Star Wars: The Clone Wars isn’t told in chronological order, and the Disney+ episode listing reflects this – but, fortunately, there is indeed a way to view the show according to the timeline. Created by George Lucas and Dave Filoni, Star Wars: The Clone Wars had something of an unusual release schedule. Episodes were organized by story arc rather than timeline, with multiple arcs explored in each season. While this made it easy to identify major themes, it caused some notable problems for viewers – particularly when characters who had just been killed suddenly returned, signaling a jump back in time.
Thankfully, it is possible to “normalize” the timeline, although this doesn’t quite resolve all the issues – in part because Disney canceled the show after acquiring Lucasfilm back in 2012. Several stories were then adapted into tie-in comics and novels before Disney finally commissioned Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 7 for Disney+. Still, factoring these problems in, the best viewing order helps to set out the flow of the Clone Wars and thus improves the animated show.
How To Watch Clone Wars In Chronological Order
- Season 2, episode 16, “Cat and Mouse”
- Season 1, episode 16, “Hidden Enemy”
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars (the theatrically released movie)
- Season 3, episode 1, “Clone Cadets”
- Season 3, episode 3, “Supply Lines”
- Season 1, episode 1, “Ambush”
- Season 1, episode 2, “Rising Malevolence”
- Season 1, episode 3, “Shadow of Malevolence”
- Season 1, episode 4, “Destroy Malevolence”
- Season 1, episode 5, “Rookies”
- Season 1, episode 6, “Downfall of a Droid”
- Season 1, episode 7, “Duel of the Droids”
- Season 1, episode 8, “Bombad Jedi”
- Season 1, episode 9, “Cloak of Darkness”
- Season 1, episode 10, “Lair of Grievous”
- Season 1, episode 11, “Dooku Captured”
- Season 1, episode 12, “The Gungan General”
- Season 1, episode 13, “Jedi Crash”
- Season 1, episode 14, “Defenders of Peace”
- Season 1, episode 15, “Trespass”
- Season 1, episode 17, “Blue Shadow Virus”
- Season 1, episode 18, “Mystery of a Thousand Moons”
- Season 1, episode 19, “Storm over Ryloth”
- Season 1, episode 20, “Innocents of Ryloth”
- Season 1, episode 21, “Liberty on Ryloth”
- Season 2, episode 1, “Holocron Heist”
- Season 2, episode 2, “Cargo of Doom”
- Season 2, episode 3, “Children of the Force”
- Season 2, episode 17, “Bounty Hunters”
- Season 2, episode 18, “The Zillo Beast”
- Season 2, episode 19, “The Zillo Beast Strikes Back”
- Season 2, episode 4, “Senate Spy”
- Season 2, episode 5, “Landing at Point Rain”
- Season 2, episode 6, “Weapons Factory”
- Season 2, episode 7, “Legacy of Terror”
- Season 2, episode 8, “Brain Invaders”
- Season 2, episode 9, “Grievous Intrigue”
- Season 2, episode 10, “The Deserter”
- Season 2, episode 11, “Lightsaber Lost”
- Season 2, episode 12, “The Mandalore Plot”
- Season 2, episode 13, “Voyage of Temptation”
- Season 2, episode 14, “Duchess of Mandalore”
- Season 2, episode 20, “Death Trap”
- Season 2, episode 21, “R2 Come Home”
- Season 2, episode 22, “Lethal Trackdown”
- Season 3, episode 5, “Corruption”
- Season 3, episode 6, “The Academy”
- Season 3, episode 7, “Assassin
- Season 3, episode 2, “ARC Troopers”
- Season 3, episode 4, “Sphere of Influence”
- Season 3, episode 8, “Evil Plans”
- Season 1, episode 22, “Hostage Crisis”
- Season 3, episode 9, “Hunt for Ziro”
- Season 3, episode 10, “Heroes on Both Sides”
- Season 3, episode 11, “Pursuit of Peace”
- Season 2, episode 15, “Senate Murders”
- Season 3, episode 12, “Nightsisters”
- Season 3, episode 13, “Monster”
- Season 3, episode 14, “Witches of the Mist”
- Season 3, episode 15, “Overlords”
- Season 3, episode 16, “Altar of Mortis”
- Season 3, episode 17, “Ghosts of Mortis”
- Season 3, episode 18, “The Citadel”
- Season 3, episode 19, “Counter Attack”
- Season 3, episode 20, “Citadel Rescue”
- Season 3, episode 21, “Padawan Lost”
