Anakin Skywalker could be the real reason Ahsoka Tano survived Order 66 in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. There is a sense in which the Clone Wars were the ultimate Jedi trap; by fighting at all, the Jedi lost. Order 66 was the culmination of everything Darth Sidious had planned, as the clones turned on the Jedi at Palpatine’s command, slaughtering them. As seen in Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 7, they also attempted to kill Anakin Skywalker’s former Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, but they were rather less successful. Ahsoka survived when the clones succeeded in cutting down many Jedi who were more powerful and far more skilled.
As noted by The Stupendous Wave, Ahsoka’s training under Anakin Skywalker appears to be the real reason she survived Order 66. Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi revealed Anakin was a harsh master for Ahsoka, putting her through tests no other Jedi considered. Anakin was unimpressed with training droids, preferring to test Ahsoka’s reflexes against clone troopers. Though he did not know it, he was unwittingly anticipating the day Ahsoka would need to battle the legions of the clone army.
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Ahsoka’s Training Directly Paralleled Order 66
Anakin’s basic training exercise involved placing Ahsoka at the center of a circle of clone troopers, who opened fire; her task was to block the shots for as long as possible. Not only did this mean she was used to being on the receiving end of clone tactics, it also meant Ahsoka was used to facing opponents who did not register any hostile intent. This was one reason Order 66 was the perfect way to kill the Jedi; the clones did not act out of anger or malice, but simply out of something close to mindless obedience, explaining why few Jedi sensed the attacks coming. Ahsoka was able to set her confusion aside, trusting her instincts to deflect the clone troopers’ attacks while she figured out how to escape.
Having escaped from the clones, Ahsoka was able to draw on her experiences with the Grand Army of the Republic to hide from the Empire. Most Jedi had remained distant from their troopers, but Anakin and Ahsoka had been close to them, even considering them friends. This gave Ahsoka insight into their methods, helping her hide from them. The advantage remained even after the Empire replaced clone troopers with Stormtroopers, because the first generation of Stormtroopers learned from the clones’ rulebook. Ahsoka was rather less successful when it came to hiding from the Inquisitors, of course, whose methods were unknown to her.
Anakin Was The Only Jedi To Train His Apprentice For Order 66
Anakin Skywalker’s teaching methods were unorthodox, but they were undeniably successful. Other Jedi Padawans survived Order 66, but they generally did so because of their masters’ self-sacrifice rather than through their own skills. Anakin was the only one whose apprentice was ready for the horrors of Order 66, and Ahsoka’s survival is testimony to his effectiveness. Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi prove just how good a mentor he really was.
Next: Star Wars: Why George Lucas Replaced Anakin Skywalker’s Force Ghost
