'EPISODE III' AT TWENTY: "ORDER 66"

The murder of the Jedi across the galaxy begins as Ki-Adi Mundi falls to his troops on Mygeeto.

With Anakin Skywalker gone and Darth Vader now crowned in his place by the manipulative Darth Sidious, of which the young former hero will soon be unleashed in all his terrifying power against the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, the evil Dark Lord master is now ready to send the Order 66 signal across the galaxy that will see the Clone Troopers, after years of pre-planning, finally turn against their Jedi Commanders and murder them across a thousand worlds and beyond. 

The Dark Times of the Sith and the Galactic Empire have begun...

One of the key sequences that Star Wars fans had been anticipating that would be effectively revealed in Episode III, hauntingly bolstered by superb music from John Williams, and featuring pre-viz ideas/contributions from Steven Spielberg, encouraged to provide ideas for the then final film of the saga by his friend George, for both Order 66 and the finale duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan on Mustafar.

Darth Sidious activates Order 66 to the Clone Troopers across the galaxy.

"To be very honest, that scene (Order 66) was about twice as long as it is now. There were a lot more Jedi killed in a lot more ways, but it kind of went on and on. So we finally cut it down to what we thought was the minimum we could get away with and still get a sense that there are thousands of Jedi around the galaxy."

George Lucas - Empire magazine - July 2005

The bold Aayla Secura is cornered and brutally executed on the alien world of Felucia.

Darth Vader leads his elite troops into the Jedi Temple and continue the surprise massacre.

Shaak Ti's (Orli Shoshan) original death scene would instead be re-filmed and editorially moved to the Order 66 sequence, where she would be slain from behind by Anakin/Darth Vader instead of Grievous. sadly, this scene too would end up being deleted.

Vader soon slaughters a group of innocent younglings hiding in the Temple.

As the Jedi drop like flies across the galaxy, Yoda is disturbed in the Force whilst on Kashyyyk.

Fire and explosions rock the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.

Padme and Threepio are shocked and disturbed by what they see in the distance.

On patrol, Stass Allie (Nina Fallon) is murdered by her speeder bike colleagues on Saleucami.

Plo Koon is taken out by his wingmen above one of the bridge cities of Cato Neimoidia.

Yoda is soon in the Clone blaster crosshairs but escapes the carnage, with help from the Wookiees.

THE CLONE WARS: THE NOBLE JEDI!

Fan favourites Kit Fisto and Plo Koon take a decisive stand during an attack on their Republic Cruiser, in a brief moment only seen during the opening 'War Narration' for The Clone Wars animated movie of 2008.

'ATTACK' AT 20: THE JEDI INTERVENTION!

The Jedi arrive in the arena to face the army of lethal Battle Droids, in this lovely art.

It's not just Mace Windu who has arrived in the nick of time to aid our captured trio of Anakin, Obi-Wan and Padme within the Geonosian death arena. So too are a force of between 100-200 fellow Jedi (including lots of soon fan favourites), bravely going into conflict against overwhelming numbers of newly created Separatist Battle Droids...

The Jedi assemble. Conceptual art by Ryan Church.

The Jedi arrive and decloak in unused footage from 2000.

More deleted Jedi footage likely linked to their arrival in the arena.

This impressive (if at times unevenly structured) action sequence was culled together from all kinds of blue screen shot footage at Fox Studios, Australia and ILM during 2000-2002. Known and background Jedi used in a deleted sequence linked to the failed deactivation of the battle droids would instead literally be transplanted into various arena battle sequence moments as the conflict between Jedi and droids evolved under George Lucas's supervision. Some human Jedi actors would be completely replaced with CGI alien creations instead, or have CGI additions/alterations made to their visages.

Another of Ryan Church's action-packed concept art pieces for the epic arena battle.

Shaak Ti (model Orli Shoshan) and Luminara Unduli (Mary Oyaya) activate their blades.

Barriss Offee (Nalini Krishan) and Agen Kolar (Tux Akindoyeni).

Pablo-Jill (named after ILM veterans Pablo Hidalgo and Jill Brooks) with Kit Fisto (Ben Cooke)

Plo Koon (Matt Sloan) and Ki-Adi Munday (Silas Carson). The characters were added to this shot from ultimately unused footage of a droid control ship raid.

Bultar Swan (Mimi Daraphet) and colleague.

The Super Battle Droids take on the Jedi.

A unique member of the Battle Droid fraction joins the fray!

"Die, Jedi dogs!" A confused Threepio is caught in battle!

Ever smiling fan favourite Kit Fisto (stunt man Ben Cooke) brings aid to Threepio's difficult position on the battlefront.

Posed publicity image of Jedi Aayla Secura (Amy Allen), the character already a fan favourite Dark Horse comic creation liked by Lucas, who would be added to the film in various Jedi-related places during post production by ILM.

One of the more alien-looking Jedi who will later challenge Count Dooku, but be sadly killed by the blaster skills of Jango Fett.

The majority of the unarmed insects fly away in their panicked droves.

The battle is fierce as the enemy grows stronger and surrounding...

Meanwhile, in the midst of chaos, Threepio is reunited with his bodily self thanks to Artoo.

The scene as captured in studio, likely in reshoots at Ealing Studios, London - 2002.

Doug Chiang's design for the next evolution of Battle Droid - the Super Battle Droid!

CLASSIC IMAGE: UNSETTLED TIMES!

As part of the Jedi delegation, Plo Koon listens intently to the conversation between his colleagues Yoda and Mace Windu with the steadfast Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, his alien thoughts surely as concerned as they are with the rise of the Separatists under former Jedi Count Dooku, during the mystery-building beginning to EPISODE II.

BEHIND THE SCENES: READY FOR THE JEDI!

Proud to house a STAR WARS movie in Australia, at their then all-new FOX Studios, technicians prepare the supporting cast of Jedi characters for the important scene-setting of a Republic now under political turmoil from the rising Separatist tide, during EPISODE II's shooting in 2000.

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: JEDI COLLECTIVE!

Oppo Rancisis (Jerome Blake) - the 'Cousin It' of the Prequels!

Though only seen as merest background glances, firstly in the Temple scenes of EPISODE I then at the finale on Naboo, the other members of the Jedi Council would regardless become extremely popular and well utilized in spin-offs like The Clone Wars animated series, as well as many Expanded Universe related comics/books released over the next twenty years, set during the Prequel time period.

Yaddle, a female established as being from the same race as the equally enigmatic Master Yoda.

Adi Gallia (Gin Clarke)

Yarael Poof.

Even Piell (Michaela Cottrell)

Eeth Koth (Hassani Shapi)

Plo koon (Alan Ruscoe).

Depa Billaba (Dipikia O'Neill Joti).

Seasee Tiin (Khan Bonfils)

BEHIND THE SCENES: SHADOW TALKERS!

No, it's not some secret rendezvous between human and alien- it's the very recognisable outline of George Lucas going through a scene with Plo Koon actor Matt Sloan on set during filming of EPISODE III's galaxy-shattering Order 66 sequence.

CLASSIC IMAGE: DEFIANT JEDI

Herded by their enemies into the middle of the Geonosian Death Arena, the remaining Jedi Knights, and Padme Amidala, get ready for what could be their final battle against the rising powers of the evil Count Dooku, in a tense scene from EPISODE II.