The fall of the Jedi Order, which was once a powerful force in the galaxy, greatly impacted the universe. Set up by the Republic and once led by Grand Master Yoda, the Jedi spent centuries protecting peace and justice in the galaxy.
However, many have forgotten why the Jedi o died. It was due to Order 66, an order issued abruptly by Sheev Palpatine, Supreme Chancellor of the Republic at the time, who had secretly become the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Sidious.
Order 66 demanded the immediate execution of all Jedi and was carried out by the clone troopers, who were created from the DNA of Jango Fett and loyal to Darth Sidious. This one order destroyed the entire Jedi Order and brought the Republic era to an end, paving the way for the emergence of the Galactic Empire.
The goal of this article is to explore and identify top times the Jedi could have prevented Order 66, and perhaps avoided their demise.
Top 4 Times The Jedi Could’ve Prevented Order 66
- Discovered Palpatine was a Sith
The first and most obvious time the Jedi had to prevent Order 66 was when they discovered Palpatine was a Sith. He claimed to be a Jedi when he first appeared on Coruscant, and the Jedi quickly welcomed him into their fold. He then manipulated their trust and respect to become Supreme Chancellor of the Republic.
The first step the Jedi could have done to detect Palpatine’s true identity was to use Force Sense. This ability, which is possessed by a select few, gives one an understanding of the dark side and its user’s intentions. If a Sith is near, Force Sense is able to detect the user’s presence.
The Jedi also should have examined Palpatine’s past and track record more carefully. Had they done so, they would have easily uncovered the truth about him. Palpatine was actually Darth Sidious and had been shaping the Galactic Republic towards chaos in order to give himself more power. The clues were all around, and the Jedi could have saved the entire order if they had paid attention.
- Discovered Darth Plagueis
Another obvious time the Jedi had to prevent Order 66 was when they discovered Darth Plagueis, Palpatine’s Sith master. Plagueis was an ancient and powerful Sith Lord who had manipulated events to bring balance to the Force and help Darth Sidious rise to power.
If the Jedi had done some investigating, they could have easily discovered the truth about Darth Plagueis. He had used his Sith knowledge to manipulate the Republic and turn it towards chaos in order to give Darth Sidious the power he needed.
The Jedi could have used their own knowledge and experience to expose the truth about Darth Plagueis and the Sith’s manipulation of the Republic. This could have been the perfect opportunity for them to put a stop to Darth Sidious’ plans before it was too late.
- bIt was not until after the Battle of Geonosis, which marked the beginning of the Clone Wars, that the Jedi’s fate became apparent. Palpatine revealed himself as Darth Sidious to Anakin Skywalker and issued Order 66, which demanded the execution of all the Jedi.
The Jedi had plenty of opportunities to find out the Sith’s plans before the Clone Wars. They could have intercepted or listened in to conversations between Darth Sidious and Darth Tyranus, who was actually the clone of Jango Fett and a Sith apprentice.
The Jedi could have gained information about the Sith’s plans and stopped them in time. They also could have intercepted communications sent by the Sith, which would have been the perfect opportunity to catch a glimpse of their plans.
- Stopped the Creation of the Clone Army
The final time the Jedi might have been able to prevent Order 66 was when they learned of the creation of the clone army. It was deemed a miracle of the Republic’s military strength, but the truth was that it was actually a plan set up by Darth Sidious.
The Jedi could have done more to find out about the truth behind the clone army. They could have used their own Force to explore the cloning process and figure out the truth. They also could have used their knowledge and experience to uncover the intent of the clones and the Sith’s ultimate plan.
If the Jedi had done this, they could have stopped the Empire before it ever became a reality.
It is impossible to know for sure whether or not the Jedi could have prevented Order 66. But it is clear that they had opportunities to discover the truth about Darth Sidious and Darth Plagueis, as well as the Sith’s plans.
If the Jedi had used their wisdom and understanding of the Force to their advantage, they could have saved the order before it was too late. They could have stopped Palpatine and avoided the tragedy of Order 66. Unfortunately, the Jedi Order was destroyed and the Republic era ended.
The fall of the Jedi Order is a reminder that knowledge, in particular Force knowledge and understanding of the dark side, is incredibly important for maintaining peace and justice in the galaxy. It is a reminder that the Jedi should never have taken their powers and wisdom for granted.
