How to Watch ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ in Chronological Order

In true Star Wars fashion, chronology is relative.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars is often regarded as one of the best pieces of Star Wars media outside of the Original Trilogy.

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However, for fans being introduced to the series for the first time, the non-chronological release/streaming order can be confusing, skipping both backwards and forwards in time.

The show itself takes place during the events of the Clone Wars, or the 3-year gap between Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Spoilers, but the events of the show do eventually catch up and overlap with the events of Revenge of the Sith, including Order 66.

So, here’s the official chronological guide for Star Wars: The Clone Wars:

Ahsoka Tano standing before Clone Troopers
Via Disney+/Lucasfilm

Season 1 is perhaps the most confusing season, with many episodes that skip backward and forward in the timeline, with some even predating The Clone Wars movie that introduced us to Ahsoka Tano. This is known as the Christophsis arc, which begins with Season 2 episode 16 “Cat and Mouse.” From there we go to Season 1 episode 16 “Hidden Enemy” and then to the aforementioned movie.

Domino squad AKA Droidbait, Cutup, Heavy, Echo, and Fives
Via Disney+/Lucasfilm

From there we are introduced to ‘Domino squad’ in Season 3 episode 3 “Clone Cadets” and then to the King of Toydaria and the character of Twi-Lek resistance leader Cham Syndulla in Season 3 episode 3 “Supply Lines.” From there, we go through season 1 in mostly chronological order, but skip episodes 16 “Hidden Enemy” and 22 “Hostage Crisis”, as you will have already watched episode 16 and episode 22 won’t be relevant until Season 3. 

Cad Bane stealing a Holocron from the Jedi vault
Via Disney+/Lucasfilm

Season 2 also starts out chronological with the “Holocron Heist” arc which introduces Cad Bane (episodes 1-3). Unfortunately, we must immediately skip ahead to episode 17 of Season 2 “Bounty Hunters” and the following two-part “Zillo-Beast” arc. From there we go back to episode 4 for the start of the Geonosis arc and return to ‘chronological’ order for the next 10 episodes of Season 2, only to again skip forward after episode 14 for the Boba Fett and Aurra Sing arc in episodes 20-22 of the season.

Duchess Satine in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

From there we get into the mess known as the first half of season 3, which goes episodes 5, 6, 7, 2, 4, 8 also known as the “Political Corruption” arc, and then goes back to episode 22 of season 1 “Hostage Crisis”, and then goes back to season 3 for episodes 9, 10, 11, and going back in-time one last time to season 2 episode 15 “Senate Murders.”

From Season 3 episode 12 onwards, the show manages to stay in chronological order for the most part, with the exception being to skip the first episode of the Fifth season and watching that between episodes 13 and 14 of the same season. Season 6 is also entirely chronological (thank the Force).

And then we get to the 7th season.

Ahsoka Tano readies to fight Darth Maul on Mandalore in the Clone Wars Season 7
Via Disney+/Lucasfilm

Episodes 5, 6, 7, 8 occur first so watch those. Personally, I would argue that you may want/need to watch them before the 6th season, due to them taking place shortly after the “Wrong Jedi” arc, but that’s my preference.

In any case, Episodes 1-4 or the “Bad Batch” arc is next, followed by the Siege of Mandalore arc to end the Clone Wars (literally, the Siege of Mandalore goes into the events of Revenge of the Sith).

From there you can watch The Bad Batch, Rebels, Solo, Rogue One, the Original Trilogy, or whatever piece of Star Wars media you want to explore / revisit next.

Still confused? Understandable. Here’s the official chronological order from StarWars.com:

