Rex Was a Born Leader, Why He Was NEVER Promoted to Commander?

If there’s one clone trooper who deserved to be a Commander, it’s Rex. The man was basically born to lead—frontline strategist, loyal to his men, and trusted by Anakin and Ahsoka in a way few others ever were. But despite all that, Rex stayed a captain all the way through the Clone Wars.

So what gives? Why didn’t he ever get that promotion?

Ahsoka Was the Commander First, and Rex Stayed Her Captain

Before we even think about Rex becoming a Commander, we have to remember something a lot of fans overlook: Ahsoka was already a Commander of 501st during most of the Clone Wars. Even though she was young, she held the official title of Commander Tano while serving under Anakin and working closely with Rex.

In the Republic military structure, it made sense—Anakin was the General, Ahsoka was the Commander, and Rex was the Captain. That chain of command stayed consistent throughout the war. So even though Rex led troops and had tons of battlefield experience, he was technically following the lead of Ahsoka.

And here’s what’s wild—Rex never seemed to care. He had no ego. He respected Ahsoka fully, trusted her judgment, and had no problem taking orders from her. That says a lot about Rex’s character. He wasn’t chasing a title—he was doing what was right for the men and for the mission.

Even later, during the Siege of Mandalore, when Ahsoka gave up her Jedi rank, Rex was finally promoted to Commander. But by then, it wasn’t about military hierarchy anymore. Everything was falling apart. The title felt more like a formality than a real step up.

The Scars of Umbara and the Loss of Fives Broke Something in Rex

Another reason Rex may have never been promoted is more personal—and honestly, kind of heartbreaking. After the Umbara campaign, something changed in him. He followed General Krell’s twisted orders longer than he should have. He watched his men kill each other. And even though he eventually helped stop Krell, the damage was already done.

Rex didn’t come out of Umbara as the same leader. You could feel it—he lost confidence in himself. He’d hesitated. Fives and Dogma were the ones who took a stand first. Fives nearly died for it. Dogma did what Rex couldn’t and pulled the trigger on Krell. Even if the 501st didn’t blame Rex directly, the trust was shaken—and Rex knew it.

And then came Fives’ death.

That shattered whatever was left. Fives had always believed in Rex, even when Rex didn’t believe in himself. Losing him wasn’t just the loss of a brother—it was the loss of the one person who reminded Rex of who he was supposed to be. After that, Rex started to drift. He second-guessed himself. He stopped communicating with his men like he used to. You could see the weight of everything grinding him down.

It’s possible that when the time came to promote someone—maybe even after Ahsoka left—Rex was passed over. Or maybe he asked not to be considered. Not because he didn’t care, but because he genuinely thought he couldn’t do it anymore.

And that’s the thing—he still led anyway. Even when he was falling apart. Even when he was full of doubt. He kept fighting for what was right, because that’s who Rex was.

Rex Did Get Promoted, But It Didn’t Mean Much

Let’s not forget—Rex was finally promoted to Commander during the Siege of Mandalore in The Clone Wars Season 7. He got the rank. He even wore new armor with the orange 332nd markings. But that promotion didn’t really stick, and there’s a good reason why.

At that point, Ahsoka was no longer a Jedi and no longer part of the Republic military. Technically, she couldn’t give orders to clone troopers. The solution? Appoint Rex as Commander so that he could officially lead the 501st under her guidance. It was a workaround—a way to give Ahsoka the respect she deserved without breaking Republic protocol.

So even though Ahsoka was clearly the one in charge, Rex held the title and the official authority on paper. In other words, it wasn’t a career promotion—it was a loyalty promotion. Rex was trusted to carry out the mission because of Ahsoka, not instead of her.

And then came Order 66.

Once that hit, ranks and structure meant nothing. The Republic collapsed, the clones turned on the Jedi, and everything changed. Whether Rex was a Commander or Captain didn’t matter anymore—he was no longer a soldier. He was a fugitive running for his life.

So yeah, he was promoted—but it was at the edge of collapse. And honestly? Rex didn’t need the title. He still led with the same loyalty, the same heart, and the same sense of duty that defined him from the very beginning.