The BEST episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 1

Every episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 1, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 1!

As The Clone Wars sweep through the galaxy, the heroic Jedi Knights struggle to maintain order and restore peace. More and more systems are falling prey to the forces of the Dark Side as the Galactic Republic slips further and further under the sway of the Separatists and their never-ending droid army.

Last Updated: 12/20/2024Network: Disney+Status: Ended
Lair of Grievous (3)
star
7.80
2619 votes

#1 - Lair of Grievous (3)

Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/12/2008

Most powerful is he who controls his own power. General Grievous must prove himself worthy of the Separatists when Count Dooku leads Jedi Master Kit Fisto and his former Padawan, the Mon Calamari Jedi Nahdar Vebb to Grievous' villainous enclave.

Directors: Atsushi Takeuchi
Writer: Henry Gilroy
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Hostage Crisis
star
7.66
2178 votes

#2 - Hostage Crisis

Season 1 - Episode 22 - Aired 3/20/2009

A secret shared is a trust formed. To free crime lord Ziro Hutt, bounty hunters seize control of the Senate Building and take hostages—completely unaware at first that Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker is still inside.

Directors: Giancarlo Volpe
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Liberty on Ryloth (3)
star
7.64
2053 votes

#3 - Liberty on Ryloth (3)

Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 3/13/2009

Compromise is a virtue to be cultivated, not a weakness to be despised. With his forces stretched thin, Mace Windu must convince Twi'lek freedom fighter Cham Syndulla to help him save the capital city from the droids' destruction.

Directors: Rob Coleman
Writer: Henry Gilroy
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Cloak of Darkness (2)
star
7.62
2382 votes

#4 - Cloak of Darkness (2)

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/5/2008

Ignore your instincts at your peril. Ahsoka and Jedi Master Luminara escort captured Viceroy Nute Gunray to trial, unaware that Count Dooku has dispatched his deadly apprentice assassin Asajj Ventress to free the prisoner and eliminate the Jedi.

Directors: Dave Filoni
Writer: Paul Dini
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Destroy Malevolence (3)
star
7.56
3293 votes

#5 - Destroy Malevolence (3)

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/17/2008

A plan is only as good as those who see it through. Padmé Amidala and C-3PO are taken hostage by General Grievous, leaving Anakin and Obi-Wan to save the Senator and complete the destruction of the Malevolence. Anakin and Obi-Wan chase down the Malevolence, hoping to destroy it before it can escape. But when Padmé and C-3PO are captured and held hostage aboard, the Jedi are forced to hatch a new plan.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Innocents of Ryloth (2)
star
7.56
2365 votes

#6 - Innocents of Ryloth (2)

Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 3/6/2009

The costs of war can never be truly accounted for. To sabotage a powerful Separatist weapon, Obi-Wan and a small clone force enter an occupied town, and discover that its residents are being used as a living shield.

Directors: Justin Ridge
Writer: Henry Gilroy
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Storm Over Ryloth (1)
star
7.51
2134 votes

#7 - Storm Over Ryloth (1)

Season 1 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/27/2009

It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness. Ahsoka disobeys Anakin's orders and loses most of her squadron - prompting Anakin to help give his Padawan a lesson in a respect for authority, and the opportunity for redemption.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Rookies
star
7.50
3060 votes

#8 - Rookies

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/24/2008

The best confidence builder is experience. Alone on a distant outpost, Clone Commander Cody and Clone Captain Rex must inspire the rookie clones to believe in themselves to stave off a Commando droid invasion.

Directors: Justin Ridge
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Duel of the Droids (2)
star
7.46
2731 votes

#9 - Duel of the Droids (2)

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/14/2008

You hold onto friends by keeping your heart a little softer than your head. Anakin, Ahsoka and replacement droid R3-S6 embark on a dual rescue/sabotage mission when they discover R2-D2 is being held at General Grievous' secret enemy listening post.

Directors: Rob Coleman
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Hidden Enemy
star
7.43
2437 votes

#10 - The Hidden Enemy

Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/6/2009

Truth enlightens the mind, but won't always bring happiness to your heart. Anakin and Obi-Wan discover evidence of a traitor amongst their ranks while attempting to lead Republic forces to liberate the planet of Christophsis from a Separatist siege. When the Republic is ambushed on Christophsis, it becomes clear that someone has set them up. The Jedi suspect the Sith, while Rex and Cody uncover information that points to a spy amongst them.

Directors: Steward Lee
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Ambush
star
7.41
4879 votes

#11 - Ambush

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/3/2008

Great leaders inspire greatness in others. Jedi Master Yoda is on a secret mission to forge a treaty with the King of the strategic system of Toydaria when his ship is ambushed by Count Dooku. Yoda and three Clone troopers must face off against Count Dooku's dreaded assassin Ventress and her massive droid army to prove the Jedi are strong enough to protect the king and his people from the forces of the war.

