When Star Wars: A New Hope premiered, audiences only knew of one Jedi. Obi-Wan Kenobi mentioned the Clone Wars to Luke Skywalker but didn't spell out what happened during that conflict. He also didn't explain how a galaxy once filled with Jedi had been utterly wiped out and vilified by Emperor Palpatine. However, as bad as the Empire was, fans would never have guessed just how devastating Order 66 was.
Palpatine gave the order, as first depicted in Revenge of the Sith, and then Clone commanders across the galaxy instructed their troops to kill Jedi on sight. Because of their inhibitor chips, the Clones opened fire on thousands of Jedi. The Clone Troopers were extremely efficient (and too good for the Empire), so when given the order, they did their jobs. That meant some of the Jedi were killed in a particularly cruel fashion. Here are the most brutal Jedi deaths in Order 66.
8. Ki-Adi-Mundi Was Shot by Galactic Marines
Among the highest-ranking Jedi during the Clone Wars, Master Ki-Adi-Mundi was assigned a squad of specially skilled Galactic Marines. Mundi led Clone Commander Bacara's 21st Nova Corps on Mygeeto when the squad stopped and began to shoot at him. Because of his binary brain, Mundi reacted quickly enough to block shots, but the Galactic Marines were too much for him. He was soon overwhelmed by the attack, although his demise wasn't as bad as other Jedi deaths.
7. Plo Koon and Stass Allie Crashed and Burned
Plo Koon and Stass Allie's deaths were slightly worse than Ki-Adi-Mundi's. While Mundi was simply shot, Koon and Allie crashed into their vessels. Plo Koon was on a patrol flight when Captain Jag shot him down above Cato Neimoidia. Similarly, Stass Allie was patrolling Saleucami on speeder bikes when Commander Neyo fell back and blasted her. Both deaths were quick, but they were still dramatic.
6. Jocasta Nu Was Killed in Handcuffs
Unlike most Jedi, Jocasta Nu wasn't slaughtered by Clone Troopers. She was personally killed by the former Anakin Skywalker, who was rechristened Darth Vader. Nu survived the initial purge and tried to preserve artifacts from the Jedi Temple. However, Palpatine sent Vader after her. The two fought in Marvel's Darth Vader #10 (2017), and the Sith Lord captured Nu. Vader was supposed to bring her to Palpatine, but he instead opted to kill her himself. He ignited his lightsaber and murdered the restrained Jedi.
5. Eeth Koth Watched His Baby Be Kidnapped
Like Jocasta Nu, Eeth Koth was killed by Darth Vader, but Koth's death was much worse. Before Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Koth was forced off the Jedi High Council and left the Order. When Vader found him, Koth had taken a wife and had a child. To protect his family, Koth fought Vader and nearly beat him. But at a crucial moment, Vader's Inquisitors distracted Koth with his infant daughter, allowing the Sith Lord to kill him as he watched his daughter be kidnapped.
4. Aayla Secura Was Shot in the Back
Aayla Secure probably had the most brutal death shown on screen in Revenge of the Sith. She and the 327th Star Corps were preparing to engage Separatist spider tanks on Felucia when Palpatine contacted Commander Bly and activated Order 66. Caught unaware, Secure never ignited her lightsaber and was shot from behind. Then, as she fell to the ground, the Clone Troopers continued to pepper her dead body with relentless blaster fire.
3. Barriss Offee Was Crushed by a Tank
Barriss Offee's death isn't considered canon, but it was absolutely brutal. An unfinished deleted scene from Revenge of the Sith showed her on Kashyyyk when Order 66 happened. Clones fired on her as the scene started, and she admirably defended herself. However, the Clones soon brought in a tank to finish the job. As Offee deflected blaster fire, the tank unloaded four laser cannons on her. Then, it crushed her lifeless body.
2. Quinlan Vos Was Shot by a Tank
Quinlan Voss' death was pretty similar to Barriss Offee's, albeit more brutal. The same set of unfinished deleted scenes revealed that Vos was also on Kashyyyk when Order 66 was executed. He stood on a tank's overseer platform when a nearby tank opened fire with a Gatling-style laser gun. It looked as if Vos was obliterated, although he supposedly survived and went into hiding. All of that doesn't matter, however, because the deleted scene isn't canon, and Quinlan Voss is confirmed to be alive.
1. Jurok and Bene Were Stabbed in Their Throats
While those previous deaths were merciless, Jurok and Bene's were the worst of all. Master Jurok was the gatekeeper at the Jedi Temple when the newly anointed Darth Vader arrived. The Revenge of the Sith novelization told how Vader ignited his lightsaber under Jurok's jaw; the blade cut through his brain before he was aware of what was happening. Similarly, Vader stabbed Padawan Bene in the throat in a scene that was deemed too violent for Star Wars. However, a snippet of that scene (when Vader killed Cin Drallig and Whie Malreaux) was seen in the security hologram watched by Obi-Wan.