Although originally released out of order, there’s a way to watch Star Wars: The Clone Wars following the actual timeline of events. Many fans now consider it the best Star Wars animated series. The show’s episodes weren’t arranged chronologically; instead, each season featured multiple story arcs that jumped around in time.
Focusing on overarching story themes created timeline issues in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Characters who were previously killed sometimes reappeared, like Onaconda Farr, a friend of Padmé’s father, who died in season 2 but returned in season 3, episode 11.
As a huge fan of The Clone Wars, I always got the sense that George Lucas treated it a bit like a collection of stories rather than one continuous narrative. He’d come up with ideas even during production of season 4, and if they fit thematically, he’d just slot them in, even if they happened around the same time as events in season 1! It meant things felt a little jumbled, honestly. But, you can definitely piece things together and get a reasonably consistent timeline if you really try.
While Star Wars: The Clone Wars isn’t presented in simple season order, it’s best enjoyed by watching the episodes in chronological order. This lets the stories unfold as they were originally planned, without confusing jumps around in time.
How To Watch The Clone Wars In Chronological Order
Once you understand the timeline, it’s fairly easy to watch Star Wars: The Clone Wars in the correct order. Many of the episodes were originally released sequentially, so the time jumps tend to happen in groups. The first five episodes are a good illustration of this.
Here’s the complete list of Star Wars: The Clone Wars episodes, arranged in the order they originally aired.
- Season 2, Episode 16 – “Cat and Mouse”
- Season 1, Episode 16 – “Hidden Enemy”
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars (the theatrically released movie)
- Season 3, Episode 1 – “Clone Cadets”
- Season 3, Episode 3 – “Supply Lines”
- Season 1, Episode 1 – “Ambush”
- Season 1, Episode 2 – “Rising Malevolence”
- Season 1, Episode 3 – “Shadow of Malevolence”
- Season 1, Episode 4 – “Destroy Malevolence”
- Season 1, Episode 5 – “Rookies”
- Season 1, Episode 6 – “Downfall of a Droid”
- Season 1, Episode 7 – “Duel of the Droids”
- Season 1, Episode 8 – “Bombad Jedi”
- Season 1, Episode 9 – “Cloak of Darkness”
- Season 1, Episode 10 – “Lair of Grievous”
- Season 1, Episode 11 – “Dooku Captured”
- Season 1, Episode 12 – “The Gungan General”
- Season 1, Episode 13 – “Jedi Crash”
- Season 1, Episode 14 – “Defenders of Peace”
- Season 1, Episode 15 – “Trespass”
- Season 1, Episode 17 – “Blue Shadow Virus”
- Season 1, Episode 18 – “Mystery of a Thousand Moons”
- Season 1, Episode 19 – “Storm over Ryloth”
- Season 1, Episode 20 – “Innocents of Ryloth”
- Season 1, Episode 21 – “Liberty on Ryloth”
- Season 2, Episode 1 – “Holocron Heist”
- Season 2, Episode 2 – “Cargo of Doom”
- Season 2, Episode 3 – “Children of the Force”
- Season 2, Episode 17 – “Bounty Hunters”
- Season 2, Episode 18 – “The Zillo Beast”
- Season 2, Episode 19 – “The Zillo Beast Strikes Back”
- Season 2, Episode 4 – “Senate Spy”
- Season 2, Episode 5 – “Landing at Point Rain”
- Season 2, Episode 6 – “Weapons Factory”
- Season 2, Episode 7 – “Legacy of Terror”
- Season 2, Episode 8 – “Brain Invaders”
- Season 2, Episode 9 – “Grievous Intrigue”
- Season 2, Episode 10 – “The Deserter”
- Season 2, Episode 11 – “Lightsaber Lost”
- Season 2, Episode 12 – “The Mandalore Plot”
- Season 2, Episode 13 – “Voyage of Temptation”
- Season 2, Episode 14 – “Duchess of Mandalore”
- Season 2, Episode 20 – “Death Trap”
- Season 2, Episode 21 – “R2 Come Home”
- Season 2, Episode 22 – “Lethal Trackdown”
- Season 3, Episode 5 – “Corruption”
- Season 3, Episode 6 – “The Academy”
- Season 3, Episode 7 – “Assassin
- Season 3, Episode 2 – “ARC Troopers”
