Star Wars: The Clone Wars. A new animated style in the Star Wars universe that aired in 2008. Many people were unsure of this new style. Over the years it became more well-known instead of a nerdy show to watch. Ironically, when the show started, everyone wanted it to be canned, but when it ended in 2014, everyone wanted more. It wasn’t until six years later that Disney released Star Wars The Clone Wars: Season 7. My childhood and others’ around me could be complete. Years of playing with toys, playing video games, and waiting for this very moment to come. One thing was for sure though—I wasn’t ready for it to end.

Star Wars The Clone Wars: Season 7 finalizes the everlasting and gruesome battle between the Republic (the good guys) and the Separatists (the bad guys) and intertwines straight into Star Wars: Episode III of the Skywalker Saga. One of the reasons I loved this season so much is because of its connection to Episode III, my favorite Star Wars movie. There were so many slight connections that only real fans could have picked up on. This series truly brought me back to my childhood when the only thing I had to worry about was when mom called for dinner. 

The final season gave director Dave Filoni an opportunity to finish his unreleased “Bad Batch” arc: a group of mutated clone troopers that had abilities unseen to any other clones. As well as establish the return of Ahsoka Tano to the Jedi Order and her path to get there. Finally, the Siege on Mandalore; a highly anticipated episode since the Clone Wars aired in 2008. The Siege on Mandalore brought back a beloved Sith lord, Darth Maul. In my opinion, the final duel between Maul and Tano was the best lightsaber fight of the whole show. The motion capture and lighting brought the fight to life and created an emotional and immersive experience. Something even cooler than the fight itself was who they casted to do the motion capture for Darth Maul. The man himself, Rey Park— the man who played live action Darth Maul in Star Wars: Episode I. 

Victory and Death. The final title of the final episode of the final Clone Wars season. I knew what was coming. I had been waiting for this episode ever since I knew what the Clone Wars was. It brought so much happiness, yet so much sorrow. If you are a Star Wars nerd like I am, you knew that this episode was going to hurt. Order 66. Chancellor Palpatine’s final plan to end the Clone Wars… and end the Jedi along with it. An initiative that turned the clones against their Jedi commanders. The event that changed my childhood when I watched Star Wars: Episode III for the first time. Essentially, Ahsoka and her clone battalion were on their way back to Coruscant when Ahsoka got a weird feeling. Right then and there I knew what was about to happen. Captain Rex, one of Ahsoka’s best friends, received a transmission from Chancellor Palpatine. “Execute Order 66.” I thought to myself, please Rex, please do not shoot her. Rex knew what was happening. A tear streamed down his face as he lifted his blaster to kill Ahsoka. Ahsoka sensed it and deflected his shots but Rex kept shooting. This scene was difficult to watch because it was as if Ahsoka’s and Rex’s friendship for seven seasons was destroyed. Luckily, Ahsoka was able to isolate Rex and remove his inhibitor chip that made him turn against Ahsoka. The two were fighting on the same side again. Another gut wrenching scene was watching Rex shoot at his brothers. The soldiers that he was born with. The episode continues with an action-packed and intense escape attempt by Ahsoka and Rex. Maul eventually escapes with the last ship and Ahsoka and Rex are left with a Y-Wing that they barely manage to make it too. They fly away as they watch the cruiser plummet into the planet's surface. Burying the Dead. In one of the final scenes, Ahsoka is seen standing in front of all of the dead clones. A sad track plays as she drops her lightsaber and walks away. The final scene in the Clone Wars show is of Darth Vader returning to Ahsoka’s crashed ship. He sees the buried clones and looks down at Ahsoka’s lightsaber. He picks it up and looks in the sky to see the light side bird flying away, representing Anakin’s turn to Darth Vader and the Dark Side. The camera pans to a clone trooper’s helmet and in the reflection you can see Darth Vader fade as he walks away. Finally, the Clone Troopers are at peace. Their war is over. The Clone Wars are over. It was a satisfying end, but I would give anything to see those troops in action again, but I have a feeling that’ll be the last time I get to see my boys from the Republic fighting the clankers of the Seppies.