Air #Episode
1216Cat and Mouse | Stream on Disney+
2116Hidden Enemy | Stream on Disney+
TThe Clone Wars theatrical release | Stream on Disney+
3301Clone Cadets | Stream on Disney+
4303Supply Lines | Stream on Disney+
5101Ambush | Stream on Disney+
6102Rising Malevolence | Stream on Disney+
7103Shadow of Malevolence | Stream on Disney+
8104Destroy Malevolence | Stream on Disney+
9105Rookies | Stream on Disney+
10106Downfall of a Droid | Stream on Disney+
11107Duel of the Droids | Stream on Disney+
12108Bombad Jedi | Stream on Disney+
13109Cloak of Darkness | Stream on Disney+
14110Lair of Grievous | Stream on Disney+
15111Dooku Captured | Stream on Disney+
16112The Gungan General | Stream on Disney+
17113Jedi Crash | Stream on Disney+
18114Defenders of Peace | Stream on Disney+
19115Trespass | Stream on Disney+
20117Blue Shadow Virus | Stream on Disney+
21118Mystery of a Thousand Moons | Stream on Disney+
22119Storm over Ryloth | Stream on Disney+
23120Innocents of Ryloth | Stream on Disney+
24121Liberty on Ryloth | Stream on Disney+
25201Holocron Heist | Stream on Disney+
26202Cargo of Doom | Stream on Disney+
27203Children of the Force | Stream on Disney+
28217Bounty Hunters | Stream on Disney+
29218The Zillo Beast | Stream on Disney+
30219The Zillo Beast Strikes Back | Stream on Disney+
31204Senate Spy | Stream on Disney+
32205Landing at Point Rain | Stream on Disney+
33206Weapons Factory | Stream on Disney+
34207Legacy of Terror | Stream on Disney+
35208Brain Invaders | Stream on Disney+
36209Grievous Intrigue | Stream on Disney+
37210The Deserter | Stream on Disney+
38211Lightsaber Lost | Stream on Disney+
39212The Mandalore Plot | Stream on Disney+
40213Voyage of Temptation | Stream on Disney+
41214Duchess of Mandalore | Stream on Disney+
42220Death Trap | Stream on Disney+
43221R2 Come Home | Stream on Disney+
44222Lethal Trackdown | Stream on Disney+
45305Corruption | Stream on Disney+
46306The Academy | Stream on Disney+
47307Assassin | Stream on Disney+
48302ARC Troopers | Stream on Disney+
49304Sphere of Influence | Stream on Disney+
50308Evil Plans | Stream on Disney+
51122Hostage Crisis | Stream on Disney+
52309Hunt for Ziro | Stream on Disney+
53310Heroes on Both Side | Stream on Disney+
54311Pursuit of Peace | Stream on Disney+
55215Senate Murders | Stream on Disney+
56312Nightsisters | Stream on Disney+
57313Monster | Stream on Disney+
58314Witches of the Mist | Stream on Disney+
59315Overlords | Stream on Disney+
60316Altar of Mortis | Stream on Disney+
61317Ghosts of Mortis | Stream on Disney+
62318The Citadel | Stream on Disney+
63319Counter Attack | Stream on Disney+
64320Citadel Rescue | Stream on Disney+
65321Padawan Lost | Stream on Disney+
66322Wookiee Hunt | Stream on Disney+
67401Water War | Stream on Disney+
68402Gungan Attack | Stream on Disney+
69403Prisoners | Stream on Disney+
70404Shadow Warrior | Stream on Disney+
71405Mercy Mission | Stream on Disney+
72406Nomad Droids | Stream on Disney+
73407Darkness on Umbara | Stream on Disney+
74408The General | Stream on Disney+
75409Plan of Dissent | Stream on Disney+
76410Carnage of Krell | Stream on Disney+
77411Kidnapped | Stream on Disney+
78412Slaves of the Republic | Stream on Disney+
79413Escape from Kadavo | Stream on Disney+
80414A Friend In Need | Stream on Disney+
81415Deception | Stream on Disney+
82416Friends and Enemies | Stream on Disney+
83417The Box | Stream on Disney+
84418Crisis on Naboo | Stream on Disney+
85419Massacre | Stream on Disney+
86420Bounty | Stream on Disney+
87421Brothers | Stream on Disney+
88422Revenge | Stream on Disney+
89502A War on Two Fronts | Stream on Disney+
90503Front Runners | Stream on Disney+
91504The Soft War | Stream on Disney+
92505Tipping Points | Stream on Disney+
93506The Gathering | Stream on Disney+
94507A Test of Strength | Stream on Disney+
95508Bound for Rescue | Stream on Disney+
96509A Necessary Bond | Stream on Disney+
97510Secret Weapons | Stream on Disney+
98511A Sunny Day in the Void | Stream on Disney+
99512Missing in Action | Stream on Disney+
100513Point of No Return | Stream on Disney+
101501Revival | Stream on Disney+
102514Eminence | Stream on Disney+
103515Shades of Reason | Stream on Disney+
104516The Lawless | Stream on Disney+
105517Sabotage | Stream on Disney+
106518The Jedi Who Knew Too Much | Stream on Disney+
107519To Catch a Jedi | Stream on Disney+
108520The Wrong Jedi | Stream on Disney+
109601The Unknown | Stream on Disney+
110602Conspiracy | Stream on Disney+
111603Fugitive | Stream on Disney+
112604Orders | Stream on Disney+
113605An Old Friend | Stream on Disney+
114606The Rise of Clovis | Stream on Disney+
115607Crisis at the Heart | Stream on Disney+
116608The Disappeared | Stream on Disney+
117609The Disappeared: Pt. II | Stream on Disney+
118610The Lost One | Stream on Disney+
119611Voices | Stream on Disney+
120612Destiny | Stream on Disney+
121613Sacrifice | Stream on Disney+
122705Gone with a Trace | Stream on Disney+
123706Deal No Deal | Stream on Disney+
124707Dangerous Debt | Stream on Disney+
125708Together Again | Stream on Disney+
126701The Bad Batch | Stream on Disney+
127702A Distant Echo | Stream on Disney+
128703On the Wings of Keeradaks | Stream on Disney+
129704Unfinished Business | Stream on Disney+
130709Old Friends Not Forgotten | Stream on Disney+
131710The Phantom Apprentice | Stream on Disney+
132711Shattered | Stream on Disney+
133712Victory and Death | Stream on Disney+


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Author
Image of Kimberly Terasaki
Kimberly Terasaki
Kimberly Terasaki is a contributing writer for The Mary Sue. She has been writing articles for them since 2018, going on 5 years of working with this amazing team. Her interests include Star Wars, Marvel, DC, Horror, intersectional feminism, and fanfiction; some are interests she has held for decades, while others are more recent hobbies. She liked Ahsoka Tano before it was cool, will fight you about Rey being a “Mary Sue,” and is a Kamala Khan stan.