- Season 3, Episode 4 – “Sphere of Influence”
- Season 3, Episode 8 – “Evil Plans”
- Season 1, Episode 22 – “Hostage Crisis”
- Season 3, Episode 9 – “Hunt for Ziro”
- Season 3, Episode 10 – “Heroes on Both Sides”
- Season 3, Episode 11 – “Pursuit of Peace”
- Season 2, Episode 15 – “Senate Murders”
- Season 3, Episode 12 – “Nightsisters”
- Season 3, Episode 13 – “Monster”
- Season 3, Episode 14 – “Witches of the Mist”
- Season 3, Episode 15 – “Overlords”
- Season 3, Episode 16 – “Altar of Mortis”
- Season 3, Episode 17 – “Ghosts of Mortis”
- Season 3, Episode 18 – “The Citadel”
- Season 3, Episode 19 – “Counter Attack”
- Season 3, Episode 20 – “Citadel Rescue”
- Season 3, Episode 21 – “Padawan Lost”
- Season 3, Episode 22 – “Wookiee Hunt”
- Season 4, Episode 1 – “Water War”
- Season 4, Episode 2 – “Gungan Attack”
- Season 4, Episode 3 – “Prisoners”
- Season 4, Episode 4 – “Shadow Warrior”
- Season 4, Episode 5 – “Mercy Mission”
- Season 4, Episode 6 -“Nomad Droids”
- Season 4, Episode 7 – “Darkness on Umbara”
- Season 4, Episode 8 – “The General”
- Season 4, Episode 9 – “Plan of Dissent”
- Season 4, Episode 10 – “Carnage of Krell”
- Season 4, Episode 11 – “Kidnapped”
- Season 4, Episode 12 – “Slaves of the Republic”
- Season 4, Episode 13 – “Escape from Kadavo”
- Season 4, Episode 14 – “A Friend In Need”
- Season 4, Episode 15 – “Deception”
- Season 4, Episode 16 – “Friends and Enemies”
- Season 4, Episode 17 – “The Box”
- Season 4, Episode 18 – “Crisis on Naboo”
- Season 4, Episode 19 – “Massacre”
- Season 4, Episode 20 – “Bounty”
- Season 4, Episode 21 – “Brothers”
- Season 4, Episode 22 – “Revenge”
- Season 5, Episode 2 – “A War on Two Fronts”
- Season 5, Episode 3 – “Front Runners”
- Season 5, Episode 4 – “The Soft War”
- Season 5, Episode 5 – “Tipping Points”
- Season 5, Episode 6 – “The Gathering”
- Season 5, Episode 7 – “A Test of Strength”
- Season 5, Episode 8 – “Bound for Rescue”
- Season 5, Episode 9 – “A Necessary Bond”
- Season 5, Episode 10 – “Secret Weapons”
- Season 5, Episode 11 – “A Sunny Day in the Void”
- Season 5, Episode 12 – “Missing in Action”
- Season 5, Episode 13 – “Point of No Return”
- Season 5, Episode 1 – “Revival”
- Season 5, Episode 14 – “Eminence”
- Season 5, Episode 15 – “Shades of Reason”
- Season 5, Episode 16 – “The Lawless”
- Season 5, Episode 17 – “Sabotage”
- Season 5, Episode 18 – “The Jedi Who Knew Too Much”
- Season 5, Episode 19 – “To Catch a Jedi”
- Season 5, Episode 20 – “The Wrong Jedi”
- Season 6, Episode 1 – “The Unknown”
- Season 6, Episode 2 – “Conspiracy”
- Season 6, Episode 3 – “Fugitive”
- Season 6, Episode 4 – “Orders”
- Season 6, Episode 5 – “An Old Friend”
- Season 6, Episode 6 – “The Rise of Clovis”
- Season 6, Episode 7 – “Crisis at the Heart”
- Season 6, Episode 8 – “The Disappeared”
- Season 6, Episode 9 – “The Disappeared: Pt. II”
- Season 6, Episode 10 – “The Lost One”
- Season 6, Episode 11 – “Voices”
- Season 6, Episode 12 – “Destiny”
- Season 6, Episode 13 – “Sacrifice”
- Season 7, Episode 5 – “Gone With A Trace”
- Season 7, Episode 6 – “Deal No Deal”
- Season 7, Episode 7 – “Dangerous Debt”
- Season 7, Episode 8 – “Together Again”
- Season 7, Episode 1 – “The Bad Batch”
- Season 7, Episode 2 – “A Distant Echo”
- Season 7, Episode 3 – “On the Wings of Keeradaks”
- Season 7, Episode 4 – “Unfinished Business”
- Season 7, Episode 9 – “Old Friends Not Forgotten”
- Season 7, Episode 10 – “The Phantom Apprentice”
- Season 7, Episode 11 – “Shattered”
- Season 7, Episode 12 – “Victory and Death”
Why Clone Wars’ Episodes Are Out Of Order
Credit: Aurore Marechal/Abaca Press/INSTARimages
It’s understandable why the episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars were released out of order – even Lucasfilm provided a recommended chronological order to help viewers. The original release schedule wasn’t a mistake, but a deliberate creative decision made by the show’s creator, George Lucas.
