Order 66 nearly destroyed the Jedi Order, but a small number of Jedi survived the purge. Masters like Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi went into hiding, while others—such as Cal Kestis, Ahsoka Tano, and Kanan Jarrus—rebelled against the Empire in secret. Some fell to darkness and became Inquisitors. From Jedi Temple escapes to hidden networks like The Path, this guide tracks every known survivor and how they kept the flame of the Jedi alive.
Order 66 shattered the Jedi Order in a single stroke, transforming loyal clone troopers into executioners and turning once-sacred halls like the Jedi Temple into graveyards.
Conceived in secret by Darth Sidious and carried out during the final days of the Clone Wars, the purge left the galaxy stunned—and Star Wars fans asking the enduring question: how many Jedi survived Order 66? Was it truly 0? Or did 1–2, perhaps even 10+, live to fight another day?
What followed was the Great Jedi Purge, a dark chapter in the Star Wars universe where Jedi Masters, Knights, and Padawans alike were hunted without rest.
And yet, a handful endured. Figures such as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, and Ahsoka Tano went into exile. Others like Cal Kestis, Cere Junda, and Kanan Jarrus emerged from hiding to resist the growing power of the Galactic Empire.
Some, like Reva Sevander and Trilla Suduri, fell and were remade by darkness. Their survival—through battle, deception, or destiny—ensured that the light of the Jedi was not fully extinguished. From the chaos of the Clone Wars to the age of the Death Star, this is the legacy of the remaining Jedi who defied annihilation.
Order 66 was the ultimate coup against the Jedi Order, masterminded by Chancellor Palpatine as the final phase in his long-concealed plan to install the Galactic Empire.
And it was carried out without lightsabers.
Encrypted into every clone’s programming as part of their secret contingency orders, its purpose was chillingly simple: label all Jedi as traitors to the Republic and command their immediate execution by clone forces they’d once called brothers.
When the order was issued, thousands of Jedi across the galaxy were suddenly ambushed by squads that moments earlier had been loyal allies, making the betrayal swift and often lethal.
The immediate aftermath was a catastrophic blow to the Jedi Order and galactic morale. Few Jedi had any inkling that such treachery was even possible—years of battlefield loyalty with the clones lulled most into a false sense of security. Their downfall was deepened by a rigid belief in the Jedi Code, which left them ill-prepared for the insidious rise of the Sith within the Republic’s own leadership.
The galaxy was left in shock, as temples burned and hope seemed all but snuffed out.
After the initial wave of violence, a handful of Jedi managed to survive, each in their own way. Some stayed alive through sheer combat prowess, their reflexes and tactical acumen turning the clones’ surprise attack into a desperate chance for escape.
A select few—like Yoda—sensed danger through the Force, their connection granting them precious seconds to outmaneuver betrayal. For others, survival was a matter of raw luck: being elsewhere when the order was given or aided by allies willing to risk everything to protect them.
These escapes weren’t just tactical victories—they were often interpreted as being guided by the Force itself.
Whether destiny or coincidence, the survival of certain Jedi sparked debate among the scattered survivors: were they meant to endure for a greater purpose, or merely fortunate bystanders in a galaxy gripped by chaos? For those left behind, survival became both a weight and a call, suggesting hope was not yet lost.
While many Jedi were cut down during the purge, several confirmed survivors emerged across canon. These stories illuminate the resilience, ingenuity, and sometimes tragic fates of those who endured.
Yoda was stationed on Kashyyyk when Order 66 was triggered, surrounded by clone forces he’d once led.
Thanks to his deep attunement to the Force, Yoda sensed the incoming betrayal moments before it struck, allowing him to defend himself and escape with Wookiee allies Chewbacca and Tarfful.
Recognizing the scale of the tragedy, Yoda chose self-exile, vanishing into the swamps of Dagobah where he would remain a luminous yet hidden beacon for future generations.
Obi-Wan narrowly survived an assassination attempt by Clone Commander Cody on Utapau, escaping only through the chaos of battle and quick thinking.
