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10 Best Star Wars: The Clone Wars Original Characters, Ranked

Star Wars: The Clone Wars quickly developed from an anthology-style series into an incredibly compelling war drama that greatly improved on the prequels. In particular, the story evolved to be character-driven, giving existing characters greater depth and creating new characters to help push this along.

But these original characters were far from just plot devices for characters like Anakin Skywalker or Obi-Wan Kenobi, and some of the show's best arcs and episodes revolve around these characters. Many grew to become incredibly influential in the franchise, and several of these fan favorites have gone on to appear in other animated, written, and live-action projects.

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10/10 Pong Krell Was A Devil In Disguise

Pong Krell was the twist villain of the Umbaran arc of the Clone Wars' fourth season and took over the 501st Legion after Anakin was ordered away by Palpatine. At first, he simply seemed to be a callous, ineffective general. But he later revealed that he was intentionally sabotaging the Republic's campaign.

Krell had a vision of the Jedi's doom, and intended to join Count Dooku to ensure his survival. In the end, his disregard for the competence and individuality of the clones was his undoing. Their creativity allowed them to defeat him, with Dogma, a clone largely loyal to him, executing him for his betrayal. His insistence that the clones were no different from the dispensable, identical battle droids created an arc that displayed just how unique they were.

9/10 The Son Is The Dark Side Personified

The Son was a god of Mortis, a living embodiment of the dark side alongside his sister embodying the light and their father the balance between them. When Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka were transported to Mortis, the Father wanted Anakin to replace him, preserving the balance between light and dark. However, the Son twisted Anakin to his side by giving him knowledge of his future.

The Son is incredibly intriguing because of how he parallels Anakin, foreshadowing how his downfall was caused by his attachments. When his sister sacrifices herself to stop him from killing their father, he reacts with grief. In the end, the only way the darkness within him is defeated is through the Father's sacrifice, and the Son reconciles with him before dying. The Mortis Arc and the Son in particular is an amazing distillation of Anakin's entire story.

8/10 Fives Might Be The Most Honorable Most Tragic Clone Trooper

In the fifth episode of the Clone Wars, a clone named Fives was introduced as the survivor of an attack on an outpost near Kamino. He became one of the series' standout clones, displaying tactical ingenuity and surviving countless battles. But he is most remembered for his amazing arc in the sixth season. In the inhibitor chip arc, Fives discovers that every clone has a chip planted in their brain to control their actions. When one clone's chip malfunctions and he murders a Jedi, Fives removes his own. After trying to report the conspiracy to the Chancellor, he realizes Palpatine was behind it all. Acting erratically, he seemingly proves the necessity of the inhibitor chips, and his tragic death foreshadows Order 66, highlighting that both the Jedi and the clones were victims of Palpatine.

7/10 To Merely Call Duchess Satine Kryze "Obi-Wan's Girlfriend" Does Her A Disservice

Duchess Satine of Mandalore was introduced in The Clone Wars Season Two, as both a love interest and a foil to Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan's relationship with Satine gave his character far greater depth and contrasted Anakin and Padmé's relationship. But Satine was far more than an accessory to Obi-Wan's character development. Her legacy still looms large in Star Wars, especially in The Mandalorian and its partner shows.

As the pacifist leader of a former warrior culture, Satine represented the possibility of positive change. Leading a coalition of hundreds of neutral worlds made her a threat to Palpatine's plans, and he supported the Mandalorian Deathwatch in opposition to her. The changes she made to Mandalore were reflective of what the Jedi and the Republic could become if they realized the error of their ways. Her death didn't just affect Obi-Wan, it symbolized the failure of peace and change for the galaxy.

6/10 Savage Oppress Is An Amazing Character, But He Can Never Escape His Brother's Shadow

Savage Oppress was Darth Maul's brother, originally introduced as a noble protector of his family. However, he was twisted by the Nightsisters into a merciless, brutal killer on behalf of Count Dooku. But it was his bloodline that gave him the greatest impact, as Savage's training heralded the return of Maul.

In Savage's original arc, he was merely a tool of Ventress's revenge against Dooku. While he eventually rejected them both, he is ultimately inseparable from and controlled by his connection to Maul. He is largely remembered for being Maul's brother and for his arcs with Maul. Ultimately, it was Maul's arrogance that would result in Savage's death at the hands of Darth Sidious.

5/10 Saw Gerrara Was A Freedom Fighter Hardened By War

Unlike some other characters, Saw Gerrara has maintained a clear character arc across multiple mediums. Originally introduced in the Onderon arc of The Clone Wars Season Five, Saw was characterized as a passionate and skilled but headstrong freedom fighter. After losing his sister during the Separatist occupation of his home, Saw never gave up the fight and went on to wage war against the Empire.

Saw only became more cold-hearted over the years. His appearances in Jedi: Fallen Order, Star Wars Rebels, and Rogue One displayed that, unlike the wider Rebel Alliance, he didn't fight for the people of the galaxy, but solely against the Empire. He didn't care about collateral damage on Jedha. Gerrera's radical ideas were expanded upon even further in his appearance on Andor, once again played by Forest Whitaker.

4/10 Hondo Ohnaka Smells Profit

Hondo Ohnaka was the Clone Wars answer to Han Solo, a dirty lowlife who also had a sense of honor and duty. He was likable not just because of his humorous lines and plots, but because he was a competent and skilled pirate and leader. Even when matching wits and weapons with the likes of Obi-Wan and Anakin or Count Dooku and General Grievous, Hondo still outsmarted them multiple times and always managed to get away.

He was also a secondary father figure to a young Boba Fett, convincing him that his father wouldn't want revenge at the price of honor. It's no surprise that not even multiple galactic wars were enough to stop Hondo from being a successful pirate, as he later featured in Star Wars Rebels and can be seen making a profit at Galaxy's Edge.

3/10 Need A Dirty Job Done? Call Cad Bane

With Jango Fett dead and Boba still a child, The Clone Wars created Cad Bane to be its deadly bounty hunter. Bane was skilled enough to break into the Jedi Temple almost single-handedly and fought off Jedi masters multiple times. Whenever the Separatists had a seemingly impossible job, Cad Bane was there to do it for a hefty price.

Cad Bane was also a rival of Boba Fett. An unfinished episode of The Clone Wars featured a duel that resulted in Fett killing Bane, with Bane leaving the iconic dent in Fett's helmet. This changed with his appearance in The Bad Batch, where he is still alive after the end of the war, although the metal plate on his head suggests the duel still happened. But the two did get their showdown, with Fett killing Bane at the end of The Book of Boba Fett.

2/10 Captain Rex Is The Series' Most Iconic Clone

It's no surprise that a series called The Clone Wars had a lot of great clone characters, but Captain Rex outshines them all. He stands apart not just for his combat abilities or leadership, but because of his moral depth and agency in an army of identical soldiers.

Throughout The Clone Wars, Rex grows not just as a soldier but as a person, eventually realizing that he and his brothers are just that: people. They aren't mindless droids, they have a choice and a future. It's this that allows him to fight against Order 66 and become the most beloved clone in all of Star Wars.

1/10 Ahsoka Tano Is Everything Anakin Could Have Been

Ahsoka Tano grew alongside the series and its viewers, maturing from a cocky and reckless padawan into a wise and capable Jedi, just like her master. But unlike her master, she was able to overcome her flaws, managing her attachments to stay true to the light.

Ahsoka was defined by her relationship with Anakin, it was so close that he briefly broke through when they met again after his transformation into Darth Vader. She is a Jedi who loves, but unlike Anakin, she does not let that control her, guided by compassion for all, rather than for one.

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