Star Wars Discussion Thread v. Rise of Skywalker / Mandalorian (merged)

[gmillerdrake]

Final 'Ahsoka' trailer.....it's no wonder Filoni confirmed this show is just a continuation of 'Rebels'.   This looks like it's going to be amazing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_1EXWNETiI

[gmillerdrake]

Saw this online. Looks like a good cheat sheet for episodes of the animated shows to watch before watching Ahsoka. I'd still recommend watching ALL of 'Rebels'.....I know TCW's is a chore due to sheer number of episodes so maybe this list will help on that.

[lordxizor]

I'm watching through Disney+'s suggested list of Clone Wars episodes with my son, which from memory may match those exactly. Then we're going to watch all of Rebels. Hadn't thought of those Tales of the Jedi episodes, but they're short so we should be able to squeeze them in.

[gmillerdrake]

I'm watching through Disney+'s suggested list of Clone Wars episodes with my son, which from memory may match those exactly. Then we're going to watch all of Rebels. Hadn't thought of those Tales of the Jedi episodes, but they're short so we should be able to squeeze them in.

yeah.....they're short and pretty good, particularly the 'Ahsoka' centric ones. I liked the majority of the other episodes but in particular there is an episode with Ankain training Ahsoka that illustrates perfectly how she was able to escape order 66. It was cool to have that info.

[ProfessorPeart]

Sigh, I was afraid of this. I slacked off and I really don't want to watch Ahsoka without all the backstory. I was watching Clone Wars as it aired back in the day. I watched the finale of S05 when it aired and was pissed shortly after when Disney canned it. I didn't watch The Lost Episodes, even though I have it on Blu-ray, and never bothered with S07. I avoided Rebels because it was on Disney XD and it looked like a kiddie show. Guess I was wrong.

What I might do it watch the Tales stuff, the Siege of Mandalore and then try and power through Rebels as fast as I can. Of course, I haven't seen Clone Wars since forever so I remember very little outside how it ended.

[Orbert]

I'm even worse off than that.  I watched all the Tales of the Jedi, but otherwise haven't seen more than a few minutes of any of the animated stuff.  At first because I already had more stuff to watch than I had time for, and eventually there just became so much of it that even starting into it seemed daunting.  That list helps narrow things down a lot, but I'm still not sure if I'll do it.

What Filoni and company did really well with The Mandalorian and Boba Fett is not require knowledge of anything beyond what we've seen so far in the given series, but anything else that fans recognize from other series, movies, etc. is a nice bonus.  I'm thinking I'll just go that route with Ahsoka.  I'm sure it'll be good, and I'm trusting them to put together a story that holds water without me having to know the backstory of every guest character.

[gmillerdrake]

He’s said that the story will still be able to be told and understood if you haven’t watched any of the animated stuff. But…..if you have…..then it’s just going to enhance the experience

Rebels is an easy one to jam through because it has great pace and there’s never really a slow down. And, it’s just a really cool story.

[Grappler]

He’s said that the story will still be able to be told and understood if you haven’t watched any of the animated stuff. But…..if you have…..then it’s just going to enhance the experience

Rebels is an easy one to jam through because it has great pace and there’s never really a slow down. And, it’s just a really cool story.

I would agree with this.  Clone Wars bored the shit out of me and there's a ton of episodes to get through, so I skipped it.   Rebels had two shorter seasons and two regular length seasons.  The episodes were 30 minutes and I could watch a handful at a time.  In those 30 minutes, there was a lot of story and a TON of action and tense, exciting moments....which I didn't expect from an animated series.

A bunch of the Rebels characters will be in Ahsoka, so if you were going to watch one of the animated series, that's the one. 

[ProfessorPeart]

I started tonight. Watched the first 5 Tales episodes and then I actually went back to the last 4 episodes of Season 05 to start with Ahsoka being framed for murder and getting booted from the Order (which is where I stopped back when it aired). Then I just decided to keep going. Already a few into S06. Probably power through most of it this weekend before moving on to Rebels.

I'll probably jump into Bad Batch at some point as well but won't until after I get through Rebels.

[HOF]

I'm only mildly interested in Ashoka, though I imagine we'll try it. Don't have any interest in exploring the animated series. I find myself really annoyed by the head tentacle design of Ashoka's species. It doesn't translate well to live action (looks like a foam prosthetic with creases and everything) and doesn't really make any sense anatomically. 

[ProfessorPeart]

Wow! Just finished Clone Wars. The Siege of Mandalore 4 episode finale was just epic. Very glad I watched that either way because it was so good. Will be moving onto Rebels next week.

