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The Bad Batch Season 3 logo

Our mission… is not over yet.

Warning! This page contains spoilers from the Star Wars: The Bad Batch animated series episode "The Return." Caution is advised.

For other uses, see Echo (disambiguation).
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"Your path is different. Like ours. If you ever feel like you don't fit in with them, well–find us."
―Hunter, to Echo, before the latter joins Clone Force 99[7]

Echo, formerly designated CT-1409 and known as the Hero of Anaxes, was an Advanced Recon Commando and Corporal who served the Grand Army of the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars. Born on Kamino, Echo was originally identified as CT-21-0408, a cadet of the Domino Squad along with his friends, Hevy, Cutup, Droidbait, and Fives, before he graduated from the clone training center. On his first assignment after graduating, Echo was tasked with guarding the Rishi Station moon base, where he, along with Clone Captain Rex, Clone Commander Cody, Fives, and Hevy, who sacrificed himself during the fight, aided in warning the Republic of an impending Separatist attack on Kamino. Echo was commended for his bravery and absorbed into the 501st Legion.

After the attack on the Rishi Moon, Echo defended his homeworld from Separatist forces as they attacked Tipoca City, where they sought to destroy the Republic's cloning facilities. Once Republic forces successfully repelled the attack, Echo and Fives were both promoted to the elite rank of ARC trooper. Echo was later tasked with a mission to Lola Sayu, where he joined a group of Jedi and experienced clone troopers to retrieve coordinates to the Nexus Route from the Jedi Master Even Piell, who had been imprisoned on Lola Sayu's Citadel lead by Commandant Osi Sobeck. After Piell and his surviving men were rescued, the group headed for the landing field to escape on a shuttle. However, when Echo noticed a commando droid target their shuttle with a laser turret, he advanced to secure their ship, ultimately being blown up with the ship in a massive explosion that led his comrades to believe he was killed. Despite the loss of Echo and Piell's death later during the mission, it was ultimately a success.

Unbeknownst to the Republic, Echo actually survived but was gravely injured as he was taken prisoner by Separatist forces, where he was sold to the foreman of the Techno Union, Wat Tambor. Echo was kept alive by being turned into a cyborg, albeit at the cost of his consciousness. He became an unwitting pawn for the Separatists during their campaign on Anaxes, led by Admiral Trench. When Rex found traces of Echo's survival, he, accompanied by Clone Force 99 and Jedi General Anakin Skywalker, led a mission to rescue Echo on Skako Minor. They succeeded, and, in turn, Echo used his cybernetic capabilities to turn the tide against the Separatists on Anaxes, leading to the Republic's victory. After the mission, Echo decided to join Clone Force 99.

When Order 66 was activated, Echo was unaffected due to his cybernetic enhancements and witnessed to his dismay the execution of the Jedi Depa Billaba by her own clone troopers on Kaller. Following this event, Echo saw the Republic becoming the Galactic Empire, which he was quickly disgusted with and ultimately deserted it after refusing to execute innocent civilians refusing to submit to the Empire. Joined by the female clone Omega, Echo and the Bad Batch became mercenaries for the Trandoshan Ciddarin "Cid" Scaleback on Ord Mantell. Having to come back to Kamino to rescue their brother Hunter, the clones eventually witnessed the Imperial destruction of Tipoca City and were thought to have died during the attack.

After a mission on Coruscant which led the Senate to find out what had happened to Tipoca City, Echo left the Bad Batch and decided to join Rex and his network to help discarded and in danger clones, notably through hijacking imperial ships to free prisoners. He later rejoined Clone Force 99 for a mission on Eriadu with the goal of locating their brother Crosshair, who had been captured by the Imperial Advanced Science Division, a clandestine research organization experimenting on clones.

Biography

The Clone Wars

Graduating Domino Squad

"Nothing to repeat, Echo?"
"Not today."
―Cutup and Echo, moments before passing their final challenge[6]
EchoFivesRequestTramsfer-CC

Echo and Fives attempted to transfer out of Domino Squad, rather than work as a team, prior to their successful graduation.

