When You Realize the Reason So Many Order 66 Survivors Are Padawans Is Because a Jedi Master Always Puts His Apprentice’s Survival First

When Order 66 hit, chaos erupted across the galaxy as Clone Troopers turned on their Jedi allies. 

Even the strongest Jedi Masters couldn’t escape the sudden betrayal. 

But have you ever noticed how many of the Jedi survivors owe their lives to the sacrifices their masters made to protect them?

I’ve put together a list of those Padawans who lived because their Jedi Masters put their survival first. 

Take a look and let me know if I missed anyone—you might even recognize some familiar names.

Without further ado, let’s dive in!

1. Kanan Jarrus (Caleb Dume)

If you’ve watched Star Wars Rebels, you know Kanan Jarrus, the wise and skilled Jedi who trains Ezra Bridger. 

But his story begins as Caleb Dume, a Padawan during the Clone Wars. When Order 66 was initiated, Caleb’s Master, Depa Billaba, knew they were surrounded by clone troopers who had turned on them. 

Instead of trying to save herself, she made a split-second decision: fight off the clones to give Caleb a chance to escape. 

Depa held the line, sacrificing herself while telling Caleb to run and never look back. 

Because of her, Caleb survived and went on to play a crucial role in the Rebellion as Kanan Jarrus.

2. Grogu

When The Mandalorian introduced us to Grogu (a.k.a. Baby Yoda), he quickly became a fan favorite, but there was so much we didn’t know about his past. 

One of the most intriguing revelations came when it was confirmed that Grogu was actually present at the Jedi Temple during Order 66.

Though the full details of his escape are still shrouded in mystery, there’s no question that he survived that horrific night—thanks to the efforts of several Jedi. 

In The Book of Boba Fett, we see a flashback where Luke Skywalker helps Grogu unlock some of his repressed memories. 

It’s through this vision that we learn Grogu witnessed the fall of the Jedi firsthand, watching as clone troopers stormed the Temple and slaughtered his fellow Jedi.

What’s fascinating is that Grogu, being so young and vulnerable at the time, couldn’t have survived without assistance. 

We don’t know exactly which Jedi protected him during the attack, but it’s clear that several Masters must have fought to shield him.

3. Cal Kestis

For me, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order gives us one of the most emotional examples of a Jedi Master sacrificing everything to ensure their apprentice survives. 

Cal Kestis was only a young Padawan when Order 66 was executed, and his survival is entirely thanks to his master, Jaro Tapal.

When the clones aboard their cruiser turned against them, Jaro Tapal immediately sensed the shift. Instead of prioritizing the mission or saving himself, Tapal’s first instinct was to protect Cal. 

He fought back against the clone troopers, creating a path for Cal to escape. Every moment of their retreat was fraught with danger, and despite being outnumbered, Tapal’s main concern was getting Cal to safety.

In the end, Jaro Tapal was gravely wounded, and in his final moments, he made it clear that Cal’s survival was what mattered most. 

Despite taking multiple blaster shots from the clone troopers, Tapal remained standing, determined to ensure Cal’s escape.

The burden of his master’s sacrifice weighed heavily on Cal, but it was Jaro’s selflessness that allowed Cal to live and eventually rebuild his connection to the Force.

4. Ahsoka Tano

By the time Order 66 was issued, Ahsoka Tano was no longer a Jedi, but her survival through such a harrowing event speaks volumes about the training she received from Anakin Skywalker. 

Although Anakin didn’t directly save her, the skills and instincts he had drilled into her throughout the Clone Wars played a critical role in her escape. 

Anakin’s priority had always been ensuring Ahsoka could survive even the most dangerous situations.

In Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 7, we witness how Ahsoka is thrust into the chaos of Order 66 while aboard a Venator-class Star Destroyer alongside Captain Rex and their clone troopers. 

The clones, having fought alongside her for years, are suddenly turned against her due to the execution of Palpatine’s command. 

But it’s not just brute strength or lightsaber combat that saves Ahsoka—it’s her tactical mind, something Anakin always emphasized in their missions together. 

She realizes quickly that she can’t defeat all the troopers alone, and instead, she relies on a strategy to create distractions, fake her own death, and use the environment to her advantage.

Ahsoka’s resourcefulness goes beyond physical combat. Instead of fighting Rex, she manages to remove his inhibitor chip, freeing him from the control of Order 66 and turning him back into an ally. 

Surrounded by clone troopers who once fought beside her, Ahsoka skillfully uses the Force to create distractions and manipulate the situation, giving her and Rex enough time to devise an escape plan.

5. Verla and Her Master Ferren Barr

Another master-and-apprentice moment from the Star Wars comics comes from the story of Ferren Barr, a lesser-known but intriguing Jedi survivor of Order 66. 

His story unfolds in the Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith comic series, specifically in the Burning Seas arc.

Ferren Barr managed to escape the Jedi Purge and took on the role of a mentor to a new generation, including his apprentice Verla. 

What makes Ferren Barr unique is that he, along with a select few like Obi-Wan and Yoda, uncovered the truth about Darth Vader’s identity as the former Jedi, Anakin Skywalker.

In the Burning Seas arc, we witness Ferren Barr and Verla being hunted by the Inquisitors and the Empire’s forces. 

As the Empire closed in on them, Barr—like many Jedi Masters before him—focused on ensuring his apprentice’s survival. 

During a desperate escape, when they were cornered by Clone Troopers and Inquisitors, Barr made the decision to sacrifice his own safety to allow Verla to survive.

In his final moments with Verla, Ferren Barr urged her to escape, saying, “You must hide, Verla. Go deep into these tunnels, wait until the battle is done, find allies, leave this planet when you can.” 

6. Cere Junda and Trilla Suduri (Second Sister)

In Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, alongside Cal Kestis and his master Jaro Tapal, we get a deeper look into the tragic relationship between Cere Junda and her apprentice, Trilla Suduri. 

Their story is a prime example of how the fallout from Order 66 affected not just the survival of the Jedi but their emotional and psychological state as well.

During the chaotic aftermath of the Jedi Purge, Cere did everything in her power to protect Trilla and the younglings under her care. 

They went into hiding, hoping to evade the Empire’s relentless pursuit. 

However, their luck ran out when the Empire eventually caught up to them. 

Both Cere and Trilla were captured and subjected to intense torture and interrogation.

Cere, despite enduring horrific treatment, refused to give up any information for as long as she could. But under immense psychological and physical pressure, Cere finally broke and revealed Trilla’s location. 

This betrayal, though unintentional, was devastating. Trilla was taken by the Empire and, over time, was twisted and corrupted into the dark side, becoming the ruthless Second Sister—one of the Inquisitors tasked with hunting down surviving Jedi.

In doing so, Cere hoped to save her apprentice’s life. After all, had Trilla not been captured, there was a very real chance she might have been killed outright by the Empire’s forces. 

Cere believed that as long as Trilla lived, there was hope, and that giving in might ensure her survival.

Cere’s decision to reveal Trilla’s location was born out of desperation, thinking that by complying, she might save her apprentice’s life. 

In her mind, Cere Junda believed that, while she could endure the torture without turning to the dark side, Trilla’s survival was paramount. 

However, in Trilla’s eyes, this was a betrayal. The pain and sense of abandonment made her vulnerable to the Empire’s manipulations, and she quickly fell to the dark side, fully embracing her new role as an Inquisitor.