The 2008 Star Wars spin-off series The Clone Wars introduced us to the widest range of clone troopers. Until then, we only knew them as all-white identical clones created in the galactic laboratories of the Empire to fight the Separatists. Time and again, the clones have wowed us with their sentience and skills alike.
These manufactured soldiers find their origins in the DNA of the Mandalorian bounty hunter, Jango Fett. Although the order for a clone army was placed by Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas in the name of the Republic, it was Supreme Chancellor Palpatine who seized the authority to use it.
From Captain Rex who would fight the urge to kill a Jedi very hard to ever so loyal Commander Cody who would not hesitate to execute Palpatine’s Order 66 and murder the Jedi generals – clone troopers come in all shapes and sizes.
There was also one Cut Lawquane, a clone who didn’t believe in the war and became a farmer. However, a majority of the clone troopers did remain fighters in the war on various fronts until a hidden trigger implanted in every clone changed the galaxy forever.
For a time, the Empire maintained the same army which was created using the Jango Fett template. But later Palatine ordered for new troopers from different genetic sources. For instance, clines X1 and X2 were created from a Jedi Knight.
Of the millions of foot soldiers of The Empire, we have listed out 10 of the most powerful ones who stood out from the rest and left a mark. Check them out!
10Fives & Echo
The duo of Fives and Echo were bound by their ARC trooper legacy. They were seen throughout The Clone Wars fighting side by side and growing from rookie clone troopers into members of the 501st Legion as ARC troopers.
Fives was incredibly determined and bravely investigated the incident with Tup and discovered the truth about Palpatine and Order 66.
One of he most memorable quotes from Fives has to be:
“No clone uses their number. I am Fives. Call me Fives.”
Meanwhile, Echo was more of a by-the-books sort of clone who followed the training he received at Kamino to the letter. He was believed to be killed during a mission to rescue Jedi Master Even Piell, but Dave Filoni confirmed Echo survived.
His memorable quote should give you an idea of what he was like:
“Personally, I like that it’s so quiet out here. I can catch up on the reg manuals.”
9Fox
CC-1010, aka “Fox”, was the commanding clone of the Shock Troopers, responsible for guarding Coruscant, the capital planet of the Galactic Republic.
Over the course of the Clone Wars, Fox became one of the most highly decorated soldiers in the Republic Military. He retained the position even as Order 66 was implemented and the rise of the Galactic Empire.
Fox had organized a security perimeter encircling the fallen Temple of the Jedi Order with the Jedi Master Jocasta Nu inside.
He met his end at the hands of Sith Lord Darth Vader due to a misunderstanding – Fox’s clones mistook Vader for a Jedi and launched an attack.
In retaliation, Vader used telekinesis to break the clone’s neck. However, Fox remained a loyal servant of the Republic as well as the Empire, serving as the leader of the highest decorated soldiers of Republic Army.
8Wolffe
Leader of the Wolfpack squad, Wolffe was the very definition of a seasoned veteran.
He often served with Jedi General Plo Koon. He suffered the loss of his squadron and friends and later, his right eye. Despite all hard hits that Wolffe took — figuratively and literally — he continued to fight and lead.
7Hunter
Hunter was the commanding officer of Clone Force 99 in the Grand Army of the Republic during the Clone Wars.
One of the thousands of “regs” or regular clone forces, the Clone Force 99 was also known as “The Bad Batch.” It was an elite clone squadron consisting of clones with genetic mutations, albeit desirable.
Inspired by the character of Billy Sole from the 1987 film Predator, Hunter’s biggest strength was the mutation that gave him enhanced senses.
He could basically feel electromagnetic signals which meant that maps of enemy-controlled regions could come out wrong at times, but he rarely would.
Hunter was a little rough on the edges and often gruff with his disarming humor softening things up a bit. However, you wouldn’t want to get too close to this one since his weapon of choice was always a knife.
6Cody
Next up is once again a powerful but naive clone trooper who had served closely under the legendary Obi-Wan Kenobi, up until betraying him in Revenge of the Sith.
Cody stood out as a commander who led the 212th Attack Battalion with a special emphasis on discipline and he virtually never failed a mission through his excellent strategies.
The quality that he was best known for, however, was his unflinching loyalty (read algorithmic slavery) that ultimately proved to be pledged to Darth Sidious. Cody preferred to fight with the heavier but more powerful DC-15A blaster rifle.
5X1
Despite being Force-sensitive X1 failed to realize the trap laid out for him by Palpatine. He stuck to the dark side until the end, not necessarily out of choice but out of the compulsion of his clone body.
However, X1 was undoubtedly one of the most powerful clone troopers of the galaxy even if unable to overcome the primality of his body. X1 was cloned from a Jedi Knight, Felon Grey, along with his clone-brother X2.
