Star Wars The Clone Wars Series Ruined Order 66, Says Some Fans

Highlights

Star Wars: The Clone Wars introduced a new canon explanation for the clones’ execution of Order 66, which some fans find less compelling than the previously understood concept of their obedience. (95 characters)
The show’s brain chip plotline added depth to the clones’ characters and showed instances of disobedience, but it also raised questions about the feasibility of executing brutal orders without mind control. (126 characters)
The debate over the clones’ motivations in carrying out Order 66 showcases the expansion of Star Wars lore in TV format and highlights the potential for future projects to build on fan-favorite storylines. (163 characters)

Star Wars: The Clone Wars has been heralded for its stellar additions to the franchise’s canon. However, one fan pointed out what they believe is a rare disservice the show did to the pre-existing lore.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars debuted with a feature-length film before settling into episodic format two months later, giving fans a previously unthinkable amount of content set in the titular period in the galaxy far, far away. Since the end of its run, the show has been considered one of, if not the best Star Wars TV show ever. However, there seems to be at least one part of the revered series that rubs some fans the wrong way compared to the consensus that existed before the show aired.

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Taking to Reddit’s r/StarWars subreddit to make his complaint known, a user going by ScoffSlaphead posted a summary of the issue with the concise title, “Anyone else prefer the old canon explanation for the clones doing order 66?” The user referred to the new canon revelation that the Clone troopers were chipped by their Kaminioan creators to facilitate one of the franchises’ most pivotal moments. “The mind chip thing is very interesting, and it led to a good arc in The Clone Wars. But some part of me prefers the idea that the clones were just that obedient that they were willing to murder the Jedi,” the user said.

Order 66, a sweeping military action that saw every Clone in active service turn on their Jedi Generals and several assist Anakin Skywalker in his purge of the Jedi Temple, destroyed the Order and left only a few iconic Jedi survivors. This made it the most impactful part of the Clone Wars era, serving as the climax of both the animated series and the prequel trilogy, with the TV version showing the sheer scale of the betrayal. Before the show’s brain chip plotline, the understanding was that the Clone Troopers were following orders, a sentiment that certainly aligns with many real-world examples and one that some fans appreciated greatly, with ScoffSlaphead confirming, “Its why I love the story of Battlefront 2 (2005), hearing how they knew what was coming and that they dreaded the order when it came. To me that’s much more interesting than what is basically mind control.”

While there’s certainly a lot to be said for the original interpretation of events, many fans were quick to point out flaws in the unspoken understanding that existed before The Clone Wars, most notably the fact that the Jedi are psychic—and the brutal nature of the Order (which included getting rid of the younglings) would require more than just loyalty to see carried out. Others pointed out that it was necessary to introduce the chips because, from the very beginning of the animated series, while they are all generally united as servants of justice as per the Republic, the Clones take on a new life of their own, with distinct and noble personalities and goals. This included showing several instances of Clones disobeying orders and played well into the fact that the Empire stopped using Clones as troopers shortly after the Order.

There’s merit to both sides, and the entire discussion is another reminder that Star Wars works much better in TV format due to the ever-expanding lore that fans love so much. With Disney Plus becoming the focal point for new content, fans can hope to see more stellar lore-building in future Star Wars projects.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars is currently available for streaming on Disney Plus.