CT-1409 was born on the planet Kamino, as all the clone troopers of the Galactic Republic were.[6] He sarcastically[10] received the nickname "Echo" for having a tendency to repeat orders during training exercises, which greatly annoyed his fellow troopers. Echo lived in the barracks of Tipoca City, where he endured physical and mental training, and was identified by the designation CT-21-0408 as a cadet. Like all clones, Echo was a genetic copy of the once renowned bounty hunter Jango Fett, although, due to the millions of clones straining what DNA was left of the deceased Fett, it was speculated by the Kaminoan Administrator Lama Su that Echo, along with the other cadets in his unit, was too deficient to be a soldier.[6]

During one of their final training exercises, Echo and Domino Squad—the cadets Cutup (CT-4040), Droidbait (CT-00-2010), Fives (CT-5555), and Hevy (CT-782)—had failed to work together on the battlefield and began to fight amongst each other during the exercise. Echo insisted that the squad simply follow orders to pass their training, for which he was mocked by Hevy as the squad cast blame for their repeated failures on each other. The string of recent disappointments by Domino Squad caused their trainers—the Togruta Jedi Shaak Ti, the Siniteen Bric, and the Arcona El-Les—to grow concerned about their chances of successfully being inducted into the Grand Army of the Republic. Shaak Ti observed that Echo had issues adapting to the battlefield, as he was too busy trying to impose the rules of the exercise on his squad-mates. Meanwhile, Bric stated his wish to flatly abandon the whole squad.[6]

Soon after, the ARC trooper Colt visited the cadets with the intention of pitting them against their final test: the Citadel Challenge. On the mock-battlefield, Echo and Domino Squad were expected to face nonlethal battle droids and climb to the top of a citadel. However, the squad was unable to work together yet again, automatically failing the test when they chose to leave an injured Droidbait behind. Colt reprimanded Echo and the others for breaking the most important rule of working together as one. Following their failure, Echo and Fives requested a transfer to Bravo Squad, a group that had easily passed the Citadel Challenge, as they were unable to cooperate with the rest of their team. Shaak Ti denied their request, insisting the clones reassess their teamwork before they attempt their last chance at the final challenge.[6]

Epguide301

Echo and the Domino Squad cadets came together when it most mattered, passing their final test to go on and become clone troopers.

The next day, Echo and Domino Squad went into the challenge with a renewed inspiration; Hevy had received encouragement from the malformed clone 99, a member of the maintenance crew, while Cutup had proved resilient when Bric tried to goad him into a fight. Echo and his team coherently made their way through the battle droids on the battlefield, making it to the citadel without trouble. However, they were unable to conventionally scale the tower when they realized their ascension cables were not with them, having been removed by Bric beforehand without their knowledge. In a surprise to Bric, the clone cadets managed to strategize and used the citadel's blaster cannons to scale the tower after neutralizing them, leading to their success. Shaak Ti, in that moment, believed the squad to be one of the best she had ever seen. Echo and the other members of Domino Squad henceforth became clone troopers, and were sent on their first deployment to partake in the Clone Wars.[6]

Rookie on the Rishi Moon

"Uh…shouldn't you be watching your scope, Hevy?"
"Yeah, let's take a look. Hmm, what ya know? All clear. Just like the last hundred times I looked at it."
―Echo and Hevy — (audio) Listen (file info)[2]
EchoRegManuals-Rookies

Echo took a liking to the quiet post of the Rishi Moon and invested time in catching up on regulation manuals.

