Colour me animated

I’ve seen it twice now and I’m going to be honest – I really want to watch it again before writing this. I mean, I could, but it wouldn’t exactly be a first reaction style piece then would it. And at the end of the day, I’d be willing to bet a fist full of republic credits that there is already 101 breakdown videos populating YouTube.

Watching one of those would probably take all evening. The Clone Wars trailer is dense, packed with characters, call-backs, nods, winks and plenty of brilliant Clone Wars action.

Highlight appearances include Yoda, Mace Windu, Plo Koon a young Kanan Jarrus – or should I say, Caleb Dume – Bo-Katan Kryze, an absolute tonne of Maul. Oh, and of course, we see Anakin Skywalker looking decidedly more Revenge of the Sith’y, Padme looking decidedly more pregnant, Obi-Wan Kenobi starring with smouldering intensity and the return of fan favourite Ahsoka Tano.

And it is Ahsoka’s role in the story that is the biggest draw for me. Amid the conflict and politics of the war, it is her story which acts as one of the central narrative threads across the first five seasons of The Clone Wars.

She turns her back on the flawed Jedi Order – the peace-keepers who have turned into war Generals. Seeing Order 66 from her perspective will be a treat. This season is bound to add so much more context and enrich the character that we appear later on in Rebels.

And consider this; Ahsoka and Maul are much like Rey and Kylo Ren – two sides of the same coin. Not a dyad in the force, (wouldn’t that be a twist,) but they are two force users whose respective institutions wronged them.

Maul offered his soul to the darkside only for the darkside to take everything from him and fail to deliver a return on his investment – unless you count the conversation starter that is, “I once had creepy spider legs.” Ahsoka became disillusioned with the Jedi because of their dogmatic views and blunt hypocrisy.

Seeing these two locked in combat as adversaries during the Siege of Mandalore is a mouthwatering prospect, in a season which on the basis of this trailer is going to be full of Star Wars goodness.

So, yeah, this trailer has served to reinforce my hype for Season Seven of The Clone Wars – the final chapter in Dave Filoni and friends’ epic tale. It’s been quite the ride.

And now I’m off to watch the trailer again…