If there’s one thing the expandedStar Warscontent beyond the films has done well, it has given fans of the franchise new locations, characters, and factions to become invested in. TheStar Warsuniverse is bigger than it’s ever been before, due to fascinating characters and memorable stories. One particularly beloved piece ofStar Warscontent is the animated showStar Wars: The Clone Wars, which brought now-household names such as Ahsoka Tano to the forefront of theStar Warsgalaxy. If there’s one thing fans love about that show above all else though,it is undoubtedly the clone troopers.
Despite having a presence in the mainStar Warsfilms, the clone troopers were never really developed on a more personal level in film. So whenStar Wars: The Clone Warsgave clone troopers personalities and story arcs of their own, fans instantly fell in love. Undoubtedly the most iconic of the clone troopers and clone divisions were Captain Rex and the 501st Legion, instantly recognizable for the iconic blue markings on their armor. Given their prominence in the lore,especially in the Clone Wars era, the 501st is an important area of exploration for any seriousStar Warsfan.
RELATED:Star Wars Outlaws Could Be Skipping Steam
The Clone Wars
The 501st Legion was activated for service after the Battle of Geonosis, like all the other clone divisions, and went on to be involved in many of the most important moments in the Clone Wars conflict.The leader of the 501st, Captain Rex, was among the first generation of clones produced for the army. He received Advanced Recon Commando (ARC) training that placed him above a majority of other clones skill-wise.
General Anakin Skywalker was the leader of the 501st Legion. Given Anakin’s close friendship with his former master and fellow Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi, Rex and the 501st worked together with Kenobi’s troops, Commander Cody and the 212th Attack Battalion, on many missions, such as the Battle of Christophsis.
In one of the most pivotal moments of the war, the 501st Legion was deployed to defend Kamino, the homeworld of the clone troopers and the primary source of the Republic’s forces. There, they went up against a Separatist invasion that wished to cripple the Grand Army of the Republic. With the help of two 501st troopers, Echo and Fives, the city was successfully defended and Kamino was able to continue producing clones. Echo and Fives were recognized for their superior service and were made ARC troopers under the 501st. They would continue to work closely with Rex on many more missions in the war.
Along with the 212th Attack Battalion, the 501st was directly involved in the Battle of Umbara. During this conflict, the clones were placed under the supervision of Jedi General Pong Krell due to Anakin Skywalker’s sudden necessary departure. Krell was secretly a turncoatworking against the clones, and nearly successfully ordered the execution of some of the 501st’s best men. Pong Krell tricked the 501st and 212th into firing upon each other, resulting in a devastating and demoralizing tragedy for the clones. Thankfully, Rex and a squad of 501st troopers battled Pong Krell and eventually defeated him.
End Of The War & Legacy
In the final days of the Clone Wars, the 501st Legion was divided and involved in multiple conflicts across the galaxy. When Ahsoka Tano returned to Anakin Skywalker seeking aid tohelp the people of Mandalorereclaim their planet from Maul, the 332nd Company was created as a subdivision of the 501st and sent to aid Mandalore along with the newly-promoted Commander Rex. The departure of Anakin and Obi-Wan to go save Chancellor Palpatine on Coruscant with the rest of the 501st Legion would end up being the last time Anakin said goodbye to Rex as an ally.
When Supreme Chancellor Palpatine ordered the clone armyto execute order 66, the 501st succumbed to their inhibitor chips and turned against the Jedi, along with all the other clone troopers. Those who were attacked included Ahsoka Tano,who narrowly escaped deathand managed to remove Rex’s inhibitor chip after the activation, freeing him from control. While they managed to escape with their lives, they had to watch many of their former allies die. Though he was not a part of the 501st any longer, Rex would continue to serve in the Rebel Alliance to fight for the ideals he and his fellow clones once stood for.
The larger 501st Legion aided Anakin Skywalker, now Darth Vader, in wiping out the Jedi on Coruscant, and was inevitably made part of the Galactic Empire. Serving the Empire as dutifully as they had the Republic, the 501st clone troopers were eventually phased out andreplaced with enlisted stormtroopers, and the Legion became known as “Vader’s Hand.” Though they no longer served under the Republic, the 501st never lost its reputation as being one of the most feared and skilled military forces in all ofStar Wars.
MORE:Andor Almost Set A Profane New Star Wars Record Before Disney Intervened
