The Clone Wars (also known as the Clone War) are a series of fictional intragalactic battles in George Lucas's science fiction saga Star Wars. The conflict is first mentione in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977), but not featured until the second and third episodes of the six-part Star Wars film series: Attack of the Clones (2002) and Revenge of the Sith (2005). The animated microseries Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003-2005) and Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) chronicle the major campaigns of the war. Additional events and stories are detailed in a multimedia campaign consisting of Star Wars literature and video games. Many of the events featured have parallels in history, politics, and mythology from which Lucas and other writers drew inspiration. Critics and film historians debate which parallels are most prominent or consistent.