25 years after Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith was released, there’s still one aspect of Anakin Skywalker’s story that bothers me. Revenge of the Sith was the final chapter in Anakin Skywalker’s fall to the dark side and the rise of the Galactic Empire. The film is a fan favorite for its many memorable moments and because it directly connects the Star Wars prequels with the original Star Wars trilogy.

Revenge of the Sith is by no means a bad movie, and in many ways, it’s only gotten better with time, especially after the release of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series. Because of that TV show, Revenge of the Sith and the other prequel films gained a depth of storytelling that had previously been impossible.

The Clone Wars gave greater depth and context to the relationships of characters, particularly Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, but also with original characters like Ahsoka Tano and clone Captain Rex. With those relationships in mind, it’s egregious how Anakin’s relationship with the clones was treated in Revenge of the Sith.

Anakin’s 501st Legion Only Appeared Once In Revenge Of The Sith

And It Wasn’t For Anything Good

Throughout The Clone Wars, the show established the close bond between Jedi General Anakin Skywalker and his 501st Legion. Anakin worked well with his clones because they understood each other and were willing to do anything for the Republic and to stop the Separatist droid army. Together, they went on extremely dangerous and top-secret missions that usually led to the capture or death of many fan-favorite clones. However, despite this closeness, the 501st only appeared once in Revenge of the Sith.

After Palpatine declares Order 66, the clone army turns on their Jedi Generals and executes nearly the entire Order. The clones of the 501st followed Anakin Skywalker, who had just been renamed Darth Vader, into the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.

There, Vader led an attack, with him and the 501st killing the Jedi, including the younglings. Knowing how close the clones were to Anakin during the Clone Wars, it’s sad that the only time we see these clones in Revenge of the Sith is while they are being controlled by inhibitor chips and forced to mᴀssacre the Jedi.

Clone Wars Season 7 Explained Major Clones’ Absences

Like Rex and Jesse

Before The Clone Wars season 7 premiered in 2020, it was unclear whether fan-favorite clones like Captain Rex or Jesse were among the clones that stormed the Jedi Temple and led the mᴀssacre of the Jedi or not. However, just before the events of Revenge of the Sith, Anakin split the 501st Legion, having the 332nd company led by a promoted Rex follow Ahsoka Tano to Mandalore where they were looking to take down Darth Maul.

For many, this was a relief, considering the clones we loved weren’t just faceless clones killing Jedi in the background of Revenge of the Sith. However, the reality of what ended up happening to Ahsoka, Rex, and the rest of the 332nd is arguably more tragic.

After Order 66 is declared while traveling through hyperspace, the 332nd attacks Ahsoka Tano and Darth Maul. While Ahsoka is able to remove Rex’s inhibitor chip after warning her about their existence, there’s little comfort. Because the clones were willing to die to take down Ahsoka and Rex for helping her, they allowed their ship to crash on a snowy planet, killing everyone except Ahsoka and Rex, who had managed to find a ship.

The 501st Were Loyal To Anakin, So Why Were They Missing From Revenge Of The Sith?

It Just Doesn’t Make Sense

The Clone Wars showed how close Anakin Skywalker was with his clones, so not seeing him with them at all during Revenge of the Sith now feels disingenuous. While Revenge of the Sith did premiere before The Clone Wars, George Lucas likely already knew that the bond between clones and their general was going to be a тιԍнт one, making this decision even odder

It also likely wouldn’t have been more work for Temuera Morrison, who portrays the clones in live action, as their faces could’ve been covered. The 501st isn’t seen again in Star Wars, save for one homeless clone seen in Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Knowing this, it’s hard to imagine what Palpatine and Vader did with the 501st after Order 66. It’s also safe to say we may never know. Knowing how loyal the 501st were to Anakin during the Clone Wars, it stands to reason that they would continue to be loyal even after the initial mᴀssacre of Order 66, making it even odder that we never see them again.

While Vader eventually had his own ᴀssᴀssins in the Imperial Inquisitors, it’s hard to imagine he wouldn’t want to keep the 501st around. Clones were largely dismantled following the establishment of the Empire, but Vader could’ve made an exception if he wanted. Revenge of the Sith is still one of the best Star Wars stories told, but I’m not sure if I can get over how little the 501st is present.