Star Wars: The Clone Wars, but his story doesn't end there. Clone troopers like Rex were initially intended to be the perfect expendable soldiers, growing at accelerated rates and devoting their short lives to defending the Republic against the Separatists. Most of their Jedi generals, however, quickly came to regard the clones as valuable of their unit. Because of this, the clones became important characters in Star Wars. As a recurring character working closely wih Anakin and Obi-Wan, Rex was instrumental in establishing the clones’ importance as characters.
Rex served as captain of the 501st Legion, with Anakin Skywalker as his general. Captain Rex was devoted to his military service but grew to respect the rule-bending tendencies of his general. Despite his introduction as a background character in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, he quickly became an important aspect of the show, not to mention a fan-favorite. After the end of the Clone Wars, he goes on to achieve many impressive feats.
Captain Rex Survived Order 66 With Ahsoka Tano's Help
Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 7
Order 66 saw Palpatine use the clone troopers to eliminate the Jedi and other evidence of Chancellor Palpatine’s treachery. Thanks to an inhibitor chip implanted in the clones’ brains, they had no awareness or agency as they turned on their Jedi counterparts, catching them by surprise. Captain Rex had the opportunity to speak briefly with the clone trooper Fives about the chip when Fives’ chip prematurely activated. Ahsoka also had a heads-up about the plan and was able to free her Captain from the mind-controlling chip.
Rex seemed to be able to resist the chip on his own for a few moments
Rex seemed to be able to resist the chip on his own for a few moments, perhaps as a result of his prior knowledge of Fives’ experience and also the close personal relationship he shared with Ahsoka. Using her head start, Ahsoka restrained Rex and enlisted the help of medical droids to remove the chip altogether. Together, they escaped the other clone troopers who couldn't ignore their impulses. Rex was branded a traitor and forced to abandon his clone brothers.
Rex Went On To Help Lead A Clone Resistance (& Potential Rebellion)
Star Wars: The Bad Batch
After the smoke cleared, the clones who did survive Order 66 were trapped in the Imperial military. Rex used his freedom to up with other similarly liberated clones and establish a resistance movement called the Clone Underground. The purpose of the Clone Underground was to create a way out for clones who remained loyal to their original purpose as protectors of the Republic. Under the Empire and without the Jedi to work alongside them, the clone troopers were reduced to the nameless, expendable soldiers they were created to be.
With the help of an extensive network, clone informants, and even an Imperial Senator who helped their cause, Rex and his Clone Underground helped free many clones from the early days of Imperial control. Clone Force 99, a group of genetically defective clones who largely escaped the consequences of the inhibitor chips, were integral in the resistance’s success. Having already largely separated from the clone army, their network of allies and safe houses played a huge part in the Cline Underground’s ability to rescue as many of their clone brothers as it did.
Star Wars Is Finally Setting Up Captain Rex's Doomed Clone Uprising
The Bad Batch season 3 is about to tell Captain Rex’s most tragic Star Wars story, and it will force him to retire from the fight against the Empire.
The Clone Underground worked alongside the fledgling Rebel Alliance, and its work to free clone troopers from Imperial rule helped to provide the Rebels with talented soldiers later on. While the clones themselves might not have launched their own full-on rebellion, the ability to leave the Empire sparked a new sense of hope for many clones that had given up on their true purpose.
Captain Rex Reed The Rebellion After Years Of Isolation
Star Wars Rebels season 2 onwards
After escaping Order 66, Rex and Ahsoka faked their deaths and fled. Though they part ways, they reconnect many years later while fighting for the Rebellion. After establishing the short-lived Clone Underground, Captain Rex continued to work toward the protection of his clone brothers with fellow clones Wolffe and Gregor. The Empire wasn't accommodating to former clone troopers, and their options were limited. The trio ultimately settled down in a modified AT-TE on the remote planet Seelos for years before the Rebel Alliance came knocking.
After many failed attempts to Rex, Ahsoka sent the crew of the Ghost to find him and bring him into the Rebel Alliance. Rex became an important aspect of Star Wars Rebels much like he was in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. His wisdom and battle experience was invaluable to the team he worked with, and his presence in the show was a wonderful way to connect the timelines. With so much change happening to the characters who do survive the fall of the Republic, such as Anakin’s transformation into Darth Vader, Rex is a welcome and consistent character.
Ahsoka Was Missing One Major Clone Wars Return That's Essential To Her & Anakin's Story
A surprise cameo of a key Clone Wars character in Ahsoka was a good instance of fans ervice, but the character needed a larger role.
Reuniting with Ahsoka in Star Wars Rebels, Rex took up his old role as a soldier. After so many disastrous developments in the galaxy, it was touching to see old friends reunited. Though Ahsoka was no longer a child and Rex’s accelerated aging made him seem like an older man than he should be, time and tragedy couldn’t alter their relationship. They picked up right where they left off.
Rex's Fate After The Galactic Civil War Still Isn't Known
There's More Of His Story To Tell!
Despite the part he plays in the Clone Wars and the subsequent rebellion, Rex fades out of the spotlight in Star Wars. Just like Ahsoka, this leaves the door open for opportunities to incorporate him into future projects. Rex was meant to flesh out the Clone Wars, to give depth and realism to a period of Star Wars history that had yet to be explored. He became much more than that, bonding with Jedi such as Anakin Skywalker and humanizing the clones. Such an important character is worthy of a great ending, but Rex’s story has yet to find a conclusion.
Though fan theories speculate that Return of the Jedi as the older member of Han Solo’s raiding party under the name “Nik Sant,” it has yet to be confirmed or denied in any real capacity (although it has been confirmed Rex was on Endor). The good news is this means the door is wide open to one day fill in the blank spaces of Captain Rex’s story. Captain Rex might have been created to be expendable, but he’s proven to be much more than that to Star Wars.
- Created By
- George Lucas
- Cast
- Dee Bradley Baker
- First Appearance
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars
- Alliance
- Clone Army, Rebel Alliance
- TV Shows
- Star Wars: The Bad Batch
- Franchise
- Star Wars
A key figure among the clones, Captain Rex served under Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano during the Clone Wars. He defected after the establishment of the Empire, becoming an important leader in the early rebellion. A disillusioned Rex ultimately retired, but was brought back into play courtesy of Ahsoka's abiding influence.
