19 years after the release ofStar Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith,Star Warsstill hasn’t revealed the true extent of Order 66.“Execute Order 66” is one of the most iconic phrases in the entire franchise – Palpatine’s master plan to kill as many Jedi as possible in one fell swoop changed everything, plunging the galaxy into darkness. And yet, despite being such a pivotal event in theStar Warstimeline, there’s plenty we don’t know about the battles that followed the clones’ betrayal.Many Jedi died immediately, but many others survived – at least for a while – and fought back.
So far, we’ve seen Order 66 from the perspectives of Jedi like Aayla Secura, Yoda, Plo Koon, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, Depa Billaba, Caleb Dume, Cal Kestis, Jaro Tapal, and more. Though a majority of the Jedi were off on distant planets with their clone regiments, and thus caught unawares, some managed to find each other in the aftermath, having heeded Obi-Wan Kenobi’s warnings not to return to the Jedi Temple. What could they do, but launch a retaliatory attack?
The Jedi Purge Didn’t End In Revenge Of The Sith
Order 66, often referred to asthe Jedi Purge, did not end inRevenge of the Sith. Plenty ofStar Warsstories have revealed howDarth Vader’s Inquisitors– many of whom were former Jedi, before being turned to the dark side – continued to scour the galaxy for Jedi survivors, but that’s not all that happened. More recently, theStar Wars: Inquisitorscomic series by Rodney Barnes and Ramon Rosanas depicted the 501st clone trooper legion – Anakin Skywalker’s old legion – initiating an attack on a Jedi Temple on Zondula, following the initial wave of Order 66-related violence.
Star Wars: Every Jedi Who Survived Order 66 (In Canon)
Clone Protocol Order 66 caused once-loyal Clone troopers in Star Wars to wipe out the Jedi, but a handful managed to survive this initial purge.
Even more interestingly, however – as noted by X user Iain (@starwarsiain) –some of theJedi who survived Order 66were reported to have orchestrated a final stand against the Republic’s clone trooperson either Madar or Morad, though the remaining Jedi ultimately lost. This last-ditch effort, as mentioned in Chuck Wendig’sAftermathtrilogy, is widely considered the final act of the collective purge. Other remaining Jedi were hunted down one by one. As we know, only a few of those survived.
Will Star Wars Ever Show The Last Stand Of The Jedi?
Most, if not all, ofStar Wars’Order 66 storytelling is focused on how individual Jedi experienced the violence of the Jedi’s genocide. Caleb Dume was saved by Clone Force 99, Ahsoka Tano was forced to bury those she had considered her friends, and Cal Kestis watched his Master die just as they were about to escape, clutching his broken lightsaber to his chest. These stories are all worthwhile and unquestionably tragic, but clearly, there’s more to Order 66 than we were initially led to believe.That first wave of violence was not the only major battle.
If a group of Jedi found one another and decided to fight together one last time, those Jedi deserve to be named.
If a group of Jedi found one another and decided to fight together one last time, those Jedi deserve to be named. Perhaps this story can fit intoThe Mandalorian’s storytelling. After all, we still don’t know what happened to Grogu and Kelleran Beq. Maybe this battle is part of Ahsoka Tano’s journey, too. Perhaps she discovered the Jedi’s remains during her travels betweenStar Wars Rebelsand her reappearance inThe Mandalorian, and she used her psychometry to uncover the truth. This event doesn’t need an entire show, movie, or book, butStar Warsshould, at the very least, acknowledge it more openly.
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise that started in 1977 by creator George Lucas. After the release of Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope (originally just titled Star Wars), the franchise quickly exploded, spawning multiple sequels, prequels, TV shows, video games, comics, and much more. After Disney acquired the rights to the franchise, they quickly expanded the universe on Disney+, starting with The Mandalorian.