Directors: Dave Bullock
Watch Now:Apple TV
Trespass
star
7.41
2165 votes

#12 - Trespass

Season 1 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/30/2009

Arrogance diminishes wisdom. While investigating the disappearance of a clone security force, Anakin and Obi-Wan get caught in the middle of an escalating conflict between the furry territorial inhabitants of a desolate ice world and the greedy representatives of a nearby moon.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Dooku Captured (1)
star
7.39
2047 votes

#13 - Dooku Captured (1)

Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/2/2009

The winding path to peace is always a worthy one, regardless of how many turns it takes. During their own attempt to kidnap Count Dooku, Anakin and Obi-Wan discover that the Sith Lord has already been captured by pirates.

Directors: Jesse Yeh
Writer: Julie Siege
Watch Now:Apple TV
Defenders of Peace (2)
star
7.37
2423 votes

#14 - Defenders of Peace (2)

Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/23/2009

When surrounded by war, one must eventually choose a side. While the Jedi combat a new Separatist weapon, the pacifist Lurmen must decide whether they will lay down to the oppressive Separatists or fight with Anakin, Ahsoka and Jedi General Aayla Secura.

Directors: Steward Lee
Watch Now:Apple TV
Mystery of a Thousand Moons (2)
star
7.35
2160 votes

#15 - Mystery of a Thousand Moons (2)

Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/13/2009

A single chance is a galaxy of hope. The fatal Blue Shadow Virus is released, infecting Ahsoka, Padmé and many Clone Troopers - and giving Anakin and Obi-Wan just 48 hours to find the antidote on a mysterious planet from which no visitor has ever returned.

Directors: Jesse Yeh
Writer: Brian Larsen
Watch Now:Apple TV
Rising Malevolence (1)
star
7.35
3876 votes

#16 - Rising Malevolence (1)

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/3/2008

Belief is not a matter of choice, but of conviction. Creating panic throughout the galaxy, a devastating Separatist mystery weapon terrorizes the clone starfleet. Anakin and Ahsoka race to save Jedi Master Plo Koon and his clone troopers in time. Jedi Master Plo Koon and his squad barely survive an attack from a mysterious Separatist warship called the Malevolence. Can they stay alive long enough for Anakin and Ahsoka to find them?

Directors: Dave Filoni
Watch Now:Apple TV
Jedi Crash (1)
star
7.29
2239 votes

#17 - Jedi Crash (1)

Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/16/2009

Greed and fear of loss are the roots that lead to the tree of evil. When Anakin Skywalker is gravely injured in battle, Jedi General Aayla Secura must teach Ahsoka the Jedi philosophy of having no personal attachments -- while they brave a hostile planet in search of medical help for the Jedi Knight.

Directors: Rob Coleman
Writer: Katie Lucas
Watch Now:Apple TV
Shadow of Malevolence (2)
star
7.27
3433 votes

#18 - Shadow of Malevolence (2)

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/10/2008

Easy is the path to wisdom for those not blinded by themselves. With the help of his Padawan Ahsoka and Jedi Master Plo Koon, Anakin utilizes new long-range Y-wing bombers to lead a bold strike on General Grievous' warship the Malevolence and its destructive weapon. As General Grievous uses the Malevolence to terrorize medical bases, the Jedi rush to defend Republic space. With help from his Padawan and Master Plo Koon, Anakin leads a bold strike mission into enemy territory.

Directors: Steven Melching
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Gungan General (2)
star
7.26
2269 votes

#19 - The Gungan General (2)

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/9/2009

Fail with honor rather than succeed by fraud. While negotiating Count Dooku's ransom, Anakin and Obi-Wan are taken prisoner. The Jedi and Sith form an unlikely alliance in a bid to escape, with Jar Jar Binks as their only hope.

Directors: Justin Ridge
Writer: Julie Siege
Watch Now:Apple TV
Downfall of a Droid (1)
star
7.22
2699 votes

#20 - Downfall of a Droid (1)

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/7/2008

Trust in your friends, and they'll have reason to trust in you. R2-D2 is lost during a fierce space battle - and Anakin, along with Ahsoka and a replacement droid, R3-S6, must find him before the Separatists discover the Jedi military secrets locked in his memory banks.

Directors: Rob Coleman
Watch Now:Apple TV
Blue Shadow Virus (1)
star
7.00
2090 votes

#21 - Blue Shadow Virus (1)

Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/13/2009

Fear is a disease; hope is its only cure. Padmé and Jar Jar are captured while searching for a secret Separatist bio-weapons lab, sparking Anakin, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka to try and save their friends and halt the release of a deadly virus.

Directors: Giancarlo Volpe
Writer: Craig Titley
Watch Now:Apple TV
Bombad Jedi (1)
star
6.92
2525 votes

#22 - Bombad Jedi (1)

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/21/2008

Heroes are made by the times. On a diplomatic mission to the planet Rodia, Padmé discovers that her old friend and fellow Republic senator Onaconda Farr has allied his planet with the Separatists. In exchange for food and resources for his people, Onaconda captures Padmé and promises to deliver her to Nute Gunray. Sensing Padmé is in trouble, Jar Jar Binks disguises himself as a Jedi, and with the help of C-3PO, courageously fights to rescue his friend and fellow senator.

Directors: Jesse Yeh
Watch Now:Apple TV