Tales of the Jedi tells the stories of Jedi from the height of the Order’s power, with a focus on Ahsoka Tano and Count Dooku. The collection of six shorts shows both Jedis make a series of choices that will affect the rest of their lives, as well as the fate of the entire galaxy.
Warning: spoilers ahead for Tales of the Jedi and much of the rest of Star Wars canon.
Both Ahsoka and Dooku will eventually leave the Order of the Jedi, for different reasons. Dooku’s fall to the Dark Side is heavily foreshadowed in the early episodes of the show, while Ahsoka’s close connection to the Force is also presented in the forefront.
On top of that, ‘Practice Makes Perfect’ shares a heartbreaking insight into how Ahsoka survived Order 66, the bloodiest act in Jedi history. Here’s a look at what the show added to Star Wars canon in its fifth episode.
What is Order 66?
Order 66 is perhaps one of the most horrific war crimes in the Star Wars universe – and that’s saying something. It refers to the order given by Emperor Palpatine that triggered the Clone Army to turn on their Jedi leaders and friends and kill them in cold blood.
The top-secret order was programmed into the Clone Troopers via behavioral modification biochips implanted in their brains, making it almost impossible for the clones to disobey the command to turn against their Jedi Generals. A rare few managed it, which also contributed to Ahsoka’s survival.
Order 66 was ultimately how the Jedi Order fell, with any surviving Jedi hunted and persecuted by the terrifying Inquisitors.
How Ahsoka Survived Order 66, According to ‘Tales of the Jedi’
As noted above, some Jedi survived Order 66, including Ahsoka, Yoda, and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Ahsoka’s survival is explained in The Clone Wars but is given extra context in Tales of the Jedi. Episode 5 sees her master, Anakin Skywalker, put Ahsoka through a series of grueling training sessions against Clone Troopers, where she’s repeatedly stunned.
Although Ahsoka complains at the time, with Clone Trooper Rex saying he’s not sure how much he can take, Anakin is relentless.
“The best way I can protect you is to teach you how to protect yourself,” he says in a rare moment of raw emotion.
His reasoning is that, even if Ahsoka might only need to fight droids now, she should be ready for anything. Indeed, being able to predict Clone Trooper moves and hold your own against them comes in incredibly useful during Order 66.
In the same episode, we see Rex later speaking to Ahsoka. While we don’t see anything of Order 66, it’s clear that the scene is taking place after the Order has been given. Rex even makes a comment about seeing how well her training pays off as they enter a room full of enemy Clone Troopers.
Ultimately, Anakin did right by his Padawan. Even if he fell to the Dark Side, it’s his training that gave Ahsoka the skills to survive – and that’s made all the more heartbreaking when we see the two of them on opposite sides of the upcoming war.
(featured image: Disney)
