How Non-Clone Republic Admirals and Officers Reacted to Order 66

Many people talk about clones turning on the Jedi, but the regular officers in gray uniforms saw the whole thing unfold from a very different angle. Their story feels overlooked, and the way they handled Order 66 shaped the early Empire in ways many forget.

Let’s go through that story and follow both public reactions and the quiet moments behind closed doors. Jace Dallin’s last stand in Republic #78 and Teron’s choices in Dark Times—Fire Carrier show two sides of the same moment.

The Shock At Order 66

When Chancellor Palpatine activated Order 66, he reached clone commanders directly. Non-clone admirals and generals stood outside that loop. Many of them only realized something had happened once Jedi started dying and clone units acted without asking for authorization from their regular commanders.

A lot of officers accepted the official story. The Empire began spreading claims about a Jedi rebellion, and many officers came to agree with the new narrative. Some focused on their careers and stayed away from political questions. Some remembered long arguments with Jedi generals during the war and felt relieved that those clashes had ended. They had followed protocol for years while their Jedi partners adjusted plans on instinct, and the balance of power rarely felt even.

The Empire also changed records. Former Republic officers suddenly found medals, achievements, and citations under their names for actions that originally belonged to Jedi. That shift appears clearly in Republic #78, when one officer tries to speak honestly about the past:

“No, Dodonna. I commanded the fleet at Saleucami, but the real hero was a Jedi—”

His colleague immediately interrupts:

“Who has since been discredited. You are now the hero of Saleucami, just as I am retroactively the hero of Rendili. There are no Jedi heroes. That is the new order of things.”

That single moment reflects a bigger trend. Many officers felt more comfortable once they received official praise, safer career paths, and a new system built around strict hierarchy.

But not everyone accepted the story.

The Meeting On Coruscant And Jace Dallin’s Death as an Example

Some officers had served with Jedi for years and trusted their actions through real combat. Jace Dallin stood at the front of that line.

Dallin’s past shaped his reaction. During the Stark Hyperspace War, he fought beside Plo Koon on Troiken. He worked under Ranulph Tarkin before losing faith in him after watching him freeze during a crisis. He saw Jedi heal wounded troops in the caves of Mount Avos and supported Koon’s leadership during days of fighting. A deep scar carved into his face became what he proudly called his “battle flags.”

Later, during the Clone Wars, he commanded the Rendili Home Defense Fleet. When Rendili fell under a Separatist puppet government, several junior officers rebelled, including Lieutenant Mellor Yago. Plo Koon, Jan Dodonna, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Quinlan Vos eventually freed Dallin from captivity. He retook his ship, won a blaster duel with Yago, and surrendered his fleet to the Republic.

All of this built up a clear view of Jedi character. So, when Palpatine summoned Imperial Navy captains to Coruscant after the formation of the Empire, Dallin stood there with years of trust in the Order.

The comics panels capture that gathering. Palpatine shows his damaged face and explains that he suffered the injuries in a Jedi attack. Officers around Dallin stay silent. He cannot.

“I can’t believe that!”

A shocked murmur rises. Someone demands:

“Are you suggesting that the Emperor lies?!”

Palpatine does not answer and instead introduces Darth Vader.

“Perhaps this would be a good time to introduce to you Lord Vader. When he speaks, you can be sure that he speaks for me.”

Vader steps forward and focuses on Dallin:

“Choose your words wisely, Captain Dallin. Answer my question.”

Dallin stands firm:

“I suggest only that some terrible mistake has been made. The Jedi I have known have all been honorable individuals—”

Before he finishes, Vader lifts him into the air, chokes him, and smashes him headfirst into the floor. Dallin dies instantly.

Palpatine turns the moment into a message for the entire room:

“As officers of the Imperial Navy, your loyalty is expected… and demanded. Resignations are not permitted at this time. The galaxy remains unstable. You will do your duty or you will share the late Captain Dallin’s fate.”

Jan Dodonna later tells Sagoro Autem:

“They were looking to make an example and Jace, unfortunately, gave them a target.”

That public killing changed the behavior of many officers. After seeing what happened to Dallin, few felt safe voicing any doubts.

After that gathering, officers settled into a careful routine. Most performed their duties, followed orders, and avoided any talk about Jedi loyalty. Some tried to focus on their families or career paths inside the new hierarchy. Many stayed silent because they had seen what happened to Dallin.

A number of officers kept private doubts alive. They had fought beside Jedi in the Clone Wars. They remembered the behavior of clone units before the sudden shift. The video’s summary mentions officers being removed, arrested, or executed for speaking out, and that kind of example traveled fast across the fleet. Teron later mentions that those who voiced the truth “never showed up again.”

Some of those quiet doubters later joined the Rebel Alliance. Others stayed in the Imperial Navy while secretly helping groups the Empire considered enemies.

That brings us to Commander Teron.

Commander Teron, Captain Denimoor, And The Hidden Support Network

Where Dallin confronted the Empire openly, Teron represents the quiet side of resistance inside the Imperial ranks.

Teron served under K’Kruhk during the Siege of Saleucami. The Jedi’s work during that battle stuck with him. Years later, while wearing an Imperial uniform, he still carried respect for K’Kruhk.

The Empire sent Teron to Arkinnea to support the local militia and manage refugee issues after the war. Captain Relik treated the refugees with hostility, but Teron tried to remind him that they were Imperial citizens who deserved humane treatment.

Things shifted once K’Kruhk and the Soaring Hawkbat Clan crashed on the planet and fell into the hands of the local militia. When the militia realized the Jedi had escaped the camp, Relik scrambled troops under the excuse of a training drill. Teron did not buy it. He noticed the deployment patterns and asked questions that Relik did not answer honestly.

Teron then used his contacts. He asked a sergeant to connect him with Captain Denimoor of the Tenacious and mentioned their shared service with K’Kruhk at Saleucami. Denimoor changed course and came to Arkinnea.

Together, they reached a ravine where the militia had been dumping refugees. Some refugees survived, including K’Kruhk and several younglings. Teron met K’Kruhk again and the Jedi questioned him about Order 66.

Teron explained that the order came from the highest level and many officers only learned the truth after it happened. He also admitted the following line, which represents the feelings of many officers from that era:

“There are many of us who refuse to believe that. We know it was the Empire that overthrew the Republic. But we dare not speak out—because those who do are immediately arrested and never heard from again.”

K’Kruhk listened, and the conversation turned toward the future. Teron saw the younglings and said:

“The fact that you have Jedi younglings with you gives me hope for the future.”

K’Kruhk answered:

“And you and your friends give me hope, as well, Teron.”

After that, Teron helped them stay hidden. He sent supplies from his own credits, warned them about Imperial searches, and coordinated with Denimoor to keep patrol routes away from the ancient Jedi temple where the survivors hid.

Eventually Teron failed to appear during one of his supply runs. The Jedi feared he had been killed or disappeared. His final fate remains unknown, but it’s suggested he and Denimoor might have joined the Rebel Alliance decades later.

Teron’s story shows the quieter choices made inside the Imperial Navy. Dallin showed public protest. Teron showed long-term loyalty in secret.