It’s been a long time since we witnessed the execution of Order 66 in Revenge of the Sith, but the penultimate episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars somehow managed to rekindle all those painful emotions from 15 years ago.
The eleventh episode is aptly titled “Shattered,” describing the state that Dave Filoni left us in when it came to a close. Fans already knew that this moment was coming, and even the producers teased us from time to time, but Anakin turning to the dark side still struck an agonizing chord. Although, the fact that Samuel L. Jackson and Hayden Christensen’s voices filled the background really got us, not to mention Rex’s heartbreaking reaction to Order 66 and Ahsoka trying to survive amidst the endless wave of blaster fire from her Clone Troopers.
Everything in this episode, from the early scenes building up to the defining moment and the music tensing up as the shadow of darkness gathers, is top-notch and praiseworthy. But perhaps the most surprising element was the inclusion of sound effects and lines of dialogue from Revenge of the Sith. In the last instance, Matt Latner (Anakin’s voice actor in The Clone Wars) and Christensen’s voices merge together, creating a harrowing realization for the former Jedi Padawan as they cry out, “What have I done…” Since both Ahsoka and Maul heard the voices in their heads, this essentially means that the former knows about Anakin’s turn to the dark side. Or at the very least, his death.
Ahsoka then fights her way through the mothership and even manages to get out Rex’s programming chip, but the episode ends on a cliffhanger as the pair find themselves surrounded by Clones.
Of course, as heartbreaking as it was to watch this Friday’s episode, something tells us the finale will be infinitely darker. Some clues even suggest that Darth Vader will make an appearance. So be sure you don’t miss the last episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars on May 4th on Disney Plus.