‘Star Wars’ Finally Unveils the Numbers Behind Jedi Survival After Order 66

Order 66 represents a tragic yet pivotal moment in the development of George Lucas’ Star Wars universe. This event connected the Prequel Trilogy to the Original Trilogy and ultimately defined the franchise.

It marked the culmination of Palpatine’s schemes, leading to the destruction of the Jedi Order, the rise of the Empire, and the fall of the Galactic Republic.

While most Jedi were killed, some managed to escape and go into hiding. Initially, it was believed that only about 1% of the Jedi survived, but it was later confirmed that approximately 200 Jedi lived, which is double the original estimate.

However, our focus here is on how so many Jedi managed to survive.

Palpatine designed his plan to be foolproof. The Clone Troopers were expected to follow his orders without question and eliminate the Jedi. While some clones failed and were defeated, that is not the only reason for the Jedi’s survival, as a new book reveals.

As mentioned earlier, the implications of Order 66 were clear: the complete eradication of all Jedi. Palpatine had ingrained this directive into the Clone Troopers during their creation, ensuring they would obey his orders without question.

He viewed them as mindless entities, devoid of their own will, and executed his plan in Revenge of the Sith. We all know the outcome.

The clones turned against their former allies. While a few Jedi managed to survive, most were brutally killed, resulting in the decimation of the Jedi Order and rendering it effectively powerless.

Initially, it was believed that only about 100 Jedi had survived (roughly 1%), but it was later confirmed that around 200 Jedi lived, scattered across the galaxy and hidden from sight. We know the fates of some, such as Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Cal Kestis, and Ahsoka Tano, but many stories remain shrouded in mystery. This leads us to the focus of this article.

Specifically, how did so many Jedi manage to survive? While some relied on their skills, that wasn’t true for all of them. In fact, several powerful Jedi fell during Order 66. So, what really happened?

The recently released book Star Wars: The Secrets of the Clone Troopers by Marc Sumerak provides some answers. In it, Captain Rex explains: “Even though Order 66 was designed to be a directive that we couldn’t resist, not every clone ended up pulling the trigger.”

He adds that some clones were “less susceptible to the inhibitor chip’s influence due to their genetic augmentations” and were “strong enough to resist, at least until their Jedi general could escape.”

This is a significant and intriguing piece of information. It confirms that the clones were not merely mindless beings—at least not all of them.

They had the potential to develop free will and to defy their programming, adding another layer of depth to these characters that will be fascinating to explore in the future.

Do you have any thoughts to share? Let us know in the comments below!

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