Order 66 reference

Here's a question:

A lot of my friends assumed that "Order 66" was intended as a biblical reference missing 1 digit--the imfamous 666, so called "number of the beast"

On the other hand, Executive Order 1066 was the unconstitutional act of then-president FDR to arrest and incarcerate all Japanese and Japanese-American citizens into internment/concentration camps.

I was wondering which, if any, was a factor in Lucas' decision to use "Order 66" for the slaughter of Jedi.

Or was it a complete coincidence?

Any thoughts?

 

The year 66 AD was also when the first Jewish revolt against the Roman Empire started, maybe it could be a reference to that as well (though the Jedi were only revolting according to Republic propaganda).

 

I guess 66 just sounds evil. What other number would you have used?

 

I've always taken it as being a reference to Executive Order 9066.

 

It could be a reference to both, I think.

The Order 66 sequence features 6 actual clones-betraying-Jedi scenes:

-Obi-Wan, Plo Koon, Aayla Secura, Ki-Adi-Mundi, Stass Allie, and Zett Jukasa, as well as six actual death scenes-the originals, plus an unnamed Jedi in the Temple that we see on an overhead shot. 6 betrayals, 6 deaths-Order 66. So there's your 666 ref.

the Executive Order is an obvious one, though.

 

Right, wherever Lucas got the idea, I'm sure it was from more than one source.

 

Alot of his ideas are from more than one source.

 

Six movies in the saga.

 

The Number 66......the sequel to The Number 23.

2+3=5=the number of fingers on one hand.

Coencidence? I THINK NOT!

 

Here's what Wookieepeedia says on the subject.

-There are a number of theories regarding the origin of Order 66:
Order 66 may take its name from 666, the Mark of the Beast and a sign of the Apocalypse.

-It may also take its name from Executive Order 9066 issued by U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt, which ordered the internment of Japanese, Italian, and German Americans during World War II.

-Order 66 has a great deal in common with the historical elimination of the Warrior Monks known as the Knights Templar. Like Order 66, it was a command spread though secrecy and suddenly implemented. Virtually all of the Templars in France were simultaneously arrested on October 13 (the unlucky Friday the 13th), 1307. Many were tortured and sentenced to death. In most every other country, the Templars were forced to leave the order or join other orders. A few Templars escaped and lived in exile, mainly in Scotland. King Philip IV of France at this time also seized the Templar's treasury for himself, putting an end to the monastic banking system. These events are largely seen as manipulated by Philip to gain greater powers. Like in Star Wars, this began an era of military fiat.

-Order 66 may also have been inspired by The Night of the Long Knives, the Nazi Party's purge of opposition both within and outside of the Party. On June 30, 1934, the SS conducted a wave of murders across Germany, destroying not only a major portion of the Nazi private army (the so-called "stormtroopers" of the SA) but also such opposition politicians as Kurt von Schleicher, Hitler's predecessor as Chancellor. The purge is seen as the penultimate step towards Hitler's establishment of a total dictatorship in Germany, as it was followed very closely by the death of President von Hindenburg, the consolidation of the posts of President and Chancellor (in the new post of Führer) and the imposition of a personal loyalty oath to Hitler by the German Military. In much the same way, Order 66 and the Jedi Purge is the herald for the declaration of Palpatine's Empire. A similar Nazi purge would be the 1938 Kristallnacht, which marked the start of the Holocaust.

-Also consider The Auspicious Incident, the end of the Janissaries of Turkey. The Auspicious Incident was the forced disbandment of the centuries old Janissary corps by Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II shortly before the French invasion of Ottoman Algeria.

By the early 17th century, the Janissary corps had ceased to function as an elite military unit. Many Janissaries were not soldiers and simply extorted money off the Turkish state and dictated its government, adding to the steady decline of the Ottoman Empire. Any sultan who attempted to modernize the Ottoman military structure and replace the Janissaries was either immediately killed or deposed.

