As Star Wars: The Clone Wars prepares for its seventh and final season, here is where exactly the events of the upcoming episodes will fit into the Star Wars timeline. It has been a few years since new installments of The Clone Wars have been released, and much has happened in the years since the cancellation of the show. New films and TV series have been released, but the war between the Republic and the Separatists will now continue on. Suffice to say, the final season of The Clone Wars will cover a lot of ground in an important transitional period of the Star Wars continuity.
To recap, The Clone Wars has concerned itself with the events set between Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. Throughout the many adventures, there has been plenty of room for characters to develop, worlds to be introduced, and story arcs to move forward. Obviously, time has passed as the series has progressed, and there is only so much time between the two previously mentioned films. Therefore the storytelling potential has its limits. The show has gone from dealing with the aftermath of Attack of the Clones to now setting up the tragic events of Revenge of the Sith, a clear priority leading into the upcoming season.
The question is, where does the last season of The Clone Wars stand in regards to the grander Star Wars timeline? Of what is known, the remaining 12 episodes won't just be set before the third movie, but The Clone Wars will bleed into the events of Revenge of the Sith, following different perspectives than those seen in the films. Some of the final episodes will run concurrently to the film, likely showcasing events such as the infamous Order 66 - which resulted in the fall of the Jedi Order - in a new way. This season will also answer what happened to fan favorites like Darth Maul, Captain Rex, and Ahsoka Tano, whose whereabouts were unknown until Star Wars Rebels filled in the blanks. The full story of the Clone Wars themselves will finally be realized.
One of the big aspects of The Clone Wars season 7 will be the Siege of Mandalore, where Ahsoka and Maul both feature prominently. Parts of the Siege of Mandalore run parallel to the events of Revenge of the Sith, and go up to the execution of Order 66. Similarly, a scene in the season 7 trailer reveals an intimate moment between Anakin and Padme, where she wears the same outfit she does on Mustafar in the movie. This further suggests The Clone Wars will be going well into the Revenge of the Sith timeline, as well as detailing the events prior to it.
In more ways than one, Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 7 will act as not only a conclusion, but also as a new beginning. First sighted in the most recent trailer, the appearance of Jedi Master Depa Billaba along with her padawan Caleb Dume helps to tie this season to Rebels. Caleb Dume is the Jedi Kanan Jarrus, one of the principle characters of Rebels. Order 66, clone troopers, and the death of Master Billaba are all very important to his characterization and are referenced quite often in the show. This added context will add emotional weight to Rebels even though the show has been over for some time.
This season will likely be the most emotional of the entire program. Star Wars fans are no stranger to the time frame that will be covered in season 7, with Revenge of the Sith becoming more and more popular with age, but that doesn't mean they are any more prepared for what is to come. Teasers alone have already been very effective in not only making some changes to the canon, but also stirring up plenty of speculation as to how things will play out. It is a given that there will be some surprises along the way. Good, bad, or otherwise. Star Wars: The Clone Wars will have the spotlight one last time this February, so that it may get the finale it has deserved, .