Here’s How ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ Connects To ‘The Mandalorian’
One of the best parts of the Star Wars franchise isn’t even one of the films. It’s The Clone Wars animated television show. In between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, an animated movie came out, and it started a whole series detailing Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker’s exploits during the Clone War. It introduced Ahsoka Tano, one of the best (if not the best) characters in all of the franchise, and it created a layered, in-depth look at this point in canon history.
Interesting enough, the show also explores the planet of Mandalore, where the titular character’s religion in The Mandalorian stems from. Here’re how the shows connect this lore to the bigger Star Wars universe.
Mandalorians are prevalent in the ‘Star Wars’ series
Unlike some planets that are only visited once or twice in canon stories, Mandalore is explored several times throughout The Clone Wars. The show focuses on what the Jedi did during this war, which is when Separatists threatened to leave the Republic. The tension was felt all over the galaxy because of it. The clone army fought on the side of the Republic; the Jedi were the generals in charge of these legions of soldiers.
Even though Mandalore is known as the home to the fierce Mandalorian warriors, the planet chose to be neutral in this war. Choosing neither the side of the Republic nor the Separatists, they’re pulled both ways by trade deals, blockades, and more during this long stretch of combat. The show revisits the planet several times from Season 2 through 5, with Duchess Satine Kryze playing a central part.
The new season of ‘The Clone Wars’ will focus heavily on Mandalore
The Clone Wars was unfortunately canceled after Season 6, even though there was a lot that fans wanted to see animated. Canon books filled the void of a Season 7 until Disney announced that it would return on Disney+ in 2020. A chunk of Ahsoka’s story and the end of Anakin’s are two major plot points of the upcoming season. But another big one is the Siege of Mandalore.
WARNING: Spoilers for Season 7 of The Clone Wars below!!!!
This battle has significant ramifications for Mandalore and its people. Maul, notably the former Sith Lord who killed Qui-Gon Jinn, gained control of the planet via a pawn he had placed in the form of Prime Minister. Ahsoka led a group of clone soldiers, which involved Captain Rex, to the planet to rid it of Maul’s control, leading to this major battle. It didn’t end well; Ahsoka didn’t have the chance to kill Maul, and at the end of the fighting, Palpatine executed Order 66. This is infamously the measure that aimed to purge the Jedi from the galaxy.
The planet subsequently fell into turmoil, and Ahsoka and Rex escaped, faking their deaths, so no one came after them. Rex wasn’t affected by the order because he had removed his inhibitor chip earlier. The Republic turned into the Galactic Empire and took over Mandalore.
The siege is, potentially, around the same time that Mando’s planet is attacked, and he’s taken in as a Foundling by the Mandalorians. But whether this siege has anything to do with The Mandalorian directly is not yet known.
The Clone Wars shows Mandalorians how George Lucas wanted
The Mandalorian‘s Episode 4 established that Boba and Jango Fett weren’t actual Mandalorian warriors since Jango took his helmet off regularly. Showrunner and lead writer for The Clone Wars and a lead creator for The Mandalorian, Dave Filoni, told StarWars.com back in 2010 that the Mandalorians on The Clone Wars are more what George Lucas had in mind with the planet.
“This is how George has always envisioned the Mandalorians… Boba and Jango Fett aren’t necessarily what I would consider accurate representatives of the Mando culture,” he said. “They’re bounty hunters and outlaws — totally rogue. If you go way back to the original concepts, the Mandalorians were a group of super commando troops; it’s only now that George is really bringing that to the screen.”
It’s truly amazing to see all the ways Star Wars connects over decades of movies and now television shows. It’d be even better if The Mandalorian directly links back to The Clone Wars in dialogue or a flashback.
