Star Wars: The Clone Wars Ending Explained

Star Wars: The Clone Wars has come to an end, with a finale episode that has left the Star Wars fandom reeling. The final arc of Clone Wars answered the long-awaited question of how major characters like Ahsoka Tano, Darth Maul and even Clone Trooper Rex all survived Order 66. It was then up to the final episode of the series to tie-up some final loose ends in telling this Revenge of the Sith interquel story – including a poignant epilogue that takes place after the events of Episode III! If you are wondering how Clone Wars‘ ending connects to the larger Star Wars Skywalker Saga, allow us to explain!

Warning – Star Wars: The Clone Wars Finale Episode SPOILERS Follow!

Clone Wars‘ final episode “Victory and Death” sees Ahsoka and Rex trying to get off the Star Destroyer, where they are still being hunted by Clone Trooper regiments, during Order 66. Ahsoka has freed Maul to distract the troopers while she and Rex make moves – but Ahsoka underestimates just how malevolently powerful Maul is. The crime lord uses his dark side abilities to destroy the ship’s hyperdrive, getting it pulled into the gravity of a nearby moon.

As the ship goes down, Maul escapes on a shuttle into hyperspace, while Ahsoka and Rex manage to make it through the crash, safely onto the ground. Ahsoka and Rex bury the fallen clone soldiers of Ahsoka 501st Legion special division on that moon, before flying off an a repaired Y-wing bomber, to go into hiding.

Clone Wars final scene is an epilogue that sees Darth Vader track down the crashed destroyer (presumably years) later, when it, and the clone graves, have been covered in snow. Vader sifts through the snow and finds one artifact: the short-sword lightsaber that Anakin Skywalker had given her. When Vader finds the saber, he hears a bird calling overhead, and looks up to see it, before walking away.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars began with the story of introducing Anakin Skywalker’s padawan Ahsoka Tano, and exploring their tumultuous relationship as an independent and rebellious Jedi and his equally rebellious and independent protege. The series ending echoes that full-circle path of that journey, which sees Anakin’s ways having caused him to fall into darkness, while Ahsoka’s independent nature leads her towards the true light of the Force, even while the Jedi Order falls around her.

The end scene of Clone Wars drives the point of Vader and Ahsoka’s conflicting new roles, with the re-appearance of the convor bird Morai. Morai was the symbol of The Daughter, the being on Mortis that represents the light side of the Force, and endowed Ahsoka with her essence during the Mortis Arc. Anakin in turn has become more like The Son, the embodiment of the dark side of the Force, but will eventually fulfill his destiny of becoming like The Father, as the balance in the Force.

…But before that, Vader and Ahsoka will meet in that epic duel from Star Wars Rebels!

Needless to say, for Star Wars fans who have been following the deeper mythology of the animated series for years, this ending had the emotional impact that showrunner Dave Filoni and co. were hoping for!

You can watch Star Wars: The Clone Wars in its entirety on Disney+.