It has indeed been six years since the last episode of Dave Filoni's animated show Star Wars: The Clone Wars aired Let's get this straight: since then, a new Star Wars trilogy, two Star Wars spin-off movies, the first Star Wars live-action TV series, a Star Wars theme park, a slew of Star Wars tie-in media, and Dave Filoni's two Star Wars animated shows were born [Disney has certainly been busy [because the seventh season (final 12 episodes) of "The Clone Wars" we've been looking for finally premiered on Disney Plus We were more excited than Wookiees in battle, so here are our thoughts (translated from Shyriiwook) on the wonderful first episode

Note: See below for light plot details of "Clone Wars" Season 7, Episode 1

When he last left the Clone Wars, Darth Maul was wielding a dark saber in a heated standoff with Obi Wan, Ahsoka Tano had chosen to leave the Jedi Order, and Yoda had first met Darth Sidious on the ancient Sith planet Moraband

The show, which was thought to be cancelled for good, left much to be desired in terms of resolving these characters' stories, but now that it's back, we should get more clarity Now, the good news and the bad news The good news: The latest trailer for "Clone Wars" Season 7 (below) definitely confirms the return of Maul and Ahsoka, and also teases an epic lightsaber showdown between the two characters The bad news: neither of them will appear in the first episode (probably not until after the first "Bad Batch" story arc, which consists of four episodes), so we'll have to wait a bit longer to see them again

But there is more good news If you've ever watched "Clone Wars," you know that the best episodes focus exclusively on the clones of the 501st Corps and the 212th Attack Battalion ("Rookies" in Season 1) A testament to the talent of the writers and the voice talent of Dee Bradley Baker, who voices all the clones in the show and manages to imbue each with a quirk or two, the first new episode after a six-year hiatus gets away with an almost jaded plot and is the show's biggest Even ignoring the cliffhanger, it was still one of the most engaging to date

As if Baker hadn't already proven himself a master of voice acting, he was this time the title character, the Bad Batch (formerly Clone Force 99) The four members of the Bad Batch were identified as "flawed" clones who had failed experiments on the Camino, but their success rate in the field was 100% Unlike Rex, Cody, or the other clones they call "regs," Bad Batch rushes into battle with guns blazing and proudly displays his unlimited power The batch's leader, a Rambo-esque hunter, is not good at talking or strategizing, but somehow manages to keep his people together The brutal Wrecker just wants to fight anything that stands in his way, while Tech is the resident geek, using his intelligence and, appropriately enough, technical knowledge to assist the team And Crosshair never misses a carefully aimed shot

Commander Cody sends his crew to help with the mission on the planet Anaxes, but there are a few surprises that I don't want to ruin for those who haven't seen this episode yet I didn't miss a single moment of Jedi or lightsabers, and every few minutes I was shocked again when I remembered that the majority of the episode I was watching was voiced by just one man

If any of the above plots sound familiar, it may be because this "bad batch" story arc was actually planned long ago An unfinished version of the episode premiered at Celebration Anaheim in April 2015 and was subsequently published on StarWarscom At the time, the show was thought to be cancelled for good, and the galaxy was a sadder place But while some of the story developments may not be entirely new to you, I am happy to report that the final product is the best "Clone Wars" ever, far better than the rough editing at Celebration, or even the show's first season!

Don't worry: the show's signature look and art style are intact However, the attention to detail in the characters' facial expressions, settings, and movements is overwhelming The fight choreography in particular deserves praise, as it proves that even though we've seen countless Star Wars fights over the years, there are still some amazing and original ones to be had The smooth animation ensures that you always know who is doing what to whom, even in the biggest brawls, and I can't wait to see what awaits us at the epic climax

The flawless style of this episode, in addition to being a visual treat, serves to further enhance the story The two work in tandem, as they accomplish the difficult task of establishing an entirely new clone population in the latter half of the series, and in just 20-plus minutes But after watching the Season 7 premiere, the Bad Batch clones already rank among my favorite Clone Wars characters, and Star Wars characters in general (Yeah, I'll say it: the Knights of Ren are no match for Clone Force 99, baby) [Expect more fun gags amidst the tension as Bad Batch, Cody, Rex, and company continue to work together But the show is at its best when it is rooted in the heart, and this episode's celebration of individuality and camaraderie thankfully has that in spades

One episode down, eleven to go This final episode ties up a number of loose plot threads, reveals the events leading up to the execution of Order 66, gives fan favorite character Ahsoka Tano a fitting curtain call before the rebellion, and provides a satisfying connection to the already well-known storyline of "Revenge of the Sith" While providing a satisfying conclusion, instead of going full speed ahead like a wrecker, the Clone Wars writers wisely decided to take their time telling a very personal and human story But instead of going full speed ahead with the wrecker, the Clone Wars writers wisely decided to take their time telling very individual and human stories While some fans may interpret this as wasting valuable time by not immediately getting to the juiciest arcs we're most hungry for, the show's confidence in its ability to tell these smaller stories makes it as engaging as ever

Without spoiling anything, the unexpected reintroductions of characters we thought we'd seen the last of, were effective in pushing the series to an emotional climax

Regardless of how everything turns out, I am simply grateful that this show is back in our lives I'm grateful to get more closure than Season 6 gave us And I am grateful that although we will soon have to say goodbye to characters who mean so much to us, we know that "no one is really gone" They will live on in our hearts and minds for many years to come, even without this final season, but at least now, as this premiere makes it seem, they may be doing so a little more comfortably