((I actually meant to post an Order 66 blog as my 66th blog, but I missed it by 1, d'oh! ))

There's been a lot of talk about why the Jedi wouldn't be able to sense Order 66 coming, or why they didn't know about it in the first place since they were the commanding officers.

Well in what may become a continuing series of "I think it's fairly simple" blogs I say:

They knew about it all along of course.

Why else would Mace be so concerned about Palpatine being a Sith? Sure they're the sworn enemies of the Jedi but it's just one lil' Sith Lord, right?

Oh that whole Order 66 thing.

Mace may be under the same veil of darkness Yoda is, but he can still do simple math.

Sith Lord that would do anything to destroy the Jedi + Clone Army with a failsafe plan to destroy Jedi under that Sith Lord's control =

"We must move quickly if the Jedi Order is to survive."

Many people have asked "Why does Mace just grab the Jedi already there and head off to arrest Palpatine? Why doesn't he get more support from the Jedi Temple?". Well that's the answer. Mace knew that every second that Palpatine was in power after revealing himself as a Sith was a moment closer to the Jedi's destruction. He had to act now.

If Mace (and other Jedi perhaps) hadn't known about Order 66 they indeed probably would have grabbed other support or acted more with more caution. Or maybe not? Maybe Mace just figured Palpatine had to have something up his sleeve if he was revealing himself as a Sith now.

This sort of puts the whole thing in perspective though doesn't it for those who feel the Jedi were caught completely "off-balance", this is why the Jedi were so wary of Palpatine, not just because he was grabbing more and more power, but he held the switch to the failsafe Order 66 which was doubtless explained to the Jedi as a simple precaution in case of a lone Jedi going rogue and defying the Republic. It is highly possible the Order was meant in this fashion. That it could have been transmitted and carried out by a single Clone force against a Jedi truly guilty of treason... rather than to ALL troopers as Palpatine uses it.

Despite this explanation for Order 66, the Jedi were wary of Palpatine's intentions and who might be attempting to gain influence to him, unaware it was Palpatine himself ready to pull the trigger the whole time.

So there you have it I suppose. My view on Order 66: Who knew about it and why they didn't do anything about it until just before it was carried out.
I feel like I'm forgetting something here, but I don't think the Jedi were.
They knew all along, but felt it was a failsafe against possible lone Jedi going rogue.
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