Summary
Star Warshas explored Order 66 and its effects in severalStar Warsmovies and TV showssince it was introduced inStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, but this one dark Order 66 legacy has gone largely ignored. Order 66 was a defining moment intheStar Warstimeline. Not only was it the demise of nearly every Jedi at the time, but it also sealed Anakin’s identity as Darth Vader; he truly was fully committed to the dark side at that point.
SinceRevenge of the Sith, shows likeStar Wars: The Clone Wars,Star Wars: The Bad Batch, andStar Wars Rebelshave highlighted what this tragedy was like from various perspectives, including that of the clones. However, not every aspect of Order 66 has been addressed. Rather,one incredibly dark legacy remains unacknowledged in the franchise in the strangest way.
Star Wars: Every Jedi Who Survived Order 66 (In Canon)
Clone Protocol Order 66 caused once-loyal Clone troopers in Star Wars to wipe out the Jedi, but a handful managed to survive this initial purge.
Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader
From the very beginning, Anakin’s old lightsaber has been viewed as a legendary weapon. While it certainly is iconic in the franchise and though it has traded hands between some ofStar Wars’most powerful Jedi, it also has an incredibly dark history. Specifically,one of Anakin’s last acts with his blue lightsaber was to murder a room full of younglings.
In truth, these were far from Anakin’s first murders with this lightsaber. He had also killed Count Dooku at the beginning ofRevenge of the Sithwith his own lightsaber and Dooku’s together, and he had already marched through the Temple and killed countless other Jedi before entering the Jedi Council’s chambers. However, slaughtering the younglings was clearly Anakin’s most egregious act inRevenge of the Sith, and it was carried out with this very lightsaber.
This Order 66 History Should Be Acknowledged
Despite how painful and dark this lightsaber’s history is, it is still treated as the weapon of a hero. Again, while that may be true, it isn’t the whole truth. Rather,Star Warshas neglected to acknowledge that as the likes of Luke Skywalker, Rey, and Finn proudly wield this lightsaber, they are holding the very saber that cut down numerous innocent children.
Despite how painful and dark this lightsaber’s history is, it is still treated as the weapon of a hero.
It’s fair for Anakin’s lightsaber to remain a meaningful symbol in the franchise. After all, Anakin truly is one ofStar Wars’most important characters andthe Chosen One. However, it seems rather odd that, given all the additional context about Order 66 that has been provided in recent years, the history of the crimes committed with this lightsaber has gone ignored. Surely, there is a way forStar Warsto both honor what this lightsaber symbolizes and draw attention to the fact that its role inStar Warsisn’t so straightforward.
While this absence makes sense in the original trilogy, as the backstory of the lightsaber hadn’t been established yet,the sequel trilogy neglecting this history is particularly odd. In fact, Rey even experiences a number of memories when she touches the lightsaber inStar Wars: The Force Awakens. This could have included a glimpse of Order 66, which would have been a swift and subtle way to address this past and move on.
What Will Become Of Anakin’s Lightsaber Now?
Rey (very controversially) buried two lightsabers at the end ofStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: Anakin’s and Leia’s. On the one hand, this was an odd choice; Rey buried the sabers on the Lars Farm on Tatooine. Not only did Leia have significant trauma on Tatooine—as she had been held there as Jabba’s slave—but also, she had never been to the Lars Farm. For Anakin’s lightsaber, this was slightly more meaningful, as Anakin’s mother was buried there, and this was perhaps the closest they could get to being buried side-by-side.
Nevertheless, audiences bristled at this end for the iconic lightsaber. Seemingly, despite Rey’s upcomingStar Warsmovie set 15 years afterThe Rise of Skywalker,this moment also firmly put Anakin’s lightsaber to rest, and it will not be revisited. This has interesting implications for the lightsaber’s history.
Star Warsseems to have decided never to acknowledge that this lightsaber that has been so treasured in the years since the prequel trilogy committed such heinous crimes. In addition to being a bit disappointing, because this legacy is both relevant and important, it is surprising.Star Warsisn’t a franchise to shy away from the more gruesome details, but the dark legacy of Anakin Skywalker’s blue lightsaber will likely continue to get swept under the rug.
