L's Order 66 Guide
From Jalassociatecomics
Spoiler warning: Plot AND ending details follow. If you're the type who LOVES revealing the ending ten seconds into a movie, and ruin the experience for all, read on. Read on, you selfish <insert insult directed at your mother here>.
Foreword
Ah, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The most controversial of all the STAR WARS episodes. People either acclaim or deride it, and many in the "middle ground" or the "grey area" are flamed to a crisp on newsgroups and internet forums by the two extreme ends of the fanbase. If there's any POV in this guide/review, remember: I LIKED the movie — so there.
Why "Order 66"? It's the entire climax of the movie, indeed of the entire prequel trilogy. This is the flashpoint of Palpatine/Sidious's plot to destroy the Jedi Order and the Old Republic, and to take control of the known Galaxy. But more on that later! Now to begin the story before its beginning.
It is assumed that you've seen Episodes I, II, IV, V, VI, however disgusting the rest of the PT was.
Prologue
CLONE WARS ANIMATED SERIES: This guide begins around an hour before Episode III. One of the final blows of the Clone Wars is at hand. General Grievous, droid general of the CIS droid army, has launched an attack at the very core of the Republic - Coruscant. The droids attack all over the city-planet, but make no concerted effort to attack either the Senate building nor the Jedi Temple.
This only means one thing: the Chancellor. A Jedi team consisting of Shaak Ti, Foul Moudama and Roron Corobb are sent to take Palpatine to a secret bunker deep in the bowels of Coruscant, while being chased all throughout by Grievous and his MagnaGuards. Even though Palpatine is delivered safely to the bunker, Grievous is waiting for Corobb and Moudama.
Shaak Ti, who had stayed behind to fight off a dozen MagnaGuards returns to see carnage and is promptly intercepted and left close to death in the bunker. Grievous runs to a shuttle and cannot be stopped by even Mace Windu. He escapes to his flagship, the Invisble Hand, one of many Providence-class carrier/destroyers suurounding the planet. This is where Episode III begins.
Battle over Coruscant
Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker return from frigid Nelvaan to rescue the Chancellor in Jedi Star Fighters. It is evident from their designs that these will eventually become the cheap and expendable TIE fighter of the Galactic Empire. In a parallel to the OT, the movie begins with a rescue. To also note are the ARC-170 fighters, the predecessor of the X-wing.
