Full Series Which TCW Episodes Are Essential?

Nightsisters, Hardeen arc, Obi Wan vs Maul arc, Crystal Crisis. IMO everything else is filler/fanfiction. Actually I'm not certain those I recommended are not fanfiction fillers too, but they're the only ones i touch.

 

If your going with essential to the Clones, then my list would be:

Clone Cadets
Rookiees
Arc Troopers
The Deserter
The Citadel trilogy
The Umbara Quadrilogy
The Order 66 Quadrilogy
The Lost One (Explains the Clone's origins)

If you want the Maul episodes then:

Nightsisters
Monster
Witches of the Mist
Massacre
Bounty
Brothers
Revenge
Revival
Eminence
Shades of Reason
The Lawless
Son of Dathomir
Maul Season 8 arc (currently unreleased)

If you want Mandalore:

The Season 2 Mandalore arc
Corruption
The Academy
A Friend in Need
Eminence
Shades of Reason
The Lawless
Son of Dathomir (maybe, Mandalore and the Mandalorians don't really do much except be Maul's henchmen)
Maul Season 8 arc (currently unreleased) (again)

If you want Ahsoka:

The TCW movie
Rising Malevolence
Lightsaber Lost
Assassin
Heroes on Both Sides
Padawan Lost
Wookiee Hunt
The Fugitive arc
Maul Season 8 arc (currently unreleased) (this arc would have had everything!)

If you want Padme:

Hostage Crisis
Senate Spy
Heroes on Both Sides
Pursuit of Peace
Senate Murders
The Clovis arc

If you want Hondo:

Dooku Captured
The Gungan General
Bounty Hunters
Lethal Trackdown
A Test of Strength
Bound for Rescue
A Necessary Bond
Revival

Those lists cover the major thematic aspects of the series' different story strands. The way some of them interconnect is breathtaking.

 

The real problem is that there are a ton of eps that, even if the ep as a whole isn't that important, there is this one little bit that has a larger significance. Without going back and watching the entire series again I couldn't tell you how many would be added to my personal list based on that alone.

 

My girlfriend and I are planning to catch up on The Clone Wars this summer. I've only seen most of the first season, a few scattered episodes from seasons 2-4, and the end of season five. Meanwhile, she hasn't seen any of them (in fact, she hadn't seen the movies until we'd been dating for a while.)

We're both enjoying Rebels, and I'm thinking it might be useful to see a few episodes which help explain why Ahsoka showing up is a big deal. But which ones are those? And which other episodes are essential?

We'd also want to skip any episodes which neither advance the storyline nor stand on their own -- which ones are those? Would the theatrical film be skippable?

Thanks!

 

The theatrical film might actually be a good place to watch even if it isn't that popular, since it introduces Ahsoka. What I will definitely say though is to show her the Fugitive arc, given that's when she leaves. The Geonosis arc is probably good to watch as well, given it has Ahsoka and Barriss' friendship. The final two episodes of Season 3 are important for her character arc as well. Not too sure what else I'd include, if any other members think there are other episodes that are important to Ahsoka's story then suggest them since I've got nothing else sticking out.

 

If you wanna see ashoka, you might as well see the entire series. She is in most of it & one of the main characters in the movie.

As for the episodes which is kinda critical and you should see to understand more in rebels/the movies

The Yoda end-series arc/ explains how he learnt the secret to immortality
Clone Arc in season 6/explains how captain rex lives in rebels
the ashoka arc season 5/tells us how ashoka ended up away from the jedi order and why she is in rebels and not dead
all episodes about Hondo Ohnaka because he appears in rebels
maybe darth maul episodes? his story isnt wrapped in TCW, its in a four part issue comic series where you will see his final moments

 

Truthfully, i'd just watch the whole show. It's the best way to understand these characters and learn everything you need to. If you just watch the finale season 5 arc with Ahsoka, it wont mean much to you. I know that takes time though, which not everyone has.

