Why every Star Wars show is forcing us to relive Order 66

WARNING: This post contains spoilers for Obi-Wan Kenobi Episode 5.

First, it was Revenge of the Sith. Then The Clone Wars and The Bad Batch took their turns. The Book of Boba Fett showed the tragedy through the eyes of Grogu, and now we’ve seen the devastation of Order 66 again not once, but twice thanks to Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Order 66 has often been referred to by fans as the 9/11 of the Star Wars universe — in the sense that after it happened, the galaxy was never quite the same, never truly recovered from the aftermath of the tragedy it brought upon those who lived through it. We’ve now seen it occur from multiple angles — including, now, Padawans and Younglings. Why does Star Wars insist on showing us the horror again and again?

Maybe there’s a deeper meaning to it all. Perhaps we have to keep watching it unfold over and over for a reason.

Trauma never leaves you. The Obi-Wan Kenobi series is rightfully pushing this idea into audiences’ minds with every episode. in “Part V,” we learned just how deeply the tragedy impacted Reva. She wasn’t just in the vicinity. She was right there. She played dead. She had no other choice. It kept her alive.

Reva likely can’t go a single day without remembering Order 66. It’s probably the same for dozens if not hundreds of others who survived it. And that’s why we’re forced to keep seeing it over and over, perhaps. To remind us not of the tragedy, but of how deeply it’s embedded into the lives of the characters we’re watching on-screen. They don’t get to forget. We don’t, either.

We’ll keep seeing Order 66 pop up in stories for decades. It changed everything. The moment we forget is the moment the true depth of its tragedy loses its meaning.

Obi-Wan Kenobi stars Ewan McGregor with appearances by Hayden Christensen and Kumail Nanjiani and is directed by Deborah Chow, who previously directed an episode of The Mandalorian. The series is streaming now exclusively on Disney+.

Follow Dork Side of the Force for all your Star Wars news, reviews, and more!