George Lucas originally envisioned Star Wars: The Clone Wars as a way to showcase the vastness of the Clone Wars themselves and how they impacted the larger Star Wars prequel story.
Originally, George Lucas planned Star Wars: The Clone Wars as a series with many different characters. He didn’t intend for Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Ahsoka Tano to be the central heroes, but rather part of a larger group. However, as the series developed, it began to focus more and more on these three Jedi.
Despite this, The Clone Wars still gave us some of the most memorable Star Wars characters ever seen on television. The series’ seven seasons also explored those characters’ close friends and enemies in detail.
Image via Disney+
As The Clone Wars progressed, the show started to follow a more straightforward timeline. Because later seasons featured many important story arcs centered around key characters like those Jedi, it became challenging to jump around in time from one episode to the next.
In previous seasons, when Lucas was developing stories featuring new clone cadets or using characters like Jar Jar Binks or villains, the show had more freedom to move around in the Star Wars timeline, adjusting the story’s timing to fit what they wanted to tell.
While George Lucas’ animated series was innovative, not all of its ideas were completely successful. The way the show was presented as a series of separate stories mostly worked – you can watch the episodes as they were originally released and generally follow the plot, though there are a few exceptions. However, Star Wars: The Clone Wars is definitely best enjoyed when watched in the order the events actually happen.
How The Clone Wars Fits Into The Star Wars Timeline
With a clear understanding of when the events of Star Wars: The Clone Wars happen, it’s helpful to see how the series connects to the overall Star Wars story. The show focuses on the Clone Wars, which occurred during the prequel films.
Specifically, Star Wars: The Clone Wars is set during the three years between Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Since Attack of the Clones is set 22 years before the Battle of Yavin, The Clone Wars episodes occur in the years 21, 20, and 19 BBY – the same year as Revenge of the Sith.
Several episodes in the seventh season of The Clone Wars happen at the same time as Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. For example, the episode “Old Friends Not Forgotten” features Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker rushing to rescue Palpatine from General Grievous – a situation that directly leads into the beginning of Revenge of the Sith.
Throughout the later episodes, Ahsoka’s story runs parallel to the events of Episode III. This connection is made clear when Ahsoka is attacked by her fellow clone troopers during Order 66. The series concludes with Ahsoka managing to escape just as Episode III ends, and a brief scene later reveals Darth Vader discovering her lightsabers sometime between 19 and 5 BBY—a moment that leads into the beginning of Star Wars: Rebels.
Why The Clone Wars Ended After 7 Seasons
The timeline within The Clone Wars isn’t the only complicated part of the show’s history. The way the final seasons were made was also unusual. The first five seasons originally aired on Cartoon Network before Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012.
Disney initially cancelled Star Wars: The Clone Wars, but released a collection of finished episodes as a sixth season on Netflix in 2014, calling them “The Lost Missions.” Although Disney moved Star Wars in new directions over the next six years, fans continued to campaign using the hashtag #SaveTheCloneWars. This persistent effort eventually led Disney to create one final season of the show, which premiered in 2020.
The last twelve episodes of the show appeared on Disney+ in 2020, bringing the series to a close more than seven years after it was originally canceled. The reason it ended after season seven, and didn’t continue with Disney, was simply that the story had reached a natural conclusion. When the show was canceled, its creator, Dave Filoni, was developing a storyline called “The Siege of Mandalore.”
Dave Filoni originally planned for this story to end alongside the movie Revenge of the Sith. Season 7 of The Clone Wars gave them the opportunity to present the four-episode “Siege of Mandalore” as the show’s finale. This explains why, with Filoni working on other Star Wars projects, The Clone Wars didn’t continue past its seventh season – it had already reached its planned conclusion.
Every The Clone Wars Spinoff Explained
The fact that The Clone Wars returned after being off the air for seven years clearly shows how important it was to the Star Wars universe. Beyond the revival, the show also inspired several follow-up series and stories, some directly connected and others more loosely inspired. One example is a continuation of storylines originally planned for the show’s final seasons, focusing on the character Asajj Ventress.
Star Wars: Dark Disciple
Asajj Ventress started her journey in The Clone Wars as a Sith assassin, initially trained as a Jedi apprentice under Count Dooku. Dooku later betrayed her, leading Ventress to seek revenge. Originally, the story intended to show Ventress finding redemption with the help of Jedi Quinlan Vos, and this plotline was later developed into the novel Star Wars: Dark Disciple by Christie Golden.
