves more recognition. The show introduced Kanan Jarrus, a Jedi who survived the devastating Order 66, and followed his journey training a new apprentice, Ezra Bridger, during a dark period for the Jedi. Ultimately, Kanan became a shining example of a true Jedi within the entire Star Wars saga.
A standout episode of Rebels is also one of its most heartbreaking: the death of Kanan Jarrus. In “Jedi Night,” Kanan bravely sacrifices himself to protect his crew. While it’s incredibly difficult to watch, it’s a beautifully done episode and provides a fitting end to his character arc.
The Jedi Who Knew Too Much
Ahsoka Tano has one of the most compelling stories in the Star Wars universe, and it’s not simply because she was Anakin Skywalker’s apprentice. Her journey really becomes captivating in the Clone Wars episode, “The Jedi Who Knew Too Much,” where she’s falsely accused of a crime and forced to flee.
This episode is a strong start to an exciting new storyline for Ahsoka. It demonstrates how capable and powerful she’s become, and also offers a fresh perspective on the Jedi and the Republic, hinting at the events that will eventually lead to their decline.
The Wrong Jedi
Ahsoka leaving the Jedi Order is a key event in the Star Wars saga, especially considering how it contributed to Anakin Skywalker’s fall to the dark side. The episode “The Wrong Jedi” powerfully shows how painful this split was for everyone involved, and it reveals the corruption within the Jedi Order – corruption that ultimately shaped Anakin’s views and led to his transformation in Revenge of the Sith.
It was incredibly frustrating to watch the Jedi Council try to rewrite history and claim Ahsoka’s ordeal was a Jedi trial, especially after they’d abandoned her and put her life in danger with the Senate. Anakin clearly felt the same way. This situation also showed us how much Anakin was considering leaving the Jedi Order.
Shattered
The most impactful storyline for Ahsoka Tano, even more so than her leaving the Jedi Order, revolves around Order 66. A particularly powerful episode, “Shattered,” shows Ahsoka fighting for survival against the clone troopers she once considered friends, after Palpatine ordered their inhibitor chips activated, forcing them to turn on the Jedi.
You know, revisiting Ahsoka’s story, especially after watching Tales of the Jedi, really adds another layer to everything. It cleverly showed how Anakin’s training specifically equipped Ahsoka to withstand that attack – she wasn’t just lucky, she was prepared. And honestly, Order 66 was always devastating, but seeing it from Ahsoka’s perspective, watching her own clone troopers betray her… that hit especially hard. It wasn’t just a galactic tragedy anymore, it was deeply personal.
Victory and Death
“Victory and Death” is the last episode of The Clone Wars. It’s always hard for a show that’s run for many seasons to end well—especially one where the final season was made by a different company, Disney—but The Clone Wars succeeded. The episode reveals how Ahsoka Tano escaped the deadly Order 66, and it concludes with her having to bury many clone troopers who died in the conflict.
The episode concludes with Darth Vader finding Ahsoka’s lightsabers and holding them thoughtfully, offering the most direct glimpse viewers get of his grief and recognition of their shared history.
Twin Suns
While The Clone Wars generally has more highly-rated episodes across the entire Star Wars franchise, Rebels delivered some truly exceptional ones, like “Twin Suns.” This episode finally brought Obi-Wan and Maul’s long-running rivalry to a dramatic conclusion after decades of conflict.
What really got to me about this episode was Maul’s death. After years of him obsessing over revenge and wanting to kill Obi-Wan, to have him die in Obi-Wan’s arms… it was just incredibly powerful, especially on Tatooine. It also showed me how much Obi-Wan has grown as a Jedi, even while he’s been living in hiding. It was a beautiful and heartbreaking moment, and it really highlighted their complex relationship.
The Phantom Apprentice
Maul and Ahsoka are two of the most compelling characters in Star Wars television – likely the reason Lucasfilm/Disney brought Maul back in Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord. The episode “The Phantom Apprentice,” a key part of Ahsoka’s story during the Order 66 events, features an incredible duel between them, widely considered one of the best lightsaber fights in all of Star Wars.
Beyond the impressive lightsaber duel, this episode is deeply moving for both characters. Maul realizes he was just a pawn in Palpatine’s scheme, always meant to be replaced by Anakin as his apprentice. Meanwhile, Ahsoka is forced to confront a heartbreaking truth about Anakin, a moment that will stay with her forever.
Twilight of the Apprentice Part II
For me, the absolute best episode of any Star Wars animated show is “Twilight of the Apprentice Part II.” It brings Ahsoka back, and it’s incredible – and heartbreaking – to finally see her face Anakin, or rather Vader, for the first time since everything went down with Order 66. It’s as emotionally tough to watch as you’d imagine.
This scene offers perhaps the most direct glimpse audiences get of Anakin Skywalker’s inner turmoil as Darth Vader – something the comics delve into more deeply. Even compared to his duel with Obi-Wan in Obi-Wan Kenobi, it’s incredibly powerful. Vader’s heartbroken cry of “Ahsoka” before reverting to his menacing Sith persona, and declaring her fate, is particularly striking. Many fans consider this episode to be the best in all of Star Wars animation.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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2026-04-06 18:17