We all remember what went down in Episode III—Palpatine finally pulled the trigger on his grand plan, and just like that, the clones turned on the Jedi. One of the most shocking betrayals in Star Wars history. We’ve all seen it play out on screen, and those moments are burned into our memories.
But here’s something that doesn’t get talked about much: one Clone Commander was actually annoyed with Palpatine. Not because of the Order itself—but because it came too late.
A Clone Trooper Actually Had a Tantrum Over Palpatine’s Timing
Yep, we’re talking about Commander Cody. The guy who fought alongside Obi-Wan throughout the Clone Wars literally had a mini tantrum when the Order came through… all because he’d just given Obi-Wan his lightsaber back. And no, I’m not making this up—you can check the Revenge of the Sith novelization by Matthew Stover
In the book, the scene plays out just like in the movie. Obi-Wan drops his lightsaber during the battle with General Grievous, and Cody picks it up. After the chase, Obi-Wan returns, and Cody hands the saber back without a second thought. Moments later, he gets the infamous message from Palpatine: “Execute Order 66.”
Here’s how the novel describes Cody’s reaction:
“Cody responded as he had been trained since before he’d even awakened in his creche-school. It will be done, my lord. The holoscan vanished. Cody stuck the comlink back into its concealed recess and frowned down toward where Kenobi rode his dragonmount into selflessly heroic battle.
Cody was a clone. He would execute the order faithfully, without hesitation or regret. But he was also human enough to mutter glumly, ‘Would it have been too much to ask for the order to have come through before I gave him back the bloody lightsaber…?’”
From that one line, we get a surprising glimpse into Cody’s mindset. He was loyal to the Empire, sure—but he was still human enough to feel frustrated. If Palpatine had just been a little quicker, Cody would’ve had the perfect shot: Obi-Wan, unarmed, surrounded by clone troopers. But nope—he gave the saber back, and then had to figure out a way to kill a Jedi General riding a massive lizard.
What If Palpatine Gave the Order Before Cody Returned Obi-Wan’s Lightsaber?
So from that detail above, it’s easy to imagine a small what-if situation. I mean, just picture if Palpatine had sent out Order 66 before Cody handed Obi-Wan his lightsaber back.
Obi-Wan would’ve been done for. He was completely surrounded—clones all around him, no weapon in hand, and no idea what was coming. If the Order came just a few seconds earlier, Cody wouldn’t have even needed to fake anything. He could’ve just stepped back, nodded, and the troopers would’ve gunned Obi-Wan down right there.
No lightsaber. No defense. No chance of escape.
That one small delay from Palpatine literally saved Obi-Wan’s life. And it’s crazy to think how close it was—just a beat earlier, and the story would’ve ended right there on Utapau.