Alright, so you wanna jump into the animated side of Star Wars, huh? Good choice! Clone Wars and Rebels are both freakin’ awesome, but the big question everyone seems to have is: Which one should I watch *first*? And honestly? The answer is… it’s complicated. Like, “trying to understand Palpatine’s plan” complicated.
Look, technically, Clone Wars comes before Rebels chronologically. I mean, duh, the Clone Wars *happened* before the Rebellion really kicked off. But does that *really* mean you *have* to watch it in that order? Not necessarily.
See, a lot of people will tell you to start with Clone Wars ’cause it introduces characters like Ahsoka Tano (who, let’s be real, is a BAMF) and gives you background on Captain Rex, Hondo Ohnaka (that loveable rogue!), and a bunch of other folks who pop up in Rebels. And yeah, that’s true. Watching Clone Wars *does* enhance your Rebels experience. You’ll get more of the feels when you see those familiar faces.
But here’s the thing: Clone Wars is…kinda all over the place. It’s not a straight-up narrative. It’s more like a bunch of interconnected arcs, and the chronological order of the episodes is straight-up bonkers. I mean, seriously, who decided to release them like that?! You’ll be scratching your head trying to figure out what’s going on half the time, unless you like, look up a viewing guide online. Which, honestly, is kinda a pain in the butt.
Rebels, on the other hand, is more structured. It’s got a clear storyline, a defined beginning, middle, and end. It’s easier to just jump in and enjoy the ride. You might miss some of the deeper connections to Clone Wars initially, but you’ll catch on eventually. Plus, Rebels has a really cool, different vibe. It’s got that whole “found family” thing going on, which is super heartwarming (and sometimes heartbreaking, let’s be real).
Personally? I kinda stumbled into Rebels first, and I didn’t feel totally lost. Sure, I went back and watched Clone Wars later and had a bunch of “Aha!” moments, but it wasn’t *essential* to enjoying Rebels.
Then there’s the whole Ahsoka thing. Everyone’s asking, “Can I watch Ahsoka without watching Rebels?” Again, complicated! Rebels gives you a huge chunk of Ahsoka’s story post-Clone Wars. Skipping it would be like…only eating the crust of a pizza. You’d still get *some* pizza, but you’d be missing out on the good stuff.
So, what’s the final verdict? Honestly, just pick whichever one grabs your attention more. If you’re a stickler for chronology and want the full backstory, Clone Wars is your jam. If you want a more accessible, easier-to-follow story, go for Rebels.
