Battle Of The Series Finales: 'The Clone Wars' Vs 'Rebels'
When it comes to Star Wars TV shows, some fans discuss back and forth about which one they believe is better. And there are many factors to consider in these discussions. But rather than compare entire shows, I am going to keep things relatively more simple for this article by comparing their series finale episodes. In this case, this comparison will be between The Clone Wars and Rebels series finales.
First off, we do need context for each series run. The Clone Wars, an anthology series consisting of arcs about various characters taking place between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, originally began with a theatrical film in 2008 and then ran as a series on Cartoon Network until 2013. Some fans were skeptical at first, particularly about Anakin Skywalker's previously nonexistent apprentice Ahsoka Tano and the 3D animation style. By the time of its first cancellation, however, it had its loyal fans. The season 5 finale ended with Ahsoka walking away from the Jedi Order, pretty much answering what happened to her and why she's not in Revenge of the Sith.
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In 2014, a sixth season was released on Netflix as The Lost Missions, ending with a Yoda arc that ties into elements of Revenge of the Sith. Again, a somewhat fitting finale, but fans wanted more, especially after later hearing talk of what was originally intended afterward regarding Ahsoka. Eventually, fans got season 7 on Disney+ in 2020, ending the series with the Siege of Mandalore arc featuring Ahsoka, Rex, and Maul during the events of Revenge of the Sith.
During the gap between seasons, Star Wars Rebels aired on Disney XD. Set in the years leading up to the original trilogy era, it featured a consistent cast of characters throughout its four-season run from 2014 to 2018. Adventures here and there felt episodic, but the impact could still remain with the characters. And there were definitely episodes that flowed into each other continuity-wise. It felt intimate in how it focused on the Ghost crew, consisting of Ezra Bridger, Kanan Jarrus, Hera Syndulla, Sabine Wren, Zeb, and Chopper. Along the way, they meet many allies, including familiar characters like Rex, Ahsoka, and Hondo Ohnaka. Its final airdate was March 5, 2018, which saw the release of the episodes "A Fools' Hope" and "Family Reunion and Farewell." Despite being separate episodes (the latter being double the length of the former), these are all one story, clocking in around 70 minutes.
The final airdate for The Clone Wars was May 4, 2020, with the episode "Victory and Death." However, the episodes in the weeks leading up to it ("Old Friends Not Forgotten," "The Phantom Apprentice," and "Shattered") are all part of the same arc as the final episode, and they are all edited as if they are part of one 90-minute animated movie divided into four chapters. So it would be more fair to stack the entire Siege of Mandalore arc against the last two episodes of Rebels.
I won't include the two Rebels episodes that aired the week before the finale ("Wolves and a Door" and "A World Between Worlds") since they feel like their own story that, while somewhat related to what happens next, does not segue into the final event. It does not feel as continuous watching what happens in these and then what happens in the final two episodes. But my own personal opinion is that "A World Between Worlds" is one of the worst pieces of Star Wars storytelling out there, as it feels like trading Kanan for Ahsoka in a way and makes Ahsoka seem invincible across time and space. I understand that this was planned as far back as the season 2 finale, as people could see Ahsoka walking back into the Sith temple, but it's not a plan I agree with. Also, time travel. But that's neither here nor there as I continue the finale comparison.
The final arc of The Clone Wars got a lot of high praise from fans. It is well-paced and suspenseful. Ahsoka gets to have her last interaction with Anakin and Obi-Wan before the Battle of Coruscant and engages in a duel against Maul that, while flashy, still has the weight of compelling words to it. After Maul is captured, we witness Rex and the rest of the clones attempt to kill Ahsoka as part of Order 66. We get a payoff to Fives' investigation that unfortunately results in his death, as Ahsoka, with the help of astromech droids, finds the answer to what's causing Order 66, while Maul has been unleashed to cause a diversion.
After she heals Rex and he snaps out of it, the two of them try to escape the Star Destroyer, now on course to crash thanks to Maul's chaos. This is all Ahsoka's doing, and she attempts to prevent him from escaping, but ultimately chooses to focus on helping Rex. We get the tragic deaths of the astromechs at the hands of the emotionless zombie clones. It's a fast-paced finale in which a viewer who has not watched Rebels might be even more on edge not knowing whether Rex or Ahsoka survive. At the end of the day, the clones aboard the Star Destroyer die, leaving Ahsoka and Rex to bury them before parting ways, in a moment full of solemn music. And we get a flash forward to a time when Vader and stormtroopers investigate the crash site, and Vader, without words, examines Ahsoka's lightsaber. It truly is the end of an era.
The Rebels finale is not quite as sad. In fact, it is very cathartic seeing all of Ezra's friends and allies come together to help him liberate his homeworld of Lothal. Hondo Ohnaka, as scummy of a pirate as he can be, says, "For that boy, there is nothing I wouldn't do." We see how much Ezra has grown as he commands wolves with his mastery of the Force. Rebels, clone troopers, and people of the underworld come together to combat the forces of Grand Admiral Thrawn, who has been a formidable foe in the latter half of the series. Eventually, he captures Ezra, and brings him to a hologram of Emperor Palpatine, who tempts Ezra with the possibility of going back in time to be with his parents when they were still alive. Like Ahsoka, Ezra has to make a choice. Ultimately, without actually meeting with his parents, he says goodbye to them, and seals the passage to this portal, causing the Emperor's image to chillingly change from his "more human" appearance to his Sith Lord appearance.
Ezra eventually ends up on the bridge of Thrawn's flagship the Chimera. Things do not look so good for him, but then we get the arrival of the purrgil ("space whales"), who appeared in an episode from season 2 that many considered "filler." This fulfills the foreshadowing in the Bendu's words about Thrawn's defeat involving him being surrounded by many arms. Ezra says goodbye to the Ghost crew, his family throughout the series, and leaves the rest up to them as the purrgil take the Chimera into hyperspace, taking Thrawn off of the board so that there is a chance for the heroes to win. And they do. Lothal is liberated from the Empire, and years later, in a satisfying epilogue providing updates for each of the different characters, Sabine Wren takes off with Ahsoka Tano to go look for Ezra Bridger.
With the Rebels finale, it really feels like everything comes together. Important characters from across the series take part in an event involving the liberation of a world central to the very core of the main character. In The Clone Wars, the finale is more focused on a few characters key to various arcs across the anthology series. It does not feel like a culmination of every single thread in that series, but it still closes the era very well. However, it relies on knowledge of what is going on in Revenge of the Sith. In a vacuum, it may feel odd that Anakin and Obi-Wan, and even Padme, all characters who have been very prominent throughout The Clone Wars, are absent for either most or all of this final arc. It feels like the final arc is not complete without watching the last installment of the prequel trilogy.
The Rebels finale stands well on its own. It does not rely on people knowing what happens in a film running at the same time. I used to hope that it would take place during the Battle of Scarif seen in Rogue One, but in hindsight, I understand that the battle in the finale had to be a story more personal for the characters. Ultimately, even if it's an unpopular opinion, I would say that the better finale is the more hopeful and cathartic Rebels finale. It feels more akin to Avengers: Endgame in how it has payoff after payoff that would make viewers cheer for the heroes they have come to love.
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