Ashley Eckstein, voice of Ahsoka Tano, hosts an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the making of Cartoon Network's newest original series "Star Wars: The Clone Wars."

TV Movie. Star Wars: The Clone Wars
First aired: 8/15/2008
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Global rating: 8.6

After a large battle between the Battle Droids and the Clone Troopers, Anakin and his new padawan, Ahsoka Tano, are recruited to save Jabba The Hutt's son.

1. Ambush
First aired: 10/3/2008
Writer: Steven Melching, Henry Gilroy
Director: Dave Filoni, Dave Bullock
Guest star: Brian George (King Katuunko)
Global rating: 8.8

While the King of the planetary system Toydaria and Yoda are negotiating a new treaty, Asajj Ventress and the Separatist Droid Army attack.

2. Rising Malevolence
First aired: 10/3/2008
Writer: Steven Melching
Director: Dave Filoni
Guest star: Tim Brock (Medical Droid)
Global rating: 8.9

Anakin and Ahsoka have to save Jedi Master Plo Koon and his clone troopers after the Separatist Army uses their devastating new weapon.

3. Shadow of Malevolence
First aired: 10/10/2008
Writer: Steven Melching
Director: Brian Kalin O'Connell
Guest star: Gwendoline Yeo (Nala Se)
Global rating: 8.9

After discovering the location of a Confederacy cruiser housing a devastating new weapon, Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and his padawan Ahsoka Tano lead a daring assault against the Malevolence.

4. Destroy Malevolence
First aired: 10/17/2008
Writer: Tim Burns
Director: Dave Filoni, Brian Kalin O'Connell
Guest star: Olivia d'Abo (Luminara Unduli)
Global rating: 9.0

It's up to Anakin and Obi-Wan to destroy the Malevolence when their allies are captured by General Grievous.

5. Rookies
First aired: 10/24/2008
Writer: Steven Melching
Director: Justin Ridge
Guest star: Gwendoline Yeo (Hologram VJ)
Global rating: 9.0

While fighting a Droid Commando invasion, Rex and Cody try to inspire a unit of rookie Clones.

6. Downfall of a Droid
First aired: 11/7/2008
Writer: George Krstic
Director: Rob Coleman
Guest star: Ron Perlman (Gha Nachkt)
Global rating: 8.8

After secrets of the Jedi Knights are downloaded into R2-D2, he gets lost. Now it's up to Anakin to find him before the Separatists get a hold of him.

7. Duel of the Droids
First aired: 11/14/2008
Writer: Kevin Campbell, Henry Gilroy
Director: Rob Coleman
Guest star: Ron Perlman (Gha Nachkt)
Global rating: 9.2

R2-D2 is being held at General Grievous' secret enemy listening post. Anakin and Ahsoka, along with a R3 droid, embark on a rescue/sabotage mission.

8. Bombad Jedi
First aired: 11/21/2008
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Guest star: Olivia d'Abo (Luminara Unduli), Tom Kenny (Nute Gunray) , James Marsters (Captain Argyus)
Global rating: 7.2

Jar Jar Binks and C-3PO fight to save Padme Amidala from doom at the hands of evil Viceroy Nute Gunray.

9. Cloak of Darkness
First aired: 12/5/2008
Writer: Paul Dini
Director: Dave Filoni
Guest star: James Marsters (Captain Argyus)
Global rating: 9.0

After handing over a captured Nute Gunray to Captain Argyus and his Senate Commandos, Luminara Unduli and Ahsoka Tano must thwart a Separatist boarding, lead by Asajj Ventress.

10. Lair of Grievous
First aired: 12/12/2008
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Global rating: 9.1

Kit Fisto and Nahdarr Vebb, chasing Nute Gunray, enter the sanctuary of General Grievous, on the Vassek moon.

11. Dooku Captured
First aired: 1/2/2009
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Global rating: 8.5

When Count Dooku is captured by space pirates, the Jedi Knights make a deal with them to get him into their custody. Anakin and Obi-Wan are sent to ensure his safe return, but things soon go awry.

12. The Gungan General
First aired: 1/9/2009
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Global rating: 8.0

In order to escape their capture, Anakin and Obi-Wan team up with Jar Jar Binks. As if that wasn't bad enough, they must bring Count Dooku with them to the Jedi Knights.

13. Jedi Crash
First aired: 1/16/2009
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When Anakin suffers from extensive injuries in battle, the Jedi Knights must find help on a hostile planet. However, things are only made worse by Ahsoka's constant attempts at controlling her emotions.

14. Defenders of Peace
First aired: 1/23/2009
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Anakin, Ahsoka and Aayla Secura offer Lurmen a Rebuplic position in the war. Unfortunately, the Separatists also have their eyes on gaining a new ally. George Takei provides a guest voice.

Four of the most popular episodes from the hit animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars will come to DVD from Warner Home Video and Lucasfilm Ltd. on Tuesday, March 24. The release of Star Wars: The Clone Wars "A Galaxy Divided" marks the very first time the weekly adventures from Lucasfilm Animation have been available on the format.
The hit weekly animated series debuted this fall on Cartoon Network. It's the first TV series from Lucasfilm Animation that chronicles the adventures of Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Ahsoka Tano and other favorite Star Wars characters as they struggle against the dark side during the divisive, action-packed Clone Wars.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars "A Galaxy Divided" ($19.98, SRP) showcases four exciting episodes: "Ambush," featuring a showdown between Jedi Master Yoda and the villainous Asajj Ventress; and the three-episode "Malevolence" story -- "Rising Malevolence," "Shadow of Malevolence" and "Destroy Malevolence." In the "Malevolence" episodes, Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano and Obi-Wan Kenobi lead a mission to find and destroy a massive warship that is under the command of General Grievous.

