Those who haven't watched Star Wars: The Clone Wars probably still think that they could easily guess what the show is about: explosive battles between the clones and the droids with some epic lightsaber duels thrown in the mix. These are major parts of the series, but The Clone Wars wouldn't be what it is today if not for its many emotional moments.
Viewers often find themselves really connecting with the characters of the show, no matter what side of the war they're on. Many tears have been shed because of these connections, and it would be fair to say that there will always be more to come for new viewers.
10 The Funeral Of Obi-Wan Kenobi
As part of a plot to gain the trust of Count Dooku and learn of his schemes against the Republic, Obi-Wan Kenobi decides he must go undercover as a bounty hunter. The problem was, in order to take the place of the bounty hunter, Rako Hardeen, Obi-Wan had to fake his own death at the hands of said bounty hunter.
Many of Obi-Wan's allies were not told of this plan, so seeing their reactions was truly heartbreaking. Anakin, while quiet, is clearly enraged and craving vengeance, while Duchess Satine weeps for her dear friend at the fake funeral. The fact that fans know that this is just a ruse doesn't take away any of the emotional gravity from the situation.
9 Anakin's Vision Presented The Inevitable Tragedy Of Darth Vader
This moment carries a tremendous amount of weight for any dedicated Star Wars fan. While stranded on the mysterious world of Mortis, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka come into conflict with the Son, a Force wielder who embodied the Dark Side.
He eventually forces Anakin to experience a vision of his future, which included all the appalling acts he commits after aligning himself with Darth Sidious. Seeing how genuinely horrified Anakin is after witnessing the vision is an emotional sight which adds even more gravity to the entire plot of Star Wars.
8 The "Death" Of Echo Was A Shock
Unlike the "death" of Obi-Wan Kenobi, fans had absolutely no idea that Echo didn't actually die in the third season of the series. The revelation of his survival didn't come until season seven, which was about nine years later. Even with this knowledge, the scene is still a tremendously sad one.
Echo attempted to commandeer a Separatist shuttle in order for the Republic group to escape a super-prison, but a well-aimed blast from a turret blew it up with Echo right next to it. Echo was a fan favorite at the time, so this scene surely shocked and saddened many viewers.
7 The Devastation Of Clones Vs. Clones Deception
The planet of Umbara was home to one of the bloodiest battles in The Clone Wars. Oddly enough, most of this is the fault of a Jedi. Pong Krell ordered the 501st and the 212th legions to attack each other, believing that the other legion was full of Umbarans disguised as clones. This leads to one of the most emotional battle scenes of all time.
After removing a deceased 212th clone's helmet, Captain Rex runs through the battlefield, shouting for his brothers to stop shooting. Waxer, a well-known clone from the series, then appears fighting for his last breaths and succumbing to his wounds. The sight of the distraught clones here is a brutal representation of how awful betrayal can be.
6 Clone 99's Death In The Line Of Duty Tugged Heartstrings
Clone 99 was a mutated clone who couldn't accompany his brothers onto the battlefield. Instead, he served as a sort of custodian on Kamino. More importantly, his thoughtful and kind soul allowed him to provide other clones with encouragement and wisdom whenever he could.
But during the invasion of Kamino, 99 met his end after attempting to gather more weapons for other clones. While it was quite the sad moment, 99 will always be remembered for his selfless bravery.
5 Everything About Order 66, But Especially Ahsoka's Confusion
Seeing the commencement of Order 66 will always be a sad moment. However, seeing exactly what happened to Ahsoka Tano in this moment might just be the most emotional consequence of Sidious' dreaded plan.
Fans are treated to an excellently-crafted scene of Ahsoka escaping the clones' unrelenting attack. Captain Rex is the one to receive the order from Darth Sidious, which is extremely sad in and of itself. Seeing Rex try to fight the command, Ahsoka visibly confused, and the clones with Ahsoka-inspired helmet designs shooting at her are all sights worthy of tears.
4 Rex And Ahsoka Bury The Dead
After the events that transpired aboard the Republic cruiser during the execution of Order 66, fans found Ahsoka and Rex amidst the crashed ship's ruins. Rex puts a shovel into their own ship, while Ahsoka stands over the graves of clones who died in the crash.
Their helmets have been placed above their graves, making this even sadder because of the way most of them were painted to show their admiration for and loyalty to Ahsoka. ARC trooper Jesse, a well-known clone to fans of the show, also has his helmet displayed here. To have this be Ahsoka's reunion with the clones is, in a word, heartbreaking.
3 The Death Of Fan Favorite Fives
CT-5555, or Fives, was one of the most beloved and prominent clones featured in The Clone Wars. Even if his death had happened under less notable circumstances, it would still be one of the saddest moments of the series, but that wasn't what the showrunners had in mind. Instead, Fives met his end in tragic fashion: at the hands of one of his brothers, Commander Fox.
Fives had been on the run because he knew about the Kaminoan inhibitor chips placed in each clone's mind, which eventually led to Order 66. It was sad enough seeing Fives die in Rex's arms, but adding in the fact that he also could have prevented the slaughter of the Jedi and the rise of the Empire adds some serious weight to this scene.
2 The Death Of Duchess Satine Hurt Obi-Wan And Fans Alike
It's safe to say that more fans probably felt worse for Obi-Wan Kenobi in this moment than they did for him during his final fight with Darth Vader. This scene embodies everything that a tragedy should strive to be.
Maul, having taken control of Mandalore, captures Obi-Wan and Duchess Satine during an escape attempt. He then taunts his old adversary and forces him to watch as he kills Satine right in front of him. Clone Wars fans know that the two characters had been in love for quite some time, so hearing Satine reiterate this to Obi-Wan right before she died was absolutely painful to watch.
1 Ahsoka Leaves The Jedi Order
With so many iconic and emotional death scenes in this series, it's ironic that the most emotional scene doesn't involve death at all. It instead involves huge change, in both the Star Wars universe and in the eyes of fans. Ahsoka declaring that she would not be returning to the Jedi is not only one of the most memorable and most-watched scenes of the series, it is also, without question, the saddest.
Fans have shed many tears while watching this moment, and for good reason. Hearing how betrayed Ahsoka feels and how devastated Anakin is, even after claiming so long ago that he didn't want a Padawan, just wrenches every viewer's heart. Once fans realize that this moment most likely played a significant part in Anakin's downfall, there's just no way to avoid tearing up and thinking back on all the amazing Ahsoka moments that The Clone Wars provided for fans.