Star Wars: The Clone Wars reached its penultimate episode today, with the show finally coming to the fateful events of Order 66. Obviously, we’ve known for a long while that Ahsoka Tano survived the destruction of the Jedi, as she returned in sequel series Star Wars Rebels. Likewise, Captain Rex was confirmed to have overcome his clone programming on that same show. This depiction of their escape, however, conflicts with what we’d already been told, but it’s probably for the best.
In episode 7×11 “Shattered,” Ahsoka and Rex are heading back to Coruscant with a captured Maul when Palpatine issues Order 66. In the midst of their journey through hyperspace on a Republic cruiser, the troopers turn on Ahsoka – including Rex! Thankfully, he’s able to struggle with his programming enough to tell her to find Fives. The former Jedi manages to discover the truth about Fives’ death from a terminal, uncovering a report from Rex in which he voices his suspicions about the inhibitor chips.
Understanding that the chips are the key to the troopers turning on the Jedi, Ahsoka is forced to free Maul so he can cause a distraction. She then manages to subdue Rex, take him to the medbay and remove the chip from his brain before more troopers arrive, cornering them.
“Shattered” ends on this tense cliffhanger, but it leaves us with a lot to chew on. For one, this version of events retcons both E.K. Johnston’s Ahsoka novel and Rex’s explanation in Rebels. In the book, it’s revealed that Ahsoka and Rex were still on Mandalore when Order 66 went down. What’s more, Maul escaped by himself and the pair faked their deaths before laying low in the Outer Rim. Likewise, in Rebels, Rex says he removed his chip before the order was given.
Presumably, these explanations were ignored in a bid to increase Ahsoka’s heroism in the story. In “Shattered,” she manages to save herself by saving Rex and is also responsible for releasing Maul. For that reason, it’s hard to be annoyed by the plot holes Star Wars: The Clone Wars just created.
Don’t miss the finale, “Victory and Death,” on Disney Plus this Monday AKA Star Wars Day.
