The hit animated Star Wars series, The Clone Wars, returns to your television screen in just four short days. After a long absence following Disney’s cancellation of the show on Cartoon Network, the powers that be worked out a deal to have the remaining episodes streamed on Netflix. This is great news to fans who have been waiting to see these episodes since they were teased a year ago. Here are six big reasons to get excited for The Clone Wars: The Lost Missions (in no particular order).
1. More Anakin and Padmé
One story element that I always hoped The Clone Wars would flesh out more was Anakin and Padmé’s relationship during the war time. In the prequel trilogy, we really only get a hasty, somewhat reckless eloping. By the time we get to Revenge of the Sith (the final days of the Clone Wars), we know that Padmé is prego and Anakin is totally stressed out and still a bit insecure about the relationship. We don’t get much in between. Luckily, season six features a story arc which reunites Padmé with an old flame from her past, Rush Clovis. The war brings trouble and the two have to be rescued by (who else?) Anakin. Prepare for some revealing dialogue.
2. Improved Lighting and Atmospherics
Fans of The Clone Wars know that the show got progressively better with age. What started as one of George Lucas’ pet projects quickly developed into something much more, and the effects department are the ones who benefited the most from that. If you thought season five was good, season six is truly going to be the crowning achievement for VFX supervisor Joel Aaron and his team. There are several shots from the trailer that look just as good if not better than the live-action films. The lighting looks more dynamic and realistic and it looks like there will be a lot of storytelling that occurs at night, which is where this show really shines (anyone remember season five’s “Darkness on Umbara”?).
3. Mace Windu: ‘Nuff Said
Despite being a fan favorite and having arguably the best action scenes in the old 2D Genndy Tartakovsky Clone Wars series, Mace Windu kind of got sidelined for the majority of the show. Sure, he got to hack apart his fair share of battle droids in the Ryloth arc but that was ages ago. So I think fans will agree with me when I say, emphatically: we want more Mace! Lucky for us, The Clone Wars season six promises an explosive arc for the character. Looks like he’ll get a chance to use that purple lightsaber of his; there’s going to be a showdown between him and the mysterious Mother Talzin.
4. What’s the Deal with Sifo-Diyas and Order 66?
We know that Jedi Master Sifo-Diyas ordered the creation of the clone army, but why he did and, even more troubling, why he kept it a secret from the Jedi order remains a mystery. Also, who “programmed” the clones with the secret directive to turn on their Jedi generals? While these details have long been considered by detractors as Attack of the Clones‘ most glaring plot hole, I’ve always considered them to be just compelling mysteries. No matter what side of the fence you’re on, season six will give answers to these questions.
5. Exploring the Mysteries of the Force
I think it’s safe to say that everyone was very surprised with how much The Clone Wars delved into the nature of the Force. In season three, we were treated to the Mortis trilogy which had Anakin, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka summoned to some kind of nexus in the Force where they met powerful beings known as Force Wielders, who literally embodied both the light and dark sides. In season six, we may be seeing more of these types of beings, although they may (as usual) present more questions than they do answers.
6. Dat Yoda Arc
If you’re not up at night thinking about how awesome this story is going to be, take another hard look at the frame above. This arc, featuring Yoda almost exclusively, was teased at last year’s Star Wars Weekends event at Walt Disney World. Apparently, Yoda starts hearing from Qui-Gon Jinn in the Star Wars equivalent of the afterlife. This is strange to him, because apparently it’s never happened before. This puts Yoda on a quest across the galaxy, visiting multiple planets to uncover the Force’s deepest mysteries. I’m especially excited that the show is going to take us back to Dagobah. I have a feeling the planet is much more pivotal to the saga than anyone had previously thought. Also noteworthy is Yoda’s apparent trip to the planet Moraband, the homeworld of the Sith. Is it just me, or is he fighting Sidious in that shot from the trailer? This is sure to be the one everyone is talking about well into the summer.
