I'm Not Ready To See The Clone Wars Come To An End - & Here's How Star Wars Should Continue It

Summary The Clone Wars era has the potential for more content, with characters like the clones having a clear path forward.

Echo's fate in The Bad Batch leaves room for a potential return in another Star Wars project.

A new show could explore the unknown fates of clones like Cody, Wolffe, and the clone rebellion.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars is one of the most beloved shows in Star Wars, and there’s a clear path forward for this era to continue. The Clone Wars first debuted in 2008 and ran for 7 seasons, ending in 2020 with its long-awaited final season. However, so many other Star Wars titles have been born from The Clone Wars and its timeline and have allowed for so many characters to live on in different Star Wars movies and TV shows.

For many people, myself included, when Star Wars: The Bad Batch season 3 ended in early May, it felt more like the end of an era than the ending of a TV show. Star Wars animated projects are some of my favorite in the entire franchise and are what I rewatch most often. Because there is so much content from The Clone Wars era, I feel like some of the characters I’ve spent the most time with are the clones, and knowing that there likely won’t be more content produced around these characters breaks my heart.

Related Star Wars: The Clone Wars Episodes In Chronological Order (Correct Watch Order) With Star Wars: The Clone Wars being released non-chronologically, you need the correct viewing order to make sense of its different plotlines.

Echo's Survival In The Bad Batch Set Up A New Story

Echo’s Fate Was Left Unexplained

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Echo has always been one of my favorite clones, and when he returned in The Clone Wars season 7 and became an official member of Clone Force 99, I was beyond excited. However, The Bad Batch series finale left his fate unresolved. From The Bad Batch’s epilogue, it’s known that Hunter, Crosshair, and Wrecker remained on Pabu with Omega; however, there was no mention of Echo, indicating he didn’t retire like his brothers. This leaves the door open for Echo to return in another Star Wars project.

Because Echo officially left Clone Force 99 in The Bad Batch season 2 to join Rex’s growing underground network of clones, it felt like if anyone were to die, it would be Echo. However, The Bad Batch perfectly set up Echo and Dr. Emerie Karr to join Rex’s growing numbers and possibly lead a clone rebellion. With so many fan-favorite clones still out there helping Rex, there certainly seems to be a story there worth telling.

Echo (CT-1409) A loyal clone soldier, Echo was captured by the Separatists and transformed into a tool that they used against the Republic. Rescued by Clone Force 99, Echo chose to join the team, and - like most of that mutant squad - he was not affected by Order 66. Echo left the Bad Batch to work alongside early rebel cells. Created By Dave Filoni Cast Dee Bradley Baker First Appearance Star Wars: The Clone Wars TV Shows Star Wars: The Clone Wars , Star Wars: The Bad Batch

The Clone Rebellion Could Show Why Rex Went Into Hiding

Rex’s Retirement to Seelos Was Never Explained

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When Captain Rex appears in Star Wars Rebels, he lives with fellow clones Gregor and Wolffe, where they have effectively stopped fighting. Rex is more dissuaded than the all-in captain viewers had grown to love in The Clone Wars, but it was never explained how or why the three clones went into hiding. Having another show highlight the failed clone rebellion and show how Rex and the other clones ended up on Seelos would be a perfect way to wrap up his and the other clones’ stories.

Rex joins the Ghost crew and the Rebellion and eventually serves in the Battle of Endor, which was seen in Return of the Jedi.

There is currently very little we don’t know about Captain Rex, but the one big gap audiences have in Rex's timeline is what happened after The Bad Batch season 3 and before Rebels. Rex’s appearances in these shows take place about 14 years apart. Whether this show would take place immediately following the events of The Bad Batch or even later in the Star Wars timeline, there are definitely some holes that need to be filled in.

Star Wars: The Bad Batch Where to Watch *Availability in US stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available Star Wars: The Bad Batch is an action-adventure animated series set after the events of The Clone Wars, following Clone Force 99 (a.k.a. the Bad Batch.) Finding themselves immune to the brainwashing effects of Order 66, the Bad Batch become mercenaries for hire while outrunning the empire, now seeing them as fugitives of the law. Cast Dee Bradley Baker , Michelle Ang , Noshir Dalal , Liam O'Brien , Rhea Perlman , Sam Riegel , Bob Bergen , Gwendoline Yeo Seasons 3 Directors Brad Rau , Steward Lee , Nathaniel Villanueva , Saul Ruiz Showrunner Dave Filoni Where To Watch Disney Plus

The Fates Of Cody, Wolffe, Echo, & More Have Yet To Be Shown

They Could Be a Major Focal Point For A Clone Rebellion Story

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While it’s known that Commander Wolffe will eventually end up on Seelos with Rex, audiences last saw him working for the Empire. Seeing Wolffe’s story leaving the Empire to stand with his brothers could be really compelling.

When Commander Cody was known to appear in The Bad Batch season 2, many theorized that the fan-favorite clone and former right-hand man to Obi-Wan Kenobi would perish; however, Cody instead went AWOL, and his whereabouts are still unknown. While it’s known that Commander Wolffe will eventually end up on Seelos with Rex, audiences last saw him working for the Empire. Seeing Wolffe’s story leaving the Empire to stand with his brothers could be really compelling.

While I hope that Echo did eventually go and retire on Pabu with other members of Clone Force 99, it’s hard not knowing what happened to the character. With so many clone fates unknown, Dave Filoni should step back into The Clone Wars era one more time and give audiences a show that highlights the fates of these beloved characters—even if it’s beyond tragic. The clones are some of the most heartbreaking characters in all of Star Wars, so it feels only right that they get a proper send-off, even if it comes in heartbreaking The Clone Wars fashion.