Summary
Attack of the Clonesis the true Fall of the Republic in theStar Warscanon. WhileRevenge of the Sithmay be the final film in the prequel trilogy, so much is already lost by the ending ofEpisode II. As such,Revenge of the Sithis more like the official rise of the Empire with the Republic having already fallen the moment the Clone Wars began at the end ofAttack of the Clones.
As seen in theStar Warsprequels, corruption ran rampant throughout the Republic and the Jedi Order had become extremely compromised due to their pride and hubris. However, these flaws were present long before the events ofTheRevenge of the Sith. In more ways than one,Attack of the Clonesis the true Fall of the Republic based upon how the second prequel film ends and what it sets up for theStar Warstimeline.
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Palpatine Has Become Emperor In All But Name
Emergency Powers Providing Unchecked Authority
First and foremost,Supreme Chancellor Palpatine (Darth Sidious) is already Emperor in all but name by the end ofAttack of the Clones. Having manipulated the largely corrupt Republic Senate to grant him emergency powers, Palpatine played upon the fears of the Republic to approve the use of a clone army against the Separatist Alliance, a collection of worlds that chose to cede from the Republic while seeking to enact a new galactic order with their own droid armies. As such, Palpatine’s emergency powers gave him virtually unchecked authority during the Clone Wars, meaning that the power of galaxy democracy was quite diminished.
Likewise, the clone army itself was created via asecret conspiracy between Palpatine and Count Dooku, Palpatine’s secret Sith apprentice who was also the leader of the Separatist Alliance. The end ofAttack of the Cloneswas the master stroke that essentially helped guarantee Palpatine’s full control of the galaxy inAttack of the Clones.Even if the official dawn of his Empire wouldn’t come for another few years, Palpatine had already become the most powerful being in the galaxy byEpisode II’send.
The Shroud Of The Dark Side Has Blinded The Jedi
Unable To Foresee The Future
Attack of the Clonesalso confirms the Jedi Order’s ability to foresee the future was greatly lessened by the dark side of the Forceand Palpatine’s growing power. Combined with the reveal that Count Dooku had become a Dark Lord of the Sith and was leading the Separatist movement, Master Yoda’s dark declaration at the end of the movie about “the shroud of the dark side having fallen” is incredibly poignant. It’s the first true sign that while the Jedi understand that dark forces are gathering against them, they’ve also greatly compromised themselves.
There’s a key scene in which both Yoda and Mace Windu discuss the fact that the Order’s ability to use the Force is growing weaker. However,Yoda determines to keep the truth hidden from the Senate, believing that more enemies would rise up against them beyond the Sith should they reveal their vulnerabilities. As such, the Jedi Order’s pride is on full display, choosing to keep themselves guarded and continue operating as they always had, despite knowing that the Sith had returned and that the dark side was growing ever stronger with the dawn of the Clone Wars.
Anakin Skywalker’s Fate Is Sealed With His Marriage To Padmé
Guided By His Attachments and Fears
Additionally,Anakin’s secret marriage to Padmé Amidala was the true start of his downfall. Having already lost his mother and giving into the dark side by killing the Sand People who kidnapped her, the end ofAttack of the Clonessees Anakin forming new attachments that end up guiding his actions throughout the Clone Wars. As such, Anakin having a secret wife makes it that much easier for Palpatine to seduce him to the dark side byRevenge of the Sith.
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Cast
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith details the fall of the Jedi Order and Anakin Skywalker’s transformation under the influence of Darth Sidious. Released in 2005, the film explores Anakin’s internal conflict and the shifting political landscape, leading to the rise of the Galactic Empire.
Manipulating and taking advantage of Anakin’s fear of losing his wife and future children, Palpatine promised the Chosen One the power to keep the ones he loved from dying inRevenge of the Sith. As such,one can imagine that it would have been much harder to turn Anakin had he kept his emotions in check, resisting an attachment to Padmé inAttack of the Clones. Instead,Skywalker and Amidala’s marriage at the end ofEpisode IIwas the beginning of the end of Anakin’s Jedi path, heralding his eventual turn to the dark side as Darth Vader.
The Clone Wars Are The Ultimate Jedi Trap
The Jedi Order Lost The Moment They Led Troops Into Battle
It’s also worth noting that theClone Wars themselves were the ultimate Jedi trap. As laid out in Matthew Stover’s novelization forRevenge of the Sith, it’s confirmed that the Clone Wars served as the perfect means of ensuring the Jedi’s downfall from the moment they decided to engage in the conflict at the end of the Attack of the Clones:
The Clone Wars have always been, in and of themselves, from their very inception, the revenge of the Sith.
They were irresistible bait. They took place in remote locations, on planets that belonged, primarily, to ‘someone else.’ They were fought by expendable proxies. And they were constructed as a win-win situation.
The Clone Wars the perfect Jedi trap.
By fighting at all, the Jedi lost.
Painstakingly laid out by Palpatine, the Clone Wars checked all the boxes to take down the Jedi. By simply agreeing to fight, the Jedi Order lost its way regardless of the outcome.
After all, the Jedi Order had no idea they were serving the will of a Sith Lord until it was far too late. The deck was stacked from the very start with Palpatine controlling both sides, while also having Order 66 at the ready once the time finally came to eradicate the Jedi for good. As such, it all began with the Jedi agreeing to lead the Republic’s clone armies in the first place, as seen at the end ofAttack of the Clones.
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
Years after the events of The Phantom Menace, the Skywalker Saga continues with Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones. When Senator Padme Amidala’s life is threatened, Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker are tasked with her protection. While Obi-Wan uncovers a clone army made in secret, Anakin falls in love with Padme, marking the beginning of his inevitable fall to the dark side of the Force.
