Refresh Your Memory On All Things 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' Before Season 7 Hits

After stints on Cartoon Network and Netflix, Star Wars: The Clone Wars is now on Disney+, with a final season on the way. The Clone Wars Season 7 arrives on the heels of The Mandalorian's wild success, and the last episodes promise to reveal some of Mandalore's history during the Republic. For those just getting into the show, this Star Wars: The Clone Wars refresher will help explain what's going on.

The Clone Wars is the second show of this name. The first, just called Clone Wars, was a "micro-series" (most are 10-minute episodes) that aired on Cartoon Network between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, filling in plot points between the two films. Its popularity helped convince creator George Lucas a full-length series would be a hit, and in 2008 a feature film was released to kick it off. But unlike the micro-series, The Clone Wars introduced brand new characters to the Star Wars universe not related to the live-action films.

• Captain Rex, designation CT-7567, is a clone commander working closely with Obi-Wan and Anakin. Like all clone soldiers, he is based on a genetic template of bounty hunter Jango Fett. (Boba Fett is also a clone of Jango.) Rex commands the 501st Legion in the Grand Army of the Republic and is one of the Clone Wars' most legendary leaders.

Also, Anakin was promoted to full Jedi and given a student of his own to teach.

• Ahsoka Tano is the first lead female Jedi protagonist in Star Wars history in any medium. A Togruta from the planet Shili, her growth arc from student to Jedi master, has been the heart of The Clone Wars story.

The most important thing to know is The Clone Wars were not released in chronological order. Instead, adventures were grouped by theme. Season 1 focuses on battles where the Republic faces off against General Grievous and Count Dooku against a broader propaganda war. Season 2 is more concerned with taking out various Droid manufacturing plants as the Sith attempt to target their Jedi enemies via assassination. Seasons 3 and 4 focus on the diplomatic efforts, along with telling stories of ordinary citizens trying to live their lives during wartime.

Season 5 is only 20 episodes instead of 22. It's when the story starts to get linear, as Ahsoka grows up and reaches the end of her time as a padawan. Season 6, a 13-episode season released on Netflix, is subtitled "The Lost Missions." They focus on "Order 66," given at the end of Revenge of the Sith to massacre the Jedi as enemies of the state.

Disney+ currently has the episodes listed in the order they originally aired. For those who want to watch the episodes in timeline order, the official Star Wars site has a detailed guide.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 7 begins its final run of 12 episodes starting Friday, Feb 21, 2020.