Echo's rookie post, along with the rest of Domino Squad, was sent to the Rishi Moon in the Outer Rim Territories. Echo served under Clone Sergeant O'Niner and although Hevy disliked their boring assignment, took a liking to the quiet outpost, using the time to catch up on Republic Army regulations. Despite the seeming simplicity of their post, the squad did not realize the importance of the Rishi Station, as it was a listening post to ensure that no attack came to Kamino, their homeworld, by broadcasting a continuous all-clear signal. Unbeknownst to Echo or the rest of the stationed clones, the Separatist Alliance General Grievous planned on invading Kamino with a fleet of Munificent-class star frigates and Droid Control Ships, all of which were in orbit near the Rishi moon. Grievous sent an infiltration squad of BX-series droid commandos, an advanced type of battle droid that the clone troopers had not seen up to that point in the war, to covertly take over the Rishi outpost. After killing CT-327, the clone who was posted as the sentry outside, the commando droids made their way into the outpost and attacked the clones. When the initial wave of defense, including Sergeant O'Niner, were all quickly eliminated, Echo and the others fell back. As more troopers, including Droidbait and a trooper named Nub were killed, Echo—along with Cutup, Fives, and Hevy—escaped through a ventilation shaft as the droids took control of the outpost.[2]

Epguide05

The clones realize the outpost is under attack.

As the surviving clones made their way outside of the base and onto the barren cliffside, Cutup was killed by a native Rishi eel, which the rookies were unable to stop. Echo and the others then watched as a Republic shuttle, unaware of the situation and on a routine inspection, landed on the Rishi Station's landing platform above. The trio fired a droid attack flare into the sky to warn the unsuspecting Republic forces, and, above, the Clone Commander Cody and Captain Rex saw the warning flare and blasted the disguised droid that had just greeted them. The two experienced clone troopers were then attacked by the droid commandos that had been hiding nearby, and their shuttle was destroyed by a thermal detonator. To escape the blast, Cody and Rex jumped off the landing platform, finding their way to the clone rookies shortly after. Echo and the others were then forced by Rex to remove their helmets to prove they were not droids, just moments before a Rishi eel attacked the clones again before it was killed by the Clone Captain with a single shot to the eye. Once the danger had passed, Rex sized up the three troopers, telling Commander Cody that they had some "shinies" to work with. When Echo asked what that meant, Captain Rex strode over to the eel carcass, explaining that their armor was shiny and new, just like they were in terms of combat experience. He then placed his hand, covered in the blue blood of the eel, onto Echo's chest, leaving his handprint on his armor. Echo and the others then listened as Rex devised a plan to infiltrate the station by disguising his voice as that of a droid commando.[2]

Once at the blast doors of the Rishi Station, Rex successfully tricked the droids inside to open the entrance, and the group blasted their way through the remaining droids. Echo and the others experienced their first droid kills during the assault. As Echo and Hevy took down the last droid, they had a brief exchange about who got the credit for the kill. However, after Cody checked the all-clear signal, he realized the droids had hard-wired it, making it impossible to deactivate immediately. The clones realized they had little time once a landing craft of battle droids sent by Grievous to reinforce the droid commandos, which had not checked in, arrived on the platform outside. Rex suggested the clones instead destroy the Rishi Station, which would force the all-clear signal to cease, warning any nearby Republic fleets. Echo recommended using the station's liquid tibanna fuel reserve for the job, as the substance was highly explosive and was regularly used to heat the station from the cold Rishi weather. Rex and the others agreed, and they armed themselves to repel the oncoming droid assault.[2]

Rex inspirational

Rex prepared the rookie clones for the battle by reminding them that the safety of their homeworld was at stake.

While Cody, Fives, and Hevy held the droid forces at bay, Echo and Rex prepared the explosive tibanna by arming it to the station's GNK-series power droids and linking them to a detonator. After it was set, the clone troopers prepared to make their exit from the base, but the remote detonator failed, forcing Hevy to manually detonate it instead as Echo and the others escaped. Once the clones made it outside, Hevy was unable to follow after he was gunned down, but he successfully set off the detonator, completely obliterating the Rishi Station and the battle droids in the explosion. Once the all-clear signal stopped broadcasting, the Republic fleet, realizing that invasion could be imminent, entered the Rishi system and engaged Grievous' fleet, forcing the outnumbered Separatist General to flee. Echo and the others were then discovered and rescued by two Republic gunships.[2]

RexPromotesRookies-R

Echo and Fives, as the only rookie survivors of the attack on the Rishi Moon, were welcomed into the 501st Legion as their next post.

