The Clone Wars: Ahsoka in New Look

When Ahsoka Tano shows up in this week's episode of The Clone Wars Friday night, you'll notice some differences. The episode "Heroes on Both Sides" will bring in all-new character models for several characters on the show, including Anakin, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka.

For Anakin and Obi-Wan, their form is much more styled after their outfits in Revenge of the Sith, with both discarding the pieces of Clone Trooper armor they've been wearing up until now
"Over the course of the series so far, our characters have been affected by the clash, so the changes we are seeing are a reflection of what they've gone through and how they've changed," says Supervising Director Dave Filoni. "We're getting closer to the events of Episode III, and the look of the series is moving toward that look and those plans." Anakin's hair is also a bit longer, heading towards the look he had in reprisal of the Sith

As for Ahsoka, her form is a bit more drastically overhauled. Not only does she look a bit older, but her new costume covers her up more than her previous tube top look did. Says Filoni, "We don't have a live-action point of comparison for Ahsoka, but her development is definitely as pronounced as anyone's. When the war began, she was just a kid; she was strong and capable, but she had a lot to learn – and she's been through a lot. She's been changed by the things she's seen and done, and now we're seeing that reflected in her look. She's older, more mature. In this episode, we see a significant step for her emotional development, in addition to her aesthetic development. Coming face to face with the enemy is going to be an eye-opening experience for her."

Filoni notes that the new character models are part of the ever-evolving animation on the series. "Our production keeps getting better; as we move forward, we're able to incorporate new techniques and improved animation. As a weekly series, we've been pushing ourselves to do things that haven't been done in TV animation, and it's always a struggle just to get it done at all. But we are learning tricks that help to streamline the process, and we continue to build our asset library. We're at a place where we can explore and develop new and improved character assets for some of our primary players. In addition to the look change, these new models are so much more expressive."