As the right-hand man of Obi-Wan Kenobi during the Clone Wars in Star Wars, Commander Cody has long since been a key figure, something that began with his role in the very first depiction of Order 66. This non-linear storytelling of Commander Cody’s life makes his story unique and, in many ways, very tragic. Throughout the entirety of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series, audiences know that Cody will end up having to betray Obi-Wan due to his inhibitor chip, despite how loyal he is to his Jedi general and his fellow clone troopers.

When that moment arrives in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, however, it comes and goes, and Cody isn’t seen again after the story leaves Utapau. This has left Cody’s Star Wars fate to be shrouded in mystery, though some recent properties have at least started to address what becomes of Obi-Wan’s most trusted trooper. Here’s everything we know about Cody’s post-Order 66 fate, as well as what could be next for this fan-favorite clone.

Cody Remained Loyal To The Empire After Order 66

He Had No Choice At First

Unlike the members of Clone Force 99 and Captain Rex, whose chips either didn’t activate or got removed early on after Order 66 was enacted, Cody remained loyal to the Galactic Empire and was forced to serve as a commander within their forces. Cody traded his iconic yellow painted armor for gray, though he did preserve many, if not all, of the same markings. It’s not known exactly what Cody was doing on the Empire’s behalf, but if Star Wars: The Bad Batch is anything to go off of, he was likely putting down riots and reclaiming lost worlds.

The Effects Of Cody’s Inhibitor Chip Wore Off Over Time

He Was Forced To Face His Own Actions

Cody, however, wasn’t permanently blind to what he was doing, and what he had done at the time Order 66 was enacted. Like many of the clones seen in The Bad Batch, the effects of his inhibitor chip wore off over time, and Cody was forced to reckon with his actions over the last year or so that had passed since the end of the Clone Wars. This is something he does in real time in The Bad Batch season 2, when he embarks on a mission with Crosshair, who, unlike his brothers, remains loyal to the Empire.

The inciting incident that makes Cody truly question his place within the Empire takes place in this episode. Cody and Crosshair are in charge of a mission to retake a Separatist world for the Empire, as the officials that the Empire had initially sent had been overruled and captured by the world’s true leadership. After fighting through their droids, Cody and Crosshair have a face-to-face confrontation with this leader, and Cody urges there not to be more bloodshed. Instead, the Empire demands that she be killed, and Crosshair follows through on the directive.

Without his chip influencing all his actions, Cody is forced to face this tragic moment for what it is. Cody refused to comply with the Imperial official’s order, which is what led to Crosshair picking up his slack. This was the biggest piece of evidence that Cody’s chip was no longer functioning the way it used to; Cody was clearly very upset with what had happened, and that led to him making a crucial decision.

Cody Went AWOL After His Mission With Crosshair

He Refused To Serve The Empire Any Longer

Cody didn’t stick around to serve the Empire after this mission. At the end of the episode, it’s revealed that Cody went AWOL, deserting and fleeing the Empire that he had been forced to serve. Unfortunately, that’s where his story leaves off in Star Wars canon as of now, though there are certainly opportunities for more things to be revealed about his fate. Though The Bad Batch season 3 made it clear that Cody didn’t immediately join Rex’s fledgling clone rebellion, it’s still not too late for that to happen.

Without no new animated Star Wars TV shows on the release slate yet, it’s been popularly theorized that a new series could focus on Rex’s clone rebellion, which would fill in the gaps in the stories of characters such as Rex himself, Gregor, Wolffe, Echo, and potentially Cody. It would be thrilling to see Cody team up with these comrades again, but there’s also another possibility of where Cody could show up next, and it would be a return to his original media type.

Cody was a part of the earliest drafts for the Obi-Wan Kenobi TV show, particularly when it was still planned as a movie trilogy. While Cody and his storyline was unfortunately cut from the show, this still means that Cody is intended to be alive at that time, and to reconnect with Obi-Wan at some point. Now that conversations are happening for Obi-Wan Kenobi season 2, it’s possible that Cody could yet again be a part of this series. Whatever the case, Cody’s Star Wars story is far from over, and hopefully more about his fate will be revealed.