 

The essential Clone Wars for Ahsoka:
The Clone Wars Movie
Rising Malevolence/Shadow of Malevolence /Destroy Malevolence
Downfall of a Droid/Duel of the Droids
Cloak of Darkness
Jedi Crash/Defenders of Peace
Blue Shadow Virus/Mystery of a Thousand Moons
Storm Over Ryloth/Innocents of Ryloth/Liberty of Ryloth
Holocron Heist/Cargo of Doom/Children of the Force
Landing at Point Rain/Weapons Factory
Lightsaber Lost
Assassin
Heroes on Both Sides/Pursuit of Peace
Overlords/Altar of Mortis/Ghosts of Mortis
The Citadel/Counterattack/Citadel Rescue
Padawan Lost/Wookie Hunt
Kidnapped/Slaves of the Republic/Escape from Kadavo
A Friend in Need
A War on Two Fronts/Front Runners/The Soft War/Tipping Points
Sabotage/The Jedi Who Knew Too Much/To Catch a Jedi/The Wrong Jedi

Sorry, that's about as far as I could narrow it down.
Really, though, I would suggest watching the whole series if you have the time.

 

I highly recommend the Yoda arc. Not only is it a great ending to TCW, it also explains a lot of things that were left unclear/unexplored in the films.

 

This is the best option yes its long and yes there are some episodes that are cringe worthy but you should watch them all its a good show.

 

I don't know, I'd say watch them all. Each episode, even if a standalone, tells it's own story, and definitely shows how the Clone Wars affected the galaxy, from the Jedi, clones, politicians, even the regular citizens.

 

Watch Bounty it is the best episode of the show and then go watch Rebels

 

Yeah, probably the most important arc to watch is the Yoda arc. Because no one really knew how Yoda came to know the secret to being immortal to then teach it to obi wan. The arc tells that. There is a ton in clone wars you don't have to watch/also much is to understand rebels and the movies better but it is just better to watch the whole thing. You will understand everything much better and such. Start with the movie.

 

Anything with Hondo.

 

I started this show and would like to finish it before the new films come out. However, the first season is a hurdle.

Obviously, this wouldn't work for shows such as Breaking Bad, where every episode is essential. But a list of essential episodes was how I first got through Star Trek:TNG. it was a delight to go back and watch all of the episodes at a more leisurely pace later on, and I didn't feel as though I missed out on anything. Even now I'll go back to the essentials list when I want to follow the stories in TNG but don't want to watch every episode.

Such a list would be beneficial for TCW, especially for repeat viewings. However, I haven't been able to find one on google. Does anyone know of a list I can refer to?

 

TCW is an anthology series, it relies a lot on almost self contained story arcs.

I can make a small list but keep in mind that you'll be missing a lot of great content:

S02E06 Cat and Mouse
S01e16 The Hidden Enemy
TCW theatrical film
S03E01 Clone Cadets
S03E03 Supply Lines
S01E01 Ambush
S01E05 Rookies
S01E11 Dooku Captured
S01E12 The Gungan General
S01E19 Storm over Ryloth
S01E20 Innocents of Ryloth
S01E21 Liberty on Ryloth
S02E01 Holocron Heist
S02E02 Cargo of Doom
S02E03 Children of the Force
S02E11 Lightsaber Lost
S02E12 The Mandalore Plot
S02E13 Voyage of Temptation
S02E14 Duchess of Mandalore
S02E20 Death Trap
S02E21 R2 Come Home
S02E22 Lethal Trackdown
S03E02 ARC Troopers
S03E08 Evil Plans
S01E22 Hostage Crisis
S03E09 Hunt for Ziro
S03E12 Nightsisters
S03E13 Monster
S03E14 Witches of the Mist
S03E15 Overlords
S03E16 Altar of Mortis
S03E17 Ghosts of Mortis
S03E18 The Citadel
S03E19 Counter Attack
S03E20 Citadel Rescue
S03E21 Padawan Lost
S03E22 Wookiee Hunt
S04E07 Darkness on Umbara
S04E08 The General
S04E09 Plan of Dissent
S04E10 Carnage of Krell
S04E19 Massacre
S04E20 Bounty
S04E21 Brothers
S04E22 Revenge
S05E01 Revival
S05E14 Eminence
S05E15 Shades of Reason
S05E16 The Lawless
S05E17 Sabotage
S05E18 The Jedi Who Knew Too Much
S05E19 To Catch a Jedi
S05E20 The Wrong Jedi
S06E01 The Unknown
S06E02 Conspiracy
S06E03 Fugitive
S06E04 Orders
S06E10 The Lost One
S06E11 Voices
S06E12 Destiny
S06E13 Sacrifice

Some episodes are included because they introduce characters that appear or are developed later on.