[gmillerdrake]

Wow! Just finished Clone Wars. The Siege of Mandalore 4 episode finale was just epic. Very glad I watched that either way because it was so good. Will be moving onto Rebels next week.

I’ve said it a hundred times in this thread……those final four episodes of TCW’s is some of…..if not….the best SW’s content made. So freaking good. The score is perfect as well…..sets the atmosphere and just ties the whole thing together.

[ProfessorPeart]

Not to mention the completely different way they handled the opening of the shows. The kind of classic Lucasfilm credit, the blood red titles, no narrator, the ominous music. They really gave the sense that these episodes would be very different.

I do have 1 issue with the order posted. I would have put episode 5 of Tales after Clone Wars. They tipped off a huge part of the final episode of Clone Wars at the end of that Tales episode.

[ProfessorPeart]

I'm through Ep 5 of S02 of Rebels. S01 was a tad slow with building the characters and such but it has picked up immensely now. Still not a huge fan of the character animation. I mean, some of what would be CGI looks like a live-action show and then you get these animated characters that do not look as good as the Clone Wars did.

Just saw an interview with Rosario Dawson where she says seeing Rebels is essential to her Ahsoka show and I am starting to see why since Ahsoka has now popped up in Rebels.

[gmillerdrake]

I'm through Ep 5 of S02 of Rebels. S01 was a tad slow with building the characters and such but it has picked up immensely now. Still not a huge fan of the character animation. I mean, some of what would be CGI looks like a live-action show and then you get these animated characters that do not look as good as the Clone Wars did.

Just saw an interview with Rosario Dawson where she says seeing Rebels is essential to her Ahsoka show and I am starting to see why since Ahsoka has now popped up in Rebels.

I read somewhere a while ago that they intentionally implemented a different animation style just to differentiate Rebels from TCW's. You eventually get used to it but it is quite different. And keep in mind....those last four episodes of Clone Wars were created in 2019/2020 after Rebels. Rebels ended in 2018. I utterly LOVE that animation style of S7 of TCW's, especially the last four episodes. But I completely get your point. 

And yes, Filoni has confirmed that the Ahsoka series is essentially Rebels Season 5.

[hefdaddy42]

I for one am not watching all of those animated episodes.  There is a reason I've never watched them before, and Disney won't market me into watching them now.

I am looking forward to Ahsoka, but if I watch it and can't understand any of it because I haven't seen the animated stuff, that's shitty writing and poor production on Disney's part. 

[gmillerdrake]

It's my understanding that being familiar with 'Rebels' will only enhance the Ahsoka show experience. Filoni has said it is still a story that doesn't require previous knowledge of the animated shows.

[Dream Team]

I’ve kinda stalled on Andor, 6 episodes left. Hoping to be blown away considering the hype.

[YtseJam]

Blown away? You have high expectations for today's standards.

[Cool Chris]

I for one am not watching all of those animated episodes.  There is a reason I've never watched them before, and Disney won't market me into watching them now.

What's the reason?

[ProfessorPeart]

Wondering that as well. Clone Wars is just a fantastic show. I'm about halfway into S03 of Rebels now and it is excellent as well. Going to jump into Bad Batch when I finish Rebels as I loved them in the Clone Wars episodes they were in.

[ProfessorPeart]

Finished Rebels tonight. Got pretty dark towards the end there. I then went and watched the two Ahsoka trailers again and, yeah, totally season 5 of Rebels. Even saw a live action recreation of a scene from the finale. Very cool that they got the voice actor for Thrawn to play him. Even Chopper is there.

I think my enjoyment of Ahsoka will be extremely heightened with knowing all of the back story now.

[jingle.boy]

I'm slowly getting there.  I've got the final 4 episodes of TCW to watch, then really gonna try and pound out all of Rebels before the 23rd.  I probably won't make it though.

[lordxizor]

I'm slowly getting there.  I've got the final 4 episodes of TCW to watch, then really gonna try and pound out all of Rebels before the 23rd.  I probably won't make it though.

I'm in the same boat. Definitely not going to make it through all of Rebels. I'll just hit the Ahsoka highlights.

[jingle.boy]

I'm slowly getting there.  I've got the final 4 episodes of TCW to watch, then really gonna try and pound out all of Rebels before the 23rd.  I probably won't make it though.

I'm in the same boat. Definitely not going to make it through all of Rebels. I'll just hit the Ahsoka highlights.

I finished those 4 Eps just now.  Pretty fucking great stuff.

