Star Wars: Zero Company takes place during the Clone Wars, which means every player knows exactly how this story ends. Order 66 is coming. The Supreme Chancellor will activate the clone army’s inhibitor chips, transforming Republic soldiers into executioners programmed to murder every Jedi in the galaxy. The real question is how far Bit Reactor will take Zero Company’s timeline and what happens to these characters when Palpatine gives the command.
The Timeline Is Tighter Than It Appears
Zero Company operates after the Umbara campaign, one of the Clone Wars’ final major conflicts. Umbara occurred roughly twelve months before Order 66. This compressed timeline means Zero Company’s operations take place during the war’s last six to twelve months, not across multiple years of galactic conflict. The game starts late and the endpoint is close.
This timeline compression changes the narrative stakes significantly. A mercenary company forming after Umbara has minimal time to build relationships, complete contracts, and develop the character bonds Bit Reactor emphasizes as central to the story. Games with permadeath and character-driven narratives need time for players to invest in their squad. Starting this close to Order 66 suggests Bit Reactor intends to reach that moment instead of ending the story beforehand.
The Clone Wars animated series handled similar timeline compression in its final season. The show accelerated toward Order 66 after spending years exploring earlier conflicts, giving characters like Ahsoka and Rex narrative arcs that connected their personal stories to the galaxy’s collapse. Zero Company has the same opportunity if Bit Reactor commits to following the timeline through to its conclusion. A mercenary company operating during the war’s final months could experience the Clone Wars’ descent from military conflict into authoritarian transformation.
What Order 66 Means for Clone Characters
Trick is a clone trooper and one of Zero Company’s founding members. His background ties him directly to the Republic’s manufactured army, which means Order 66 is a programmed directive embedded in his genetics. The inhibitor chip in his brain was designed to override free will and turn him into an obedient executioner when Palpatine gives the command. Every clone trooper received this modification during their development on Kamino, and the Clone Wars series showed how devastating its activation became. Clones who developed individual personalities and relationships with Jedi suddenly found themselves compelled to murder the people they fought beside for years.
If Zero Company’s story reaches Order 66, Trick becomes a threat to any Jedi in the squad. If players recruited additional clone troopers throughout the campaign, multiple squad members could simultaneously receive the same command, turning a single betrayal into a coordinated internal assault. A turn-based tactical game with permadeath gives Bit Reactor multiple ways to handle this. The most obvious approach turns affected clones into enemy combatants during a final mission, forcing players to fight or subdue people they’ve spent the entire campaign developing. This works narratively but feels predictable. The Clone Wars already explored this dynamic extensively through Rex, Cody, and dozens of other named clones. Repeating it without adding new context or complications would just retread familiar ground without offering players meaningful choices.
A more interesting approach ties Order 66 to player decisions made throughout the campaign. If Zero Company allows players to build relationships between squad members through dialogue choices, mission outcomes, or tactical decisions, those bonds could determine how individual clones respond to the inhibitor chip’s programming. The Clone Wars showed that clones with stronger personal connections sometimes hesitated or struggled against Order 66’s command. Rex removed his chip with Ahsoka’s help. Other clones fought the programming long enough to show visible distress before succumbing. Zero Company could make each clone’s fate dependent on how players treated them, what missions they prioritized, and if they uncovered information about the inhibitor chips before Order 66 activates. This transforms clones from predetermined tragedies into consequences of player choices, which serves the game’s emphasis on shaping the story through decisions.
The mercenary company structure complicates this further. Clone troopers in Zero Company operate outside Republic command, working for hire alongside non-Republic personnel. The inhibitor chip’s programming targeted Jedi specifically, but clones receiving Order 66 while fighting for a mercenary outfit that includes Jedi but isn’t formally part of the Republic military creates ambiguity. The chip’s programming might not recognize this context, or it might just register “Jedi present, execute directive.” These questions don’t have clear canon answers, which gives Bit Reactor room to explore how Order 66 affects clones operating outside standard military structures. If players recruited multiple clones, the effect could range from total squad collapse with multiple simultaneous betrayals to individual clones responding differently based on their development and relationships throughout the campaign.
Tel-Rea’s Survival
Tel-Rea Vokoss is a Tognath Jedi Padawan continuing a mission her dead Master left unfinished. Her status as both Jedi and Padawan makes her a direct target when Order 66 activates. The opening sequence of Revenge of the Sith showed Jedi across the galaxy – Masters, Knights, and Padawans – gunned down by clone troopers who minutes earlier fought beside them. Tel-Rea’s species, background, or mission don’t exempt her from this fate. If Zero Company’s story reaches Order 66 and she’s still with the squad, she dies unless players actively intervene to save her.
This creates the most obvious dramatic tension in a hypothetical Order 66 endgame. Trick receives the order to kill Tel-Rea, and players must decide how to respond. Zero Company could give players the option to side with Trick and execute the Jedi, completing the mission Palpatine designed. It could force players to protect Tel-Rea by fighting or subduing Trick. It could allow players to evacuate Tel-Rea before Trick can act, or it could require players to find and remove Trick’s inhibitor chip before Order 66 activates. Each approach has narrative and gameplay implications that change how the story resolves.
