Star Wars The Clone Wars: The Final Season (SPOILERS)

To a dark place, this line of thought will carry us...

A long, long time ago, a piece of this franchise had a home on Cartoon Network. Following a shaky start with a not-so stellar theatrical film, The Clone Wars was a show that, like all the great ones, evolved over time. What started as a fun little episodic series bridging the gap between Episodes II and III became a show that dealt with themes that were deeper and darker, even for Star Wars, all the while addressing some of the pitfalls in the trilogy that spawned it. Simply put, this became a treasured item to the Star Wars fandom before not one, but two cancellations as George Lucas signed over the rights to the House of Mouse. While its initial six-season run was something that would always be cherished, it was only natural for the fandom to crave the true conclusion that they expected. For a time, it seemed to be only a dream...until finally, after so long, The Clone Wars returned for one last season! That being said, was it really worth the wait? When things like this happen, it could be crushed under the weight of the hype. Thankfully, the final season of The Clone Wars, while not without its pitfalls, was everything I wanted and more. Now let's get into why that is the case:

UPS

1. The animation and music. The good thing about having this hiatus was that the crew was able to produce all the episodes with the most up-to-date technology, and boy does it show! The last four episodes in particular are just filled to the brim with gorgeous animation and breathtaking music. I mean, that Ahsoka/Maul lightsaber duel, anyone? Or the final moment where Ahoska and Rex built a memorial for their fallen brothers? Or the moment where Order 66 is commenced? Speaking of which...
2. The Siege of Mandalore Arc. This...this right here....is what the whole series was building towards and the whole reason having the final season be released was such a joy to behold. It seemed inevitable, but unlikely, that we would get a whiff of the series addressing the events of Revenge of the Sith. Not only are the events addressed, but they coincide with what happens in this arc, which means that we get to see events like Order 66 happen from the perspective of characters like Ahsoka, Rex, and Maul. This makes for an even more satisfying and powerful conclusion and man, that final scene, a truly perfect way to cap off this series. 

DOWNS

1. The first two arcs, while not bad, are nothing special. This pertains more to the "Martez Sisters" arc than "The Bad Batch" one, but both feel so separate from the last arc that it only felt fair to mention them here. "The Bad Batch" arc was a fun little arc that saw the return of Echo, which is no doubt a plus, but having a tone similar to that of the first few seasons while premiering during the final season just made it feel out of place. "The Martez Sisters" arc, on the other hand, just had no reason to be four episodes long, even if it addressed the whereabouts of Ahsoka and offered a different perspective of the Jedi. This could've easily been condensed into two or three episodes so that time could be spent on another arc that was developed but never saw the light of day.

OVERALL

Star Wars: The Clone Wars concluded with a bang despite a rather rocky start. That last arc was no doubt some of the best storytelling that this franchise has produced in years. I hope that Dave Filoni will continue to be an active voice in pushing the franchise forward.

RATING: 8/10 - B+

And that's it for this post, guys! Tune in for more coming your way :)