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"It wasn't really a structure that we looked at and said, 'Okay, we're going to have stories that are more introspective and about politics.' It simply came down to the production schedule."
―Dave Filoni, on Season Three's political interlude[src]
This is the order in which the episodes of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series were produced. As it can be seen, the episodes tend to jump around the timeline while being produced and are not commonly made in their chronological story arcs.
"We had some leftover stories from Season Two that got put on the back-burner when we stared doing stories like the Boba Fett arc. You want to end the season on something like Boba Fett, and what you get in the latter half of the season are the types [of] stories that you're going to be seeing for a long time to come."
As character models are redesigned (namely Commander Wolffe for this season), these changes are noted where applicable so that their development can be traced through the production order of episodes—as opposed to the airing order, which is often modified from the production order.
"Do you think there'll be any more episodes that take place in the past?" "Right now, there's nothing like that on the schedule. I suppose if we have a really good reason, it might happen, but the writers and I went to George and said that we'd really like to keep moving forward. I think George tied together what he wanted to from the first two seasons on the front half of the third season. That was another reason why we had a lot of stories that were jumping around—George wanted to resolve a couple of things once he had done Seasons One and Two."
―Jonathan Wilkins from Star Wars Insider interviews Dave Filoni[src]
As new character models are introduced, these changes are noted where applicable so that their development can be traced through the production order of episodes—as opposed to the airing order, which is often modified from the production order.
As new character models are introduced (mainly for the clone troopers this season), these changes are noted where applicable so that their development can be traced through the production order of episodes—as opposed to the airing order, which is often modified from the production order.
The following makes note of new character models as they have been introduced across the series. Only major updated models to previously existing characters are listed to keep track of the model "upgrades." Characters with frequent wardrobe changes, like Padmé Amidala and Satine Kryze, are not listed.
"We tell arcs and they're not implicitly connected, but you get a better sense of where they are. And I have a massive timeline that explains where all the other episodes sit. So one day we'll release that and you can sit down and figure that out and I'm sure that will be the day that someone finds a continuity error, but you know… Then we'll fix it and we'll be fine!"
The following is my attempt as a chronologist to organize all of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars episodes and related media where possible in a relative timeline so that I can claim credit for it if and when Lucasfilm Ltd. makes its own. (I'm joking, of course. Well, half-joking.) This analysis is meant to be used as a resource for sorting appearances throughout the series so that I might enable others to avoid the headaches that I get myself from trying to do so. I envision this as a method to ruling out the ways that the timeline cannot be organized. Please note that as this timeline is fan-made, it is nowhere near official and should therefore not be treated as such.
All episodes and related media are grouped by story arcs, which incorporate all directly confirmed chronology. Although I do not normally support speculation, some instances of it will be found throughout the following outline to help suggest more indicators to the chronology beyond those ones that are already confirmed. For a list of helpful and confirmed indicators to the timeline, see the bottom.
A more generally grouped listing of the battles and events can be found here.
"So she's sixteen now? I think when the series started, she was around fourteen." "Yeah, she was—from what I was told, I mean, I don't know what's official and written in Wookieepedia, but I was told she was fourteen when it started, and so now she's sixteen. That's what's been told to me—who knows."
Originally, The Clone Wars was set in 22 BBY. The Clone Wars film (August2008) was first placed "swiftly after the Battle of Geonosis" of 22 BBY, per the film's opening newsreel, though this did not set anything in stone. Similarly, The Clone Wars novelization (July 2008) indicated that Anakin Skywalker was twenty years old at the time—since he had been born in 41.9 BBY, The Clone Wars was thus placed in circa 22 BBY.
In the "Ask Lobot" department of Star Wars Insider 104 (September 2008), Holocron continuity database keeper Leland Chee responded to a question about the chronological placement of The Clone Wars film (and series) in existing continuity. Though he confirmed that there was still no officially posted timeline for the series at the time, Chee stated that the series had to take place after the following events (specific events and dates from the original Clone Wars timeline are reflected in parentheses, added by the author):
After Obi-Wan has joined the Jedi Council (Kenobi is on the High Council by Clone Wars Chapter 21)
After Padmé gives R2-D2 to Anakin and a gold-plated C-3PO is in the service of Padmé (Clone Wars Chapter 21: 19.49 BBY, 30 months ABG)
After the 501st Legion is assigned to Anakin and Cody and the 212th are assigned to Obi-Wan
When the Hutts are undecided about supporting the Confederacy or the Republic
Before the clones switch to Revenge of the Sith–style Phase II armor (earliest known Phase II use: Star Wars: Republic 68: Armor, 20 BBY, 24 months ABG)
When The Clone Wars: Wild Space (December 2008) came around, it was cemented as "ten years" after Skywalker's arrival at the Jedi Temple, capping off the events of The Clone Wars film in 22 BBY. The Clone Wars: No Prisoners (May2009) repeated the 22 BBY date, mentioning that it was "not even a year" since the Battle of Geonosis. Following the other The Clone Wars comics' relative ambiguity with dating, Star Wars: The Clone Wars: The Wind Raiders of Taloraan (May 2009) was also placed "within the first year of the Clone Wars."
