Star Wars: The Clone Wars is beloved among fans of the franchise for its respectful and surprisingly mature additions to the lore of the universe. Originally running on Cartoon Network for five seasons, the series later received a sixth season on Netflix before coming to an end on Disney+ with twelve final episodes.

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Over the course of its run, the series aired 133 episodes. While most of these entries have been lauded by critics and fans alike, certain installments have proven to be particularly worthy of praise, especially according to the voters on Internet Movie Database.

Season 1: "Lair Of Grievous" (8.1)

General Grievous sitting in a large grey chair in Star Wars The Clone Wars

The tenth episode of the Clone Wars' first season, "Lair of Grievous," is among the early classics in the series' run, depicting Jedi Master Kit Fisto, his one-time apprentice Nahdarr Vebbe, and a squad of clone troopers attempting to track down and bring to justice the villainous Nute Gunray, only to discover that they have been led to the secret lair of General Grievous. The heroes attempt to bring the elusive Separatist to justice, only to learn that their opponent is far fiercer when cornered.

This episode marked one of the first times that the iconic character General Grievous, a villain worthy of his own Star Wars spinoff series, was fleshed out beyond what has been seen when he was introduced in Revenge of the Sith. His uneasy relationship with Count Dooku is explored further, and it is shown that he is just as much at the Sith Lord's mercy as Dooku would later prove to be at the mercy of Sidious. "Lair of Grievous" is also indicative of what many later Clone Wars plotlines would come to be like, featuring far darker tones than earlier episodes, which had been directed to younger audiences.

Season 2: "Landing At Point Rain" (8.2)

Ki-Adi-Mundi in Star Wars The Clone Wars

"Landing at Point Rain" is the fifth episode of season 2 of The Clone Wars, and the second installment of a five-part storyline featuring the Second Battle of Geonosis. In this entry, Anakin Skywalker and his apprentice Ahsoka Tano join the Republic assault on Geonosis, assisting Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ki Adi-Mundi on a mission to deplete the Geonosian forces defending an important Separatist base.

This arc leaned heavily into the strategic aspect of the Clone Wars, something that was quite evident in "Landing at Point Rain." Given that the Clone Wars themselves were largely skimmed over by the films, this was among one of the first opportunities for fans to witness just how brutal the actual warfare was. Additionally, this marks one of the only times that Master Ki Adi-Mundi was given a distinctive storyline in the entire franchise, causing many fans to hope to see the Jedi get his own Star Wars spinoff series in the near future to better flesh out his character.

Season 3: "Ghosts Of Mortis" (8.9)

Anakin and the Son in The Clone Wars.

The Mortis Arc is perhaps one of the best-known Clone Wars storylines of all time, featuring Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Ahsoka as they arrive on a mysterious planet intricately tied to the Force itself. In the final episode of this story arc, the three stranded Jedi are tested by the villainous Son, who seeks to dethrone the Father and bring imbalance to the Force.

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This episode did the unthinkable in revealing to Anakin Skywalker exactly what his future would be through a Force vision. Not only did Anakin learn that he truly was the Chosen One, but he saw the future in which he became Darth Vader and slaughtered the Jedi, including several snippets directly transplanted from Revenge of the Sith. While this vision was eventually wiped from Anakin's mind, many Clone Wars viewers remain haunted by the revelation that they themselves would watch play out in Anakin's future.

Season 4: "Carnage Of Krell" (9.3)

Pong Krell in Star Wars The Clone Wars.

The tenth episode of season 4, titled "Carnage of Krell," is the finale to the beloved Umbara storyline, an arc that heavily featured some of the best clones in the Star Wars franchise, chiefly Captain Rex and his men in the 501st Legion. This episode sees Rex and his men struggling with the dissonance between obeying their stand-in general, Pong Krell, or standing by their brothers-in-arms, who had been marked for execution by the traitorous Jedi.

In an arc that was already among some of the very best storytelling in all of Star Wars, the Clones become far more interesting characters than they had ever been in the films, as they debate the merits of their most important programming: to follow the orders of their Jedi masters. The troopers must ask themselves to what extent they are willing to follow orders, eventually rebelling against Krell, who is revealed to be a traitor to the Jedi Order. This episode also acts as an important springboard for the character of Captain Rex, who would later become one of the few clones to have his inhibitor chip removed, thereby disobeying the infamous Order 66 at the end of the series.

Season 5: "The Lawless" (9.7)

Obi Wan Kenobi and Satine Kryze in Star Wars Clone Wars

Two of the aspects of The Clone Wars that have been most praised by Star Wars fans are its handling of the return of Darth Maul and the intricate storylines detailing the politics on Mandalore. Both of these fan-favorite aspects collide in "The Lawless," the sixteenth episode of the fifth season. In this installment, Darth Maul and his brother Savage Oppress attempt to seize control of Mandalore, drawing out Obi-Wan Kenobi, who seeks to save the life of his friend and one-time lover, Duchess Satine Kryze.

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This episode is among the most famous and most important in Clone Wars history for a number of reasons, including featuring the supremely important Darksaber, which would come into play heavily in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian. The episode also featured the death of Satine, forcing Obi-Wan down a parallel path to his apprentice Anakin. Obi-Wan, however, does not descend into darkness upon his beloved's death, but becomes an even greater hero as a result. "The Lawless" is also significant for being the only example of Chancellor Palpatine taking matters into his own hands and dispatching the rising threat of Maul and Savage himself as the sinister Darth Sidious.

Season 6: "Sacrifice" (9.1)

Yoda Meets The Force Priestesses in Star Wars The Clone Wars

In the original series finale of The Clone Wars, "Sacrifice," Master Yoda once again proves himself to be one of the best Jedi of all time. At the end of an arc featuring the elderly Jedi Master's journey to unlock long-lost secrets of the Force, Yoda comes across several otherworldly beings that offer to teach him how to retain consciousness after becoming one with the Force, as his late friend Qui-Gon had done.

Though a seventh season would eventually be ordered by Disney, this episode served as the finish line of the long-running series for several years. Though it did not tie as heavily into the events of Revenge of the Sith as many had hoped, it placed certain characters, chiefly Yoda himself, in the exact right emotional and mental space that fans would find them in when the Clone Wars finally did come to an end.

Season 7: "Victory And Death" (9.9)

Star Wars The Clone Wars season 7 Final Shot

The final episode of The Clone Wars is also the highest-rated episode of the entire series itself, a feat that is extremely rare for beloved television shows, especially those revived after a period of being off the air. This episode centers around Ahsoka Tano and Captain Rex at the outset of Order 66, as they attempt to escape with their lives from their former allies who are now seeking to kill them.

This episode, entitled "Victory and Death," encapsulates in it everything that worked about The Clone Wars, delicately weaving new events into franchise canon that add context and emotional weight to the most memorable aspects of the Star Wars films. Through this story, fans find new meaning in the events of Revenge of the Sith, and are taken on an emotional journey with the two most famous original characters from this series, with whom many viewers grew up. The episode concludes in the most tragic way possible, with all hope lost and many beloved clones left dead, and many more brainwashed beyond repair. Thus, The Clone Wars ends, transformed from a lovable children's show to a truly dark prelude to the greatest tragedy in Star Wars.

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