The Clone Wars finale had a tragic Easter egg for one fan-favorite clone

In the original Star Wars prequels, there's not a lot of time to get attached to the Clone Troopers before they go all Order 66 on the Jedi. But over seven seasons, The Clone Wars turned those faceless clones into individual characters with distinct personalities. Commander Rex might be the most famous of the bunch, but CT-5597 (aka, Jesse) also played a pivotal role in the Clone War and got a subtle nod in the final episode of Clone Wars.

Jesse was a high-ranking clone who fought in many of the Clone War's crucial battles and often served under Commander Rex. He also played a key role in the four-part finale that concluded Season 7 and the entire series. In one of the show's final episodes, Jesse was captured by Darth Maul, who probed the clone's mind to learn more about Ahsoka Tano. (Side note: This revealed that older clones are more susceptible to the Force, and least when it comes to mind tricks.)

After Ahsoka captured Maul, Jesse was onboard the ship carrying the Sith villain back to Coruscant. But when Order 66 broke out, Ahsoka was only able to remove Commander Rex's inhibitor chip before trying to escape.

That meant Jesse and the rest of the clone were devoted to Darth Sidious and determined to kill Ahsoka. Jesse actually took control of the clone army when it was clear that Rex wasn't following Order 66, pitting the two clones who fought side-by-side against each other in the show's final moments.

In the end, the only survivors onboard that ship were Maul, Rex, and Ahsoka. A touching final shot shows a mass graveyard for all the dead clones, each helmet held up by a stake in the ground. As the camera zooms in, you can see the unmistakable marks on Jesse's helmet (they match the tattoo on his face), confirming that he died along with his fellow Clone Troopers.

It's a touching moment and a nice reminder that before Order 66, the Clone Troopers weren't just faceless soldiers, they were people with distinct personalities. Jesse was known for his sense of humor, something that wouldn't have been allowed from the footsoldiers of the Empire. (That's why the Stormtroopers wear all white while the Republic's clone army featured a variety of colorful armor designs).

It might feel disappointing that The Clone Wars didn't end with some explosive revelation, but that was never what the show was about. This was a series about the unsung heroes of the prequels, the Clones.

Of course, it was also the story of Ahsoka, and we got plenty of closure there too. But in its final moments, The Clone Wars lived up to its name with a tragic nod to one of the best Clone Troopers around.

The Clone Wars is streaming now on Disney+.