Ahsoka fans relived some of the titular character’s most significant memories when the series took us back in time during the latest episode. Not only did we get to see Hayden Christensen as a young Anakin Skywalker again, but we also got to see the Clone Troopers in combat, including a live-action Captain Rex!
One of the core flashbacks featured a young Ahsoka Tano, played by Ariana Greenblatt, leading her troops in battle against the Mandalorians on their homeworld, Mandalore, during the last days of the Clone Wars.
In the Star Wars: The Clone Wars series, the fighting on Mandalore was a significant arc for Ahsoka, and the planet was featured heavily in the show’s final seasons. However, if you never watched the long-running animated series but want to know more about how Mandalore and its battles connect to Ahsoka’s story, don’t worry; we got you covered.
What was the Siege of Mandalore in ‘Ahsoka’?
The recent episode of Ahsoka shared a glimpse into one of the last battles of the Clone Wars. The Siege of Mandalore was a final stage of the conflict and helped end the iconic and long-running animated series of the same name. An interesting facet of this battle was that a portion of it ran parallel with the Battle of Coruscant; that’s why Anakin and Obi-Wan were not present, and that’s also why the former mentions not remembering the fighting on Mandalore in Ahsoka Episode 5.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 7 showcases a Mandalore ruled by Darth Maul, who overthrew the planet’s government in a previous season and plunged the world into civil war. The last season of the series sees Ahsoka leading Republic forces, along with Bo-Katan’s followers, against Maul’s Mandalorians. Watching Republic Clones take on Mandalorians — remember, Clones were created from the Jango Fett — is an absolute thrill to witness. The fighting is intense, with Clone Troopers and Mandalorians even resorting to hand-to-hand combat.
Both armies don armor that reflects the appearance of their respective commanders. This clash is also unique because longtime viewers were probably accustomed to watching Clone Troopers fighting with Separatist droids, so seeing them fight their, well, forebears in a way, is simply spectacular.
While Bo-Katan and Rex lead their forces against the Mandalorians, Ahsoka engages Maul in combat. It’s revealed that it was the latter’s plan to lure Anakin Skywalker to the planet; Maul’s fight with Ahsoka is actually kickstarted when the former tries to convince her that her master has fallen under Palpatine’s sway. It’s an incredible yet eerie interaction, listening and seeing Maul predict events with such tragic precision.
Which ‘Clone Wars’ episodes feature Mandalore?
Mandalore is a consistently featured planet in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The world is shown in multiple seasons of the series with various conflicts and stories surrounding the planet and its inhabitants.
Viewers are first introduced to the planet in a Season 2 arc. Episodes 12-14 revolve around Duchess Satine Kryze (Bo-Katan’s sister); the ruler is desperately trying to maintain her planet’s neutrality during the Clone Wars — all the while a terrorist organization called “Death Watch” wreaks havoc on Mandalore in protest of Satine’s pacifist ways. During this arc, it’s also heavily implied that she and Obi-Wan had a past romance while he was a Padawan.
Season 3 episodes 5 and 6 return fans to Mandalore; this time Padmé and Ahsoka Tano are at the forefront as they deal with various clandestine plots. Fans do not see the planet again until Season 5. However, this time the world is thrown into chaos as Darth Maul brings his small army to Mandalore and works alongside the Death Watch against Satine. This arc, episodes 14-16, is filled with tragedy, war, and some epic Sith-on-Sith violence.
Mandalore then becomes a central focal point in Season 7. If fans want to experience the Siege of Mandalore in all of its glory, then they must check out episodes 9-11.
The Siege of Mandalore is surrounded with an aura of dread; while Ahsoka, Rex, and Bo-Katan are able to capture a massive victory on the planet, it quickly proves a hollowed one due to Order 66 following soon after. In hindsight, the Siege of Mandalore was one of the last — if not the final — displays of a strong, unified, and proud Republic army fighting the good fight.