Order 66 is easily one of the most iconic and devastating moments in Star Wars history. We all vividly remember Palpatine’s chilling command in Revenge of the Sith, where the clone army suddenly turned on their Jedi allies, nearly wiping out the Order entirely.
However, during the Empire’s reign, long after the initial purge, a Jedi cleverly turned the tables by using Order 66 against Palpatine’s own Inquisitors. Exploiting his knowledge of the clones’ programming, this Jedi survivor reactivated the infamous command, causing the clone troopers accompanying the Inquisitors to immediately turn their blasters on their dark-side companions.
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Ferren Barr: The Jedi Who Survived Order 66, and Understood How It Worked
Ferren Barr was one of the Jedi who managed to survive Order 66, hiding from the Empire’s relentless hunt on the oceanic planet Mon Cala. In the Star Wars: Darth Vader (2017) comics (issues #13 to #17), we get a closer look at how Barr pieced together the truth behind Order 66. He even discovered that Darth Vader was actually Anakin Skywalker.
While hiding out with his acolytes, Barr revealed through his astromech droid a list of names and clues tied directly to Order 66 and Anakin’s transformation. By diving deep into the details of the Jedi Purge, Ferren Barr figured out the Sith conspiracy, Vader’s true identity, and how it all connected back to Palpatine’s rise.
The Empire Hunting for Survivor Jedi On Mon Cala
Starting from issue #14, we see the Empire sending Darth Vader and the Inquisitorius to the planet Mon Cala after an Imperial ambassador is mysteriously assassinated. They confront King Lee-Char, demanding that he reveal who was behind the assassination. However, King Lee-Char refuses to comply, choosing instead to resist the Empire’s intimidation.
This defiance quickly escalates tensions. Vader and the Empire suspect Jedi involvement and intensify their search across Mon Cala. As Imperial forces tighten their grip on the planet, Ferren Barr—hidden beneath Mon Cala’s waters—recognizes that his position is compromised.
But things spiral fast. After the assassination gives the Empire all the justification they need, King Lee-Char is captured and tortured. Under pressure, he gives up Barr’s location. That’s all Vader and the Inquisitors need—they immediately launch a full-scale pursuit.
Barr and his acolytes try to escape, but the pressure is relentless. Vader personally leads the hunt, closing in with a squad of Purge Troopers and Inquisitors aboard an underwater Imperial sub. As the chase intensifies, everything starts to fall apart. Members of the group are picked off. Barr, Verla, and the last of the survivors eventually reach Bel City—but by then, they’re already cornered.
Barr Reactivates Order 66 to Escape the Inquisitors
Forward to issue #17, things hit a boiling point. Barr and his last remaining followers are cornered in Bel City by the Inquisitors and a squad of Purge Troopers. One of his acolytes, Daren, is cut down during the ambush, and escape looks impossible.
But Barr has one last card to play.
He realizes the Purge Troopers are still clones—part of the final generation before Kamino’s cloning program was shut down. Despite fighting for the Empire, their programming still responds to one command: Order 66. Barr steps forward and reminds them of a critical truth—that the Inquisitors were once Jedi. With that logic, and a little Force persuasion, he speaks the infamous words:
“Execute Order 66.”
And it works. The clones hesitate for only a moment before turning their weapons on the Inquisitors, obeying their original programming without question. Chaos erupts in the chamber. One of the Inquisitors is killed outright, and the rest are caught off guard, trying to fight back against their own squad.
In the confusion, Barr and Verla slip away, vanishing deeper into Mon Cala’s undercity.
Barr’s Final Stand Against Darth Vader
After escaping the chaos he created with the reactivated Order 66, Ferren Barr knows his time is running out. He parts ways with Verla—his last surviving acolyte and Force-sensitive apprentice—telling her to find other surviving Jedi like Yoda, Obi-Wan, or Quinlan Vos. He’s accepted that he won’t survive what’s coming next.
Barr makes his way to Mon Cala’s Royal Command Bunker, where King Lee-Char is being held. He arrives just as the Empire begins an orbital bombardment of the planet, ordered by Tarkin without hesitation, despite Lee-Char’s surrender. Billions of lives are being lost, and Barr knows it’s already too late to save Mon Cala.
But he isn’t here to save the planet. He’s here to make a statement.
Vader confronts Barr directly, and the two engage in a lightsaber duel. Despite all of Barr’s knowledge, planning, and conviction, he’s simply outmatched. Vader overpowers him—both physically and through the Force.
In their final exchange, Barr admits to orchestrating the assassination of the Imperial ambassador, saying he needed to “light a fire” and couldn’t afford the risk of peace talks delaying the inevitable conflict. He believed that Mon Cala’s sacrifice would inspire future rebellion across the galaxy.
Vader accuses him of abandoning the Jedi way. Barr doesn’t argue. He knows he’s crossed lines no Jedi should—but in his eyes, it was worth it. Before falling in battle, he tells Lee-Char that billions dying now will inspire trillions to rise later.