12 Things We Learned at the Clone Wars Panel at SDCC 2018
It was with great excitement that we reported on the announced Clone Wars panel that was to be held at San Diego Comic Con 2018. Now, as the weekend comes to a close, it is a chance to reflect on what we learned from that much-anticipated panel. The panel was moderated by Amy Ratcliffe, and featured Dave Filoni (of course), Ashley Eckstein (voice of Ahsoka Tano), Matt Lanter (voice of Anakin Skywalker), and other crucial members of the Clone Wars production team.
StarWars.com compiled a list of twelve of the best and most important things that were discussed. Here, we'll share some of what struck us from the list:
- The. Big. Announcement. As many have probably heard, the beloved Clone Wars is returning for a sixth and final season, covering the events of the siege of Mandalore. The audience had no idea what they were in for as the lights went down and the trailer started playing at the panel. It didn't take long for applause to break out and a cheering, standing ovation to take the crowd.
- Star Wars Celebration IV attendees can thank George Lucas for that first look at The Clone Wars. Filoni kicked off the panel by playing the very first Clone Wars trailer ever shared with an audience.
- The Clone Wars was a new creative outlet for George Lucas. There's only so much an artist like Lucas can do with the parameters of film-making. Filoni says, “Making the films, he had so many ideas. He was focused on the Anakin Skywalker story for the films, and he wanted to go down and see what all these other characters were about, and introduce new characters.”
FIloni didn't originally think the Clone Wars would feature the galaxy's most famous Jedi. Originally, it was thought they would create new characters and a new crew, a few Jedi and smugglers (in the same spirit of the original trilogy) for the show to follow. But it was Lucas who showed Filoni and the group the ropes of the greatest characters in the galaxy.
Writing The Clone Wars was like a marathon and sprint combined. Filoni says, “We would sit in that room for two weeks straight — me, George, and the writers — and we would hash out all the stories. All 26 episodes for a whole season in two weeks. I think we had to do about three episodes a day.”
Filoni pitched a baby Plo Koon. Obviously, that didn't fly well with the boss.
The 'Clovis Arc' was meant to show how Anakin and Padmé weren't a perfect couple. According to FIloni, “It needs to have conflict in it. Any relationship, over time, would naturally have that. So we liked the idea of putting pressure on them, and maybe they weren’t this completely ‘utopic’ couple during the Clone Wars. They were stretched apart. They had to combat to stay together and fight for what they believe in in each other.”
Ashley Eckstein has her own collection of Dave FIloni original art. It's her most prized possession, according to Eckstein. You can check out a more complete collection, besides the image shared below, here.
Recording the final Season Five arc, in which Ahsoka leaves the Jedi Order, wasn’t easy for the actor behind the Padawan. Eckstein says, “So for me, it was goodbye. I recorded these episodes and literally, I felt like my heart was beating outside of my chest because I was essentially saying goodbye to these guys and I didn’t know when I would be back.”
Everyone learns and changes. Even our little green friend. "These characters all evolve," Filoni says.
Dave Filoni’s sketches never fail to inspire.
One of the series’ most memorable pieces of music — Ahsoka’s final encounter with Anakin outside the Jedi Temple — was completed in a, let’s say, creative way. Kevin Kiner, the composer, extended the original score by ear from overseas, writing eight bars.
“Dave is honestly the best director I’ve ever worked with.”
Article by: Mohammad "Grand Master" Ziad