"Front Runners" marks the third installment of the fifth season of the animated television show, Star Wars: The Clone Wars. It was originally broadcast on October 13, 2012.
"Ahsoka oversees the Onderon rebels as they infiltrate the capital city, launching a series of strategic attacks on key targets throughout. As the Separatist-backed king faces increasing pressure to quell the growing rebellion, the rebels come together to select a new leader to guide their cause."
The Onderon insurgents, operating under the guidance of Jedi figures such as Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, and clone trooper Rex, have initiated assaults on the Separatist droid forces stationed in Iziz. They are systematically dismantling them while meticulously avoiding harm to innocent civilians, gradually advancing toward the Unifar Temple with each action. Viewing this as a direct challenge to his authority and safety, Sanjay Rash, the illegitimate King of Onderon, has his predecessor Ramsis Dendup extracted from the palace's dungeons. Rash accuses Dendup of instigating the rebellion. Dendup retorts that Rash's allegiance to the Separatists is the root cause and that only he, as the rightful king, can resolve the situation by ending the droid occupation.
Simultaneously, the Jedi and the rebels convene at a secure location to deliberate on their upcoming strategies. While the rebels and Anakin express confidence, Obi-Wan advises caution, pointing out that the attacks have instilled fear in the populace. Lux and Steela concur, emphasizing the need for the rebels to first earn the trust of their people. Subsequently, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Rex decide to return to Coruscant to brief the Jedi High Council, while Ahsoka remains behind as an advisor, empowering the rebels to independently continue their fight, albeit with continued logistical support from the Republic.
To gain the trust of the Onderon people, Lux proposes an attack on the city's main power station, aiming to disrupt the droids' energy supply and cripple the occupying forces. To gather intelligence for the assault, Saw ambushes a lone battle droid and extracts its head, downloading the station's defense schematics. Finding the defenses too formidable for a direct assault, the rebel leaders devise a plan to harass the droids to the point where they request reinforcements. Then, they will use a commandeered tank to destroy the facility.
The rebels stage an ambush on a droid patrol within the city, allowing them just enough time to call for backup before eliminating them. The initial wave consists of two Droidekas, which are neutralized through the combined efforts of Lux, Saw, and Steela. The subsequent wave includes the coveted tank. While Steela eliminates the droid escort with precise sniper fire, Lux and Saw manage to disable the tank's droid crew without damaging their prize. However, during their attempts to reactivate the tank, tensions arise between Lux and Steela against Saw, who is still driven by his ego.
Before the group approaches the generator, Steela and Ahsoka separate from Lux and Saw to divert the droid guards' attention. The tank successfully breaches the generator's defense perimeter. Despite facing resistance from a squad of commando droids, they succeed in destroying the generator, causing a widespread power outage in the city. Under the cover of darkness, the rebels begin targeting every droid unit they encounter within the city, earning the admiration and support of the citizens. During their celebration in their safehouse, Ahsoka is once again acutely aware of the attraction that seems to be developing between Lux and Steela, but Anakin, who joins the celebration with Obi-Wan and Rex via holographic projection, offers her both moral support and a reminder to prioritize the mission over personal feelings.
Subsequently, the Jedi address the rebels, cautioning them about the inevitable retaliation from Count Dooku. To provide the Onderon people with a symbol to rally behind, they suggest that the rebels elect a leader from among themselves. Following a brief discussion about their immediate plans, the lower-ranking rebels unanimously elect Steela as their leader, much to Saw's dismay. Meanwhile, a distressed Rash is forced to report to Dooku, who agrees to dispatch additional and superior droid reinforcements, along with a more competent general, Kalani, to suppress the uprising.