Star Wars: The Bad Batch continues to provide some awesome insights into the Star Wars universe. One of the most interesting is a reveal of what Emperor Palpatine’s ‘Order 66’ was like for the Republic Clone Troopers. This pivotal moment in the galaxy’s history took place at the end of Revenge of the Sith, marking the Empire truly coming into existence as the Jedi Order was purged.
Palpatine’s plan was to install a behavioral modification biochip in the clone’s brains, making it almost impossible for them to disobey the command to kill the Jedi serving alongside them. The consequences of his scheme were long-lasting, and now The Bad Batch has given us a look at it from the Clone Trooper’s perspective.
This came after the characters met with Captain Rex, who escaped Order 66 with Ahsoka Tano after removing his chip. When he discovers that the Bad Batch still have theirs he prioritizes their removal, setting course for an old Jedi ship with the right medical facilities. The Bad Batch’s enhancements theoretically make them immune to their effects, though we already know this isn’t a hard rule as Crosshair’s activated earlier in the season.
During the removal process, something goes wrong, Wrecker’s chip comes online, and he starts trying to murder his friends. After he recovers he’s wracked with guilt, apologizing to his teammates, and reveals that while he was fully aware of his actions at all times, he could not stop his homicidal rampage.
Many of the Clone Troopers formed close relationships with the Jedi they fought with, so being forced to kill your friend while being fully conscious sounds like a literal nightmare. Despite this, we still don’t fully know the long-term psychological impact on those who participated in Order 66.
Most will have become Imperial soldiers, though the transition between Clone Troopers and Stormtroopers is a bit hazy. The Jango Fett-based soldiers we saw fight in the Clone Wars were gradually phased out in favor of new models and eventually replaced by birth-born recruits, so they were likely repurposed, euthanized, or simply succumbed to their accelerated aging.
Let’s hope for more details like these in Star Wars: The Bad Batch which airs each Friday on Disney Plus.