Clones and More Clones (again...)

While listening to the Voice of the Republic podcast, an old debate has returned. During Episode III, Emperor Palpatine calls on Order 66 and the clones murder every Jedi they can get their hands on with no qualms or regrets. We all assume that in the end, the clones were flesh droids. However shortly after, Lucas Arts releases “Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader” in which a few clone commandos refuse to kill Jedi Master Roan Shryne. The question is whether Order 66 was a program implanted into the clones or not.

We assumed that it was a program that was conditioned and that the clone commandos in Luceno's post Episode III book were clones that somehow overcame their programming. Enter Karen Traviss' “Order 66,” and the debate is once again on. In “Order 66,” the clone commandos, Null Arcs, and the other clones that Kal Skirata picks up do not obey Order 66. Even Captain Maze hesitates to kill Jedi Master Arligan Zey and even offers to let him escape. We also learn that the clones were conditioned to memorize 150 contingency plans that included other orders such as arresting the entire Senate in case they decided to wrest power from the Supreme Chancellor. So it's a mix up, right?

In “Order 66,” we learn that Commander Cody thought the world of Obi Wan Kenobi. We see this affection in the Clone Wars new series on Cartoon Network and in the early part of Episode III. Ironically, the clones under Kal Skirata have no love for the Jedi. This seems to stem from Mandolorian culture. Yet they refuse to partake in the killing of the Jedi. Yet we realize that several clones dislike Kenobi and ridicule Commander Cody's affection for Kenobi. Yet in Episode III, Cody not only unflinchingly gives the order to kill Kenobi, he refers to Palpatine as “My Lord.”

We also realize in “Order 66,” that most clones had no love for Jedi. Here are some of the reasons discussed in Traviss' latest book:

a. No one has questioned how the Clone army came about. Some Jedi have asked and other Jedi have left the Jedi Order. Yet no one has specifically debated the Senate, Palpatine, or the Jedi Council on this.

b. In several books and even on the tv show, Clones have asked their Jedi caretakers what is going to happen to them after the war. I have yet to see a Jedi answer that question. Some Jedi have discussed this amongst themselves but nothing has come of it.

c.The Jedi Council hasn't said a peep about this.

d.Some Jedi, such as Quinlan Vos, have expressed their disdain for the clones. In “Order 66,” they even name names.

What do you think?

What If...

On Tuesday, August 14th, 2007 podcasting of Voice of the Republic, the guys discussed a question that asked: what if Anakin Skywalker allowed Mace Windu to kill Palpatine? It is a very good question. One that Billie Wheelz and I discussed several times. It's something he and I discuss over a few beers and a few hours.

As on Voice of the Republic (VOR), we will begin at the point where Mace Windu, Kit Fisto, Saesee Tin, and Agen Kolar head out to arrest Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. Master Windu commands Anakin to stay in the Jedi Council chambers. Fast forward and we find Mace Windu ready to strike Palpatine down while his fellow council members lie dead all around them. We all know what happens. This time, Master Windu kills Palpatine. Now let's assume that Anakin does nothing and walks away. What would happen?

Well, at that point Windu would fall to the dark side. Many of the Jedi, including Windu were teetering over the edge. Now he may not have fallen exactly at that point, but he would have taken the first step towards it. Remember, Yoda warned against this when Master Kidi Adi Mundi suggested ousting Palpatine during a council meeting.

Several Jedi left the order because they felt that the Jedi Council's stance on supporting a corrupt Senate was going against the tenets of the Jedi. If one read the books and comics of the EU, one will find many Jedi claiming that the dark side was now everywhere. While watching the movie, one gets the idea that things are not the same. That like Gil Scott Heron suggested, the winter is here.

In our scenario, Anakin would not need to make any moves. There will be some Jedi who would think that Master Windu's move was unforgivable and call for his removal from the Council. With three other members of the council dead, new members would be needed. This would cause a split in the Jedi Order. There will be those who will take sides with Mace Windu and those who would not.

We must keep in mind that with Palpatine dead, the Separatists would not know what to do. Their leaders all wiped out, some would consider surrender while others would continue to fight. In the Senate, there will be internal squabbling over who would become the Supreme Chancellor. It is easy to figure out who would be on which. The List of 2000, who signed the petition asking Palpatine to resign several of his executive powers, would be considered the peaceniks. They would sue for peace with the Separatists to sit at the negotiating table. There would be several Senators who would not fall for this. This would bring the Republic into further strife with new systems going to the Separatists and several doing their own thing. Now add the Jedi into the mix. There will be several of them caught up in the political confusion and end up fighting the people they were sent to defend. Now the clone troopers would become occupational forces throughout the galaxy. Mace Windu and his Jedi co-horts would have to either take over or dissolve the Senate.

Did I just mention the clones? Remember that they have pledged allegiance to the Republic and the office of the Supreme Chancellor. Palpatine represented the Republic. So in a sense, Order 66 would still be sent out. So several clones would turn against their Jedi commanders. This time however, many of the Jedi would know what happened on Coruscant so many more will survive then if Palpatine made the order. As a matter of fact, we might find that some Clone commanders will continue to follow their Jedi leaders since the Jedi Council have taken over the office of the Supreme Chancellor.

In the middle of all this, we have Anakin Skywalker. His entire goal was to save Padme Amidala and his children. Whose side would he take? Well remember, he has always said that the Senate should be dissolved. That a strong man should be in charge and if no one liked it, they should be taking to the clink (Episode II). Yet his only chance to save his wife is now dead. Where would he get this knowledge? Well, as a member of the Jedi Council he can now pillage the Jedi holocrons in their library. He would have to be made master now since there is a shortage of masters on the council. There would also be Jedi who still feel that he is the One. At this point, they will assume that he should run the council since his militant approach to problems would be ideal in this era of strife.

So in closing, Anakin would still fall to the Dark Side. It would just take longer for him to get there.