The permadeath system complicates this further. If players lost Tel-Rea earlier in the campaign through combat or mission failure, Order 66 doesn’t affect Zero Company the same way. Trick receives the command to kill a Jedi who’s already dead. The programming might not recognize this, leaving Trick in a confused state trying to execute an impossible order. Hawks’ character creation allows players to build a Force-sensitive protagonist, which means Trick’s programming could target the squad leader instead. If players recruited additional Jedi or Force users through the campaign, Trick might receive multiple targets. If players recruited additional clone troopers beyond Trick, multiple squad members could simultaneously turn on Jedi teammates. Bit Reactor could use permadeath and character creation to create branching Order 66 scenarios where squad composition determines which characters face the crisis and how many simultaneous threats players must handle.
Tel-Rea’s Tognath biology adds another layer. Her species requires breathing apparatus in oxygen-rich environments, which makes her visually distinct and physically vulnerable. If Order 66 forces her to flee, she can’t hide easily. Her equipment marks her as non-human in ways that make disappearing into crowds or blending with refugees impossible. This biological constraint could force gameplay decisions where players must choose between abandoning Tel-Rea’s mission to protect her survival or completing her Master’s work at the cost of staying visible and vulnerable during the Jedi purge.
The Mercenary Company’s Position
Zero Company operates outside official Republic channels, which gives the mercenary structure potential advantages when Order 66 activates. The inhibitor chip programming targeted Jedi within the Republic’s military command structure. Clones serving under Jedi generals received the order to execute their commanders. Mercenary companies outside the Republic’s formal military structure might not receive Order 66 communications at all, or their independent status might mean the directive doesn’t reach them through standard channels.
This ambiguity creates narrative space Bit Reactor could exploit. If Zero Company is off-grid during Order 66’s initial wave, the squad might have time to react before the full extent of the purge becomes clear. They could witness other clone units executing Jedi and realize Trick poses a similar threat without facing immediate danger. This gives players time to make decisions about Trick’s fate and Tel-Rea’s safety that wouldn’t exist if Order 66 caught them during active operations. The mercenary angle transforms what could be a forced cutscene crisis into a tactical problem players must solve with whatever resources and relationships they’ve built throughout the campaign.
The company’s client relationships complicate this further. Mercenary groups during the Clone Wars took contracts from Republic, Separatist, criminal, and corporate clients. If Zero Company is working for a Republic contact when Order 66 activates, they’re immediately swept into the chaos. If they’re working for a Separatist client or operating in neutral space, they might have more freedom to respond without immediate military pressure. Player choices about which contracts to accept throughout the campaign could determine Zero Company’s position when Order 66 happens, creating branching scenarios where different client relationships lead to different endgame challenges.
Luco Bronc’s Umbaran background becomes relevant here. His homeworld was brutally conquered by Republic forces, and he now works alongside clone troopers despite that history. If Order 66 forces Zero Company to choose between protecting Tel-Rea and maintaining Republic relationships, Luco’s perspective offers a non-Republic viewpoint that could influence player decisions. An Umbaran who survived Republic occupation has no inherent loyalty to Jedi or clones. His motivations are professional and personal. How he responds to Order 66 could depend on relationships players built with him versus his baseline distrust of Republic institutions.
Gameplay Implications
A turn-based tactical game with character bonds and permadeath creates specific mechanical opportunities for an Order 66 scenario. If Bit Reactor commits to including it, the execution determines if it feels like meaningful player choice or railroaded tragedy. The worst version forces Order 66 through a cutscene where player actions don’t influence outcomes. Trick betrays the squad, Tel-Rea dies or escapes, and the story moves forward regardless of what players did throughout the campaign. This approach wastes the mechanical systems the game built around player decisions and character relationships.
A better version integrates Order 66 into gameplay through missions that respond to player preparation and squad composition. If players discovered information about inhibitor chips earlier in the campaign, they might have the option to remove Trick’s chip before Order 66 activates, preventing the betrayal entirely. If players built strong relationships between Trick and Tel-Rea through mission outcomes and dialogue choices, Trick might resist the programming long enough for players to intervene. If players ignored warning signs or prioritized other objectives, Order 66 hits with full force and requires immediate tactical response without preparation time.
The permadeath system allows for even darker possibilities. If players lost multiple squad members before Order 66, the remaining characters face the crisis undermanned and under-equipped. If players built a full roster with strong bonds, they have more resources to handle the emergency. This creates a scenario where player competence throughout the campaign directly determines how brutal the endgame becomes. Players who maintained a healthy squad and built relationships enter Order 66 with options. Players who suffered heavy losses and neglected character bonds face a desperate situation where survival becomes the only realistic goal.
Character switching complicates Order 66 scenarios mechanically. If players can control any squad member during missions, what happens when Trick receives Order 66 while player-controlled? Control might lock, forcing Trick to act against player commands. The game might switch control to another character and turn Trick into an NPC enemy. It might present players with a choice where they can make Trick resist through gameplay challenges. Each approach has precedent in other games, but Zero Company’s emphasis on player-driven narrative suggests Bit Reactor would avoid removing player agency during the story’s most critical moment.
