The Star Wars veteran talks about bringing the animated series back, introducing the Bad Batch, and more.
After its unexpected cancellation in 2013, fans had a new hope for the revered series.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: When you produced the first six seasons, the pace of production was pretty quick.
Credit: Jesse Grant/Getty Images
But for this season, you had years to look back and reflect on the story.
So there should be dramatic improvements, visually.
We just didn’t have the tools necessary to actually realize it then.
Commander Cody, Captain Rex, and Jesse.Lucasfilm
What was the decision to add that scene in there?
I just thought the story was really dragging in the beginning.
And then I wanted to add a better sense of personal stakes to the story.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 7, The Final Season.Lucasfilm
The Bad Batch are mutant clones who are new faces we meet at the top of the season.
Yes, we always had this bizarre hairstyle trend with clones where they would pick ways to individualize.
And the Bad Batch themselves, that was all right from George.
Wrecker should not be the Hulk, even though we love the Hulk and those types of stories.
That’s not whatStar Warsis.
So we had to keep it all kind of within the reality ofStar Wars.
I loved the callback to clone 99 from season 3.
Was that always the plan to call the Bad Batch “Clone Force 99”?
And so he really lobbies the Kaminoans to take a second look at clones that they might deem different.
These first two episodes feature almost entirely clone troopers.
Dee Bradley Baker voices all the clones what was his reaction when he saw the script?
You forget it’s one guy doing it.
And I can tell you, it’s exhausting for him.
Being inside one character’s mind is exhausting.
And I can’t imagine what it’s like when he’s in a whole squad of guys.
And he’s got to keep the energy up and he’s got to keep the conflict up.
And he’s arguing with himself.
He and I over the years have had different ways to remember clones.
The Bad Batch is a little easier, you know, because they’re so different.
Do you remember plotting that out?
Yeah, that was really well-directed by Kyle Dulevy.
The way we doClone Wars, there’s no storyboards.
So when we plan the scene like that, it’s all virtually blocked in the computer.
The animator, Kyle, and his team were really proficient at using it.
I know exactly the shot you’re talking about.
Yes, we improved the animation.
We improved the rendering.
But it’s very much something that we had shot.
It’s pretty authentic.
And then the end is really something like we’ve never done before inClone Wars because its the end.
It was so great to see Echo again despite the circumstances.
So we started to hatch a plan for if that would even be something that’s possible.
But it wasn’t top of mind when we did the Citadel arc.
I just thought that was really unfortunate.
Having a scene with Padme actually interacting with Anakin was a very important moment.
It also shows people where they’re at in their relationship.
And also that she has a big influence over Anakin still and that he trusts her.
And it also hints at the timeline.
Youposted an intriguing Instagram last month.
It was a picture of Gandalf and Ahsoka.
And Gandalf says, People thought I was dead, too.
Are we going to see her again?
Well, you’ll see her inClone Warsif you watch these 12 episodes.
[Laughs] I told the truth!
I had an answer for once.
I think a lot.
Working with Jon Favreau has been another extension of my education.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
