TheStar Warsfranchise’s first seemingly Force-sensitive clone trooper debuted years beforeStar Wars: The Bad Batchintroduced Omega, and the time seems right to bring this one-time character back. Republic clone troopers are among theStar Warsgalaxy’s most formidable soldiers, with their secret true purpose being to earn the trust of the Jedi and betray them, facilitating Palpatine’s autocratic coup. Despite this, clone troopers have proven time and time again that they possess free will.The Bad Batchproved that a clone trooper could even be Force-sensitive.
The Clone Wars: Defenders of the Lost Temple, by Justin Aclin and Ben Bates, is a one-shot comic from 2013 that ties intoStar Wars: The Clone Wars. 2008’sThe Clone Warsexists in an odd place in theStar Warsfranchise. Despite being released before the franchise’s partial reboot in 2014, which replaced the original Legends continuity with the modern canon,The Clone Warsdoes not fit into the Legends timeline and – according to Dave Filoni – was never intended to. Therefore,The Clone Warsmust be handwaved as exclusive to the modern canon, as should its adjacent properties.
Who Was Glitch, The First Force-Sensitive Clone?
Defenders of the Lost Templeintroduces a squad of clone troopers who accompany Jedi Master B’ink Utrila and her Padawan Rennax Omani to Draay 2.One clone trooper, known as Glitch, is a firm believer in the Jedi Order’s ideologies and spirituality, despite not possessing any Force abilities of his own. Glitch nevertheless attempts to tap into the Force throughout his squad’s mission to obtain an ancient Sith gauntlet from Draay 2’s abandonedJedi Temple. During the mission, theDeath Watchterrorist group ambushes and captures the Jedi and clones, hoping to steal the gauntlet for their own purposes.
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Glitch defiantly attacks Death Watch leader Pre Vizsla before he can execute one of his squadmates, using one of Rennax Omani’s lightsabers against theDarksaber-wielding Vizsla. Although Glitch was no match for Vizsla – a master duelist – he managed to activate a trap in the temple, causing the Death Watch to flee as the structure collapsed around them. Glitch was seemingly the only Republic casualty in this skirmish, buthe managed to survive by wearing the Sith gauntlet and promptly threw the dark side trinket away, continuing to believe that he could tap into the Force.
Once freed, the clone troopers outfought the Death Watch, making the mission to Draay 2 one of several instances of clone troopers battling Mandalorians and winning.
Star Wars Retcons Mean Glitch’s Story Fits Better Than Ever
Initially, Glitch’s belief that he could use the Force might have seemed far-fetched, butrecentStar Warsproperties recontextualize him and his potential Force-sensitivity.The Bad Batchintroduced Omega, a female clone of Jango Fett who was also hinted to be Force-sensitive in the show’s final season. TheAhsokaTV series also establishes that after the events ofStar Wars Rebels, the Mandalorian RebelSabine Wrentrained with Ahsoka Tano and eventually managed to effectively use the Force, showing that perhaps anyStar Warscharacter could become Force-sensitive.
Like Sabine inRebelsand much ofAhsoka, Glitch is depicted as lacking a connection to the Force. Glitch believes in basic components of Jedi philosophy and has total faith in the Force.The Bad Batch’sOmega establishes that Jango Fett clones can potentially be Force-sensitive, so the pieces are all there for Glitch to actually become a genuine Force-sensitive clone trooper. What Glitch lacks is formal training and education as a Jedi.If Glitch were to undergo true Jedi training, perhaps, after enough time and effort, he might be able to use the Force in rudimentary wayslike Sabine.
Will Star Wars Bring Back Glitch?
For Glitch to undergo any sort of Jedi training, he first needs to be reintroducedto theStar Warsfranchise. Glitch is MIA at the end ofDefenders of the Lost Temple, perhaps allowing him to evade becoming brainwashed by his control chip whenOrder 66is enacted. Between the prequel and original trilogies, Glitch could possibly be reunited with Rennax Omani – who left the Jedi Order after the mission to Draay 2 – and perhaps she would give him some unofficial Jedi training, allowing him to finally use the Force.
What Happened To The Clones In Star Wars After Order 66?
The clones in Star Wars were manipulated and mistreated by the Empire after the Republic’s dissolution and Order 66. What became of them afterwards?
Defenders of the Lost Temple, like otherThe Clone Warstie-in properties,ought to be considered exclusively part of the modernStar Warscanon. Recent TV shows have (perhaps unintentionally) shed new light on Glitch and his faith in the Force, so it may be time to bring him back in a futureStar Warscomic and continue his story. Sabine Wren proved that anyone could become Force-sensitive and Omega showed that the Force can flow through Jango Fett’s clones.
August 08, 2025
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise that started in 1977 by creator George Lucas. After the release of Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope (originally just titled Star Wars), the franchise quickly exploded, spawning multiple sequels, prequels, TV shows, video games, comics, and much more. After Disney acquired the rights to the franchise, they quickly expanded the universe on Disney+, starting with The Mandalorian.
