The Clone Wars improved the prequels, can The Mandalorian do the same for the sequels? – Dork Side of the Force

Today, theStar Wars prequels are broadly appreciated amongst the fanbase, but its easy to forget that this was not always the case. When they were released, many took issue with the emphasis on worldbuilding as opposed to storytelling and the plot holes that occurred as a result. Since then, the prequels have steadily grown in popularity and I believe this is in large part due to the success ofStar Wars: The Clone Wars. The show provides important context and character development that makes the prequels even more emotional.

In TheRevenge of the Sith, we see Anakin Skywalkers tensions with the Jedi High Council reach a boiling point when he is asked to spy on Chancellor Palpatine. However, we never get a chance to really see any other conflict between the Jedi leadership and the hotheaded Chosen One.

InThe Clone Wars, we see Anakin clash with the Council time and time again. He is never truly recognized as a leader and tactician in his own right, always forced to defer to Master Obi-Wan Kenobi.Anakin often feels he could better accomplish his objectives and save lives, if only he were able allowed a little responsibility.

DuringThe Clone Wars season 4, Obi-Wan Kenobi actually fakes his own death in order to infiltrate a cadre of bounty hunters working with Count Dooku to kidnap Chancellor Palpatine. Upon hearing of his mentors death, Anakin is distraught. When he finally uncovers the truth about Obi-Wans whereabouts, he is understandably furious that the council and his own master would lie to him. This pivotal story arc laid bare the councils mistrust in Anakin that leads to the events ofThe Revenge of the Sith.

By far, the biggest conflict between Anakin and the council is in season 5s epic final episodes, in which we see Anakins padawan Ahsoka Tanoframed for a terrorist attack on the Jedi Temple. Ahsoka goes on the run and eventually, fellow Padawan Barriss Offee is revealed to be the culprit, clearing Ahsokas name. However, Ahsoka still leaves the Jedi Order, citing a lack of trust in the Council and the Orders goals.

ThroughoutThe Clone Wars, Ahsoka and Anakin grow extremely close. Witnessing this mistreatment of someone so meaningful to him would damage Anakins own relationship with his superiors, and makes his eventual betrayal of the Jedi Order far more believable.

The Clone Wars has time to dive deeper into how the Jedi Council failed Anakin, and TheRevenge of the Sithis all the better for it.

Prior to Fives revelation of the inhibitor chips inThe Clone Wars season 6, fans had a lot of questions regarding just how the soldiers could turn against their leaders on a dime, without any dissent whatsoever.

After seeing the relationships many clones had with their Jedi generals throughout the show, an explanation for the events ofThe Revenge of the Sithwas necessary.

AlthoughThe Bad Batch has recently raised questions regarding just how effective the chips are, they still make Order 66 more realistic and tragic. Seeing that these men had no control over their actions erases any blame for the Jedi purge from the clones, leaving us with only sympathy for them.

At the end ofAttack of the Clones, we see Anakin and Padme Amidalaclandestinely but happily married. In the opening sequence ofRevenge of the Sith, they are a loving couple expecting children. With only this context, Anakins actions on Mustafar resulting in Padmes death seem unrealistic, even with his recent switch to the Dark Side.

The Clone Wars improves this plot point greatly as we see Padme working with dubious ally and former romantic partner Rush Clovis.Throughout several story arcs, Rush makes advances on Padme, much to Anakins chagrin. At one point, Anakin almost physically assaults Clovis before Padme steps in.

This tension between Anakin and Padme contextualizes the emotional scene on Mustafar and casts doubt on their seemingly idyllic marriage.

Similar to the prequels, the sequel trilogy has been a point of contention for many Star Wars fans. Poor character development and plot holes are once again a sticking point for contemporary viewers. However, I believe that shows likeThe Mandalorian have the potential to remedy many of these ills and elevate the sequel trilogy significantly.

The Mandalorianhas already hinted at several key plot points from the sequels. Seeing Carson Teva, Cara Dune and other New Republic fighters, along with the Imperial remnants led byMoff Gideon, could lead into a full-fledged explanation as to how the First Order amassed so much power right under the New Republics noses.

The Empires interest in Grogu, presumably for cloning purposes, could explain how the Sith cultists on Exegol under Emperor Palpatine were able to create Snoke. The cloned monstrosities in season 2 episode 4 of the show further hint that well get to see Snokes origins inThe Mandalorian or a future show.

Finally, Luke Skywalkers groundbreaking appearance in the season 2 finale holds potential to fix one of the biggest grievances fans had with the sequel trilogy what happened to Luke? How did the powerful and wise Jedi Master become a decrepit hermit on the edges of the galaxy? The fact that Grogu is with Luke and will presumably become a member of his Jedi Order opens the door to a multitude of stories that could make this fall more believable and tragic.

One of the most highly anticipated upcoming Star Wars projects is theAhsoka show, starring Rosario Dawson. We already know fromThe Mandalorian season 2 that Ahsoka Tano is searching for Grand Admiral Thrawn and most likely Ezra Bridger. Both of these characters could conceivably impact the events of the sequels Thrawn would be a powerful ally for the Imperial remnants and/or burgeoning First Order, while a grown Ezra might assist with Lukes Jedi Temple.

Additionally, The Book of Boba Fett and future seasons of The Mandalorian will all take place leading up to the sequels. We could see a detailed look at the galaxys criminal underworld post-Imperial rule, the fate of Mandalore after Din Djarin claimed the Darksaber, or a broader look at galactic affairs as a backdrop to these individual stories. Any content within this era has the potential to contextualize and add depth to the sequel trilogy films, and given Dave Filoni and John Favreaus track record, I think we have a lot to look forward to.

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The Clone Wars improved the prequels, can The Mandalorian do the same for the sequels? - Dork Side of the Force