A galaxy far, far away was a very distant concept at one point in history. After the final part of the prequel trilogy premiered, fans actually assumed that the ‘Star Wars‘ saga reached its ultimate conclusion with no more theatrical movies or other projects on the horizon.
This is where ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars‘ comes into play. As the sole beacon of light during years of massive uncertainty, this animated series managed to keep fandom alive while also helping create a new era of storytelling for the entire franchise.
Ashley Eckstein Recalls When Fans Believed Star Wars Was Over
Recently, Ashley Eckstein spoke on the matter and explained why ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars‘ became so crucial to the franchise’s development.
The actress mentioned that when she voiced the character Ahsoka Tano, the Jedi Padawan of Anakin Skywalker, the animated series was the only piece of new content in the ‘Star Wars’ universe, years before the deal between Lucasfilm and The Walt Disney Company.
According to Eckstein, people tend to forget how uncertain the franchise’s future used to be compared to now, as it currently expands through various movies, streaming shows, and spin-offs.
In fact, back when ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars‘ first aired, there were no plans to develop new ‘Star Wars’ movies or any live-action television series.
Fans back then actually assumed that the saga had reached its end, making ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ the sole project keeping the mythology alive for years.
However, as time went by, the animated show grew increasingly popular and continued expanding the universe’s mythology with the help of brand new characters and unique story arcs.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars Set The Stage For The Franchise Today
At the same time, the actress claimed that this project actually set the stage for future ‘Star Wars’ productions that became incredibly popular today.
She mentioned that the successful launch and reception of the animated series clearly showed that there were enough interested fans out there, who would later enjoy projects like The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett.
“For us, it’s easy to forget, but when Clone Wars was on the air, there was no other Star Wars. We thought Star Wars was done. This was before Disney bought it and we were the only thing on the air… Without the success of Clone Wars we might not be seeing Mandalorian, Boba Fett, etcetera,” she said during a reunion panel for The Clone Wars cast at MCM Expo.
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Over the years, ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ grew from just another animated series into something special, becoming extremely loved thanks to the vision of George Lucas and Dave Filoni.
The animated series also introduced beloved characters like Ahsoka Tano, who quickly became one of the franchise’s most popular additions after debuting in the show.
Eckstein’s perspective carries particular significance because she has voiced Ahsoka since the character’s debut in 2008. At the time, Ahsoka was initially divisive among some fans, but both the character and the series eventually became major pillars of the franchise’s modern identity.
The long-term success of The Clone Wars ultimately helped demonstrate that ‘Star Wars‘ could thrive beyond theatrical films, paving the way for the interconnected streaming universe seen on Disney+ today.
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