- Season 3, episode 22, “Wookiee Hunt”
- Season 4, episode 1, “Water War”
- Season 4, episode 2, “Gungan Attack”
- Season 4, episode 3, “Prisoners”
- Season 4, episode 4, “Shadow Warrior”
- Season 4, episode 5, “Mercy Mission”
- Season 4, episode 6, “Nomad Droids”
- Season 4, episode 7, “Darkness on Umbara”
- Season 4, episode 8, “The General”
- Season 4, episode 9, “Plan of Dissent”
- Season 4, episode 10, “Carnage of Krell”
- Season 4, episode 11, “Kidnapped”
- Season 4, episode 12, “Slaves of the Republic”
- Season 4, episode 13, “Escape from Kadavo”
- Season 4, episode 14, “A Friend In Need”
- Season 4, episode 15, “Deception”
- Season 4, episode 16, “Friends and Enemies”
- Season 4, episode 17, “The Box”
- Season 4, episode 18, “Crisis on Naboo”
- Season 4, episode 19, “Massacre”
- Season 4, episode 20, “Bounty”
- Season 4, episode 21, “Brothers”
- Season 4, episode 22, “Revenge”
- Season 5, episode 2, “A War on Two Fronts”
- Season 5, episode 3, “Front Runners”
- Season 5, episode 4, “The Soft War”
- Season 5, episode 5, “Tipping Points”
- Season 5, episode 6, “The Gathering”
- Season 5, episode 7, “A Test of Strength”
- Season 5, episode 8, “Bound for Rescue”
- Season 5, episode 9, “A Necessary Bond”
- Season 5, episode 10, “Secret Weapons”
- Season 5, episode 11, “A Sunny Day in the Void”
- Season 5, episode 12, “Missing in Action”
- Season 5, episode 13, “Point of No Return”
- Season 5, episode 1, “Revival”
- Season 5, episode 14, “Eminence”
- Season 5, episode 15, “Shades of Reason”
- Season 5, episode 16, “The Lawless”
- Season 5, episode 17, “Sabotage”
- Season 5, episode 18, “The Jedi Who Knew Too Much”
- Season 5, episode 19, “To Catch a Jedi”
- Season 5, episode 20, “The Wrong Jedi”
- Season 6, episode 1, “The Unknown”
- Season 6, episode 2, “Conspiracy”
- Season 6, episode 3, “Fugitive”
- Season 6, episode 4, “Orders”
- Season 6, episode 5, “An Old Friend”
- Season 6, episode 6, “The Rise of Clovis”
- Season 6, episode 7, “Crisis at the Heart”
- Season 6, episode 8, “The Disappeared”
- Season 6, episode 9, “The Disappeared: Pt. II”
- Season 6, episode 10, “The Lost One”
- Season 6, episode 11, “Voices”
- Season 6, episode 12, “Destiny”
- Season 6, episode 13, “Sacrifice”
- Season 7, episode 5, “Gone With A Trace”
- Season 7, episode 6, “Deal No Deal”
- Season 7, episode 7, “Dangerous Debt”
- Season 7, episode 8, “Together Again”
- Season 7, episode 1, “The Bad Batch”
- Season 7, episode 2, “A Distant Echo”
- Season 7, episode 3, “On the Wings of Keeradaks”
- Season 7, episode 4, “Unfinished Business”
- Season 7, episode 9, “Old Friends Not Forgotten”
- Season 7, episode 10, “The Phantom Apprentice”
- Season 7, episode 11, “Shattered”
- Season 7, episode 12, “Victory and Death”
Why Clone Wars Episodes Are Out Of Order
The order of Star Wars: The Clone Wars episodes is certainly confusing, with the issues even identified by Lucasfilm – which is why the chronological viewing order has been explicitly confirmed. It simply reflects George Lucas’ creative choice to tell stories in a different format; he wanted to tell an anthology series, one that explored the scale of the Clone Wars and its grander themes. He didn’t even originally intend Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Ahsoka Tano to be main protagonists; they were part of an ensemble cast. Star Wars: The Clone Wars evolved as the years passed, though, with the focus increasingly tightening in on these three Jedi.
Viewers will note that The Clone Wars gradually becomes chronological as the story continues, simply because of this focus on the arcs of main characters. Later Star Wars animations, such as Star Wars Rebels and Star Wars: The Bad Batch, dropped the anthology approach completely in favor of a more traditional storytelling approach. As groundbreaking as George Lucas’ animated TV show may have been, not every experiment works, and the anthology structure didn’t.
