Order 66

"Execute Order 66."

- Darth Sidious to numerous clone commanders

Order 66, also known as Protocol 66, was an order implanted into the clone troopers of the Grand Army of the Republic by the Sith Lords and Kaminoan scientists who created the clone army. The protocol caused clone troopers to kill their Jedi commanders, and was controlled by a bio-chip implanted into the clones during their creation; the chip could control the behavior of the clones and ensure total obedience. The conspiracy, led by Darth Sidious&mdash;secretly Supreme Chancellor Palpatine&mdash;and Count Dooku, was nearly exposed when the chip belonging to clone trooper Tup malfunctioned, but all who learned of the conspiracy were killed.

In the final days of the Clone Wars, after having revealed himself to the Jedi as the Dark Lord of the Sith, Palpatine issued Order 66. The clone troopers across the galaxy turned on the Jedi and began killing them, with numerous Jedi perishing on battlefields on many different worlds. Meanwhile, fallen Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, who had become the Sith Lord Darth Vader, marched on the Jedi Temple with a group of clones and killed the Jedi within it. Although a number of Jedi&mdash;including Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, and Kanan Jarrus&mdash;were able to escape, Order 66 marked the destruction of the Jedi Order. The surviving Jedi would remain in exile at least until the redemption of Anakin Skywalker, who sacrificed his life to kill Palpatine and destroy the Sith, bringing balance to the Force.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
 * Star Wars Rebels
 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
 * Star Wars Rebels
 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope