"Execute Order 66." Those chilling words are uttered by the sinister Chancellor Palpatine (soon to be Emperor) in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. With that single order, Palpatine initiated a galaxy-wide massacre of the Jedi. Clone troopers that had once faithfully fought alongside their Jedi commanders turned on them in an instant. It was a harrowing moment in the saga that Star Wars fans will never forget.

However, if you have only seen the film events surrounding Order 66, you're missing quite a bit of information about the infamous execution. There are plenty of intriguing and troubling facts regarding the making, story, and history of Order 66. Read on if you want to know more about Order 66's past and consequences.

20 George Lucas' Son Fled From Order 66

It might surprise you to note that the Padawan fleeing from the Jedi Temple when Bail Organa was nearby is actually played by George Lucas' son. George Lucas, the creator behind Star Wars, let his son Jett play the doomed Jedi Padawan who gets gunned down by clone troopers before he can effect his escape.

19 The Order Was Implemented Using Control Chips

The computer animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, details the events between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. During the later seasons of the show, it is revealed that all clone troopers had a control chip installed in their brains. It is this chip that forced them to execute Order 66.

18 The Order Was Going To Be Given In Attack Of The Clones

During conceptualization of Attack of the Clones, Order 66 was going to be implemented in the second episode of the prequel trilogy. Hence, the name "attack of the clones." However, the story was later adjusted and the fall of the Jedi was truly pushed off until the third episode, Revenge of the Sith.

17 Non-Canon Books State The Order Was Taught

Before Disney took over the Star Wars franchise, a large collection of lore was accumulated regarding the past and future of the universe. However, afterwards, many of those books, comics, and games were declared non-canon. According to now non-canon sources, Order 66 was taught to the clones instead of installed via control chip.

16 It Was Also Known As Clone Protocol 66

Order 66 is how every fan of Star Wars knows the infamous order. However, it also goes by another name. Order 66 is also called Clone Protocol 66. In our humble opinion, we think that "Order 66" has more of an insidious ring to it when spoken by Palpatine's cackling tones.

15 Largely Responsible For The Jedi Purge

Order 66 was the beginning of the end for the Jedi. Once the order was given, the terrible Jedi Purge began. Thanks to the clones, most of the Jedi who fell during this time were killed during Order 66's execution. Sadly, even the Jedi who survived the initial stages of the Jedi Purge were later hunted down.

14 It Was Set Into Motion When Jedi Were Unpopular

Palpatine gave Order 66 at the most opportune time for himself. The Jedi had sunken low in the public's opinion because of their failure to halt the war against the Separatists. Palpatine, on the other hand, had maneuvered himself into a position of popularity. He timed Order 66 perfectly.

13 Happened 19 Years Before A New Hope

Order 66 was given roughly nineteen years before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope. That means that all the deaths of the Jedi occurred nineteen years before Luke Skywalker met Obi-Wan Kenobi on Tatooine. (That also reveals how old Luke is at the beginning of Episode IV.)

12 Because Of Order 66, Episode III Has The Highest Death Count

Order 66 saw the destruction of many Jedi, and it is because of this that Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith has the highest onscreen body count of any Star Wars movie to date. Keep in mind this only takes into consideration deaths we actually see versus the destruction of planets where we can't actually witness physical deaths.

11 Kaminoans Made The Chip For Clones To Deal With Outlaw Jedi

The Kaminoans were the aliens responsible for making the clones. When they crafted the control chip to go into the brains of their troopers, they believed it was a fail-safe against any Jedi who went rogue. In case a Jedi turned into a renegade, Order 66 could be enacted and the clones could take him or her down.

10 Boba Fett Could Have Participated In Order 66

Initial concepts for Order 66 in Revenge of the Sith would have seen Boba Fett participate in the Jedi Purge. He would have exterminated the Jedi as a way of getting revenge for his father's death at the hands of Mace Windu. This plot point was later deemed unnecessary and dropped from the movie.

9 Every Clone In The Movie Is CGI

Every single clone trooper who is seen participating in Order 66 in Revenge of the Sith is not played by an actual person. They are all made using CGI. As a matter of fact, all clone troopers in the entire movie were created using computer graphics instead of humans in costumes.

8 Order 66 Is The Culmination Of The Sith's Revenge

In the ages before the Old Republic, the Jedi nearly eliminated the Sith from the galaxy. A few remained, and they vowed to take their revenge on the Jedi. Order 66 is the culmination of years of Sith planning. It was the form their ultimate revenge took. Revenge is a dish best served cold, right?

7 One Clone Trooper Discovered His Chip

Star Wars: The Clone Wars broke more than a few hearts when it revealed how Order 66 could have been avoided. A clone trooper who went by the call sign "Fives" discovered the existence of the control chips and tried to spread the word to his fellow troopers. Unfortunately, he was caught and dealt with before he could reveal the truth.

6 A Few Clones Removed Their Chips Before The Order Was Given

Thankfully for a few troopers (and probably a few Jedi), a group of clones discovered their control chips in the nick of time. They removed the chips from their brains and did not participate in Order 66 when it was given. They went into hiding and made appearances in the animated show Star Wars: Rebels.

5 Part Of Palpatine's Perpetual War Strategy

Order 66 is actually steeped in real-world strategy. In order to maintain power, Chancellor Palpatine implemented a Perpetual War tactic. As long as the Republic was constantly fighting, Palpatine could promote his own political agenda with no consequences to himself. Thus, he began the war with the Separatists, continued with a war on the Jedi, and then fought with the Rebel Alliance.

4 Dooku Gave The Kaminoans The Plans For The Control Chip

The clone creators on Kamino did not create the concept for the control chips themselves. The plans for the chips were handed to them by none other than Count Dooku. It figures that a Sith apprentice would be the one to ensure that Order 66 would go off without a hitch.

3 It Could Have Been More Descriptive

Order 66 is all about the annihilation of the Jedi. It makes sense that such scenes would require death and destruction. However, filmmakers had to contend with the fact that Revenge of the Sith was going to be more descriptive than previous Star Wars films. They ended up tamping down on the violence, though they still earned themselves a PG-13 rating.

2 Vader Hunted The Survivors Of Order 66

The lucky survivors of Order 66 soon found themselves to be the unlucky prey of Darth Vader. Palpatine tasked Vader with hunting down and exterminating all of the remaining Jedi. He did this task with an indomitable intensity that most likely struck fear into the heart of any Jedi he was pursuing.

1 Potentially A Reference To The Number Of The Beast

If Order 66 makes you think of the Number of the Beast, you're not alone in believing that. Many assume that the order's numbering drew inspiration from the three-digit number of hellish fame. Since it brought about the (temporary) fall of the light, it makes a certain sort of sense.