What Are The Best Clone Wars Arcs To Watch?
Magic of the Holocron (Season 2, Episodes 1-3)
Featuring bounty hunter Cad Bane, “Magic of the Holocron” is a thrilling three-part episode in which Bane is hired to steal a holocron from the Jedi Temple containing the locations of Force-sensitive children. This trilogy is important in setting up Palpatine’s obsession with seducing the innocents, while the holocron concept foreshadows Jedi: Fallen Order. It culminates in Anakin Skywalker’s first visit to Mustafar, a tantalizing hint of his future.
The Mandalore Plot (Season 2, Episodes 12-14)
Mandalorians have become increasingly important to Star Wars, which makes “The Mandalore Plot” essential viewing. This three-part story sees Obi-Wan Kenobi visit Mandalore for the first time since he was a Padawan, reuniting with his lost love Duchess Satine Kryze. It’s a fascinating glimpse into Obi-Wan’s character, establishing just how similar Obi-Wan and Anakin really are (a fact underscored by the episodes using concept art for Padmé when designing Satine).
Witches & Monsters (Season 3, Episodes 12-14)
Also known as “The Nightsisters Trilogy,” “Witches & Monsters” introduces viewers to the Nightsisters of Dathomir. The arc sees Asajj Ventress seek revenge on Count Dooku after he abandons her, and she does this by visiting her sisters on Dathomir. Several important characters are introduced in these Star Wars: The Clone Wars episodes, while the Nightsisters have gone on to become even more significant through Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor.
The Mortis Trilogy (Season 3, Episodes 15-17)
An essential window into George Lucas’ vision of the Chosen One, “The Mortis Trilogy” sees Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Ahsoka Tano travel to a mysterious planet rich in the Force, Mortis. There, they encounter avatar of different aspects of the Force, and the true meaning of the Chosen One is explored. This trilogy is also notable for major twists featuring Ahsoka Tano, which are expected to continue reverberating into the Ahsoka Disney+ TV show.
The Return of Darth Maul (Season 4, Episodes 19-22)
George Lucas made the mistake of killing Darth Maul in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, but the Sith apprentice was unexpectedly resurrected in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Maul’s return as a major antagonist during the Clone Wars is a highlight of the animated TV show, with Maul going on to play a key role in Star Wars Rebels as well. Maul’s story dovetails with the Mandalorian arc when he takes over Mandalore, partly in an act of revenge against Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Ahsoka’s Fate As A Jedi (Season 5, Episodes 17-20)
Ahsoka Tano leaves the Jedi Order after an arc that ran through Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 5, episodes 17-20. This particular arc is one of the most heartbreaking, in that it sees Ahsoka falsely accused of a terrorist bombing. Anakin Skywalker’s trust in the Jedi Council is shaken, setting up the conflict seen in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.
Clone Protocol 66 (Season 6, Episodes 1-4)
“Clone Protocol 6” is a crucial arc in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, reinterpreting Order 66 as something clones were compelled to obey due to an inhibitor chip implanted in them by the Kaminoans. This is a crucial retcon, Lucas’ way of fixing the portrayal of the clones as heroes with their eventual betrayal of the Jedi. The trilogy is also important for setting up characters who would return in Star Wars: The Bad Batch.
Yoda’s Mission (Season 6, Episodes 11-13)
“Yoda’s Mission” continues setup for Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, with Yoda becoming aware Qui-Gon Jinn has maintained his existence in the Force after death. This trilogy is essentially a character study on Yoda, as the aged Jedi Master reflects on the rising tide of darkness across the galaxy. It sets him up for learning the secret of being a Force ghost.
The Bad Batch (Season 7, Episodes 1-4)
Destined to become stars of their own spinoff, Clone Force 99 made their debut in the first four episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 7. The mutant clones worked with Anakin Skywalker on a mission to rescue Echo, a clone captured by the Separatists and weaponized against the Republic. This is a must-watch to understand the characters’ ongoing arc.
The Siege of Mandalore (Season 7, Episodes 9-12)
“The Siege of Mandalore” is the final story arc in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, set concurrently with Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Darth Maul has taken Mandalore, and Ahsoka Tano is tasked to lead a mission to defeat him. The final episode explores how both Ahsoka and Darth Maul survive Order 66, as Ahsoka reels from the terrifying sense of what Anakin Skywalker – her former master – has just become.
Does The Clone Wars Story Extend Beyond TV?