By 1826, the Janissaries were almost universally hated throughout Turkey. When they noticed that the sultan Mahmud II was forming a new army and hiring European gunners, they mutinied, but the Sipahis forced them to retreat to their barracks. In the ensuing fight the Janissary barracks were set in flames by artillery fire resulting in a massive number of casualties. Survivors were either exiled or executed and their possessions confiscated by the sultan.

My guess is that the Hitler reference is the closest given what Lucas has said about looking towards the infamous dictators in world history. Also the Executive Order 9066 fits in regards to what we see happen to the Utapau, while Obi-wan listens to Cody recieve his updates. Combine that with the eu stories about the Empire using slaves, namely Wookiees, and you have a strong link. What happened to the Janissaries is more in line with the Rebellion than the Jedi Order. Perhaps the Confederacy. The Knights Templar incident does have credence in regards to how it was spread quickly and quietly, without the Jedi's knowledge. Save for Yoda who sensed the disturbences and thus realized his life was in danger, being very in-tune with the Living Force.

 

I think it is also the year Lucas graduated from USC

 

Or the number 99 flipped upside down which was the year TPM was released, and the Star Wars Universe is turned upside down with this order since it 'started' in 1999.

....but probably not.

 

We know from OT Vader's control panel that Lucas inserts archaic Hebrew/Jewish symbology and meaning into the saga in subtle ways.

The number 66 is also the Tartot number for the Qaballah "qliphoth," which are negative cosmic energies or personifications associated with the "Tree of Death."

Similarly, the Tarot 'qliphoth' are associated with the following fate: "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law" according to THIS ESOTERIC SITE.

 

Sinister I was with you on your post about Nazi Germany until this:

Kristallnacht was no purge. The Night of the Long Knives was. Kristallnacht was a night of violence against Jewish property. Very few Jews were killed. Considering this to be a similar event to the Jedi Purge would be inaccurate. It was a night in which Jewish businesses, synagogues and other Jewish property was smashed, burned or otherwise destroyed. There is no event so far in the SW films that would be similar to this. The Jedi Purge is analogous to the Night of Long Knives for all the reasons you posted.

 

I think it was just some random number he picked using Enie menie minie moe

 

I highly doubt that.

 

I agree, it sounds infamous and evil.

 

Long ago I used to think it would be a Biblical reference but there's really no reason to believe that after seeing the film. If anything, it would be the FDR and WW II reference. That one theme and era has so dominated the saga. It's the origin of the dogfights, stormtroopers, and the chancellor/emperor.

 

Well, the last part was just something that I copied as part of the whole paragraph. Though, you could almost say the destruction in the Temple is somewhat like Kristallnacht. There was a fire inside the Temple with smoke billowing out, which caught Bail's attention. As well as Padme's.

 

I'd have used 42, naturally.

 

You guys are freakin' me out man. Too many similarities. It's too much like that 23 movie... that I didn't see.

 

T-Bone [now there's a name from the old 3SA days, eh!] on his 'Blogwarz.com' site, has an interesting theory:

"In Biblical numerology, the number 6 represents spiritual imperfection in man, the devil and/or the spirit of the devil in mankind. Hence, the reason the number 666 is considered the Number of the Beast, well known to Iron Maiden fans. The number 666 in religious terms is the perfection of imperfection just as 777 represents actual perfection and holiness."

"The number 66, however, is even more interesting when you take the Biblical meaning and insert it into Star Wars. As previously stated, the number 6 is an imperfect number. Now, the number 11, in Biblical terms, represents discord and destruction. So 6 X 11 (imperfection/the devil times destruction) equals Order 66! The Evil in man (The Sith/Darth Sidious) combined with destruction (of the Republic) is exemplified in Order 66. Quite interesting."

Sounds as good as any other theory IMO. Thanks, T-Bone!

 

HahahHAh! T-Bone!!

Oooooooops!
You just reminded me!
I forgot that I was supposed to send him some other pics!!

As much as I love T-Bone, he's completely wrong on what 666 means.
Every letter and word in the Jewish language has a numerical value.
That three digit number is the summation of a name, as spelled in Hebrew.