Star Wars has made it pretty clear that the Jedi were responsible for the fall of the Order and the Galactic Republic. But what makes the ordeal all the more tragic is the fact that they could’ve uncovered Palpatine’s grand schemes multiple times, had they not been so blindsided by the Clone Wars.
Even the last season of Dave Filoni’s eponymous animated series revealed that Ahsoka and Maul could’ve prevented Order 66. Alas, everything went according to the Emperor’s plan, something that he’ll always step out of his way to remind you of. Now, though, a new Star Wars anthology book, titled Stories of Light and Dark, has all but confirmed that Yoda, too, knew about Order 66 but refused to believe it.
The new novel includes stories in that galaxy far, far away from different characters’ POVs. One of them, written by Jason Fry, is an adaptation of “Ambush,” the first episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. As you may remember, Yoda was on a mission with three Clone Troopers to negotiate a truce between the Republic and the king of Toydaria, a system in Hutt Space.
In Jason Fry’s version, the Grand Master thinks about the disturbing nature of the Clone Army, the fact that they’re children “made for war” and “disposable” in the eyes of their creators. What’s more, Yoda even questions the unrelenting obedience of clones, which he perceives as a flaw.
In one instance, Yoda is meditating when he receives a Force vision that warns him about Sidious’ plans with the Clone Army. In it, he feels another presence, “one that felt like a vast storm in the Force, full of malice and greed.” This vision is presented in a way that suggests it’s connected to the clones, but Yoda dismisses it, thinking that the Jedi would be too distracted by ancient prophecies.
Unfortunately, by the time the Council uncovered the true identity of the Sith Lord, it was already too late. And the world of Star Wars paid a heavy price for the Jedi’s shortcoming.