The four surviving clones would eventually arrive at Jedi General Anakin Skywalker's Venator-class Star Destroyer, the Resolute, where they were commended by Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi for their bravery as rookies and as the sole survivors of their post. After the Jedi awarded Echo and Fives medals, Captain Rex stepped forward to congratulate them. Echo asserted that they did not deserve the honor since they had failed to defend the outpost, but Cody reminded him that they had saved Kamino from potential invasion. Rex then said that they were the kinds of troopers he wanted serving alongside him in Skywalker's 501st Legion, which Echo and Fives were absorbed into.[2][3]

Defending Kamino

"Both of you showed valor out there. Real courage. You remind me of me, actually."
"Echo, Fives. You're both officially being made ARC troopers."
―Rex and Cody, promoting Echo and Fives[11]
EchoPhaseI-CTRaF

Echo customized his armor after joining the 501st Legion.

In 21 BBY,[12] Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker intercepted a holographic message between Grievous and the Dathomirian assassin Asajj Ventress, which stated they were proceeding with an invasion of Kamino. After arriving at Tipoca City, Echo and Fives were both happy to be home, reuniting with clone 99. They informed 99 of the death of Hevy, who had given 99 his graduation medal before leaving Kamino for the Rishi Station. 99 was eager to help the two clone troopers in preparations for the oncoming Separatist assault and joined with Echo and Fives. Soon after, Grievous' fleet arrived and immediately began its assault on Kamino, with Ventress seeking to steal Jango Fett's DNA from the cloning facilities.[11]

After the battle started, the ARC trooper Havoc assigned Echo and Fives to take sniper positions above Tipoca City, noting it would be a dangerous assignment, and the two clones obliged. Meanwhile, 99 assisted Havoc's company by supplying DC-15A blaster rifles, but Havoc was killed shortly after demanding the malformed clone take refuge. 99 then met with Echo and Fives as they fired on an onslaught of AQ-series battle droids, and helped the pair by supplying them with grenades, doing what he could to aid the clone troopers in battle and prove his own worth as a soldier. Echo and Fives, desiring a better sniping position, agreed to make their way to the armory with 99 when a group of cadets that had been separated from the others appeared. Echo and Fives both tried to inspire confidence in the clone cadets, reminding them that they were fighting for their home.[11]

Acme-SurpriseClankers

Echo and his brothers defended their home during the Battle of Kamino.

The entourage of clones successfully reached the armory near the barracks, where they were confronted by General Grievous and a group of battle droids. Kenobi showed up and confronted the general himself, dueling Grievous in lightsaber combat and leading him away from the armory. Echo and the others were then cornered in the barracks, where they set a trap for the oncoming battle droids using the bunks as cover for the cadets. The troopers ran out of grenades to use against the droids, so 99 made his way to retrieve more, but he was shot down from behind, much to Echo's dismay. As they defeated the last of the droids, the clones gathered around 99, with Echo holding the old clone in his arms. Soon after, the battle was won as the Separatist Droid Army, including Grievous and Ventress, was routed all throughout Tipoca City, and the clone troopers mourned the death of their clone brothers. Once the battle ended, Cody and Rex commended Echo and Fives for their courage and effort in the battle, officially promoting them to the elite rank of ARC troopers. Both clones accepted the promotion and stated that they did what any clone would have done for their home.[11]

Mission to the Citadel

"This is our only chance, we've got to stop him!"
"Echo, look out! ECHO!"
―Echo and Fives, moments before Echo is seemingly killed by an exploding shuttle[13]
CarboniteClones-TC

Echo and company were frozen in carbonite for their trip to Lola Sayu, which masked their life signs to the prison droids.

