Summary

• Some clones resisted Palpatine's Order 66 in canon and Legends, helped the Jedi escape, and chose not to obey.
• Clones like Rex, Kix, Gregor, and ARC Troopers removed inhibitor chips and preserved their free will post-Order 66.
• The Bad Batch, Alpha-Class ARCs, and Cut Lawquane defied Order 66 due to immunity, free-thinking, or lack of .

Star Wars' Order 66 was the moment the clones turned on the Jedi, but some resisted Palpatine's order in both canon and Legends. Palpatine envisioned the Clone Wars as the ultimate Jedi trap, culminating in Order 66 and the Jedi Purge. Darth Sidious issued a single command, and all across the galaxy the Jedi were cut down. Star Wars canon has since added a new, even darker, dimension to Order 66; it has revealed the clones were implanted with inhibitor chips that forced them to obey and betray their generals.

As compelling as Palpatine's command may have been, though, some clones resisted. This was true both in Legends and in canon, and some chose to help Jedi escape. The stories of some of these clones are told in Star Wars: The Bad Batch, which stars an entire group of mutant clones who helped the Jedi Padawan Ezra Bridger survive. Here are all the clones who disobeyed Order 66.

13 Fives

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

One of the most prominent clone troopers in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the animated TV show explored Fives' entire career arc. Fives was one of the first to learn about the inhibitor chips and removed his well before Order 66 was issued. In one of his cruelest moments, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine revealed his Sith identity to Fives, knowing nobody would believe him. Fives managed to tell his fellow clones, Rex and Kix, about the chips, but he was killed by friendly fire. Nevertheless, Fives' discoveries had a profound effect on the rest of the Star Wars saga.

12 Able

Star Wars: Empire and Star Wars: Rebellion (Legends)

Able-1707 was a standard clone trooper who appeared in Legends' Empire and Rebellion comics. Able's transport was shot down by the Separatists in the second year of the Clone Wars, and he survived for 21 years on the uninhabited planet of Lubang Minor. Able eventually encountered Luke Skywalker, who explained how the Republic became the Empire, but he resisted his conditioning and chose to side with the rebels. Able proves even the standard clone troopers are both individuals and among the most formidable non-Force-sensitive warriors in the galaxy.

11 Rex

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Rex is one of the most popular characters in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and it was a relief to see him disobey Order 66 in canon. Rex took Fives' warnings about the inhibitor chips seriously and made an official report on the matter. This knowledge allowed Rex to resist Order 66, and Ahsoka Tano was able to stun him and remove his chip. Rex's free will was restored, and the two went into hiding. As seen in Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Rex worked against the early Empire and returned years later in Star Wars Rebels.

10 HOB-147

Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures (Legends)

Another Legends character, HOB-147 was a starfighter pilot who appeared in the Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures comics. His V-19 Torrent was destroyed during a space battle, and he was rescued by a scavenger. HOB-147 missed Order 66 while he was recovering from his injuries, and chose to side with the Jedi when he learned the scavenger was also harboring Jedi younglings. When the scavenger's ship was intercepted by the Empire, HOB-147 chose to lie to the Empire and tell them there were no Jedi on board.

9 Wolffe

Star Wars Rebels

Another clone trooper who appeared in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, Wolffe is a gruff, curmudgeonly, clone officer with a rarely-seen friendly side. Wolffe experienced some particularly traumatic experiences during the Clone Wars (with one eye taken by Asajj Ventress, replaced with a cybernetic replacement). Star Wars is yet to tell the story of how Wolffe had his inhibitor chip removed, but he avoided ing the Empire and found his way to the rebellion.

8 Omega and Yayax Squads

Star Wars: Republic Commando series (Legends)

The star of Karen Traviss' Republic Commando novels, Omega Squad had strong ties to the Mandalorians. Their training instructor, Kal Skirata, was more concerned with preserving Mandalorian culture than loyalty to the Empire. The squad's demolitions expert, Darman, was even in a romantic relationship with Jedi General Etain Tur-Mukan. Due to Skirata's influence and for Darman, Omega Squad refused to follow Order 66.

Another clone commando group, Yayax Squad, had a smaller role in the Republic Commando novels, and like Omega Squad, these clones disobeyed Order 66. Cov, the leader of Yayax Squad, was in love with Kal Skirata’s daughter. After the fall of the Republic, he and his squad deserted so they could Kal and live out the rest of their lives on the Mandalorian homeworld. These commando squads demonstrated the potential love lives of clones, as well as the brotherhood they shared, as they were willing to disobey their most important directive to their squad .

7 Kix

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

A kind and dependable clone medic, Kix served under Rex in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Like Rex, Kix heeded Fives' warnings about the inhibitor chips; unlike Rex, he sought to discover their true function. Kix removed his inhibitor chip, meaning he did not obey Order 66. He was unable to warn anybody about the chips, though, given Count Dooku and Kix kidnapped him to preserve its secrecy. After being placed in suspended animation, Kix was revived decades later during the conflict between the Resistance and the First Order.

6 Null-Class ARC Troopers

Star Wars: Republic Commando series (Legends)

Featured in the Legends-era Republic Commando novels, the six Null-Class ARC Troopers were the first Jango Fett clones. Their Kaminoan creators saw them as imperfect and callously planned to execute them. Kal Skirata, disgusted by this disregard for human life, saved the clones and adopted them as his sons. The Null ARC Troopers’ place in the Republic army was shaky at best, so it’s unsurprising they disobeyed Order 66 and deserted with their adopted father. The Nulls represented the Mandalorian heritage shared by all Clone Troopers, which was far more important than the schemes of the Jedi, Republic, and Sith.

5 Gregor

Star Wars Rebels

A clone commando from Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Gregor spent a portion of the Clone Wars with trauma and injury-induced amnesia, working as a dishwasher in a diner on Abafar before regaining his memories. Like Wolffe and Rex, Gregor removed his inhibitor chip and maintained his free will, eventually ing the Rebellion in Star Wars Rebels. Though more than a little eccentric, Gregor fought bravely in the Liberation of Lothal, though it came at the cost of his life. Gregor died as few clones ultimately did: fighting free from the influence of Darth Sidious.

4 Maze

Star Wars: Republic Commando series (Legends)

The Alpha-Class ARC Troopers were the deadliest clones in the Republic army. They were trained personally by Jango Fett and lacked the mental modifications other clone troopers had received. Their free-thinking nature meant many Alpha clone troopers refused to follow Order 66. One ARC Trooper, Maze, was a voracious reader with strong political opinions and a fondness for Jedi Knights; it's no surprise he refused to a fascist regime or participate in the killing of Jedi.