20. Yoda Ignores Darth Bane
After several mental and physical trials, Yoda travels to the Sith homeworld Moraband. There he goes nose-to-nose with Darth Bane, the wretched soul who initially created the Rule of Two. The spirit boasts his strength to Yoda, but the Jedi waves him away. He calls Bane little more than an illusion, and the dismissal stings savagely. Yoda’s faith in himself and the Light Side cuts as deep as any lightsaber. The Clone Wars Season 6 finale, “Sacrifice,” goes on to feature a gnarly duel between Yoda and Darth Sidious, but it can’t top Yoda’s casual shrug of Bane. The little green guy is just so boss.
19. Bibo’s Mother
Resistance fighter Neeku Vozo has nothing but love to share. When he stumbles over a squiddy, stinky pest bothering his pal Kaz’s lunchtime, he adopts the critter and saddles him, and the episode, with the name “Bibo.” It’s all cuddles and snacks until an enormous Lovecraftian creature attacks the station. Neeku’s new pet is its child, and everything will be destroyed unless he gives up his friend. This episode could easily stand next to Star Trek‘s “Devil in the Dark.” It reminds us how otherizing anyone invites conflict and disgrace.
18. Maul’s Alive!
In The Phantom Menace, Darth Maul was little more than a cool design. But, like a really, really, really cool design. So cool that Star Wars: The Clone Wars couldn’t let him die. And thank the Maker. Cuz Dave Filoni and his team turn Maul (ditching the Darth, he’s no one’s Sith apprentice now) into the franchise’s most compelling villain.
In “Brothers,” Savage Opress tracks his more notorious sibling to Lothar Minor, where he finds him scurrying about in the Junk pits. Maul’s re-introduction is absolutely unnerving. Having lost his mind (in addition to his lower half), he constructed a set of mechanical spider legs to scrabble his torso from place to place. Maul screams for revenge against Kenobi and Darth Sidious, and Savage promises to aid in his maniacal quest. The team-up sends shockwaves through the galaxy.
17. Caleb’s Order 66
Caleb Dume will eventually grow into the Star Wars: Rebels hero Kanan Jarrus. He will be a critical spark in the Rebellion against the Empire, inspiring the flame that will eventually explode the second Death Star in Return of the Jedi. But, before any of that can happen, he must face an enormous tragedy: the death of his Master and the terrible flight from Order 66.
“Aftermath,” The Bad Batch premiere, sets its stage by placing us on the worst day of Caleb Dume’s life. We see the Clones turn on him and Master Depa Billaba. We witness her quick, cold death and his flight from Clone Force 99. Hunter attempts to calm his distrust, but after such betrayal, there’s nothing that can be said. As we watch Caleb turn tail and run, we take solace knowing he will find himself and make new friends, but we also know his fate is one marred by sacrifice. It’s an exceptional mental state to launch the latest animated Star Wars series. The road to Rebellion is long, and we have years to go before A New Hope.
16. Ahsoka Tano Leaves the Jedi Order
After a bombing at the Jedi Temple, an internal investigation names Ahsoka Tano the prime suspect. As she goes on trial, Anakin hits the spaceways looking to prove her innocence. And he succeeds, but the trust is already broken. The Jedi explain how this was her test, and she’s now worthy of Knighthood. Ahsoka says, “Nah.”
The Clone Wars Season 5 finale, “The Wrong Jedi,” firmly reveals the Jedi as chumps, and Ahsoka can no longer ignore their ineptitude. If they could be so obviously wrong about her, she must question what else they could be wrong about. Um, how about the Clone Wars themselves? Tano takes her first steps in her new journey, and it will lead to some of the franchise’s most spectacular and heroic moments.
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