There are so many characters in theStar Warsuniverse that it’s hard to remember that most of them died before the events of the first film. Between the nine films and the endless spin-offs, there are enough heroes and villains to fill several real-world nations. Ahsoka Tano swiftly became one of the most popular characters in the galaxy, allowing her to survive the all-consuming purge of Order 66.
Ahsoka Tano was introduced to the Star Wars universe inthe 2008Clone Warscartoon series. Fans have seen her grow from Anakin’s teenage Padawan to a powerful Jedi in her own right across multiple shows. Her live-action debut came inThe Mandalorian, andshe’s set to enjoy her first full solo series later this year.
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What is Order 66?
Those that rememberRevenge of the Sithwill recall the moment that all Clone Troopers suddenly turned against the Jedi they previously fought alongside. With one three-word order, countless soldiers murdered their former allies and executed an immediate genocide against the respected Jedi Order.Order 66 is morethan a secret code that vaguely means “betray everyone.” In short, it’s aBourne Identity-esque activation phrase that instantly compels obedience in clone troopers. During the cloning process, Count Dooku ordered the insertion of a “bio-chip” that would respond to the Order 66 command. After hearing the activation phrase, all Clone Troopers would see Jedi as traitors and mark them for execution. The Sith were able to insert this contingency without alerting the Jedi, allowing it to function as a surprise attack. Onlya handful of Jedisurvived the initial sweep. Jedi were seen as traitors for the rest of the Galactic Empire’s rule.
How did Ahsoka Survive Order 66?
Ahsoka was not in the best physical location to survive Order 66. She was aboard a large Star Destroyer called theTribunal, staffed entirely by armed Clone Troopers. She was joined byher friend Commander Rex, the most iconic Clone Trooper in the franchise. Ahsoka did enjoy a bit of forewarning before the order was given, thanks to a Force vision that informed her of Mace Windu’s recent death. Ahsoka was as shocked as every other Jedi when the clones raised their weapons at her. Rex was one of the few troopers who was able to combat the chip’s influence, allowing him a moment of lucidity. At that moment, Ahsoka began a daring escape that would see her and Rex freed from the Empire.
Leaving theTribunaltook a lot of effort. Ahsoka is a skilled Jedi warrior who was able to evade and redirect the constant assaults from her former allies. TheTribunalhappened to hold a high-value prisoner at the time. Ahsoka freed Maul from his captivity as a distraction, granting her the chance to escape the ship. With the chaos caused by Maul, Ahsoka made her way into droid storage toreactivate her astromech unit, R7-A7. As the only trooper that showed a moment of hesitation, Rex established himself as an important ally. Ahsoka recruited the friendly droids to capture Rex. After dragging him away, Ahsoka managed to have Rex’s chip surgically removed. As a duo, Rex and Ahsoka had to fight their way through a battalion of clones. Through violence and friendship, Ahsoka escaped theTribunalwith Rex. They fled the Star Destroyer in a Y-wing which crashed almost immediately. Ahsoka and Rex faked their deaths at the crash site and lived in the shadows for the rest of their lives.
How did other Jedi Survive Order 66?
A handful of Jedi did make it out of the slaughter, but most of their stories are less epic than Ahsoka’s.Obi-Wan Kenobi escapedto Tatooine with Luke. Yoda felt the suffering of his fellow Jedi, allowing him to anticipate the attack from his clone guards, slaughter them, and escape to Dagobah. Both Kanan Jarrus and Cal Kestis survived because their mentors gave their lives to let them escape. A few Jedi Masters managed to hide so effectively that the Empire never found them. Jocasta Nu, the librarian and record keeper of the Jedi Order, managed to create a small school to continue training Force-sensitive kids. Cere Junda and her Padawan Trilla Suduri escaped for a while, but they were eventually caught and tortured. Perhaps most notably, Din “Baby Yoda” Grogu was rescued fromthe Jedi Temple by Kellerman Beq. This rush of violence left very few survivors, but the Jedi Order managed to continue.
Ahsoka’s escape from Order 66 is depicted in the seventhseason ofThe Clone Wars. It’s an incredible action set piece that is likely the most compelling moment to come out of Order 66. Though most of the Jedi were wiped out, those that survived did so through a variety of tactics. Ahsoka’s escape was incredible, but there’s a lot more to her adventure.
