Star Wars Shows The Limits Of Order 66
The Bad Batch has been gradually exploring Order 66 and the full extent of the clones’ brainwashing, revealing that the effects only last so long.
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Several episodes of Star Wars: The Bad Batch have delved into the intricacies of Order 66 and the limits of the clone troopers’ brainwashing in the Star Wars franchise. Outside of the films, Clone Wars-era material from both canon and Legends has repeatedly shown clone troopers to be good men who genuinely subscribe to the Republic’s democratic ideology. Canon material, particularly Star Wars: The Clone Wars and The Bad Batch, has explored how the clones were brainwashed and the effects of their control chips. In the case of Clone Captain Howzer and several of his men, the limited nature of the implants is shown explicitly, with fully-brainwashed clones coming to their senses and returning to their true selves.
Clone troopers were conditioned, trained, and equipped to be among the galaxy’s greatest warriors, and while this goal was successful, the Sith and the Kaminoans needed to be certain that they’d comply with Order 66, the directive to kill their Jedi leaders. This was achieved through a brain implant, called inhibitor chips, which overrode the clones’ free will, compelling them to kill all Jedi and showing additional effects, like a drastic change in demeanor and unquestioning support of a regime that’s antithetical to the Republic’s ideals. The ultimate cruelty of Order 66 was that clones were fully aware of what they were doing, but powerless to stop themselves.
Star Wars canon initially established that a clone could only break free of their brainwashing if their control chip is removed or otherwise rendered inoperable, but The Bad Batch shows that it’s far more limited. The episodes “Devil’s Deal” and “Rescue on Ryloth” featured a subplot in which Captain Howzer, who was previously shown to have the same demeanor as most clones before Order 66, gradually realizes the error of supporting the Empire. Howzer’s arc culminates with him standing up to his fellow brainwashed clones and voicing his distaste for the Empire’s occupation of Ryloth, leading several unnamed clone troopers to join him and turn against the Empire. Although all the dissenting clones are arrested, they all acted according to their conscience, showing that Order 66’s brainwashing had its limits.
What these episodes show is that the effects of the clones’ brainwashing implant may have been strong at first, but gradually wear away over time. Whether intentionally or not, this may benefit the Empire, who sought to replace the clones with recruited soldiers (Imperial Stormtroopers) almost immediately after the Clone Wars ended and the Empire rose to power. Order 66 was ultimately the most important part of every clone’s life, as far as the Sith are concerned. Though far superior to recruits and droids, the clones outlived their usefulness after Palpatine’s coup. Despite being raised to be unquestioningly loyal, clone troopers often demonstrated independent thought and free will, a rarity among the conscripted Stormtroopers of the original trilogy era.
Over time, more clones may follow Howzer and his men and turn against the Empire. This could be catastrophic to the fledgling regime at first, but leaders like Tarkin and Rampart may use dissenting clones as an excuse to further assert the need for recruited beings in the Imperial military. While there are some notable Imperial clones in canon, the inherent altruism of the former Republic soldiers may see more of them breaking free of their brainwashing and following their conscience. The short-term nature of Order 66’s brainwashing could also lead to more clones joining the Rebellion in the Star Wars franchise.
Link Source : https://screenrant.com/star-wars-bad-batch-order-66-ryloth-rebellion/