Star Wars: Clone Wars
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- This article is about the TV series. For the fictional conflict, see Clone Wars (Star Wars). For the video game, see Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
| Star Wars: Clone Wars | |
|---|---|
 Star Wars Clone Wars opening screen |
|
| Genre | Serial |
| Creator(s) | Genndy Tartakovsky Henry Gilroy George Lucas (characters) |
| Starring | Mat Lucas (voice) James Arnold Taylor (voice) Tom Kane (voice) TC Carson (voice) Corey Burton (voice) Richard McGonagle (voice) John Di Maggio (voice) Anthony Daniels (voice) |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| No. of episodes | 25 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Claudia Katz George Lucas Rick McCallum Brian A. Miller Catherine Winder |
| Running time | Volume I - approx. 3 min. per episode Volume II - approx. 12 min. per episode Whole series - approx. 127 min. |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Cartoon Network |
| Original run | November 7, 2003 – March 25, 2005 |
| Links | |
| IMDb profile | |
Star Wars: Clone Wars is an American animated television series set in the Star Wars galaxy. The series chronicles the Clone Wars between the Galactic Republic under Chancellor Palpatine, and the Confederacy of Independent Systems (CIS) under Count Dooku.
Chronologically, the series takes place during the three-year time period between the films Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The original television series was produced by Cartoon Network Studios, aired 25 chapters from 2003 to 2005. A 3D CGI series also using the title Star Wars: Clone Wars will be set in the same time period and is expected to be produced by Lucasfilm Animation and debut in 2008.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Original series
The original series consists of 20 three-minute installments for Seasons 1 and 2 (later known as Volume 1), and five 12-to-15 minute installments for Season 3 (later called Volume 2). The 25 episodes are mostly comprised of energetic set-piece battles. Since much emphasis is placed on action, the story and plot is less developed than in the films. Despite this, it can be argued that the third season focused more on Anakin Skywalker's story.
The series follows the Jedi on their exploits fighting Dooku's separatist confederation. Many characters from the films are also featured prominently in the series, such as Anakin, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Mace Windu, Chancellor Palpatine, Count Dooku, General Grievous, C-3PO, R2-D2 and Padmé Amidala. Other episodes feature minor players from the films, such as Kit Fisto, Ki-Adi-Mundi, Shaak Ti and Aayla Secura.
[edit] Seasons
- Season One/DVD Volume One - This season features one major storyline surrounded by a series of many battles. Count Dooku auditions for a bounty hunter on the planet Rattatak by pitting them against each other in a battle arena. Asajj kills every one of the bounty hunters and is sent on a mission to assassinate Anakin Skywalker. She engages him in a space battle, through the streets of Muunilinst and eventually leading him into Yavin 4, where the two engage into a lightsaber duel, Anakin emerging victor, despite through means of rage and fear (feelings of a Dark Jedi. Apart from the main storyline, many battles ensue, including Mace Windu's fight on Dantooine, Obi-Wan fighting against bounty hunter Durge and the banking clan, Kit Fisto's battle against the Quarren on Mon Calamari, the adventures on Illum and the Battle of Hypori in which General Grevious makes his first appearance in Star Wars media.
- Season Two/DVD Volume Two - The second and last season of Star Wars: Clone Wars gives the audience a look at Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker's adventures in the Outer-Rim Terrortories as mentioned in [[Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith]]. Anakin's knighted into a Jedi Knight and Coruscant becomes under attack by the Confederacy of Independant Systems, as a diversion for General Grevious to sneak in and capture Chancellor Palpatine.
[edit] Cast (voice talent)
The Republic
- Mat Lucas .... Anakin Skywalker
- James Arnold Taylor .... Obi-Wan Kenobi
- Tom Kane .... Yoda
- TC Carson .... Mace Windu
- Daran Norris .... Ki-Adi-Mundi and Daakman Barrek
- Kevin Michael Richardson .... K'Kruhk
- Cree Summer .... Luminara Unduli
- Tatyana Yassukovich .... Barriss Offee
- Grey DeLisle .... Padmé Amidala and Shaak Ti
- André Sogliuzzo .... Captain Typho
- Nick Jameson .... Chancellor Palpatine
- Anthony Daniels .... C-3PO
The Confederacy of Independent Systems
- Corey Burton .... Count Dooku and San Hill
- John DiMaggio .... General Grievous (Chapter 20)
- Richard McGonagle .... General Grievous (Chapters 21-25)
- Grey DeLisle .... Asajj Ventress
- Daran Norris .... Durge
[edit] Crew
- George Lucas .... Characters, story, and executive producer
- Genndy Tartakovsky .... Director, character design, story, and producer
- Paul Rudish .... Co-art director and story
- Scott Wills ....Co-art director
- Bryan Andrews .... story
- Mark Andrews .... story
- Darrick Bachman .... story
- Claudia Katz .... executive producer
- Rick McCallum .... executive producer
- Brian A. Miller .... executive producer
- Jennifer Pelphrey .... supervising producer
- Geraldine Symon .... producer
- Shareena Carlson .... producer
[edit] Release
(November 7, 2003 - March 25, 2005)
The pilot series, produced primarily with traditional animation, originally ran on Cartoon Network. In addition to being shown on television, the episodes were released online simultaneously at the Star Wars and Cartoon Network websites. The series was heavily advertised by Cartoon Network, and was originally shown immediately before their popular Friday night lineup.
