“Begun, the Clone Wars has”. The famous lines closing out Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones promised a battle of epic proportions. Unfortunately, we didn’t see much of it – just as viewers are thrown headfirst into the conflict in Episode III, the Clone Wars ends. But of course, George Lucas knew this. Hence the existence of Genndy Tartavosky’s 2003 Star Wars: Clone Wars micro-series.
“Begun, the Clone Wars Has”
The animation guru behind the 2D-animated series is that of Genndy Tartavosky. You might not register the name, but you know his creations. He is the guy behind the Hotel Transylvania movies, Dexter’s Laboratory and Samurai Jack. In fact, that last one prompted George Lucas to seek out Tartavosky for Star Wars: Clone Wars.
Samurai Jack was inspired by Japanese anime (The Little Prince and the Eight-Headed Dragon, to be precise). In turn, Star Wars: Clone Wars appears to take visual cues from Samurai Jack (albeit with thicker character outlines). This is perhaps not surprising since the shows share the same creative team who started the project immediately after Samurai Jack ended. But it does kind of make Star Wars: Clone Wars the first official Star Wars anime if you think about it.
And yes, I know ‘anime’ refers to animated shows produced in Japan. But surely, Star Wars: Clone Wars can be considered an ‘honorary anime’ given its clear influences. And while it can’t be proven the show directly inspired the upcoming run of anime-inspired Star Wars shorts, it certainly proved that the franchise could excel in that style. You have to remember, the last Star Wars cartoons before Clone Wars were the largely-derided Ewoks and Droids.
Ways of the Jedi
When you look at the current high standard of animation today, it’s easy to forget that cartoons are produced to sell toys. Yet, despite cartoons being advertisements for new action figures, their writers and producers work to create something unique and memorable. Indeed, while Clone Wars was Hasbro’s attempt to sell more Star Wars products, Tartavosky and his team ensured the series was of good quality in and of itself.
Firstly, the series manages this through its animation. Everything happening on-screen is fast-paced and engaging. Particularly, the fight scenes, which make up most of the series, deliver adrenaline-fuelled action. One memorable episode has Mace Windu single-handedly take on an army of Battle Droids with his fists. Not a single line of dialogue is uttered throughout the episode, but the fluid action keeps you invested.
Secondly, the series matters on a narrative level. Before Clone Wars, the only Star Wars cartoons were Ewoks and Droids, which focused on cutesy characters unrelated to the main movies. Tartavosky’s show, on the other hand, bridges the gap between the last two prequels. It features characters from the aforementioned films and attempts to explain how they get to where they are in Episode III.
The Connective Tissue of Star Wars: Clone Wars
Indeed, much of the appeal of the project to Genndy Tartavosky was the series’ license to explain things we don’t see in the films. One of the most significant of these is the introduction of General Grievous. By the time we see him in Episode III, the android Jedi is a hunched-over, coughing fit of his former self. However, Clone Wars allows us to see him in his glory days. It’s jarring to see how much he’s played for laughs in III compared to this show (and, indeed, how little impact he had in the said movie).
That said, Grievous’s dumbing down in Episode III helps Clone Wars stand out. You see, the character is responsible for some of the show’s most tense and engaging scenes. In particular, the one at the end of Volume One when he is hunting down five Jedi at once, you feel the danger of his on-screen presence in a way you never do in George Lucas’s threequel. Here, he is truly a Force to be reckoned with (sorry).
The show also shows us how Anakin becomes a Jedi Knight, and how Palpatine is abducted. In fact, the show leads up all the way to the first moments of Episode III. While this sounds unimpressive nowadays (especially given the newer Clone Wars series), it was a big deal at the time of this show’s airing. Star Wars: Clone Wars is one huge connective tissue between Episodes II and III – and all done in Genndy Tartavosky’s signature quirky style.
It’s About the Small Things
But it’s not just in the fanboy-servicing that Clone Wars excels. Much like its 3D-animated successor, the show expands on the relationships and conflicts of the characters. A big example of this is Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi’s friendship. In A New Hope, old Ben tells us that Anakin was a good friend – yet, in George Lucas’s prequels, we don’t see this.
Indeed, Genndy Tartavosky’s Clone Wars is the first time the pair’s friendship has properly been explored. When Anakin becomes a Jedi Knight in Volume Two, his and Obi-Wan’s relationship drastically changes. Rather than be student-teacher, they are now colleagues and friends. We see them fight alongside one another and laugh at each other’s jokes. Character-building moments like these aren’t seen in Episode III.
Speaking of characters, the show gives background characters from the prequels their days in the limelight. One episode has Kit Fisto fight Droid armies underwater on the planet Mon Calamari. Shaak Ti, Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Luminara are also given greater focus than in the films in which they debut. And thanks to the show’s distinctive, over-the-top anime style, they are even more badass than ever, although none of them hold a candle to Mace Windu.
A Force To Be Reckoned With
Growing up, Tartavosky was a Star Wars fan and his love for the franchise evidently survived to adulthood. It’s evident in the series’ depiction of the Star Wars universe. But it’s also evident in the little things like Clone Wars‘ shout-outs to the original trilogy. Memorable quotes such as “What a wonderful smell you’ve discovered”, “Impressive. Most impressive” and, of course, the infamous “I have a bad feeling about this” make cameos during the show.
And it’s no denying these little things, alongside the big, contribute towards what makes Clone Wars such a memorable, enjoyable show. It’s a love letter to Star Wars that expands on the films while remaining true to their universe. And it manages to do so while maintaining its own distinctive style. You can thank Genndy Tartavosky’s animated journey into the Star Wars universe for the recent The Clone Wars series. It’s truly a Force to be reckoned with.
