WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 7, streaming now on Disney+.
The latest episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, "Old Friends Not Forgotten," saw Anakin Skywalker decide to split up the 501st Legion to assist his former padawan, Ahsoka Tano, in freeing Mandalore of the reign of Maul. In doing so, Anakin sent Captain Rex -- now promoted to Commander -- and some of his most loyal troops to the occupied planet. Among the forces on the mission was ARC Trooper Jesse, a Clone who has a long history in the series.
Jesse has been a vital member of the 501st for most of The Clone Wars' run, but during the Siege of Mandalore, he could prove more vital than ever before. In a clip released from the upcoming episode, "The Phantom Apprentice," a Clone informs Ahsoka that Jesse has been taken hostage by Maul because the former Sith Lord realized the trooper was older than most of his brothers. So, with Jesse set to be a key figure at the end of the series, there's no better time to look back at his service during the Clone Wars.
First appearing in Season 2 of The Clone Wars, Jesse was one of the members of the 501st tasked with hunting down General Grievous on Saleucami. During the conflict, Captain Rex was wounded by two commando droid snipers, so Jesse took his commanding officer to a nearby farm for shelter. While Rex stayed behind to recuperate, Jesse and the rest of his squad partnered with General Obi-Wan Kenobi's forces to continue tracking Grevious. Although their mission to capture the Separatist leader was unsuccessful, Jesse was crucial in saving the life of Rex, something the Captain wouldn't soon forget.
Sometime later, Jesse and the 501st were on a mission on Umbara when General Anakin Skywalker was asked to return to Coruscant immediately, leaving the Legion without a Jedi to lead them. In Anakin's place, the Jedi Council sent Master Pong Krell, who was famous for his harsh treatment of Clones. After realizing that Krell's plans would doom the Legion, Jesse, along with Clone Troopers Fives and Hardcase, disobeyed orders and used Umbaran starfighters to infiltrate and destroy a Separatist supply trip. Upon returning from their mission, Krell ordered the Clones executed.
However, the members of the 501st refused to kill their brothers and freed Jesse and Fives before taking up arms against their Jedi General. After a brief fight, the Clones were able to take Krell into custody, at which point the Jedi admitted to being a Separatist sympathizer. His admission left the 501st no choice, and Jesse stood by as Clone Trooper Dogma executed Krell for his crimes.
For the next few seasons, Jesse would become a background player in stories centered around some of the more fleshed-out Clones like Fives and Rex. It wasn't until the final season that the ARC Trooper finally got to rejoin the fray, assisting Rex and the Bad Batch with infiltrating a Separatist security outpost on Anaxes. Now, with Jesse back at Rex's side for one last mission, the ARC Trooper will play a vital role in the final episodes of The Clone Wars.
Streaming on Disney+, the final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars stars Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker, Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano, Dee Bradley Baker as Captain Rex and the clone troopers, James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Katee Sackhoff as Bo-Katan and Sam Witwer as Maul. A new episode arrives each Friday.