As the above chronology shows, The Clone Wars was potentially intended to completely override the Star Wars: Republic comic series (Clone Wars events, 2003–2006), which portrayed the Clone Wars over three years (and Skywalker still as a Padawan for the majority of the war). Three weeks would hardly have been enough for the entirety of those comics, or even other stories like Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003–2005), to occur. However, the Star Wars Annual 2011 (September 2010) published its own timeline following The Clone Wars novel series' own attempt, giving more breathing room for Republic.
All 22 BBY dates have subsequently been overridden, and The Clone Wars thus begins in 21 BBY. Where it will end (and if it will leave room for Republic to be incorporated into the new Clone Wars timeline) is anyone's guess.
According to Ahsoka Tano voice actor Ashley Eckstein in Fall 2011, Tano is around sixteen years old at the time of Season Four (the "Battle of Mon Cala" story arc), as compared to her age of fourteen at the beginning of the series (the Battle of Christophsis). The end of Season Three and the start of Season Four (beginning with the story arc "The Push for Peace," with the new character models?) can thus approximated to c. 20 BBY…? However, this has yet to be solidified in an official source, especially given the drastic two-year span that this places over the series' first, second, and third seasons.
"But there is a big chart that explains where 'Clone Cadets' relates to 'Rookies' and 'ARC Troopers.' Because those episodes don't really happen so concurrently, as you notice, because the Domino Squad leaves Kamino and then a whole bunch of stuff happens and then they're on the Rishi moon and then a whole bunch more happens and then you have 'ARC Troopers.' So that's all worked out and one day we'll share it with you."
Notice the italicization—this is the new timeline for the entirety of the Clone Wars, integrating The Clone Wars television series into the previous history chronicled in the Expanded Universe. This new timeline was released in The Essential Reader's Companion (October2012).
It is interesting to note that several character slideshow galleries on the Encyclopedia, first released in September2011, notably presented the episodes' events in the new episodic timeline (particularly for Season Two and Season Three) prior to the re-release of The Ultimate Visual Guide in April 2012.
Jedi Trial (c. 22 BBY; moved up from 30 months ABG)
Holocron continuity database keeper Leland Chee has provided information on several occasions of when the Star Wars: The Clone Wars TV series occurs in the overall Expanded Universe version of the Clone Wars. Here is a reprinting of his accounts.
After Obi-Wan and Anakin's initial confrontations with Asajj Ventress
After the Republic's first encounter with Grievous
After Anakin has received his facial scars
After Anakin has become a Jedi Knight
After Obi-Wan has joined the Jedi Council
After Padmé gives R2-D2 to Anakin and a gold-plated C-3PO is in the service of Padmé
After the 501st Legion is assigned to Anakin and Cody and the 212th are assigned to Obi-Wan
When the Hutts are undecided about supporting the Confederacy or the Republic
Before the clones switch to Revenge of the Sith–style Phase II armor
Prior to the chronologically first episode of the series, "Cat and Mouse":
Asajj Ventress has emerged as Count Dooku’s assassin and has already had confrontations with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker.
General Grievous leads the Confederacy Droid Army and has confronted Jedi and Republic on numerous occasions, though he has not yet met Asajj Ventress.
Anakin has attained the rank of Jedi Knight and bares scars on his face from the Clone Wars.
The blue-marked 501st clone trooper unit under the command of Captain Rex are assigned to Anakin.
Obi-Wan has taken a seat on the Jedi Council.
His dedicated clone trooper unit is the orange-marked 212th Attack Battalion led by Commander Cody.
As a gift from Padmé, R2-D2 now serves Anakin while C-3PO, having had his rusted silver coverings replaced with gold ones, now serves Senator Padmé Amidala.
This is a chronological listing of pre–The Clone Wars media that, by the reasoning presented in The Essential Reader's Companion, must also take place within the first four weeks of the Clone Wars, as Skywalker is portrayed as still a Padawan. The chronology of media is taken from The New Essential Chronology (2005). Struck items indicate media that does not feature Skywalker but is part of the EU Clone Wars timeline surrounding Skywalker's apprenticeship.