The Star Wars: The Clone Wars movie is one some fans choose to forget exists for various reasons. However, the film was instrumental in setting up the animated series of the same name.
From the introduction to fan favourites Ahsoka Tano and Captain Rex to seeing Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi’s relationship beginning to evolve into the brotherhood we see in Revenge of the Sith, The Clone Wars movie has everything a fan needs.
Brashness
Before Ahsoka’s arrival on Christophsis, Obi-Wan mentions getting a new padawan, with Anakin questioning whether it’s wise to have a student fighting in the Clone Wars.
Obi-Wan, knowing full well what’s about to happen, says that perhaps his former student should take on a student of his own and that it is a privilege to train the next generation of Jedi.
Anakin’s brashness kicks in, and he says a padawan would show him down. This is the same sentiment he has in the Attack of the Clones, where he believes he’s being overlooked for promotion. In this instance, he believes he is above being a teacher.
Fears And Realisations
Ahsoka’s first mission with Anakin isn’t without its challenges. Above all else, she fears he’ll send her back to Coruscant if she fails the first time. However, Skywalker makes his own discovery; he now understands what Obi-Wan went through with him.
All throughout the mission to return Rotta to Jabba, we see a shift in Anakin’s behaviour from being his usual brash self to being responsible to the point of overprotectiveness. Dooku exploits this when the two face off for the first time since Geonosis. He says that his minions will take Ahsoka out.
Anakin forfeits the fight to go and save Ahsoka from the MagnaGuards. He even goes so far as to threaten Jabba when his student fails to show up with Rotta. This also occurs a lot during the series, especially during the finale of Season 5.
Moreover, the Clone Wars movie shows how much Anakin comes to enjoy teaching Ahsoka and how his attachment to her is one of many that push him to the dark side.
Attachment Overhaul
Speaking of attachments, Anakin’s bond with Ahsoka is bought up a lot in the series.
Ahsoka and Anakin become very close, and when she does something she likes, losing her lightsaber, she has to lie to him to avoid getting a lecture from him, despite his own habit of doing the same thing. It also becomes apparent when he puts her in charge of protecting Padmé, and when he gets wind of Aurra Sing’s attempt on his wife’s life, he rushes back to Coruscant to see if everything is alright.
This ties back to Anakin abandoning his fight with Dooku in the Clone Wars movie to save his student from certain death.
Banter
The Clone Wars movie does a great job setting up the banter between Anakin, Ahsoka, and Obi-Wan. Fans will already know about Anakin and Obi-Wan’s habit of trading humourous blows. However, seeing the three of them going at it shows that there is a lot of respect that carries over to the show.
