People always talk about Vader wiping out the Jedi, but why does no one bring up what he did to the clones? The Jedi were labeled as traitors, but the clones? They were still loyal. And yet, Vader had no problem cutting them down like they were nothing. So what made him turn on the very soldiers who once saw him as a hero?
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Anakin Actually Cared About His Clones, and That’s What Makes It Worse
Anakin was one of the few Jedi who actually saw clones as more than just disposable soldiers. He fought with them, joked with them, and even risked his life to protect them. Rex, Fives, and Echo weren’t just soldiers to him – they were friends. He even trusted Rex enough to tell him about his marriage to Padmé.
Then he became Vader, and everything changed. The clones weren’t his men anymore – they were just another thing standing between him and his mission. He didn’t hesitate to cut them down, even though they had once followed him without question.
Vader Didn’t Even Give Them a Chance
In the Darth Vader (2017) comic, there’s a scene where clones stationed at a Jedi outpost run into Vader. These guys had no idea who he was. Instead of telling them, he provokes them into attacking him – then slaughters them. He could’ve easily avoided the fight, but he didn’t. He wanted an excuse to kill them. That says everything about how far he’d fallen.
The Jedi at least had a choice in what they did. The clones didn’t. They were literally brainwashed by inhibitor chips into following orders, including Order 66.
Vader knew this. He knew they had no control over their actions. And yet, he treated them like they were traitors, wiping them out as if they had willingly turned against him. He could’ve done something – maybe even tried to help them – but instead, he chose to kill them without a second thought.
And what makes it worse? He treated stormtroopers better. The clones were elite soldiers, way more skilled than the average stormtrooper, but Vader still treated them like they were garbage. He tolerated stormtrooper failures, but he wiped out clones without a second thought. It’s almost like he saw them as a reminder of the past he was trying to erase.
Vader Was So Paranoid, He Killed a Clone Just for Hesitating
In Star Wars Legends, there’s a moment that perfectly captures Vader’s paranoia. He asks a clone commander, Vill, if Palpatine had ever issued an order like Order 66 – but for him. Vill hesitates. That brief pause is all Vader needs to assume the worst.
Vader knew that Vill would report this conversation back to the Emperor, and that was a risk he couldn’t take. So what did he do? He simply Force-pushed Vill off a cliff, killing him instantly.
And the worst part? When another clone questioned what had happened, Vader didn’t even acknowledge it as a killing. He just shrugged it off, saying Vill tripped and fell. That’s how deep his paranoia ran – he was willing to kill loyal soldiers on the spot and lie about it like it was nothing.
That One Time Vader Actually Showed Kindness to a Clone
There’s one rare case where Vader seemed to show a flicker of his old self. A clone pilot saved him after he got stranded in space. They talked for a while, and the pilot realized he once served under General Skywalker.
When they landed, rebels ambushed them, and the clone was mortally wounded. As he was dying, Vader actually comforted him, telling him he was a damn good pilot – maybe even calling him by his old nickname. But as soon as the clone died? Vader snapped. He slaughtered every single rebel in the area, even the ones who had surrendered. That kindness? It was gone just as fast as it appeared.