After confronting Anakin Skywalker—now Darth Vader—on Mustafar, Obi-Wan went into hiding on Tatooine. He dedicated the next decades to quietly watching over Luke Skywalker from afar, safeguarding the future hope of the Jedi.
Ahsoka Tano, having left the Jedi Order, was nonetheless swept up in the purge while leading clones during the Siege of Mandalore.
Thanks to the loyalty of Captain Rex and her own skills, she narrowly escaped death aboard a crashing Republic cruiser.
Forced into hiding, Ahsoka lived under several aliases while working behind the scenes to help the galaxy’s oppressed, ultimately reemerging as a key figure in the fight against the Empire.
Padawan Caleb Dume survived Order 66 when his master sacrificed herself. Forced to abandon his identity, he became Kanan Jarrus, living as a fugitive and clandestine laborer before joining the Ghost crew.
Kanan eventually embraced his Jedi heritage, mentoring Ezra Bridger and playing a pivotal role in the early Rebellion.
Cal Kestis was a young Padawan during the purge.
He escaped his master’s death and hid as a scrapper on Bracca, suppressing his Force abilities to avoid detection.
Ultimately, Cal rose from obscurity, reigniting his Jedi path in defiance of the Empire and sparking hope among surviving Force-sensitives (as seen in "Jedi: Fallen Order" and "Jedi: Survivor").
Grogu, the mysterious child from "The Mandalorian," was hidden and smuggled from the Jedi Temple during Anakin’s assault.
The details of his escape remain shrouded, but it’s clear a group of sympathetic individuals risked their lives to protect him. Grogu’s survival became a symbol of enduring innocence and hope in a galaxy scarred by darkness.
Quinlan Vos’s survival was shrouded in secrecy, but he continued to operate in the shadows, helping Force-sensitive children escape the Empire through the underground network known as “The Path.”
His resourcefulness and commitment ensured that the Jedi legacy would not be entirely extinguished.
Taron Malicos survived Order 66 but succumbed to the darkness, ruling over Dathomir as a self-styled Sith.
Though he evaded the purge, his fall from grace illustrated the corrupting toll of isolation and fear. Malicos was ultimately defeated by Cal Kestis, serving as a cautionary tale for all survivors.
Luminara Unduli initially survived the purge but was eventually captured and executed.
Her remains were gruesomely used as a trap by the Empire to lure surviving Jedi, making her fate a particularly cruel reminder of the purge’s consequences.
Beyond the current canon, the Legends continuity—expanded in novels, comics, and games—features additional survivors whose fates captured fans’ imaginations.
The following examples showcase the diversity and resilience of Jedi escapees in Star Wars’ broader tapestry.
Shaak Ti’s fate is one of Star Wars’ most debated: alternate stories have her meditating in the Jedi Temple until Darth Vader arrives, or being struck down on Felucia, but consistently, she is portrayed as avoiding the initial waves of Order 66.
Jax Pavan, central to the “Coruscant Nights” trilogy, survived the purge and became an underground hero operating within the Imperial capital. Vima-Da-Boda and K’Kruhk both fled and endured for years, holding onto ancient traditions while living off the grid.
Rahm Kota, meanwhile, led open resistance against the Empire and later trained Starkiller, while Bultar Swan, Tsui Choi, and others formed cell networks—though most ultimately fell to the Empire’s relentless pursuit. These stories, if not canon, underscore the varied paths Jedi might take to evade extinction.
Some Jedi faced a darker fate: rather than die, they were captured and corrupted into hunters known as Inquisitors.
Through torture, manipulation, and dark side indoctrination, these former peacekeepers became agents of the new regime.
The Grand Inquisitor is perhaps the most infamous, having served as a Jedi Temple Guard before succumbing to the Empire’s will.
Trilla Suduri, once the padawan of Cere Junda, was tormented into becoming the Second Sister, notorious for her ruthless pursuit of survivors like Cal Kestis. The Fifth Brother, Sixth Brother, and Ninth Sister were among other Jedi or Padawans similarly twisted; each story is a testament to the moral complexity and trauma spawned by Order 66.
These turncoats grappled with their own betrayals—some out of fear, others out of hate or despair—raising questions about whether survival at any cost is truly victory, or just another kind of defeat.
