One 20-year-oldStar Warsstory shows how loyalclone troopersare to the Jedi andGalactic Republicin their right minds. The Republic’s clone troopers are renowned for their heroism in the Clone Wars, fighting alongside the Jedi to defeat the Separatists – yet they are also infamous for their betrayal of both whenOrder 66was enacted. One comic issue from theStar WarsLegends continuity, however, includes one of many examples of clone troopers disobeying Order 66 and remaining loyal to the Jedi and Republic.
Issue 27 ofStar Wars: Empireby Ron Marz and Nicola Scott explores the backstory of Able-1707, a standard clone trooper who survived a Separatist ambush, but was left stranded and alone on Lubang Minor for over 20 years. After a near-fatal encounter with Imperial forces on Lubang Minor between the events ofA New HopeandThe Empire Strikes Back, Able runs into Rebel pilots Arhul Narra andLuke Skywalker. Narra – a Clone Wars veteran himself – brings Able up to speed on what became of the Republic, the Jedi, and the Separatists.
Able’s Reaction To Luke Skywalker Shows How Clones Would Always React To Jedi
Able learns that the Republic he once served “won” the Clone Wars, but became the totalitarianGalactic Empirein the process and that the Jedi were all but wiped out in the process. Luke Skywalker ignites his father’s lightsaber, revealing himself to be a “Jedi” (in truth, an aspiring Jedi at the time) who fights for a Rebellion to restore the Republic. With this information,Able chooses to join the Rebellion and fight alongside the surviving Jedi to rebuild the Republic, demonstrating how a clone trooper would act without the influence of Order 66.
TheStar WarsLegends continuity includes other examples of standard clones refusing to betray the Jedi, such as the clone pilot HOB-147.
Why DID The Clones Turn On The Jedi Then?
While the live-actionStar Warsmoviesdo not delve into the intricacies of Order 66, non-movie materials in both the original Legends timeline and the modern canon explain the nature of the directive and why nearly every clone trooper followed it. Order 66 is one of 150Imperial contingency ordersin the Legends continuity, while it is a secret directive in the modern canon.In both timelines, however, clone troopers do not follow it willingly, but the Order’s execution activates dormant brainwashing, forcing them to turn against the Jedi.
Every Clone Who Disobeyed Order 66 In Star Wars Canon & Legends
Star Wars' Clone Troopers were bred for absolute loyalty and secretly created to destroy the Jedi…but not every one obeyed the sinister Order 66.
In the modern canon, the brainwashing comes from aninhibitor chipgiven to clones as embryos, but in theStar WarsLegends timeline, the precise method of brainwashing is never specified. Nevertheless, Legends-era clone troopers had to have been forced to follow Order 66, as no clone in their right mind would turn on the democracy they are sworn to protect and the Jedi who they befriend on the battlefield. By choosing to fight the Empire and stand alongside the surviving Jedi and Rebellion,Able’s actions reflect those of any clone trooper in their right mind.
August 04, 2025
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.
