As Star Wars fans celebrate the 20-year anniversary of Attack of the Clones, it is the perfect time to look at some of best aspects of the movie that have stayed strong throughout the years. One of the most unique aspects of the movie occurs during the Battle of Geonosis.
When Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Padmé Amidala are surrounded by droidekas in the arena on Geonosis, all hope seems to be lost, until Mace Windu and a strike team of 212 Jedi appear.
Seeing Mace Windu and hundreds of other Jedi ignite their lightsabers in the arena remains an epic, unprecedented moment of Jedi unity, strength, and hope unlike anything that has ever been seen in Star Wars movies or television.
Never before and never since have fans seen so many Jedi come together onscreen to save those in need and to protect the galaxy. In the original and sequel trilogy era movies, this kind of scene is impossible because there are barely any Jedi left. The same thing holds true for the many television series taking place when the Empire is around or during the age of the New Republic.
Even though there are 10,000 Jedi in the galaxy during the prequel era, Attack of the Clones is the only story that truly ever shows their numbers and what it is like for hundreds of Jedi to fight and work together.
The Phantom Menace only really shows Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan in action, with the other Jedi mostly just shown sitting in their Jedi Council chairs. Many more Jedi are seen in action during The Clone Wars and Revenge of the Sith, but they are spread across the galaxy, and are never seen with the numbers and unity shown in Attack of the Clones.
The Jedi’s strength and what they represent–beyond just the handful of individuals fans are used to seeing–shines through in this moment in the Geonosis arena in a way it never had before.
The only stories in canon that can currently rival this moment from Attack of the Clones are some of the stories in the High Republic comics and novels as many Jedi come together to unite in the fight against the villainous Nihil and Drengir threatening the galaxy. These are powerful moments, but they cannot compare to seeing it onscreen for the first–and as of now–only time.
When looking at the current slate of upcoming Star Wars television series, it is unlikely that fans will see anything like this again onscreen any time soon. While there will definitely be lightsaber duels in Obi-Wan Kenobi, Obi-Wan certainly isn’t going to have hundreds of Jedi coming to his aid as he faces Darth Vader and the Inquisitors.
Shows like Andor and The Bad Batch won’t have this either considering the time period and the subject matter. Ahsoka will definitely have more to do with the Jedi, but not to the extent of what fans saw in Attack of the Clones.
When more is revealed about the future of Star Wars movies, there is a chance that fans could see something more akin to the scene from Attack of the Clones, especially if the movies jump far before or after the Skywalker saga.
Regardless of when fans see something like this next, Attack of the Clones will always have one of the best Jedi and lightsaber moments in all of Star Wars.
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