Disney originally canceled Star Wars: The Clone Wars in 2013, choosing to pursue a different direction in terms of Star Wars animation. It initially seemed as though the story of the Clone Wars would go unfinished, and Lucasfilm turned to other mediums to fill in the gaps in a multimedia project known as “The Clone Wars Legacy.” Ironically, Disney did indeed eventually choose to return to the show for season 7, which released on Disney+ in 2020.
How Clone Wars Ties Into Star Wars Books & Comics
“The Clone Wars Legacy” project included the release of several unfinished story reels, as well as a comic book miniseries and a novel. Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir, by Jeremy Barlow and Juan Frigeria, was published in 2014 and fills in important gaps for Darth Maul. Asajj Ventress’ story, meanwhile, continues in Christie Golden’s Dark Disciple.
Clone Wars Viewing Order With Star Wars Books & Comics Included
- Season 2, episode 16, “Cat and Mouse”
- Season 1, episode 16, “Hidden Enemy”
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars (the theatrically released movie)
- Season 3, episode 1, “Clone Cadets”
- Season 3, episode 3, “Supply Lines”
- Season 1, episode 1, “Ambush”
- Season 1, episode 2, “Rising Malevolence”
- Season 1, episode 3, “Shadow of Malevolence”
- Season 1, episode 4, “Destroy Malevolence”
- Season 1, episode 5, “Rookies”
- Season 1, episode 6, “Downfall of a Droid”
- Season 1, episode 7, “Duel of the Droids”
- Season 1, episode 8, “Bombad Jedi”
- Season 1, episode 9, “Cloak of Darkness”
- Season 1, episode 10, “Lair of Grievous”
- Season 1, episode 11, “Dooku Captured”
- Season 1, episode 12, “The Gungan General”
- Season 1, episode 13, “Jedi Crash”
- Season 1, episode 14, “Defenders of Peace”
- Season 1, episode 15, “Trespass”
- Season 1, episode 17, “Blue Shadow Virus”
- Season 1, episode 18, “Mystery of a Thousand Moons”
- Season 1, episode 19, “Storm over Ryloth”
- Season 1, episode 20, “Innocents of Ryloth”
- Season 1, episode 21, “Liberty on Ryloth”
- Season 2, episode 1, “Holocron Heist”
- Season 2, episode 2, “Cargo of Doom”
- Season 2, episode 3, “Children of the Force”
- Season 2, episode 17, “Bounty Hunters”
- Season 2, episode 18, “The Zillo Beast”
- Season 2, episode 19, “The Zillo Beast Strikes Back”
- Season 2, episode 4, “Senate Spy”
- Season 2, episode 5, “Landing at Point Rain”
- Season 2, episode 6, “Weapons Factory”
- Season 2, episode 7, “Legacy of Terror”
- Season 2, episode 8, “Brain Invaders”
- Season 2, episode 9, “Grievous Intrigue”
- Season 2, episode 10, “The Deserter”
- Season 2, episode 11, “Lightsaber Lost”
- Season 2, episode 12, “The Mandalore Plot”
- Season 2, episode 13, “Voyage of Temptation”
- Season 2, episode 14, “Duchess of Mandalore”
- Season 2, episode 20, “Death Trap”
- Season 2, episode 21, “R2 Come Home”
- Season 2, episode 22, “Lethal Trackdown”
- Season 3, episode 5, “Corruption”
- Season 3, episode 6, “The Academy”
- Season 3, episode 7, “Assassin
- Season 3, episode 2, “ARC Troopers”
- Season 3, episode 4, “Sphere of Influence”
- Season 3, episode 8, “Evil Plans”
- Season 1, episode 22, “Hostage Crisis”
- Season 3, episode 9, “Hunt for Ziro”
- Season 3, episode 10, “Heroes on Both Sides”
- Season 3, episode 11, “Pursuit of Peace”
- Season 2, episode 15, “Senate Murders”
- Season 3, episode 12, “Nightsisters”
- Season 3, episode 13, “Monster”
- Season 3, episode 14, “Witches of the Mist”
- Season 3, episode 15, “Overlords”
- Season 3, episode 16, “Altar of Mortis”
- Season 3, episode 17, “Ghosts of Mortis”
- Season 3, episode 18, “The Citadel”
- Season 3, episode 19, “Counter Attack”