 

Here's what I use when watching the films from Ep. 1-6, including the 2003 Clone Wars Microseries and what I consider the most essential/most interesting episodes of TCW.

The order:
TPM
AOTC
Microseries 1 to mid-22 (right after the Padme sees Anakin's scar scene)
"Essential" TCW episodes:

2.16: Cat and Mouse (this arc explains how Kenobi served Organa in the Clone Wars, and introduces Ahsoka)
1.16: The Hidden Enemy
The Clone Wars Film

3.08: Evil Plans
1.22: Hostage Crisis
3.09: Hunt for Ziro (These episodes explain the reference to Master Vos in ROTS)

3.15: Overlords (rest of Mortis arc left out due to spoiling ROTS)

4.07: Darkness on Umbara (Pong Krell arc explains Anakin's reference to General Krell in the later Ahsoka trial arc)
4.08: The General
4.09: Plan of Dissent
4.10: Carnage of Krell

4.11: Kidnapped (I think this arc gives some closure to Anakin's dream in TPM about him rescuing slaves, and I just find it a good arc overall)
4.12: Slaves of the Republic
4.13: Escape from Kadavo

4.15: Deception (Raako Hardeen arc explains how Kenobi got the name 'Ben')
4.16: Friends and Enemies
4.17: The Box
4.18: Crisis on Naboo

5.17 - "Sabotage" (Ahsoka trial arc explains why she isn't in ROTS)
5.18 - "The Jedi Who Knew Too Much"
5.19 - "To Catch a Jedi"
5.20 - "The Wrong Jedi"

6.1: The Unknown (somewhat spoilerish arc, but is necessary to understand why clones so easily turn on Jedi in ROTS)
6.2: Conspiracy
6.3: Fugitive
6.4: Orders

6.10: The Lost One (arc explains Force ghosting in classic trilogy, as well as showcasing the last time Anakin met Dooku before "doubling his powers")
6.11: Voices
6.12: Destiny
6.13: Sacrifice

Microseries resumes, mid-22 (starting with Anakin and Kenobi on rainy planet) till microseries end.
ROTS
ANH
ESB
ROTJ

In my opinion, this covers the major points of the saga.

 

All of them

 

I recently had a friend ask me this very question.
He'd seen TCW movie with me at the cinema and didn't like it so didn't watch any episodes of TCW series. He's now watching Rebels and when Ashoka returned he asked me what are the essential episodes of TCW he should watch.
I told him there are three essential arcs he needed to watch and these are:

Ashoka arc season 5
Order 66 arc in season 6
Yoda arc in season 6

IMO these are the essential episodes because of their tie-in's to Rebels and AOTC and ROTS.

 

Clone Cadets/Rookies/ARC Troopers
Cat and Mouse/Hidden Enemy/Movie
Ryloth Trilogy
Bombad Jedi/Lair of Grievous/Cloak of Darkness
Dooku Captured/Gungan General
Senate Spy/Landing at Point Rain/Weapons Factory/Legacy of Terror/Brain Invaders
Grievous Intrigue/The Deserter
Mandalore Trilogy
Boba Fett Trilogy
The Academy
Assassin/Hostage Crisis/Hunt for Ziro
Heroes on Both Sides/Senate Murders
Nightsisters Trilogy
Citadel Trilogy
Padawan Lost/Wookiee Hunt
Umbara Arc
A Friend in Need
Deception/Friends and Enemies/The Box/Crisis on Naboo
Massacre/Bounty/Brothers/Revenge
Onderon Arc
Jedi Youngling Arc
Revival/Eminence/Shades of Reason/Lawless
Sabotage/Jedi who Knew Too Much/To Catch a Jedi/The Wrong Jedi
Order 66 Conspiracy Arc
Clovis Arc
Disappeared 2 parter
Utapau Arc
Showdown on Dathomir Comic
Bad Batch Arc
Dark Disciple novel

So that's the essential episodes in my opinion. All together it's nearly a hundred, but that goes to show you just how well connected the show's story is.