A line in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker It completely changed the way I see the role of the Jedi in the Clone Wars. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker'The controversial decision to resurrect Emperor Palpatine had a lasting effect on Star Wars tell stories. This not only changed our perception of Star Wars as a franchise, but it also altered our understanding of the powers of the Sith, Palpatine's imperial interests after the fall of the Jedi Order, and the extent to which the Force can be manipulated.
The Rise of Skywalker, The Mandalorian, Star Wars: The Bad Batchand others Star Wars Stories have struggled to explain Palpatine's zombie resurrection. Cloning has become an even more important aspect of Star Wars tell stories than ever beforetied not only to the creation of the Republic's army of clone troopers, but also to the existence of Supreme Leader Snoke, Grogu's tortured past in The Mandalorianand the return of Palpatine as the ruling Sith Lord of the galaxy. Yet Star Wars never answered a simple question: why weren't the Jedi more cautious about the existence of clones during the previous era?
The Rise of Skywalker Secretly Hinted That Cloning Is From the Dark Side
In the now infamous “Somehow, Palpatine returned.” scene, Beaumont Kin, a Resistance fighter and galactic historian, vaguely alludes to how Palpatine may have orchestrated his resurrection with the Necromancer Project, saying: “Dark science, cloning, secrets only the Sith knew...” Of course, the Sith are notoriously obsessed with the concept of immortality. Above all, the Sith wanted to cheat death, and clearly Palpatine succeeded – to a point.
To ensure his resurrection, Palpatine needed one thing: a clone body that was capable of accessing and using the Force. This was no easy task – it's part of the reason Grogu was kidnapped in the first place. The Mandalorian - but he (more or less) managed it, needing only the power of Kylo Ren and Rey's Force Dyad to regain his full strength.
If cloning is a “dark science” and a secret only the Sith should know, why weren't the Jedi more shocked by the creation of the clone army?
Until Kin's brief explanation, however, cloning in Star Wars the canon was considered relatively harmless. Of course, there were ethical questions regarding the clone troopers' accelerated aging and the fact that they were created just to fight, but their actual creation was never really questioned, not even by the Jedi. Kin’s words change all that – whether cloning is a “dark science” and a secret only the Sith should know, why weren't the Jedi more shocked by the creation of the clone army?
In Star Wars Legends, the Jedi Code prohibited cloning
Interestingly, in the old Star Wars Expanded Universe – now known as Legends – the Jedi banned cloning. This policy makes sense when you think about the main ideologies of the Jedi. Cloning is essentially the process of creating life artificially. In an abstract sense, this means that Those involved in the cloning process impose their will on the Force, altering the natural balance between life and death. Jedi do not manipulate or control the Force; they commune with him, listen to him, and follow his will. They are agents and messengers, nothing more.
The Sith have always been associated with cloning and genetic engineering
The Sith, on the other hand, have always participated in scientific manipulation, cloning, and genetic engineering.both in canon and legends. Darth Plagueis, for example, experimented on his life, and the Sith Order once created creatures known as Sithspawn using alchemy, a combination of scientific methodology and knowledge of the dark side. The results were fearsome abominations with enhanced power and intelligence – some were even capable of using dark side Force powers. These creatures were created to be nearly invincible weapons.
As such, Palpatine's obsessive interest in cloning is no surprise. Of course, he would use the clone army for his gain; Of course, he would prolong his life and prevent his death by creating Force-sensitive clones. Why wouldn't he do that? The Jedi, however, should have known this. They should have known that the clones were part of a larger plot, steeped in the dark side somehow, somewhere. They should have known someone was pulling strings.
Why did the Jedi accept a clone army?
On some level, I understand why the Jedi accepted a clone army during the Clone Wars era. They were involuntarily backed into a corner. The Jedi Order was unable to stop the Separatists alone and there was not enough time to create their version of a droid army. The clone troopers were there, ready for the picking, a perfectly timed solution to all their problems. Logically, it makes sense. Morally speaking, however, the Jedi should have been more concerned.
When Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas first told the council about his fearsome vision for the future and the need to create an army for war, the Jedi, to their credit, shut him down, feeling that his ideas were too extreme. Now, however, I wonder if they really abhorred the idea of creating a genetically manipulated army or if they were simply unwilling to believe that another great war was coming. After all, we know that the Jedi were blinded by their arrogance, reluctant to admit that the darkness of the Sith could still remain in the shadows.
George Lucas wasn't exactly subtle. He originally intended Sifo-Dyas to be a secret Sith, which would easily explain his desire to create an army of clones instead of droids. Famously, of course, Sifo-Dyas ignored the Council's orders and instructed the Kaminoans to proceed with the clone army, leaving him vulnerable to the Sith, essentially starting the war he feared was coming.
So why, if even a galactic historian during the First Order era knew that cloning was a skill practiced and revered by the Sith, didn't the Jedi Order see the warning signs sooner? Yes, they treated the clones better than the Separatists ever would have; they offered them friendship, dignity and purpose. That doesn't excuse your willful ignorance, however.
The Jedi were far from infallible. They kept secrets, refused to believe that the darkness could return, and allowed themselves to be guided by politics and power rather than the Force and their beliefs.
The Jedi were blinded by their power, by the relative peace they had built since the end of the High Republic era. As Star Wars: The Clone Warsthe Star Wars sequel trilogy and Star Wars: The High Republic All things considered, the Jedi were far from infallible. They kept secrets, refused to believe that the darkness could return, and allowed themselves to be guided by politics and power rather than the Force and their beliefs.
Palpatine's resurrection in The Rise of Skywalker was understandably controversial. It completely changed the canon and made the franchise too dependent on nostalgia. On the positive side, however, this line is a turning point Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker it also changed my understanding of one of the galaxy's most crucial, terrifying, and ethically questionable scientific achievements, highlighting that, at the height of their power, the Jedi had truly reached the point of no return.