"As its incredibly successful run on Cartoon Network has shown, Star Wars: The Clone Wars appeals to a very wide, very loyal audience that spans a wide range," said Doug Yates, vice president of marketing, distribution and online at Lucasfilm Ltd. "Many kids and parents have told us they want to own their favorite episodes right away, which is why we are releasing this compilation as well as a second four-episode compilation this summer."

Meanwhile, for fans eager to own the entire first season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Lucasfilm is in the midst of producing a multi-disc boxed set that is expected to debut later in 2009. Full details of the first-season DVD boxed set, which is also planned to mark the first Blu-Ray appearance of the series, will be announced later this year. The collection will include substantial bonus material that is currently in production at Lucasfilm, including explorations of the behind-the-scenes creation of the hit series.

"Longtime Star Wars fans are eager for a collection that offers great depth and has detailed bonus materials," Yates said. "We hope our DVD releases will offer something to please everyone, just as the first season of the series has done week after week."

Amit Desai, WHV Vice President of Family, Animation & Sports Marketing, said, "We're excited to begin offering this exhilarating TV series to its legion of loyal fans, as well as to an all-new generation who have helped make it such a success on Cartoon Network. Star Wars: The Clone Wars has brought new excitement to the galaxy far, far away, with its thrilling look into untold stories, and we know fans will enjoy these action-packed adventures."

Star Wars: The Clone Wars debuted on Cartoon Network in the U.S. on Oct. 3. The series also airs on broadcast networks in more than 50 different countries worldwide, and is soon to debut on Cartoon Network International around the globe.

January 27, 2010

At Long Last, The Mysterious Mandalorians Are Revealed in an All-New Episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars This Friday at 9:00pm on Cartoon Network!
Nearly wiped out by the Jedi Knights in a long-ago war, deadly Mandalorian warriors emerge from the shadows to exact vengeance upon their peace-seeking rivals. Cloaked in mystery and hardened by memories of their bitter defeat, they are fueled by a collective desire to reclaim the glory of Mandalore -- no matter the cost. Pitting skill and determination against the power of the Force, "The Mandalore Plot," launches an epic, three-part clash that could turn the tide of the war itself. It's an all-new episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars airing at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT Friday, January 29 on Cartoon Network.

Sent to look into troubling rumors surrounding Duchess Satine of Mandalore, Obi-Wan Kenobi discovers the truth behind the whispers of a mysterious conspiracy. But his investigation uncovers more than he'd originally anticipated, pulling back the shadowy shroud from a long-rumored splinter group and bringing to light a deadly threat to the Republic.

Originally introduced as concept art that ultimately became the basis for bounty hunter Boba Fett, the Mandalorians have been favorites within the Star Wars fan community for years, even though much remains to be discovered about their culture, their history, or their in-universe origins. With only glimpses into the true nature of these mysterious warriors, they have long been the subject of rampant fan speculation and discourse. And now they are making their Clone Wars debut.

"This is how George has always envisioned the Mandalorians," says Supervising Director Dave Filoni. "Of course, people immediately think of the iconic Fett armor, because that's all we've had to go on for so many years; it's mysterious, and we've built up that mystique as fans. But Boba and Jango Fett aren't necessarily what I would consider accurate representatives of the Mando culture. They're bounty hunters and outlaws -- totally rogue. If you go way back to the original concepts, the Mandalorians were a group of supercommando troops; it's only now that George is really bringing that to the screen. They're in the series because he wanted to define their culture, to explore the foundations of this warrior faction."

According to Filoni, the introduction of Mandalorians was something that had been discussed as early as the first season of The Clone Wars -- although Lucas held off on approving the story arc until the series' second season, once the larger conflict had been more firmly established.

"This was a running joke among the crew early in the production," says Filoni. "A lot of people on the crew wanted to see the Mandalorians -- especially our head writer, Henry Gilroy -- but they were off-limits to us at the time. George definitely has a sense of pace, and of a natural order for Star Wars storytelling; plus, it's his universe, so we had to set aside our Mando ideas for the time being. Ultimately, though, he came back around and gave us his blueprint for how he wanted to see the Mandalorian culture represented, which is great because they bring so much to the conflict. The first season was pretty straightforward; we had the Republic versus the Separatists. But now we have these splinter groups -- like the Mandos, the bounty hunters, and the Geonosians -- who each bring something totally different to the table."

Voicing the leader of the Mandalorian warriors is actor/director Jon Favreau -- a long-time Star Wars fan. His involvement in The Clone Wars came as an indirect result of post-production for the first Iron Man film; he was working with Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound when his path crossed with Filoni's at Lucasfilm's Skywalker Ranch.

"I had mentioned that I would love to do a voice, and that I'd done voices before -- and the idea for me to play a Mandalorian came up. I wasn't holding out for a cool character, but I think the Mandalorians are probably the ones that the die-hards are going to be the most curious about," says Favreau. "I grew up a fan of Star Wars. It was the first time I had ever experienced that really iconic, mythic archetypal storytelling. What's fun about Star Wars is that it still has as much relevance and impact now as it did then. It seems to be a set of characters and a world that is timeless, and every generation seems to embrace. So it's fun to be able to share with my family and my kids the excitement that I had when I was young."