This book follows Quinlan Vos and Asajj Ventress as they work together to assassinate Count Dooku. During their mission, they develop a close, romantic connection. Unfortunately, Vos is captured and turns to the dark side. Ultimately, Ventress manages to bring Vos back to the light, but she makes the ultimate sacrifice to save him, giving her own life in the process.
Fans really love this story, and it would have been fantastic to see it adapted into an episode of The Clone Wars. Even without that, the book is excellent and a must-read for anyone who enjoys the prequel era of Star Wars, particularly now that Asajj Ventress has returned in newer Star Wars content.
Star Wars: Darth Maul – Son of Dathomir
Image via Star Wars
Following the first printed adaptation of an uncompleted Clone Wars story, Star Wars: Darth Maul – Son of Dathomir was released. This comic book series, written by Jeremy Barlow with artwork by Juan Frigeri, Mauro Vargas, Wes Dzioba, and Chris Scalf, continues the story after the Clone Wars episode “The Lawless” from season 5.
In this storyline, Darth Sidious captures Maul. The comic series Son of Dathomir then follows the conflict that arises as Maul, with the support of his Mandalorian followers, clashes with Sidious, who is aided by Count Dooku and General Grievous. Sidious is trying to eliminate Mother Talzin, a powerful Nightsister whom Maul turns to for assistance, because Sidious sees her as a danger to the Sith.
The comic concludes with Sidious defeating and killing Talzin. Meanwhile, Maul escapes with his Mandalorian warriors to begin the conflict known as “The Siege of Mandalore,” and the Sith continue to expand their control over the galaxy.
Star Wars Rebels
Following Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm and the cancellation of The Clone Wars, a new animated series, Star Wars Rebels, was created. Once again led by Dave Filoni, the show is a continuation of the stories told in The Clone Wars, focusing on a group of rebels fighting against the Empire. It also brings back familiar characters from The Clone Wars, including Ahsoka Tano and Captain Rex.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch
Image via Disney+
Following The Clone Wars, Star Wars: The Bad Batch directly continues the story of Clone Force 99, a special group of clones first introduced in the final arc of The Clone Wars season 7. The series focuses on their experiences as the galaxy transforms after Order 66 and the beginning of the Empire’s reign.
As a huge fan of The Clone Wars, I was so thrilled with The Bad Batch. It really felt like a natural extension of that series – not just a spin-off, but a continuation. It cleverly showed how the clone troopers were gradually replaced by the Empire’s stormtroopers, and it was fantastic to see what happened to characters like Captain Rex and the other clones we’d grown to love.
Star Wars Tales
Tales of the Jedi, Tales of the Underworld, and Tales of the Empire are animated series that tell individual stories centered around key characters from The Clone Wars. Like The Clone Wars, these shows use 3D animation and explore the backgrounds and experiences of six characters, showing what happened to them before, during, and after the events of the war.
Tales of the Jedi explores the backstories of Ahsoka Tano and Count Dooku. We see Ahsoka’s discovery by the Jedi Order, her training with Anakin Skywalker, and a fight with an Inquisitor after the events of The Clone Wars. The episodes featuring Dooku detail his descent into darkness, leading up to his duel with Yaddle and explaining why she disappears after Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.
In Tales of the Underworld, the story shifts to Asajj Ventress and Cad Bane. We learn about Ventress’s life after The Clone Wars as she protects a young child strong with the Force. The series also explores Cad Bane’s past, including his upbringing, his relationships with his brother and a former love, and how these experiences shaped him into the ruthless bounty hunter he became.
The series also explores the stories of Bariss Offee and Morgan Elsbeth. We see how Bariss, a former Jedi trainee who fought alongside Ahsoka during the Clone Wars, turned to the dark side, became an Inquisitor, and eventually found a path to redemption. We also learn about Morgan Elsbeth, first seen in The Mandalorian, and how she gained power within the Empire, connecting her origins with the Nightsisters from the Clone Wars.
Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord
Currently unreleased, Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord is a spin-off series from The Clone Wars. It was revealed at Star Wars Celebration 2025 as an animated show that will explore how Maul gained power in the criminal world between the events of The Clone Wars and Solo: A Star Wars Story. The series is scheduled to premiere on Disney+ in 2026.
The Clone Wars’ Best Arcs To Watch
Throughout its seven seasons, The Clone Wars features a variety of storylines. While some are enjoyable but don’t significantly impact the overall story, and others can even be safely skipped, the show’s strongest arcs rank among the very best stories in all of Star Wars.
