Here we are. The penultimate episode of Clone Wars. It’s the Order 66 episode. We’ve seen Order 66 in Revenge of the Sith, comics and books like Kanan: The Last Padawan, and video games like Jedi: Fallen Order. The only characters that we haven’t seen go through this was Ahsoka and Rex, the two main characters of Clone Wars. That’s exactly what “Shattered” is about.
This last season has truly been about Rex and Ahsoka. The Bad Batch arc was Rex coming to terms with letting go of people he cared for. It was about having hope and fighting to save what we love. Ahsoka’s Walkabout was confirmation to Ahsoka that she made the right choice in leaving the Jedi Order. She saw firsthand through the Martez Sisters how out of touch the Order became. And so far, the Siege of Mandalore arc has been about Rex and Ahsoka coming together for one last mission. This has truly been their season as it should be. Both have come so far, and it’s all for this episode.
I think if Order 66 happened in any of the earlier seasons, Rex wouldn’t have fought it off enough to warn Ahsoka. He wouldn’t have told her to search for Fives. He would have mindlessly turned, and that would have been the end of it. But this episode is a testament to how much he’s developed in the series. The episode “The Deserter” was about Rex embracing his identity. The Umbara Arc was about doing the right thing in the face of terrible orders. The Fives Arc was about questioning the powers in place and if they were truly good. Rex, with Ahsoka, has had the most growth over the course of the series.
And about Fives, I’m so happy his legacy is living on. Rex and Ahsoka are alive because of him. Because Fives was willing to question everything around him. Fives made a stand for his brothers against not only the Republic but also Darth Sidious. If it wasn’t for Fives’ sacrifice, Ahsoka would probably be dead. Rex would be a mindless clone with no control and no way to warn her. She wouldn’t in turn have saved him by removing his inhibitor chip. Fives’ legacy continues into Rebels allowing for Ahsoka and Rex to fight in the Rebellion. It’s continuing into The Mandalorian if the rumors are true about Ahsoka being in that series. His legacy continues to the Sequel Trilogy with Kix being the Last Clone Trooper all because Fives sought out the truth and sacrificed everything to be heard.
Fives is by far one of the most important characters in this series, if not in all of Star Wars.
The tension and build up in the beginning of this episode is so well done. The audience knows that Order 66 can happen at any moment as the characters are blissfully unaware. All season I’ve said how Revenge of the Sith has heightened every episode. They didn’t hold back at all in “Shattered.”
As Ahsoka and Rex leave Mandalore with Maul in captivity, there’s a two to three minute scene with no dialogue. It’s just Kevin Kiner’s music to guide the audience. Kiner’s music is ridiculously good this week. It’s never triumphant as they leave Mandalore. Instead, it builds an eerie dread. We move shot to shot to shot showing clones everywhere. Once our friends, they will soon be the enemy. It’s subtle but that entire scene until Rex and Ahsoka reach the bridge might be the best sequence of the episode.
I love a lot of the parallels between Bo-Katan in Clone Wars and where she is in Rebels. Both Ahsoka and Sabine Wren see that she would be a good leader. Both offer her the chance. She’s hesitant in both series as she compares herself to her sister, Duchess Satine. It also sets up so much of Bo and Ursa Wren’s relationship in Rebels. I was just watching the Rebels episode “Heroes of Mandalore” last night, and I was screaming at how similar scenes in that were lining up here. There’s a reason that Bo-Katan comes to the Wren Clan’s aid, and it’s all because of Clone Wars. Star Wars is poetry. It all rhymes.
Here’s some random thoughts I had to round out the episode:
-Maul’s casual walk of carnage might be in my top ten favorite moments of the series. Everyone has rightfully compared it to the Vader scene in Rogue One. It’s so brutal and awesome and just so good.
-Rex’s single tear! A single tear comes out of Rex as he faces off against Ahsoka right after Order 66 is issued. That tear hurts my feelings!
-Rex also tried to warn everyone about the inhibitor chips. We saw that he brought it up in an official report. The most heartbreaking part is he opens with the words, “I know this will fall on deaf ears…”
-I made a reaction video to this episode where I flat out called Mace Windu a bitch. It was a strong reaction to him calling Ahsoka a citizen. But that moment is so telling about where the Jedi are now. She used to be one of them. She risked her life to do what none of them could and actually captured Maul. The Jedi teach to not let feelings or emotions cloud their judgement. But it’s clear that Mace is holding a grudge against Ahsoka leaving the Order. If he had just listened, just taken the time to hear out her concerns about what Maul told her last episode in regards to Anakin, then perhaps Mace Windu would have lived. It was his own hubris and the corruption of the Jedi that truly was their downfall.
–Rogue One is my favorite Star Wars movie, and I will always have a soft spot to any reference to that film. Ahsoka using the Force to break through Rex’s spell, connecting with him, and they chant “I’m one with the Force, and the Force is with me” to save him just wrecked my feelings. It’s one of the best Force moments of this series.
-I love Ahsoka’s team of droids helping her out. R7-A7 has been with Ahsoka since season one. While I wish they had use R7 more in the series to build that bond with Ahsoka for this episode, it was good to see a familiar (metal) face willing to help Ahsoka through this. All I could think about was Leia’s line from The Rise of Skywalker “Never underestimate a droid.”
On May 4th, a twelve year story will come to an end. I can’t even begin to put into words what Clone Wars means to me. It’s been a staple in my life for over a decade. Ahsoka has been a source of inspiration for me in my hardest times. It’s the reason I got into podcasting. It’s the reason you’re reading this, because I made this website inspired by years of writing about this series. I can’t thank the cast and creators of this show enough for the gift they have given me. So, here’s to the last episode.
Let’s do this one last time.
This website doesn’t run without you. Maybe buy me a coffee sometime?