- Season 3, episode 20, “Citadel Rescue”
- Season 3, episode 21, “Padawan Lost”
- Season 3, episode 22, “Wookiee Hunt”
- Season 4, episode 1, “Water War”
- Season 4, episode 2, “Gungan Attack”
- Season 4, episode 3, “Prisoners”
- Season 4, episode 4, “Shadow Warrior”
- Season 4, episode 5, “Mercy Mission”
- Season 4, episode 6, “Nomad Droids”
- Season 4, episode 7, “Darkness on Umbara”
- Season 4, episode 8, “The General”
- Season 4, episode 9, “Plan of Dissent”
- Season 4, episode 10, “Carnage of Krell”
- Season 4, episode 11, “Kidnapped”
- Season 4, episode 12, “Slaves of the Republic”
- Season 4, episode 13, “Escape from Kadavo”
- Season 4, episode 14, “A Friend In Need”
- Season 4, episode 15, “Deception”
- Season 4, episode 16, “Friends and Enemies”
- Season 4, episode 17, “The Box”
- Season 4, episode 18, “Crisis on Naboo”
- Season 4, episode 19, “Massacre”
- Season 4, episode 20, “Bounty”
- Season 4, episode 21, “Brothers”
- Season 4, episode 22, “Revenge”
- Season 5, episode 2, “A War on Two Fronts”
- Season 5, episode 3, “Front Runners”
- Season 5, episode 4, “The Soft War”
- Season 5, episode 5, “Tipping Points”
- Season 5, episode 6, “The Gathering”
- Season 5, episode 7, “A Test of Strength”
- Season 5, episode 8, “Bound for Rescue”
- Season 5, episode 9, “A Necessary Bond”
- Season 5, episode 10, “Secret Weapons”
- Season 5, episode 11, “A Sunny Day in the Void”
- Season 5, episode 12, “Missing in Action”
- Season 5, episode 13, “Point of No Return”
- Season 5, episode 1, “Revival”
- Season 5, episode 14, “Eminence”
- Season 5, episode 15, “Shades of Reason”
- Season 5, episode 16, “The Lawless”
- Season 5, episode 17, “Sabotage”
- Season 5, episode 18, “The Jedi Who Knew Too Much”
- Season 5, episode 19, “To Catch a Jedi”
- Season 5, episode 20, “The Wrong Jedi”
- Season 6, episode 1, “The Unknown”
- Season 6, episode 2, “Conspiracy”
- Season 6, episode 3, “Fugitive”
- Season 6, episode 4, “Orders”
- Season 6, episode 5, “An Old Friend”
- Season 6, episode 6, “The Rise of Clovis”
- Season 6, episode 7, “Crisis at the Heart”
- Season 6, episode 8, “The Disappeared”
- Season 6, episode 9, “The Disappeared: Pt. II”
- Season 6, episode 10, “The Lost One”
- Season 6, episode 11, “Voices”
- Season 6, episode 12, “Destiny”
- Season 6, episode 13, “Sacrifice”
- A Death on Utapau (Crystal Crisis On Utapau Story Reels)
- In Search of the Crystal (Crystal Crisis On Utapau Story Reels)
- Crystal Crisis (Crystal Crisis On Utapau Story Reels)
- The Big Bang (Crystal Crisis On Utapau Story Reels)
- Lethal Alliance (Dark Disciple Novel)
- The Mission (Dark Disciple Novel)
- Conspirators (Dark Disciple Novel)
- Dark Disciple (Dark Disciple Novel)
- The Enemy of My Enemy (Son of Dathomir Comic Series)
- A Tale of Two Apprentices (Son of Dathomir Comic Series)
- Proxy War (Son of Dathomir Comic Series)
- Showdown on Dathomir (Son of Dathomir Comic Series)
- Saving Vos Part 1 (Dark Disciple Novel)
- Saving Vos Part 2 (Dark Disciple Novel)
- Traitor (Dark Disciple Novel)
- The Path (Dark Disciple Novel)
- Season 7, episode 5, “Gone With A Trace”
- Season 7, episode 6, “Deal No Deal”
- Season 7, episode 7, “Dangerous Debt”
- Season 7, episode 8, “Together Again”
- Season 7, episode 1, “The Bad Batch”
- Season 7, episode 2, “A Distant Echo”
- Season 7, episode 3, “On the Wings of Keeradaks”
- Season 7, episode 4, “Unfinished Business”
- Season 7, episode 9, “Old Friends Not Forgotten”
- Season 7, episode 10, “The Phantom Apprentice”
- Season 7, episode 11, “Shattered”
- Season 7, episode 12, “Victory and Death”
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
