Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith‘s return to theaters turns back the clock to a time when Star Wars was an event. There weren’t three TV shows a year and a bevy of movies in development that may or may not end up getting made. However, despite some audience fatigue here and there, Star Wars’ supplemental material has spawned some of the franchise’s best moments. It has also provided additional context to characters and stories that don’t get explored much on the big screen. In fact, Revenge of the Sith‘s saddest moment only works after watching Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
The big appeal of The Clone Wars is putting faces to the soldiers that the Jedi fight alongside in the Prequels. It shows the Clones’ personalities and reveals how the Emperor’s plan for galactic domination affected them forever. But there’s also a flip side to that, with the Jedi’s feelings about the Clones being a major part of the animated series. Well, after learning more about one Jedi, their death in Revenge of the Sith blows the rest of the movie’s tragic moments out of the water.
Plo Koon Was Always a Friend to the Clones
During the Battle of Geonosis, the Jedi leave their positions as keepers of the peace and become generals in a galactic conflict. Each Jedi Knight and Master receives their own battalion of Clones, and in Jedi Master Plo Koon’s case, he gets the honor of commanding the 104th Battalion, aka “the Wolf Pack.” They’re a tough bunch, and it doesn’t take long for them to prove their worth: the Wolf Pack helps Koon track down the Malevolence cruiser, a massive Separatist ship under the command of General Grievous. Unfortunately, Grievous gets the better of the Republic fleet that’s hunting him and destroys it. Koon and some of his Clones are able to get away in an escape pod, but things don’t look good for them.
While the Clones don’t believe the Republic will come looking for them because they’re expendable, Koon makes it clear that they’re important to him, and he’ll make sure they live to see another day. The Jedi ends up being a man of his word, because Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano arrive to rescue all of them. The Wolf Pack and Koon go on to fight in several major battles and help turn the tide of the Clone Wars in the Republic’s favor. Sadly, like so many other Jedi, Koon’s eventually life ends at the hands of the men he’s leading.
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The Clone Wars Makes Plo Koon’s Death Revenge of the Sith‘s Saddest Loss
Even without The Clone Wars to flesh things out, Revenge of the Sith is a tragic movie. Anakin Skywalker’s fall to the Dark Side has a lot of collateral damage, including his wife, Padmé Amidala, and Jedi Master Mace Windu. But while their deaths hit hard, Plo Koon’s takes things to another level, especially because of its underwhelming nature. After winning a battle on Cato Neimoidia, Koon is flying around in his starfighter when Order 66 comes down, forcing his Clone wingman to give in to his programming and shoot the Jedi down. In the blink of an eye, one of the most successful and humble Jedi is no more. Thankfully, Koon’s legacy extends beyond himself, as his heroism helps the Rebels fight back against the Empire.
One of the Clones Koon saves during the battle with the Malevolence is Commander Wolffe. He leads the 104th Battalion throughout the Clone Wars, but at some point, his inhibitor chip is removed, and he meets up with fellow Clones Rex and Gregor. Their story continues in Star Wars Rebels, helping the Spectre Rebels and Jedi Kanan Jarrus and Ezra Bridger repel the Empire from the planet Lothal. It’s a big moment during the Galactic Civil War and a feat that Koon would’ve been proud to be a part of.
Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith is streaming now on Disney+.
Do you think Plo Koon’s death is the saddest moment in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith? If not, which scene takes the top spot? Let us know in the comments below!
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