Some time after the assault on Kamino during the Clone Wars, the Lannik Jedi Master Even Piell was captured by the Separatists for his knowledge of the coordinates to the Nexus Route, a vital hyperspace route for the Republic. The 501st, including Echo and Fives, was tasked with Piell's rescue, led by Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. Piell was being held at a prison known as the Citadel on the planet Lola Sayu, a prison built specifically to hold Jedi. To get to the Citadel covertly the rescue group was frozen in carbonite, which prevented their life signs from being detected aboard their transport. Subsequently, the astromech droid R2-D2 and a group of reprogrammed battle droids piloted the shuttle into Separatist space over Lola Sayu. After the shuttle gained passage to the Citadel once no signs of life were detected aboard, it landed in a remote area where R2 removed Echo and the crew from the carbonite blocks.[14]

The weather was too violent for the clone troopers to use jetpacks to climb the Citadel prison wall, so they used ascension cables and climbed by hand. Echo and the others witnessed the clone trooper Charger lose his balance and fall down the exterior prison wall, colliding with an electromine, which alerted the Phindian Citadel warden, Osi Sobeck. Despite Sobeck sending his forces after the rescue group, Echo and company were able to fight their way—which included avoiding electrified magnetic walls—to Piell's location, where they freed him from the prison's interrogator droid. Piell informed his rescuers that his crewman, Captain Wilhuff Tarkin, had memorized one half of the Nexus Route coordinates, while he had memorized the other. Echo and company then fought their way to free Tarkin and the rest of Piell's surviving crew, before they split up, with Kenobi and Piell creating a distraction for the others to escape and meet up afterward. Skywalker led Tarkin alongside Echo and Fives into the fortress's tunnels, an advantage Fives noted they had due to old Citadel archive data they possessed.[14]

EchoHUD-Counterattack

Echo during the battle.

As the two groups headed to the rendezvous point to meet with R2-D2 and the shuttle, the astromech fooled the prison's tactical droid into letting him inside the prison, acting as a prisoner of the reprogrammed battle droids. This allowed Sobeck to set a trap around the abandoned shuttle, luring Kenobi and Piell into capture, which R2 used as an opportunity to meet with the Jedi Masters. In the meantime, Echo and Fives held off attacking battle droids as their group made its way through the tunnels, with the Padawan Ahsoka Tano taking point until they reached a fuel pipeline. Unaware that Kenobi and Piell had been captured, Echo and the others used the fuel line to make their way to the rendezvous, where they expected an extraction by R2. When the astromech failed to arrive, Skywalker led Echo and the others on his "Plan B": to board the shuttle by force. They were met with resistance, including numerous crab droids and battle droids on STAP repulsorcraft, as well as the threat of laser turrets positioned around the airfield.[13]

IGotDis-Counterattack

When Echo tried to secure a transport to make an escape from the Citadel, he was caught in an explosion that seemingly killed him.

As the battle continued, Echo witnessed a droid commando making its way for one of the laser turrets, intending to use it to destroy the shuttle that was supposed to pick up the rescue group. Echo attempted to stop the droid, carrying a personal riot shield as he fired his blaster pistol towards it, but ultimately failed. The droid successfully fired upon the crew's escape shuttle, causing a large explosion that caught Echo in the blast. He was thought to have been killed in said blast, as Fives and the others saw only his charred helmet. Without a transport, the crew retreated from the battle scene and called the Jedi Council for aid, requesting an evacuation.[13] Eventually, the mission was a success after the Kel Dor Jedi Master Plo Koon rescued what remained of the group. As intended, the group delivered the two halves of the Nexus Route coordinates, although Tano had to Piell's half after the Jedi Master was killed-in-action against Sobeck's hunting anoobas.[15] In truth, Echo survived without the knowledge of the Republic, although he was severely injured, sustaining wounds that cost him his right arm and legs while his neural and respiratory systems were damaged. Echo was subsequently unable to resist the Separatist capture that followed.[4]

Pawn of the Separatists

"I think Echo's alive."
"That's not possible. He died at the Citadel."
"The way the droids are countering us here, the strategies I'm using, they're all old battle plans Echo and I drew up together."
"Look, Rex, I hear what you're saying. But it's just not possible."
"I hope you're right. But the fact is, Echo's fingerprints are all over these Separatist strategies."
―Captain Rex and Commander Cody[16]
A Distant Echo

Echo was kept in stasis and became an unwitting pawn for the Separatists, feeding them Republic strategies up until his rescue by Rex.

