Which Jedi in Clone Wars is your favorite?
What's not to love about Star Wars: The Clone Wars? The animated series opened up a whole new side of the Star Wars universe and it is even being kept alive today, thanks to the show's continuation on Disney+ and the upcoming Ahsoka live-action series. So as we celebrate Star Wars Day (May the 4th be with you), we're looking back on the iconic animated series--and specifically its Jedi knights. Though the original Star Wars trilogy barely showed us any Jedi knights thanks to their kind being nearly extinct, the prequels gave us a thriving order with knights spread across the galaxy--that is, until their demise at the hands of the clones and the Sith. Star Wars: The Clone Wars did many things right, making us care about the titular clones that fought in the front lines by giving them personalities, deepening our knowledge of the Force by expanding the mythology and adding mystery to it, and making us care about the Jedi and understand that their Order was corrupt and their hubris was always leading to their destruction. You can watch all of The Clone Wars--and the just as good, if not better Rebels--on Disney+ right now. If you're looking for even more Star Wars goodness to celebrate May 4, don't worry. Whether you want to know more about the in-universe food, rarities you can watch on this space holiday, or even need to get caught up on all of the Star Wars stuff happening in Fortnite right now, GameSpot has you covered. Oh yeah, we also went ahead and ranked every Star Wars movie and TV show.
10. Adi Gallia
The Jedi had plenty of great warriors among their ranks, but during the war being skilled with a lightsaber proved insufficient, as other threats started pouring down on the Jedi Council. A skillful negotiator as well as a fighter, Adi Gallia proved very useful in rescue operations when her fellow Jedi got captured in battle, volunteering to rescue Eeth Koth when captured by Grievous, as well as being part of the team that rescued Anakin and Obi-Wan when they infiltrated the Citadel prison. Gallia came face to face with General Grievous twice, holding her own, and she had one of the most gruesome and coolest deaths of any Jedi, as Savage Opress gored her with his cranial horns during combat before stabbing her with his saberstaff.
9. Even Piell
In the years leading up to the introduction of Baby Yoda to the world, many believed Master Even Piell to also be a distant cousin of Master Yoda, as he was seen as part of the Jedi Council in The Phantom Menace and at the victory celebration in Naboo. Of course, we now know for sure that he isn’t, as there is no way Piell was even half as cute as Baby Yoda when he was younger. Instead, Piell was one of the gruffiest Jedi to serve on the Council, thanks in part to the very tough-looking scar that covers his left eye, and his very thick Russian-like accent. Sadly, Piell has a short appearance on The Clone Wars, appearing in only one episode before being savagely mauled to death by hounds, which is kind of appropriate for this badass Jedi. Before he died, we did get to see him in action, and Piell’s skills with a lightsaber are miles better than Yoda’s, since he’s not just jumping around.
8. Pong Krell
When we meet Pong Krell in The Clone Wars, he already has a reputation for having achieved many victories during the war and for being a skilled tactician. He is an intimidating presence that brings a Colonel Kurtz-type personality to The Clone Wars. In terms of military service during the war, few Jedi come even close to matching Krell’s success in battle. Sure, General Krell, unlike Anakin or Obi-Wan, doesn’t really care about his troops and does whatever it takes to win the fight, with more brutal consequences. As we discover in the show, Krell’s success rate comes with high casualties, and a bit of a turn to the Dark Side or two, causing a massacre on his own troops. But also, the guy has four arms and wields two double-bladed lightsabers! He is like two Darth Mauls in one, capable of fighting against dozens of troopers without breaking a sweat! Even if he’s a bit of a sociopath, Krell is a terrifying yet also kind of an inspiring general at a time that required drastic measures from everyone involved. But he also has one of the most visually stunning fighting styles. After all, he has four arms and wields two double-bladed lightsabers!
7. Plo Koon
As wise as Yoda, as skilled as Windu, as approachable as Obi-Wan, and even more level-headed, Plo Koon quickly became a mentor and paternal figure to many young Jedi, even if his mask gives off the impression that he is a criminal mastermind plotting to destroy the entire Order. Plo Koon was the one to discover Ahsoka Tano was Force-sensitive, so his contributions to the franchise are bigger than most other Jedi. Though Koon is as good a warrior as any Jedi, he’s more calm and prone to thought over action.
