Chapter 1 (Star Wars: Clone Wars)

Yoda, the Jedi Grand Master, elucidates the backdrop of the Clone Wars, a conflict spanning the galaxy between the Galactic Republic and the dissenting Confederacy of Independent Systems. Intense battles are unfolding across various planets, including Dantooine and Dac, among others. Key figures from the Jedi Order, such as Yoda, Shaak Ti, Saesee Tiin, Mace Windu, Luminara Unduli, Barriss Offee, Kit Fisto, Anakin Skywalker, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, are leading clone trooper units in battles throughout the galaxy. Simultaneously, the Quarren Isolation League pledges allegiance to Count Dooku and the Separatist Droid Army, while Anakin Skywalker's command over the Force continues to intensify.

A meeting transpires between Yoda, Kenobi, Skywalker, and Supreme Chancellor Palpatine within his suite located on [Coruscant](/article/coruscant-legends], the Republic's capital. Kenobi informs the Chancellor about the InterGalactic Banking Clan constructing clandestine factories on Muunilinst, a planet, to produce substantial droid armies and warships, emphasizing the urgency for action. Palpatine agrees but questions who is available to spearhead the mission, given Windu's engagement in the Battle of Dantooine. Yoda proposes Kenobi for the leadership role, to which Kenobi responds that his forces are prepared for immediate departure. Subsequently, Palpatine suggests Skywalker assume command of Kenobi's space forces during the battle, citing his exceptional abilities. However, Kenobi expresses reservations about Skywalker's readiness for such responsibility, and Yoda asserts that a Padawan's place is alongside their master. Despite Yoda's acknowledgment of Skywalker's power and his attempt to elaborate, Palpatine interjects and decides that Skywalker will participate, much to the dismay of Yoda and Kenobi.

As Kenobi's forces embark on loading into Acclamator-class assault ships and readying their V-19 Torrent starfighters, the Jedi contemplates the challenges ahead, doubting even his former master Qui-Gon Jinn could have adequately prepared anyone for it. Young Skywalker boards his Azure Angel and departs with Kenobi's army, bidding farewell to Padmé Amidala, his secret love.

George Lucas contacted Genndy Tartakovsky to gauge his interest in creating a Star Wars animated series aimed at bridging the narrative gap between Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith (2005). This initiative was partly motivated by Hasbro Inc.'s declining action figure sales within the Star Wars franchise. Lucas granted Tartakovsky a degree of creative freedom, encouraging him to infuse his own unique style into the saga by developing original stories. They opted to divide the narrative into twenty episodes, each lasting three minutes, forming a continuous storyline with occasional diversions. In terms of animation, the team chose to stylize the characters' appearances based on the actors from Attack of the Clones while avoiding direct replication. The concept for the main title sequence involved depicting a transmission originating from the galaxy that could be received by Earth residents on their televisions.

The initial scene of the chapter, featuring Yoda riding a creature across a desert battlefield, was Tartakovsky's first concept when considering Star Wars. Animating large-scale armies proved to be a significant challenge. The team decided to employ computer-generated imagery for the ships to manage complex movements effectively, while opting for traditional animation for the remaining elements. To ensure visual consistency, the team refrained from over-rendering the computer-animated components. Tartakovsky studied battle sequences from the films and compared them to samurai fighting styles to accurately portray large battles and scenes involving Jedi. The team also decided to showcase Skywalker's mechanical hand, believing its visibility added to the character's visual impact. To populate Kenobi's extensive army, they utilized computer programs to multiply individual clone troopers.

Initially, Tartakovsky had reservations about the voice acting, but these concerns quickly dissipated as he recognized the actors' talent and was pleased with their character portrayals. The team enhanced the voices to create a more cartoonish effect, making the process more enjoyable and less tedious. Kenobi's reflections on his master were incorporated later than usual during voiceover work, as the team felt it would be compelling to have Kenobi reminisce about Qui-Gon Jinn.

"Chapter 1" was broadcast on Cartoon Network on November 7, 2003, occupying a five-minute time slot with its three-minute runtime. It was also released on the Cartoon Network website and StarWars.com as the introductory episode of Season One within the twenty-five-episode microseries Star Wars: Clone Wars. The chapter was included in the Star Wars: Clone Wars Volume One DVD, which was released on March 22, 2005. Additionally, it was featured in the Star Wars: Bonus Lightsaber Action DVD as a bonus disc accompanying specially marked Hasbro Inc. Revenge of the Sith lightsabers.

According to Tartakovsky, the initial twenty episodes were met with positive feedback, although some viewers expressed concerns about the brevity of each chapter. Season One was awarded the Emmy for "Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or More)" in the same year.

Serving as the pilot episode for Clone Wars, "Chapter 1" initiated a vast multimedia project that encompassed not only the television series but also numerous comics, novels, a video game, action figures, and short stories. This show subsequently served as an inspiration for the computer-animated television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which debuted in 2008.

The chapter received coverage in the Star Wars: Clone Wars Photo Comic, which was released on May 21, 2008.