Following his capture by the Separatists, Echo was transformed into a cyborg.[17] He was outfitted with cybernetic replacements for his legs,[4] while his right arm, which he had lost, was replaced with a socket-arm that allowed him to interface with computer systems.[7] Sometime following his capture, Echo was sold to the Techno Union, which was led by foreman and Emir Wat Tambor, and experimented on. Tambor had the intention of using the clone for counterintelligence, accessing Echo's knowledge of strategic Republic algorithms, as, despite claiming neutrality in the war, the Techno Union was secretly allied with Separatists. Tambor took Echo to Skako Minor, where the clone trooper was placed in stasis—preventing him from regaining control of his consciousness—and forced to remotely feed information for the Separatists' campaign on the planet Anaxes. Neural and respiratory systems kept Echo both under control and alive during the long time he was in stasis,[4] and on Anaxes, due to Echo's unwitting part, the Republic efforts to repel the Separatists from their shipyards were failing on over a dozen fronts.[7]

Faced with major losses, Rex theorized that the droids had learned his personal playbook of strategies, noting that his specific tactics were consistently being countered. To learn how the Separatists were predicting his strategies, Rex and Commander Cody intended to lead a squad into Separatist lines to the Cyber Center. Before the mission, Rex sat in the barracks and looked at a picture of him with Fives and Echo, telling Cody that the strategies used by the droids were ones he had made with Echo. Rex began to think that his old friend might still be alive, although Cody felt it was impossible. Along with Clone Force 99—the experimentally enhanced clone commandos Crosshair, Hunter, Tech, and Wrecker, who called themselves the "Bad Batch"—Rex infiltrated the Cyber Center and discovered the source of Trench's strategic signal. Rex was shocked when the signal, coming from Skako Minor, identified itself as "CT-1409," Echo's clone trooper designation number.[16] Although the word was that the general staff did not support the mission, the Clone Captain planned on rescuing Echo, taking Skywalker and the "Bad Batch" with him to Skako Minor. Prior to rescuing Echo, both Skywalker and Hunter considered the option that Echo was dead.[4]

Keeradaks

Echo and those who rescued him—the Bad Batch, Rex, and Anakin Skywalker—used the native keeradaks to make their escape from Purkoll.

Once on Skako Minor, the crew was able to infiltrate the Techno Union's headquarters in the city of Purkoll, where they faced numerous D1-series aerial battle droids before making their way to Echo's stasis chamber. Once there, Tech opened Echo's stasis chamber and Rex pulled him free. Echo regained consciousness and remembered only his last moments at the Citadel, but once Rex helped him orient himself, realized what was happening and was happy to see Rex had returned for him.[4] Immediately afterward, Tambor surrounded the stasis chamber and threatened the crew with the Decimator droid, but Echo, once Tech safely disconnected him from the computer system, was able to aid in their escape, using the knowledge of the base he acquired during his time spent connected to its computers. Echo guided the crew outside through the ventilation shafts; meanwhile, Wrecker destroyed his empty stasis chamber. After making their way out, the crew used the native keeradaks to fly away from the base, evading pursuit by the aerial D-wing droids. Their flight led to the village of the local Poletecs, natives Rex and the others had already encountered beforehand, where Rex used Echo as an example of Separatist cruelty to rally the Poletecs to fight alongside them. In the battle that followed, Echo, despite his weakened body, took part in destroying numerous droids as the Poletecs, Rex, Skywalker, and the Bad Batch destroyed the attacking octuptarra tri-droids. The battle was won, and the rescue crew returned to Anaxes with Echo in tow.[18]

Hero of Anaxes

"Echo, I'm sorry, but I just don't think you're ready for battle yet."
"I'm not a liability, Rex. I'm the best chance we have to take back Anaxes."
―Rex and Echo, prior to their victory on Anaxes[7]