[edit] Production
The series was produced by Genndy Tartakovsky and employs a similar animation style to Tartakovsky's Samurai Jack and Dexter's Laboratory.
[edit] Awards and acclaim
The series won an Emmy award for "Outstanding Animated Program" in 2004. In 2005, it again won an Emmy award in the same category. The series received strongly positive critical reviews, some reviewers believing the show to be better than the first two prequels of the film series.
[edit] Discrepancies between the novel and series
The third season of the series shares its storyline with the novel Labyrinth of Evil. However, there are several differences between the series and the novel:
- In the series, a trio of Jedi Masters made up by the Togruta Shaak Ti, the Ithorian Roron Corobb and the Talz Foul Moudama attempt to rescue Palpatine; however, in the novel, several different Jedi, led by Shaak Ti and Stass Allie, attempt to rescue the Supreme Chancellor. In the novel, three more Jedi; a Talz, an Ithorian and a female Twi'lek, are killed when they follow General Grievous to his capital ship in an attempt to save Palpatine. It is unknown if the Talz and Ithorian were the same Jedi as in the cartoon.
- In the series, Mace Windu fights alongside Yoda against droids; however, in the novel, Windu fights on a train against Grievous.
- In the series, Anakin and Obi-Wan investigate a possible base for Grievous on frigid Nelvaan, and Anakin goes on a spiritual journey; however, in the novel, Anakin and Obi-Wan search for Darth Sidious. [This was explained by stating that their mission to Nelvaan actually happened before the novel, even before they attack Cato Nemoidia, which is their first mission in the novel. This is similar to how the episodes with Dooku meeting and training Asajj Ventress happen quite a while before Anakin and Kenobi's assault on Muunilist.]
- In the series, Anakin is depicted as being knighted very early on (while his hair is still short) as a response to a shortage of Jedi Knights, and believing that Anakin was long overdue for knighthood. This very directly conflicts with the novel Jedi Trial by David Sherman and Dan Cragg, in which Anakin, only a few months prior to Episode III, is sent on a mission to earn his knighthood.
[edit] Trivia
- Series producer Genndy Tartakovsky revealed in his Hyperspace commentary tracks on http://starwars.com and on the Volume I DVD that he purposely animated C-3PO with eyes that sort of move around to pay homage to the animators of and the animation style of Nelvana, the production company behind the animated segment from The Star Wars Holiday Special and the 1980s Star Wars cartoon series.
- If you go to the options menu and key in 11, 3, 8 (an homage to George Lucas' 1971 movie 'THX 1138') on your remote control, credits will play of everyone who worked on the DVD.
- Chapter 20 introduced General Grievous, and Chapter 25 explains why he wheezes when he talks--an attack by Mace Windu left him with lasting injury. The Grievous in Clone Wars is depicted as larger, far more aggressive and acrobatic than his movie counterpart. While the Grievous of the film is described as a coward and repeatedly flees until cornered, the Grievous of Clone Wars appears anything but, repeatedly taking on numerous Jedi singlehandedly. It is possible, however, that he hasn't yet recovered from the injuries Windu inflicted on him, and knows that he's not up to his full strength.
- The show has the unique position of being the only show released on the Internet to win an Emmy Award, due to the fact that it was released on TV and the Internet at the same time. On the Internet, it was released the same day episodes aired on http://starwars.com's Hyperspace section, which is for subscribers only, and was released the next day to Cartoon Network's website and http://starwars.com for non-Hyperspace members.