As for Rebels... they all look like their 20 mins each (assuming 4 minutes of credits).  75 episodes.  25 hours of watch time.  I think I can swing it ... though, I'm sure I'll get some grief from mrs.jingle.  Might not be able to start Ashoka right on release day, but maybe on the weekend after it drops.

Unless I pull a 'Gary', and binge until 2am every night 

[gmillerdrake]

As for Rebels... they all look like their 20 mins each (assuming 4 minutes of credits).  75 episodes.  25 hours of watch time.  I think I can swing it ... though, I'm sure I'll get some grief from mrs.jingle.  Might not be able to start Ashoka right on release day, but maybe on the weekend after it drops.

Unless I pull a 'Gary', and binge until 2am every night

You can do it!!

I finished those 4 Eps just now.  Pretty fucking great stuff.

FYI.....that Ahsoka vs Darth Maul fight was filmed live with live action actors and then transferred into animation. Pretty killer scene!

https://youtu.be/7mpZ_rtcUIE


What I loved about the fight itself was that she was tasked with bringing Maul in alive......Maul tells her before they started fighting that the whole things was set up to get Anakin to show up.....and then, shortly into their fight she tells Maul he's lucky Anakin wasn't there. Meaning, she had already had a chance to kill him at that point and passed on it but knew Anakin wouldn't have. And then of course she accomplishes her task...capturing him alive.

[jingle.boy]

Yeah, I remember seeing some of those bits about that duel.

[hefdaddy42]

I for one am not watching all of those animated episodes.  There is a reason I've never watched them before, and Disney won't market me into watching them now.

What's the reason?

I am not fond of animated shows.

[Cool Chris]

I for one am not watching all of those animated episodes.  There is a reason I've never watched them before, and Disney won't market me into watching them now.

What's the reason?

I am not fond of animated shows.

This was one of my reasons for not getting in to them from the start, especially the art style. But also, when it came down to it, at that point in my life I didn't have a desire for any more Star Wars material. For me, SW began with the release of Ep4 and ended with the release of Ep3. I didn't read any novels, or care about the Extended Universe or whatever it was called. My SW plate was full, and I was happy.

[ProfessorPeart]

Finished the first season of Bad Batch or Clone Wars season 8 as it sort of seems. Loved how the series started with the blood red Clone Wars opening that from those fantastic final episodes and then changed into the Bad Batch logo. Also loved that they had the narrator open that first episode for continuity's sake. Very cool seeing all the tie ins from Clone Wars and Rebels and the actual movies. I loved that the baby Rancor ended up being Jaba's Rancor origin story.

Just got into season 2 and I know there is a third and final one coming. Loving this show.

[Orbert]

I'm gonna try to watch some Clone Wars and Rebels episodes before watching Ahsoka.  I've got the list, and Mrs. Orbert joined me today as I re-watched the Tales of the Jedi episodes with Ahsoka.  I'd previously watched all six, but it was still a good refresher.  Hopefully she'll join me for some of the other stuff.

[Orbert]

Okay, so we sat and watched TCW Season 1, Ep 19.  I guess I was expecting some kind of introduction to the character (since it seems like that would be the logical thing to watch first) but instead we were dropped into the middle of a mission and some obvious conflict and some stuff happened that I guess I'm supposed to remember and mentally reference later.  Next up is a similarly "random" episode from Season 2.  Not really random, obviously, since there's a reason why that particular episode was chosen, but I'm not sure about how much this is going to help.

[gmillerdrake]

Okay, so we sat and watched TCW Season 1, Ep 19.  I guess I was expecting some kind of introduction to the character (since it seems like that would be the logical thing to watch first) but instead we were dropped into the middle of a mission and some obvious conflict and some stuff happened that I guess I'm supposed to remember and mentally reference later.  Next up is a similarly "random" episode from Season 2.  Not really random, obviously, since there's a reason why that particular episode was chosen, but I'm not sure about how much this is going to help.

Which 'guide' were/are you using? Ahsoka is introduced I believe in TCW movie and the first few episodes of the series. I think most of those suggested guides on episodes to watch not only tie into her character...but overarching storylines/characters that may appear in her show.

[Orbert]

This one, posted upthread:



I'd forgotten about the Clone Wars movie.  It makes sense that that's where her character originates.

[HOF]

This one, posted upthread:



I'd forgotten about the Clone Wars movie.  It makes sense that that's where her character originates.

What is this, homework? Nah, I’m going into it cold with no knowledge beside the previous appearances in Mandalorian and the Wookiepedia entry I read about the things on her head.