Once back in secured Republic territory on Anaxes, Echo underwent refinements and was fashioned with new cybernetics that covered most of his body. Echo's socket-arm remained intact, and he was eager to fight back against the Separatists. When the Jedi Generals were briefing the 501st forces on Anaxes, Echo volunteered to commandeer a covert assault on Admiral Trench's forces. Although Rex was hesitant due to Echo's physical state, Windu was open to Echo's plan of infiltration. Echo proposed using his own Separatist capabilities against the Confederacy army, and planned to board Trench's dreadnought to feed him false information about the Republic's strategies. Echo ensured his allies that Tambor, despite his Separatist allegiance, knew that Trench would have him killed if he found out Echo was no longer in Separatist hands. Thus, Echo justified that sending strategic signals to Admiral Trench would not be suspicious to him, and, as the Anaxes shipyards were vital to the Republic forces for the Clone Wars, Windu agreed to go forward with Echo's plan.[7]

Echo jammed

Echo was able to use his cybernetic implants to the Republic's advantage—by feeding the Separatists false strategies—up until his signal was jammed by Admiral Trench.

Echo once again traveled with the Bad Batch, Rex, and Skywalker aboard the Marauder, Clone Force 99's uniquely designed attack shuttle, to infiltrate Trench's dreadnought. Meanwhile, Generals Kenobi and Windu led numerous Republic gunships into the heart of the Separatists' war effort on Anaxes, a droid assembly complex, intending to make one final assault on the base as part of Echo's plan. Once the Marauder reached Separatist space, Echo used his socket-arm to interface with the starship's computer systems and masked the ship's identity, fooling the Separatist blockade into letting the transport dock with Trench's flagship as if it were a Separatist shuttle. Once aboard, Echo and the infiltration crew made their way to a nearby communications vault, where Tech rigged an interface for Echo to use and masked his signal, making it appear as if Echo was still transmitting from Skako Minor. Echo began his ruse just as Trench attempted to contact Skako Minor, intercepting the message and successfully taking over Trench's strategic algorithm.[7]

Although Kenobi, Windu, and their forces were already under heavy assault at the droid assembly complex, Echo sent the majority of the remaining battle droids to the Jedi Masters' location to gather the droids together, ensuring the two Jedi that it was part of the plan. Once the battle droids surrounded the Jedi, Trench believed himself on the verge of victory until Echo remotely sent a large feedback pulse that overloaded all of the battle droids' circuitry and left the Jedi victorious. As part of his contingency plan, Trench remotely activated a large bomb he had built in the assembly complex's reactor core, which Echo detected just before they were about to depart Trench's dreadnought. He informed Windu, who evacuated all of the Republic forces in the assembly complex before attempting to disarm the bomb with Echo's remote assistance. However, before Echo could give Windu the final disarming sequence for the bomb, Trench—who had discovered the source of Echo's signal—deliberately targeted Echo's neural system and jammed it, knocking the clone trooper unconscious. Skywalker had anticipated the possibility of Echo failing to disarm the bomb and had gone to the dreadnought's bridge to confront Trench himself.[7]

Clone Force 99 plus Echo

Echo decided to join Clone Force 99 after the battle for Anaxes.

Skywalker was able to strong-arm Trench into revealing the final sequence of the Anaxes complex bomb, which was relayed to Windu and used to disarm it and secure the facility, before he was forced to kill the Harch in self-defense. In the meantime, Rex slung his unconscious friend over his shoulder and carried Echo as the clones fought their way through the dreadnought's defenses to make their escape. Both Crosshair and Wrecker destroyed a large number of droids that ensured a clear path to the Marauder, where Echo and company regrouped with Skywalker. After boarding the Bad Batch's transport, Echo regained consciousness. Skywalker gave Wrecker the detonator to self-destruct Trench's dreadnought, which he had taken from the bridge, and the clone commando used it to destroy the orbiting Separatist fleet in the ensuing explosion just before the Marauder returned to Anaxes. Due to the mission's success, the Republic forces retook their vital assembly yards on Anaxes.[7] Echo became known as the Hero of Anaxes and was promoted to be a Clone Corporal.[19] After he, Rex, and the Bad Batch were informed they would receive medals, Hunter told Echo he would be welcome to join their commando squad. Echo was at first hesitant, but after being encouraged by Rex, who wanted the best for his friend despite no doubt wishing he would return to the 501st, he made the choice to stay with the Bad Batch.[7]

