Is there a ‘right’ way to watch Star Wars: The Clone Wars?

Despite its final season airing on Disney+ in 2020, Star Wars: The Clone Wars is still one of the most talked-about shows in the franchise’s growing lineup. Every day, people are discovering it for the very first time, revisiting their favorite episodes, or embarking on massive re-watch extravaganzas with their friends and followers.

Star Wars recently re-shared its official chronological list of every Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode, which now includes the seventh and final season. But do you have to watch the show in sequential order? Is there a “right” way to watch straight through?

Why are there two different ways to watch the show? Put simply, because some episodes were created later but happen earlier in the show’s timeline (if you want to question George Lucas on that, give it a go). The first chronological episode, for example, happens in Season 2, and you revisit the beginning of Season 1 after that.

Many fans have debated whether chronological or release order is the best way to watch the series. It might depend on whether or not you’ve seen The Clone Wars before.

If you’re watching the show for the first time, it might be best to use the chronological viewing order. This watch order can help you keep better track of the overarching story, since episodes won’t skip around the timeline as much.

And though you aren’t going to be left completely lost if you do watch in release order your first time, that’s probably the method best reserved for your first full re-watch. In subsequent re-watches, it can be refreshing to watch through in a different order every time — that is, when you’re not simply re-watching your favorite episodes, arcs, or seasons separately.

Which order you choose is really up to your personal preference, and only makes a difference in the show’s earlier seasons. The further you go, the less the episodes jump around in time. The final season, for example, was created to be viewed in its entirety from the first episode to the last.

This just happens to be one of those harmless debates between Star Wars fans that has no true winner. There are pros and cons to both options, such as whether or not you want to watch the series’ animation style evolve from beginning to end (in which case you’d go with release order).

Like so many things in Star Wars, the choice, ultimately, is up to you.

All episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars are available to watch on Disney+ now.

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