The Compressed Timeline Makes Order 66 Likely
The post-Umbara setting is the strongest evidence that Zero Company intends to reach Order 66. Starting this late in the Clone Wars leaves minimal narrative space for a complete story that ends before the Jedi purge. Six to twelve months of operations provides enough time for squad formation, character development, and mission progression, but not enough to justify stopping before the war’s climax.
Bit Reactor’s XCOM background reinforces this likelihood. XCOM campaigns build toward decisive final missions where player choices throughout the game determine the outcome. The studio understands how to structure turn-based tactical narratives with meaningful endgames. Order 66 provides exactly that kind of climax—a moment where every decision players made about squad composition, character relationships, and strategic preparation pays off in how the final crisis resolves.
The game’s emphasis on player choice and narrative consequences also suggests Order 66 inclusion. Bit Reactor has repeatedly emphasized that player decisions shape Zero Company’s story. Order 66 creates the perfect test of those systems. Did players build relationships strong enough to help clones resist programming? Did they uncover information about inhibitor chips? Did they maintain squad cohesion or suffer losses that weaken their response? These questions only have weight if the game reaches the moment where they become relevant.
What This Means for Character Development
The compressed timeline affects how character arcs must develop. A six-to-twelve-month campaign needs efficient storytelling that builds relationships and establishes stakes quickly. Zero Company can’t spend years developing squad dynamics like the Clone Wars animated series did. Every mission needs to count toward character development and relationship building if Order 66 is the endpoint.
This timeline pressure could serve the narrative well. Luco’s transition from Umbaran defender to mercenary sniper happened in months, not years. The wounds from his planet’s conquest are fresh. His distrust of Republic forces and clone troopers isn’t historical resentment—it’s immediate trauma. Working alongside Trick puts him in proximity to the military force that destroyed his homeworld mere months ago. This creates character tension without needing elaborate backstory.
Tel-Rea’s mission from her dead Master gains urgency from the compressed timeline. If she’s been pursuing this objective for months rather than years, failure becomes more immediate and personal. The Jedi Order won’t give her unlimited time to complete what her Master started. Order 66 approaching means both her mission and her life are running out of time simultaneously.
The mercenary company’s formation after Umbara also makes sense given the timeline. A group coming together during the war’s final months operates with desperation and pragmatism that wouldn’t exist in earlier periods. They’re not idealistic volunteers joining a cause—they’re professionals taking contracts during a conflict everyone can feel approaching its conclusion.
The Alternative: Avoiding Order 66
Bit Reactor could still choose to end Zero Company’s story before Order 66, but doing so would require narrative justification given the compressed timeline. The campaign would need a climax significant enough to serve as a satisfying conclusion despite leaving the war’s endpoint unresolved.
One approach would focus Zero Company’s story on completing specific objectives that resolve before Order 66 activates. Tel-Rea’s mission from her Master could provide this structure. If her objective concludes six months into the campaign, Zero Company’s story arc completes with that success or failure, and the game ends before Order 66 despite the timeline proximity.
Another approach would have Zero Company dissolve or disperse before Order 66 for reasons unrelated to the Jedi purge. A catastrophic mission failure, client betrayal, or squad fracture over moral disagreements could end the mercenary company’s operations. This allows the game to explore character-driven tragedy without making Order 66 the climax.
The risk of avoiding Order 66 is that it feels like narrative cowardice. The Clone Wars’ endpoint is too significant to ignore when the game’s timeline puts it months away. Players know it’s coming. Characters who lived through the war’s final year experienced its approach. Ending the story right before that moment would be like writing a World War II game set in August 1945 and ending it before the atomic bombs drop. The historical weight is too great to sidestep without feeling like a cop-out.
What Zero Company Needs to Decide
Bit Reactor hasn’t confirmed whether Order 66 appears in Zero Company’s story, but the timeline makes it feel inevitable. A game starting after Umbara and operating during the Clone Wars’ final months either reaches that climax or ends prematurely. The choice will define what kind of story Zero Company tells.
If the game includes Order 66, it needs to make that moment feel like the culmination of player choices throughout the campaign. Character relationships, squad composition, mission priorities, and strategic decisions should all determine how the crisis unfolds and who survives. The permadeath system and character customization create enough variables to make Order 66 play out differently for different players if Bit Reactor commits to branching scenarios.
If the game ends before Order 66, it needs a narrative climax strong enough to justify stopping short of the war’s conclusion. The story would need its own resolution that feels complete despite leaving the larger conflict unresolved. This is possible but difficult given how heavily the Clone Wars’ identity is tied to its endpoint.
The timeline Bit Reactor chose suggests they understand what they’re committing to. Starting after Umbara wasn’t an arbitrary decision. It places Zero Company in the war’s final phase when every character would feel Order 66 approaching. The question isn’t whether Order 66 is relevant to Zero Company’s story. The question is whether Bit Reactor will let players experience it.