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Memorable characters have always been an essential part of Star Wars. When The Clone Wars series began, it introduced a whole cast of new characters alongside many classic ones from the prequels. Many of these characters have gone on to become iconic within the Star Wars universe. Despite this, most have only appeared onscreen in animation.
For many of the Clone Wars' characters, there's still much to be explored about their backstory and their role in the wider Star Wars universe. Whether it's Savage Opress's connection to Darth Maul, Ventress's backstory as a Jedi Padawan, or Hondo's continuous quest for a quick profit, these characters are just waiting for their chance to get onto the big (or small) screen in live action.
Savage Opress
After he dispenses with Ventress on Sidious's orders, Dooku needs another assistant, and he turns to the Nightsisters for help. The result is a Dathomiran male who's been enhanced by the Nightsister's magic, making him larger and stronger, as well as a powerful force user. Savage's true intent is realized when he teams up with Ventress to kill Dooku, revealing he was always her servant.
Savage has such an interesting backstory. His relationship with his brother Maul is something that could be explored much more deeply, as could his life on Dathomir before the Clone Wars, and before Maul became Darth Sidious's apprentice. Despite the complexities of the character, Savage had only a limited amount of screen time in The Clone Wars, leaving plenty of room for more exploration.
Satine
As the Clone Wars expanded across the galaxy, the Senate became more corrupt than ever. One of the few politicians who continued to hold onto their principles was Satine, Duchess of Mandalore, who fought hard to prevent the Republic bringing her planet into the conflict.
There's a lot of backstory to Satine that still needs to be filled in, such as her relationship with Obi Wan while he was a padawan, and her later role within galactic politics. We only get a brief glimpse of her abilities as a politician and leader during crisis, and there seems to be a lot more that could be explored about her role in rebuilding Mandalore after its destructive civil war, as well as her peace keeping and anti-corruption wok.
Mother Talzin
The Nightsisters have a unique place in Star Wars; they're powerful with the force, but not in the same way as Jedi or Sith, and several characters such as Savage and Ventress have a connection with this mysterious cult.
At the head of the Nightsisters' order is Mother Talzin, the most powerful of them all. She is responsible for turning Savage Opress into the half-man, half-monster that becomes Dooku's apprentice. Not only does Talzin have unique powers, but she's one of the few people who is able to harm Dooku, which prompts the Count to send Grievous and an army of battle droids to wipe out the Nightsisters after Talzin betrays him by aiding Ventress and Savage in an attempt on his life.
Pre Vizsla
Star Wars fans have always been fascinated by Mandalorians, ever since Boba Fett first showed up wearing the iconic armor (first in the Star Wars Holiday Special, then in The Empire Strikes Back). This race of impressive warriors was expanded upon in the Clone Wars, introducing characters like Pre Vizsla.
Although he originally kept up his disguise of a reputable politician, Pre Vizsla was actually the leader of Deathwatch, a militant group that wanted to return Mandalore to its warrior roots. Vizsla was the perfect person to lead such an organization. Not only was he a cunning and ruthless leader, but he was also a fierce warrior, taking on both Obi Wan and Darth Maul in separate duels and holding his own against the Jedi and Sith.
Captain Rex
When first designed by the Kaminoans, the clones are envisaged as a single unit of uniform soldiers, while serving under the Jedi they were encouraged to develop more unique personalities and recognize their qualities as individuals. One of the most individual and important clones was Captain Rex.
Often serving under Ahsoka and Anakin, Rex was a hugely important part of the Clone Wars, taking part in many of the most crucial battles and helping his Jedi superiors out of scrapes more than once. In spite of his individual personality, Rex still followed his training and was a good soldier, such as when he followed Master Krell's suicidal orders in the Battle of Umbara. After the execution of Order 66, Rex managed to overcome the effects of his inhibitor chip, eventually joining up with the fledgling Rebellion and taking the fight to the Empire.
Embo
Star Wars has always had a love for bounty hunters since the appearance of the unfortunate Greedo in Episode IV. Often these bounty hunters have gone on to become legends within the galaxy, needing only a few minutes of screen time to make their mark.
When first introduced in the Clone Wars, Embo fits the role of a classic bounty hunter perfectly. He's cool, slick, mysterious, and has a unique taste in helmets, while also having his own code that keeps him loyal to whoever's paying him. Embo's most distinctive feature is his hat, which is made from steel and can be used as a shield or discus in battle. Followed around by his trusty pet anooba, Embo is a fierce bounty hunter, even managing to hold his own against Savage Opress for a while when protecting the Hutts.
Asajj Ventress
Ventress is an interesting character. She works as an assassin for the Separatists while secretly being trained as a Sith by Count Dooku, often coming into conflict with Anakin and Obi Wan during the early part of the Clone Wars. When Sidious becomes suspicious of Ventress's true purpose, he orders Dooku to eliminate her. The Count obeys, knowing he can always get another apprentice.
There's a lot more that can be explored about Ventress, such as her early life with the Nightsisters, and her time as a Jedi Padawan which ended with her fall to the dark side. There's also her later life as a bounty hunter, which her force skills clearly made her proficient at. There was also still some good in her, as she helps Quinlan Vos with his mission to infiltrate the Separatists, falling in love with him before meeting her death at the hands of Dooku.
Hondo Ohnaka
One of Star Wars' lovable rogues, Hondo has a bigger part in the Clone Wars than might appear at first glance. He's one of the few people to get the better of Count Dooku, and he has a habit of turning against his associates when profit calls.
Despite his outward appearance and loose morals, Hondo does live his life by some sort of code, and he always imagines himself to be capable of selfless acts, even if he never quite manages to complete them. His connection with Ezra Bridger and the Rebels in later life also makes him an interesting character. Whether at the height of his wealth and influence in the Clone Wars, or later in life when he's looking for a quick profit to retire on, there are plenty more stories to be told about this pirate.