This month marks the 20th anniversary of the release of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, the climactic conclusion to the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy. The film premiered on May 19, 2005, and ultimately became the last Star Wars movie overseen by George Lucas before he sold Lucasfilm to Disney seven years later.
Audiences were well aware that Revenge of the Sith would depict Anakin Skywalker's transformation into Darth Vader, but one major question loomed: What became of the rest of the Jedi? The film’s resolution came in the form of Order 66, Emperor Palpatine’s sinister directive ordering all clone troopers to turn on the Jedi and execute them. Given that thousands of Jedi served during the Clone Wars, it was logical to assume that not all fell victim to this betrayal. Over time, several dozen Order 66 survivors have been introduced in official Star Wars canon, and we’ve narrowed down the top 10 who made the biggest impact.
While some of these Jedi survived briefly before meeting their end, others lived far longer and, in a few cases, their ultimate fates remain shrouded in mystery. Regardless, each of these individuals managed to evade Palpatine’s purge long enough to continue fighting—or at least surviving—a little longer.
Criteria for Selection:
For this ranking, we focused on characters who were affiliated with the Jedi Order prior to Order 66, regardless of their final rank—Padawan, Jedi Knight, Jedi Master, or even younger Initiates. This meant excluding Force-users like Darth Maul or his mentor, Darth Sidious (Palpatine), since neither belonged to the Jedi Order. Additionally, figures like Jod Na Nawood, who never formally joined the Order, were not included.
There was some internal debate regarding whether Asajj Ventress deserved a spot on this list. Although she trained under a Jedi, Ky Narec, and accompanied him for over two decades, she never interacted with the broader Jedi Council or other members of the Order. Furthermore, her eventual allegiance to Count Dooku and the dark side complicates her status as a Jedi. While she didn’t make the main list, she earns an honorable mention.
Now, without further ado, let’s dive into the rankings.
View 12 Images