The darkest chapter of Order 66 may lie in the fate of the youngest Jedi.
During Anakin’s assault on the Temple, many younglings were slain, their promise extinguished in an instant. Yet, whispers of hope persisted: some children, like Grogu and Reva (known later as the Third Sister), were spirited away by brave allies, escaping death though often traumatized by loss.
Those few who survived entered a world where their very identity made them targets.
Some were hidden by ordinary citizens, others spirited along emerging underground routes like “The Path.” The legacy of the younglings’ tragedy cast a shadow over the next generation, challenging survivors to shield the few remaining sparks of hope from being snuffed out entirely.
Survival for most Jedi meant an unending life in the shadows.
Forced to cut ties with the Force, abandon their lightsabers, and assume new identities, they blended into societies as farmers, mechanics, or dock workers—anything to suppress the truth of who they once were.
This daily deception was both protection and prison, as even the smallest use of the Force could mean discovery and death.
The emotional toll was immense. Many Jedi wrestled with survivor’s guilt, haunted by memories of friends lost and ideals diminished.
Disconnection from the Jedi Code and deep-rooted isolation led some, like Taron Malicos, down dark paths, while others—Kanan Jarrus among them—slowly found ways to rekindle hope, if only in secret.
Amid this despair, resistance formed in the bulkheads and alleyways of the galaxy. “The Path,” introduced in the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" series, was a secret network of safe houses and trusted operators dedicated to rescuing Jedi and Force-sensitive children.
Those like Roken and Tala Durith worked tirelessly, risking everything to help fugitives evade Inquisitors and Imperial patrols.
Quinlan Vos played an important role in this network, leveraging his unique skills and contacts to guide survivors toward relative safety. The underground routes and code words of The Path became vital lifelines, keeping the Jedi dream alive through the darkest days of Imperial rule.
Surviving Order 66 wasn’t merely a physical feat—it posed profound questions about the meaning of being a Jedi.
Was hiding an act of resistance, or a betrayal of the Order’s noble ideals? To endure without openly defending peace and justice challenged the very core of their identity.
The trauma of witnessing the fall of the Order and the galaxy’s descent into tyranny left lasting scars. Many wrestled with how to honor their vows, deciding which lessons to carry forward and which dogmas to release. Rebuilding the Jedi identity in this new era meant blending the wisdom of the past with adaptability, forging a new path for hope to flourish.
Despite unimaginable losses, Jedi survivors were essential beacons of hope. Some, like Luke Skywalker, Cal Kestis, and Ahsoka Tano, took on the responsibility of training a new generation or inspiring resistance, ensuring that the Order’s teachings would not vanish.
These efforts included preserving holocrons—repositories of Jedi wisdom—and sharing hidden knowledge with new allies.
The legacy of the survivors rippled across time, culminating in the rebirth of Jedi ideals through figures such as Rey, who united old wisdom with new purpose. Artifacts, secret lessons, and hard-won philosophies ensured that the Jedi became an enduring symbol, their legacy carried boldly into the galaxy’s future.
Though Order 66 claimed thousands, it could not claim all. Between scattered worlds and shattered hopes, the survivors—those rare 1–2 or brave 3–10—kept the Jedi flame flickering in secret.
Whether it was Luke Skywalker igniting his father’s blade, Baylan Skoll treading the line between myth and shadow, or Ahsoka Tano walking her own path beyond the Jedi Council, the legacy endured.
The presence of clones, the betrayal of Anakin Skywalker, and the cold efficiency of Imperial forces may have nearly erased the Jedi, but the Force has a way of protecting its champions.
From the sands of Tatooine to the ruins of the Jedi Temple, the Order’s survival lives on in whispers, hidden sabers, and quiet acts of defiance.
And while the original trilogy ushered in a new hope, it was these scattered Jedi—masters, knights, wanderers, and warriors—who laid the foundation for the new Jedi to rise. The answer to how many Jedi survived Order 66 may remain uncertain, but their impact on the galaxy—and on us—could never be measured by numbers alone.