The Mandalore Plot (Season 2, Episodes 12-14)
Mandalorians are playing a bigger and bigger role in the Star Wars universe, making “The Mandalore Plot” a must-watch. This three-episode story shows Obi-Wan Kenobi returning to Mandalore for the first time since his training days, where he reconnects with Duchess Satine Kryze, a former love interest.
This story arc offers a compelling look at Obi-Wan’s personality, highlighting the surprising similarities between him and Anakin. It also gives fresh insight into a well-known Star Wars character, expands on the culture of the Mandalorians, and delivers exciting action sequences.
Witches & Monsters (Season 3, Episodes 12-14)
The “Witches & Monsters” arc, also called “The Nightsisters Trilogy,” focuses on Asajj Ventress’s quest for revenge against Count Dooku. She travels to Dathomir to seek help from her Nightsister clan. These episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars introduce several key characters, and the Nightsisters themselves become increasingly important to the larger Star Wars story.
The Mortis Trilogy (Season 3, Episodes 15-17)
The “Mortis Trilogy” offers a key look into George Lucas’ ideas about the Chosen One prophecy in Star Wars. It follows Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Ahsoka Tano as they journey to Mortis, a strange planet overflowing with the Force. On Mortis, they meet beings representing different sides of the Force, and the real meaning of the Chosen One is revealed.
This trilogy significantly influenced later Clone Wars spin-offs. Star Wars Rebels connected the Mortis Gods to a mysterious Force dimension called the World Between Worlds, which then reappeared in Ahsoka. Statues of the Mortis Gods were also featured in the season one finale of Ahsoka, hinting at further exploration of the Mortis storyline in season two.
The Return of Darth Maul (Season 4, Episodes 19-22)
George Lucas initially killed off Darth Maul in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, but the character surprisingly returned in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Maul’s reappearance as a significant villain is one of the best parts of the animated series, and he went on to become an important figure throughout the entire Star Wars story.
Ahsoka’s Fate As A Jedi (Season 5, Episodes 17-20)
After developing as a promising Jedi apprentice, Ahsoka Tano’s departure from the Jedi Order was a deeply emotional moment for viewers of The Clone Wars. This storyline, which unfolded during the fifth season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, is considered one of the most heartbreaking in the series.
The story begins with Ahsoka being wrongly blamed for a bombing, which kicks off a captivating mystery. Her departure from the Jedi Order is central to the events of season 7 of Star Wars Rebels, particularly the “Siege of Mandalore” arc. This storyline also highlights growing doubts in Anakin Skywalker about the Jedi Council, ultimately leading to the conflict we see in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.
Clone Protocol 66 (Season 6, Episodes 1-4)
Image via Disney+
The “Clone Protocol 66” arc of Star Wars: The Clone Wars offers a new explanation for Order 66. It reveals that the clones weren’t acting on their own will, but were forced to obey due to a control chip implanted by the Kaminoans. This important change to the established story is considered one of the strongest storylines in The Clone Wars.
Lucas created the story arc to give the clone troopers from the prequel films a more nuanced portrayal. Instead of being presented as false heroes who would eventually betray their leaders, the clones became tragic figures manipulated by Sidious, making them far more relatable and interesting characters. This storyline also introduced characters who would later appear in Star Wars: The Bad Batch.
Yoda’s Mission (Season 6, Episodes 11-13)
“Yoda’s Mission” builds towards the events of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith by revealing that Yoda discovers Qui-Gon Jinn’s spirit lives on within the Force. This story arc primarily focuses on Yoda, showing the aging Jedi Master contemplating the growing darkness in the galaxy and preparing to unlock the ability to become a Force ghost himself.
The Bad Batch (Season 7, Episodes 1-4)
Clone Force 99, a group of unique clone troopers, first appeared in the opening four episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 7. They teamed up with Anakin Skywalker on a dangerous mission to save Echo, a fellow clone who had been captured and turned into a weapon by the Separatists. Watching these episodes is essential for understanding the characters’ story as it continues.
The Siege of Mandalore (Season 7, Episodes 9-12)
“The Siege of Mandalore” is the last story arc in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars series, happening at the same time as Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Darth Maul has seized control of Mandalore, and Ahsoka Tano leads a mission to try and defeat him.
The last episodes reveal how Ahsoka and Darth Maul both managed to survive the execution of Order 66, while Ahsoka struggles to come to terms with the shocking transformation of her former master, Anakin Skywalker. These episodes perfectly capture what made Star Wars: The Clone Wars such a great series, and they bring a satisfying conclusion to the show’s complex and lengthy story.
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2025-11-06 21:25