Unveiling the Untold Secrets: Reviving Star Wars' Original Clone Wars Show in Canon

Summary

Genndy Tartakovsky's Clone Wars microseries was the first-ever glimpse into the Clone Wars era, featuring iconic characters like General Grievous and Asajj Ventress.

Some elements of the microseries, including battles and voice actors, were incorporated into The Clone Wars, despite being replaced by Dave Filoni's CGI series.

The microseries could be integrated into the canon by viewing it as an in-universe propaganda show, commissioned by Palpatine to manipulate public opinion in support of the Republic.

Genndy Tartakovsky’s Star Wars: Clone Wars microseries from 2003 stands out as an innovative and visually unique project within the franchise. However, it was eventually overshadowed by Dave Filoni’s Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which built upon and replaced Tartakovsky’s original vision. Despite the differences between the two shows, there is still a way to incorporate the microseries into canon and make it coherent.

The concept of the Clone Wars has evolved since its initial mention in A New Hope. Both the microseries and the CGI series contributed to the development of characters and the political landscape of the war. However, Tartakovsky’s series holds the distinction of being the very first Star Wars show to explore this era. It originally aired on Cartoon Network before the release of Revenge of the Sith in 2005, providing audiences with their first glimpse of the Clone Wars. The microseries also introduced iconic characters like General Grievous and Asajj Ventress, setting the stage for their on-screen debuts in Revenge of the Sith.

The First Clone Wars TV Show Was Contradicted By Lucas Himself

Irrespective of the merits of the original Clone Wars show, George Lucas made the decision to use it as a pilot for his and Filoni's CGI series. Initially, Lucas and Filoni's The Clone Wars was not intended to replace Tartakovsky's microseries. Instead, it was meant to continue where Tartakovsky's series left off. Many of the exaggerated character designs in The Clone Wars were influenced by Tartakovsky's artwork in Clone Wars. However, over time, The Clone Wars began to take more liberties in exploring events during the war. By the time Disney acquired Lucasfilm, the microseries was officially superseded by The Clone Wars.

Initially, George Lucas met with Tartakovsky to discuss important characters and details to be included in the microseries, but many of his ideas evolved and changed before Revenge of the Sith. For instance, Tartakovsky's terrifying portrayal of General Grievous was later contradicted by Lucas' portrayal of a cowardly version in the prequels. Lucas became much more involved with The Clone Wars than with Tartakovsky's Clone Wars. As a result, he ultimately chose to overwrite much of the events in the microseries rather than build upon it.

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Star Wars Has Canonized Several Specific Parts Of The Clone Wars Microseries

Despite being replaced, several parts of the microseries made their way into Star Wars canon. One notable aspect is the return of most of the voice actors from Tartakovsky's microseries in Filoni's The Clone Wars. James Arnold Taylor voices Obi-Wan Kenobi, Tom Kane portrays Yoda, and Corey Burton embodies Count Dooku in the CGI version. Furthermore, The Clone Wars references or reimagines numerous battles featured in the microseries, including the Battle of Mon Cala and Mace Windu's confrontation with a droid army.

Additionally, Durge, the fearsome bounty hunter from Tartakovsky’s microseries, has also made a comeback in Star Wars comics, thereby becoming part of the official canon. In the meantime, his species, known as the Gen’Dai, can be seen in the Jedi: Survivor video game. The microseries introduced the planet Ilum, where Jedi obtain their kyber crystals, and it later reappeared in The Clone Wars. The Z-6 Rotary blaster canon, which was first featured in the microseries, was later utilized by Hevy or Hardcase in The Clone Wars. However, the franchise has made significant changes to most of the pivotal scenes covered in the microseries, including Anakin’s Jedi Knighting ceremony, which has been detailed in Mike Chen's Brotherhood novel.

The Clone Wars Microseries Can Still Be Canon - From A Certain Point Of View

One way to justify the existence of the Clone Wars microseries within the canon is by considering it as a show created within the Star Wars universe for propaganda purposes. Throughout the series, numerous montages highlight the Republic's dominance over the Separatists, leading one to believe that the microseries may have been commissioned by Palpatine himself to influence public opinion in favor of the Republic. Although there are elements of the microseries that would not fit into a propaganda narrative, such as Anakin's secret relationship with Padmé, the parts focusing on the triumphs of the clones and the Jedi against the droids would serve as inspiration for citizens, encouraging them to invest in and support the war effort.

Although there are differences between the microseries and The Clone Wars, a significant portion of the microseries aligns with the Star Wars timeline. Tartakovsky's series, spanning the first two seasons, predates anything depicted in Filoni's The Clone Wars. However, the third season of the microseries occurs concurrently with the events of The Clone Wars season 7. Admittedly, some inconsistencies arise regarding the whereabouts of Anakin and Obi-Wan during the Battle of Coruscant. Nevertheless, on the whole, Genndy Tartakovsky's Star Wars: Clone Wars can still be considered canon.