14 Years Ago Today, Star Wars’ Darkest Clone Wars Episode Gave Ahsoka One of Her Most Controversial Stories

by

Fourteen years ago today, Star Wars: The Clone Wars delved into the troubling undercurrents of the Republic in a story that remains debated among fans. Initially, characters like Obi-Wan Kenobi remembered the Republic as a time of peace and prosperity. However, The Phantom Menace quickly showed that this was a romanticized view, as the old Republic had significant problems. Even then, the galaxy was unstable, with the dark side gaining power and a Sith Lord secretly working to control the Republic long before the Empire rose to power.

Perhaps the most disturbing aspect was the general indifference to slavery in the Outer Rim, shared by both the Republic and the Jedi Order. Slavery wasn’t considered unusual on planets like Tatooine, and even Qui-Gon Jinn resorted to gambling to free Anakin instead of directly challenging the slave traders. While Anakin hoped to liberate slaves as a Jedi, the Jedi themselves never took action to end the practice. This introduction of slavery created a troubling undercurrent of darkness in the Star Wars universe, which later became more prominent in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

The Clone Wars Revealed the Full Scale of Slavery in the Galaxy

Today marks the 14th anniversary of the release of Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 4, episode 12, “Slaves of the Republic.” This episode, the second part of a three-part story arc, features Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka going undercover to investigate the Zygerrian slave empire. It’s a particularly grim story, opening with a heartbreaking scene of a slave attempting to assassinate the queen and then choosing suicide over recapture, all witnessed by Anakin. What’s most unsettling is Anakin, having been a slave himself, pretending to be a slave owner – a role that seems deeply out of character for him.

Perhaps the most debated part of Ahsoka’s story involves her being depicted as a slave. Considering Ahsoka is a teenage Jedi Padawan, placing young Jedi in dangerous situations was already a point of contention. This mission took it further, as she deliberately went undercover and took on the role of a slave. The original comic version featured a particularly troubling costume, often compared to Princess Leia’s slave outfit in Return of the Jedi. The TV show did make changes, and surprisingly, Ahsoka’s final slave costume ended up being less revealing than her usual Jedi outfit (which has also been updated for the live-action series).

“Slaves of the Republic” Has a Complicated Legacy

Thoughts on Ahsoka’s choice of slave outfit?
byu/ViewAccomplished6534 inclonewars

The Clone Wars episode “Slaves of the Republic” has sparked a lot of discussion, largely because it tackles a difficult topic – slavery – within a show aimed at children. This led to an uneven result, feeling either too intense and upsetting or not fully addressing the seriousness of the issue. It’s also worth noting that the episode is based on a comic book story that actually explored these themes more successfully, though that version had its own problems, including a questionable portrayal of the young character Ahsoka.

“Slaves of the Republic” will likely be best known as the story where Ahsoka Tano is forced into slavery. The earlier seasons of The Clone Wars often didn’t give its female characters enough independence, and Ahsoka’s outfits were frequently criticized. It’s unsettling to see the show’s central female character, a teenager, involved in a storyline that strongly recalls Return of the Jedi. The failed rescue attempt led by Anakin even mirrors Luke’s successful escape on Tatooine, with similar moments like a salute to R2-D2 and lightsabers being thrown through the air.

The Zygerrian slave arc in The Clone Wars is notably unusual and often unsettling. While it tackles difficult subjects, it does so unevenly. Set later in the series’ timeline, it allows for a more mature portrayal of Ahsoka, who is now 16, and features an improved costume design. However, the story doesn’t quite succeed in its impact, and subsequent Star Wars stories have explored the topic of slavery in a more compelling way.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/star-wars-released-the-most-important-episode-of-television-this-year-according-to-star-trek-creator/embed/#

Read More

2025-12-03 00:42