6. Quinlan Vos
Though Master Quinlan Vos only appeared in a single episode of The Clone Wars, he made a big impression in a short time. Based on the design of a background character in The Phantom Menace and then developed in the Star Wars: Republic comics, George Lucas liked him so much he added Vos to The Clone Wars, and there was an entire storyline devoted to the character that sadly never made it to the screen before the series was originally cancelled. Quinlan Vos is a tough guy who plays by his own rules yet is also very laid-back and could be a fun guy to have at a party. He also has the unique ability to use the force to sense the past of certain objects, making him a skilled tracker (this is the same ability seen in Jedi: Fallen Order). He also harbors a great anger, and even flirted with the dark side in the unfinished episodes, which makes you wonder if he and Anakin would get along after finding common ground, or maybe they’d just fight.
5. Tera Sinube
When you think of a Jedi, you probably think of lightsaber-wielding warriors who fought first and asked questions later. After all, the lightsaber has become synonymous with the word Jedi. But The Clone Wars gave us one Jedi who was as badass as Yoda or Obi-Wan, and who didn’t use a lightsaber for more than a couple of seconds, and also didn’t even serve in combat. We refer, of course, to Master Tera Sinube. Less Yoda and more like Master Oogway in Kung Fu Panda mixed with the look of an urRu from The Dark Crystal (stick with me here), Master Sinube worked as an investigator for the Jedi Order because of his deep knowledge of the criminal underworld. It isn’t hard to imagine Master Sinube as a hard-boiled detective back in his prime. He helped Ahsoka find the person who stole her lightsaber, and when the situation asked for it, he still managed to hold his own against an attacker by using his lightsaber--which doubles as a cane! That alone makes him one of the more unique Jedi out there.
4. Shaak Ti
One of the most powerful Jedi to ever live, Shaak Ti is sadly best known for her many, many deaths (the character died in several spin-offs of the franchise, but because her scenes were usually cut, writers would simply kill her in a different way next time). In the Expanded Universe, Shaak Ti is extremely proficient with the lightsaber, mastering all fighting forms, and has a very strong connection with the Force. When we meet her in The Clone Wars, she is a General in charge of overseeing the creation and training of the Clone Army of the Republic, she is calm but firm, being instrumental in Domino Squad (AKA the best clones in the franchise) finishing their training and graduating. She also came very close to finding the truth about the secret chips inside clone troopers’ brains, but like everyone else, she was deceived by Palpatine.
3. Kit Fisto
There is no single Jedi that can beat Kit Fisto in coolness. From the moment he was introduced in Attack of the Clones during the battle of Geonosis as he was having the time of his life destroying battle droids left and right with a huge smirk, Kit Fisto became a favorite among fans, especially once Clone Wars aired this episode that showed the Jedi Master in action in a scenario we hadn’t seen before in the francise, underwater lightsaber fights. Fisto was not only like if Aquaman was a Jedi, but was regarded as one of the best duelists in the Jedi Order alongside Mace Windu, and the only one to always bring a killer smile to the battlefront. He was one of the very few Jedi to have not only survived, but even beat Grievous in a fight. Making Fisto even cooler and funnier is the fact that voice actor Phil LaMarr based his voice on 7Up mascot Fido Dido.
2. Anakin Skywalker
One of the greatest feats the Clone Wars ever achieved was making audiences like Anakin Skywalker, after the damage the prequels did to his image. Where Anakin’s story in the movies was that of a cocky, creepy kid who quickly fell to the dark side, The Clone Wars gave us a true tragic figure you could root for all while understanding why he would be seduced by the dark side. Anakin in the show is exceptionally powerful, showing his tremendous skills in battle over and over, and he cares deeply about those he loves, putting the lives of his men and of innocents before his own. But he also harbors great anger and darkness. The Clone Wars showed us over and over why the Jedi Order was not the paramount of morality we (and Anakin) were led to believe, adding to his frustrations with the system, which in addition with his own anger issues made his fall from grace inevitable and tragic. Where most Jedi in the show pretty much stay the same throughout, Anakin (and Ahsoka) are the ones to truly have character arcs, as they grow and evolve throughout the show.
1. Ahsoka Tano
Was there any doubt that Ahsoka Tano would be number 1? Who would have imagined that The Clone Wars could give us a character we knew obviously couldn’t be a part of the main cast by the end, due to her not being in the prequel movies, have her start out as a character as annoying as Anakin, and see her grow into a true Star Wars icon? Even more so than Anakin, The Clone Wars was really the story of Ahsoka. She grew from a peppy padawan full of ideals and over-confidence, into a battle-worn warrior who was as disillusioned with the institutions in power as her master. Her relationship with Anakin became as iconic as that between Luke, Han and Leia, and her decision to leave the Jedi Order after seeing how flawed it was and wanting to carve out a destiny of her own made her one of the most courageous characters in the entire franchise. And it probably saved her life too (although she's clearly dead by the time Rise of Skywalker happens).
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