For all the criticisms surrounding the three films, the Star Wars prequel trilogy has some truly outstanding characters. There was, though, room for improvement for many of them, which is where The Clone Wars stepped in. One of the best things the adored series does for the canon is making the characters of the prequels so much better. The series used the medium of television in order to provide needed and welcome depth and complexity to really make them shine.
Whether it be by making their story direction more understandable, fleshing out their character more, or simply making them more likable, The Clone Wars does a world of good for the legacies of some characters.
Aurra Sing
Fans may not think of Aurra Sing immediately as a prequel trilogy character. But, she does make her debut in The Phantom Menace by way of a short cameo with no spoken lines. There was lots of room for improvement through the extended canon.
The Clone Wars gives fans that improvement by presenting a badass bounty hunter who looks over Boba Fett following Jango's death. She is cruel, ruthless, skilled, and kicks major butt. Fans want more of her in canon, especially since they now know she dies at the hands of Tobias Beckett.
Barriss Offee
Barriss Offee is another character who appears only briefly in the prequel trilogy, with no lines, but who got expanded upon wonderfully in The Clone Wars in a rather unexpected fashion.
Offee started as a Padawan to the unlikable - yet great character - Luminara Unduli (who deserves a shoutout). By the end of the show, she had become disillusioned with the Jedi and betrayed the Order. As of now, her fate is unknown, but many assume she became an Inquisitorius. Either way, the show took an obscure Jedi Padawan and made her an important figure with a great story.
Kit Fisto
Some Jedi of the Clone Wars era were extremely unlikable, with their hubris and ignorance combating their genuinely good intentions. However, Kit Fisto came out of the animated series loved even more.
While Fisto did not get the emotional depth or backstory of some other characters, he proved himself a total badass with a distinct personality for audiences to love. The Nautolan has a presence and energy when he appears in the show, which captivates fans; he is a joy to watch, making it more heartbreaking when he is murdered by Palpatine in Revenge Of The Sith.
Padmé Amidala
Many viewers were left unimpressed by Padmé Amidala following the prequel trilogy, whether that be down to performances, writing, or her romance with Anakin. In The Clone Wars, though, she is pretty fantastic.
Padmé becomes likable and understandable throughout the series. She is far from perfect, but she showcases fearlessness and charisma when she speaks and is facing opposition. The dynamics she has with other characters are brilliant in the show. She and Anakin feel like a more natural pairing, while she and Ahsoka become one of the series most underrated duos.
General Grievous
General Grievous was not awful in Revenge Of The Sith, but there is no debate that The Clone Wars did him better, both the 2008 series and the 2003 series, which can get watched on Disney+'s vintage collection.
The vocal performance is just as outstanding by Matthew Wood, but it is the threat from Grievous that makes him better in the animated series. He kills Jedi in the show and can be genuinely scary, such as in "Lair Of Grievous". On top of that, audiences get to see how he interacts with Count Dooku, and Asajj Ventress are interesting dynamics for the character.
Plo Koon
There are many minor prequel trilogy Jedi improved by the adored animated show, from Shaak Ti to Even Piell to more. Undoubtedly the most improved, though, is Plo Koon, who becomes one of the franchise's most-loved Jedi through the show.
He has a wisdom and badassery akin to the most popular and prominent of Jedi in the franchise. His friendship and history with Ahsoka Tano also touch a lot of fans. Plo is the one who found Ahsoka and brought her to the Jedi Order. By the end of the show, fans are left even more heartbreaking about his brutal death during Order 66. Especially since he gets shown to have an excellent relationship with clones, particularly his own battalion, Wolfpack.
Count Dooku
Count Dooku is one of Star Wars' most underrated characters, and The Clone Wars only serves to show just how underappreciated he truly is. He is phenomenal throughout the show and more prominent than any other villain.
His intelligence, exquisite temperament, skill with a lightsaber, and evil are all on full display as he helps bring his Master's plans to fruition. On top of showcasing his best attributes, the show also slightly touches on Dooku's past as a Jedi and how it seems to have genuinely hurt some Jedi who considered him a friend. The dynamic between him and Ventress also stands out. All of which added layers to the character.
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi is widely considered the best character of the prequel trilogy, so in reality, there was not much The Clone Wars could have done to improve the character. But it somehow did.
The most significant way it did so was by taking a more emotional look into Obi-Wan. Through Satine Kryze, Anakin, Ahsoka, and the actions of the Jedi Council, Obi-Wan is shown to be regretful and even torn at times. Just look at his hologram conversation with Ahsoka during the Siege of Mandalore. Audiences get given more information about Obi-Wan while also getting a deeper exploration into the relationships he has and the hardship he sometimes has to struggle through. It is wonderful.
Anakin Skywalker
While arguably being the best and most important character in Star Wars, Anakin Skywalker got some mixed reception for his time in the prequel trilogy. The Clone Wars presents a brilliant, likable Anakin and adds so much to the three movies through doing so.
On top of consistently excellent performances and fitting, well-written dialogue (something not given to Hayden Christensen), Anakin's entire mental state and internal emotional battles are explored in depth throughout the series. The show makes his fall to the dark side more understandable, which vastly improves not only Anakin's character in the prequel trilogy but the story of the trilogy itself. There is then Ahsoka Tano, whose role in Anakin's life cannot be overstated. They are The Clone Wars' best duo, their relationship, his vastly improved dynamic with Padmé, and his further explored relationship with Obi-Wan does a lot for Anakin.
Maul
For as fantastic as The Clone Wars explores characters like Anakin, Padmé, and Plo Koon, to take a character and resurrect them almost impossibly and make them one of the most remarkable, most complex, and fleshed out villains in the franchise, is beyond impressive.
The prequel trilogy presents Darth Maul, who is simply a badass character, but a one-dimensional one. The Clone Wars makes him so much more, adding complexity and depth to him. On top of all the brilliance that the series adds to the character on an individual basis, Star Wars' greatest rivalry between him and Obi-Wan comes to life in the show, adding new layers and weight to both characters and the Duel of the Fates in the process.