The brothers’ fates were closely linked because of their similar gifts. Both of them fought as clone troopers in countless battles, trained numerous clones and killed Jedi following Order 66.
During the Empire’s rise, X1 grew stronger in the dark side of the force, especially after murdering the very Jedi that he was cloned from.
X1 continued to fight on the side of the Empire until his eventual demise. Apart from excellent close and ranged combat and pilot skills, X1 could use telekinesis and Force Lightning.
4Alpha
One of the greatest trainers of the galaxy, Alpha has produced the likes of Rex and Cody on his watch.
Personally, Alpha served not just Obi-Wan but also his apprentice – Anakin. In the early stages of the Clone Wars, he battled the powerful Gen-Dai Durge, defeating him.
He was also captured once and tortured by one, Asajj Ventress before a timely rescue.
His bravery and skills earned Skywalker’s utmost admiration. ARC-17 went on to create an academy for Clone Officers, which inspired the idea of having different sub-divisions of Clone troops. Here is where he trained some of the greatest clones in history.
3Ordo
This rare Null-class Advanced Recon Commando’s capabilities brought severe damage to the Separatist forces. He was a Null ARC Trooper, one of only six, among the first to be created and far more skilled than any other clone trooper.
Of the 6 Null ARCs, not a single one of them died in the Clone Wars despite being targeted by the Kaminoans themselves.
Each one of them was as effective as a Standard Clone Platoon, the Null ARCs once fought off 8 squads of Clone Commandos and the entire Coruscant Defense Force and won.
The Kaminoans wanted to terminate the Null ARCs for “refusing to follow orders properly”.
Of the lot, Ordo was definitely the best. Due to his genetic modifications, Ordo was 30 percent more intelligent than his regular fellow clones. His upgraded memory allowed him to recall details with perfect precision.
2X2
X1’s brother, X2 comes right at the second-highest position because he betrayed the Empire and fought on the side of the Rebellion.
Not just that, he ultimately faced his own sibling in the battle and defeated him, with some help from Luke Skywalker himself. X2 lived to see the demise of Emperor Palpatine and to be Luke Skywalker’s personal apprentice.
The Jedi Master’s guidance allowed the clone to advance in his Force skills up until the point when he was ready to engage his evil brother in a light saber duel, eventually emerging triumphant.
X2 could put to good use all kinds of weapons, from blasters and rifles to rocket launchers. He was a skilled pilot, an excellent engineer and a proficient hacker.
1Rex
Having served alongside Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano, he was a regular front liner in battles.
Although loyal to the Jedi commanders, he was himself a great leader and the men under his command always came first. He was a first-class leader and teacher.
Coming to his skills. We normally either see Jedu using the Force to dodge blaster bolts, or characters dodging through pure luck. But Rex could actively dodge bolts without either of them, that’s just how skilled he was.
In one of the early Clone Wars episodes, we see Rex and team run into a room full of commando droids, who are capable of overpowering most clones.
But Rex still managed to kill 4 droids, one with his bare hands and 2 before the other droids could even draw their weapons. Meanwhile the other 4 clones (including the also badass Commander Cody) only got 2 kills combined.
What’s more, when Order 66 is executed and he is charged with killing Ahsoka Tano, Rex is not acting on impulse. He puts up a legitimate struggle against the chip in his system ordering him to kill his ally.
Luckily, Ahsoka removes the chip and restores his free will. But that’s not to say he didn’t fight his base natures, thus bringing him to the top of our list!
So there you go, that would be my list of most powerful clone troopers in the galaxy. Comment below and let us know what you think about this order of things.
About Clone Wars
The Clone Wars, during which most of these clone troopers were first introduced, refers to a three-year war fought to prevent thousands of planetary systems from seceding from the Galactic Republic and forming the “Confederacy of Independent Systems”, aka “the Separatists”.
The Republic uses an army of clone troopers, led by the Jedi Order against the Separatist battle droid army.
The conflict was manufactured as a scheme for the Republic’s Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, secretly an evil Sith lord, to convert the democratic Galactic Republic into the autocratic Galactic Empire.
The political and military events of the Clone Wars draw inspiration from real-world conflicts and historical events, such as World War II and the American Civil War.
Mentioned briefly in the Episode IV A New Hope, the Clone Wars tells the story of how Darth Vader was born. The war has been depicted in Episode II Attack of the Clones and in a standalone series The Clone Wars (2008).
The series garnered a solid fan following and critical acclaim. After winding down in 2013, a revival finale season was out in 2020.
The Clone Wars is now streaming on Disney+ in all its seven-season haul.
Source: Fandom
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