- It is hinted in Chapter 22 that the encounter of Anakin with Padmé, following the battles of that episode, was the time when Luke and Leia were conceived, and the DVD commentary by Paul Rudish also implies this.
- Homages to other science fiction shows include an original Battlestar Galactica Cylon Centurion hidden in a crowd on Coruscant. Also noticeable in this same scene is a "Woolie" from Tartakovky's series Samurai Jack.
- Durge's look was designed by the Skywalker Ranch art department, the same artists that developed the concepts that appear in the feature films.
- In Chapter 22 Obi-Wan and Anakin lead an assault on a city being used as an outpost for the Seperatist army. Anakin leads Obi-Wan through a secret passage to the city that goes through a sewer and Obi-Wan quips, "What an incredible smell you've discovered", which is identical to a line said by Han Solo to Leia in A New Hope during the scene in the garbage masher. This is only one of many references that are made to the original trilogy. Another is in episode 21, where C-3PO shows off his gold plating. An astonished Anakin remarks, "Impressive...most impressive...", a line he would later use as Vader in Empire Strikes Back. Another is in episode 11, while in pursuit of Asajj Ventress, Anakin upon locking her in target alludes to the Darth Vader "I have you now!" line.
- Jedi Master Kit Fisto's belt buckle is in the shape of two fish conjoined together like the Tao, a symbol of Chinese philosophy.
- The planet Nelvaan is yet another homage to the Canadian animation company Nelvana.
- In one scene, a computer screen shows schematics of parts of General Grievous.
- When Anakin and Obi-Wan are attacking the shield generator Obi-Wan says "There are alternatives to fighting." This same line was used by Obi-Wan in Episode 4-A New Hope.
[edit] DVD release
Volume I
- Chapters 1-20 of the series were released March 22, 2005, as "Star Wars Clone Wars: Volume I". The episodes were edited together into one continuous feature. The set featured English subtitles, and commentary tracks on all the episodes, as well as art galleries, behind the scenes information, and the featurette "Bridging the Saga: From Clone Wars to Revenge of the Sith",the Revenge of the sith teaser tailer: with interviews with George Lucas, Genndy Tartakovsky, and the Clone Wars production crew. The disc also featured a glimpse of Star Wars: Clone Wars - Volume Two, an Episode III game trailer, and a playable level of the Xbox game Star Wars: Republic Commando.
Volume II
- Chapters 21-25 of the micro-series were released on December 6, 2005. The release was an edited together compilation of the five chapters, similar to the Volume I release. The set featured English subtitles, and commentary tracks on all the episodes. Features included a Revenge of the Sith movie trailer, art galleries, trailers for the Star Wars games Battlefront II and Empire at War, an Xbox demo with two levels from Battlefront II, and the LEGO short film Revenge of the Brick. Also included was the featurette "Connecting the Dots", which highlighted the creative process that Genndy Tartakovsky and his team used to link Clone Wars to Revenge of the Sith.
- The second volume of Clone Wars series was released significantly later than the DVD release of Revenge of the Sith. According to Van Ling, the producer of both DVDs, the Volume II disc was released at such a late date due to an extremely tight schedule in producing the DVDs. According to http://starwars.com, both DVDs were produced at exactly the same time, but the Clone Wars DVD couldn't be finished in time for the DVD release of Revenge of the Sith. Ling apologized to fans for this.
[edit] 3-D CGI series
[edit] Video Game
Lucasarts announced they are working on portable video games based on the animated Clone Wars series. The systems it will appear on is unknown.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- The official Clone Wars site
- Star Wars: Clone Wars at the Internet Movie Database
- Clone Wars at the Big Cartoon DataBase
- The current episodes are available at the official Clone Wars site: [1]
- The official site's Clone Wars character databank
- An extensive fan-created timeline of events during the Clone Wars.
- Lucas on Star Wars TV Shows.
- Sansweet's Comic-Con presentation.
- The Unofficial Clone Wars Site's information from Comic-Con
- Cartoon Network's "Planetary Forces" game, based on the Clone Wars series
- Star Wars: Clone Wars at TV.com
- Steve Sansweet Talks About the Upcoming Star Wars TV Shows
- Official announcement at StarWars.com
- Three-Minute Epics: A Look at Star Wars: Clone Wars at StarWars.com
- Clone Wars Q & A at StarWars.com
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Categories: Articles lacking sources from February 2007 | All articles lacking sources | 2000s American television series | Hanna-Barbera and Cartoon Network Studios series and characters | Internet television series | Star Wars animated television series | American television miniseries | Star Wars spin-off films