Order 66 and the rise of the Empire

"What–what just happened?!"
―Echo, after witnessing Depa Billaba being gunned down by her own troops[8]

Near the end of the Clone Wars, the Bad Batch was dispatched to the planet Kaller to reinforce Jedi General Depa Billaba and her forces in the ongoing battle there. Billaba had been supposed to get more reinforcements, but they were diverted to Coruscant due to the attack and kidnapping of the Supreme Chancellor. The Batch was met by Billaba's Padawan, Caleb Dume, who led them to the battle site. Echo took out several droids when the Batch began their attack, and they wiped out the droid unit pinning down Billaba and her forces with ease.[8]

After the attack, Dume introduced the members of Clone Force 99 to Billaba, who complimented their actions. As they were speaking, Tech, who had been listening to the encrypted comm chatter, announced that Obi-Wan Kenobi had engaged General Grievous on Utapau, and Echo commented that the Separatist command structure and droid army would collapse if Grievous were captured or killed. Billaba dismissed his theory as a matter they could not control and urged the clones to focus on the task at hand. Hunter then ordered his squad to get to work, and Dume, with permission from Billaba, accompanied them.[8]

DumeVsTheBadBatch-Aftermath

Echo and the squad confronted Dume

As Clone Force 99 and Dume were departing, Dume sensed his master in distress and turned back for her:[8] the Supreme Chancellor, truly the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Sidious, had issued the secret command Order 66, which forced almost all of the clone army to turn on the Jedi and kill them,[20] enforced via secretly implanted inhibitor chips which activated upon receipt of the order.[21] Echo was immune to the command, however, because his experience at the hands of the Techno Union had rendered his chip inoperable. The Bad Batch heard blaster fire and turned around to see Billaba falling at the hands of her own troops. Echo and his squad-mates tried to approach Dume, who had been told to run, but he ignited his lightsaber and warned them to stay away from him. He then vanished into the nearby forest. Echo asked what had happened, and Tech explained that the comm chatter was transmitting a single message, "Execute Order 66," on repeat. Unsure of what was unfolding, Hunter sent Echo and Tech to check with the commander to discern what was going on while he and Crosshair pursued Dume into the forest. Echo and Tech learned from Captain Grey that the "regs" had been ordered to execute the Jedi, and Tech passed the information on to Hunter, who subsequently let Dume escape over a canyon, although without Crosshair's help, as the sniper was the only member of the Batch not immune to his inhibitor chip.[8]

Later, Echo and his squad-mates returned to Kamino aboard their ship, the Marauder. Wrecker questioned Tech on how long they had been away, and Tech replied that they had been gone for 180 rotations in a standard cycle but that galactic adjusted changes put that figure at 205. Wrecker was confused, and Echo simply reiterated that they had been away a long time. As the ship entered Kamino's atmosphere, two V-wing starfighters approached and requested a clearance code. Echo was surprised, wondering how the starfighters did not know who they were, but Tech speculated that it was just a protocol drill. After Clone Force 99 confirmed their clearance code, the pilot ordered them to land at landing bay one-tac-one, and the Marauder subsequently arrived there.[8]

Coruscant-shock-troopers

The Bad Batch return to a changed Kamino

Upon exiting their ship, Clone Force 99 realized that it had not been a drill due to the heavy presence of the Coruscant Guard, and Wrecker wondered what they had missed. A nearby shock trooper informed the squad that they had missed the end of the war, as General Grievous was dead and the Separatist leadership had collapsed. Just then, a Jedi's corpse was carried by under a sheet, and their lightsaber fell to the ground near the squad. The shock trooper retrieved it and asked Hunter if there was a problem, but he denied the trooper's accusation. As the squad departed for their barracks, the shock trooper informed them that there would be a mandatory assembly at 1500 hours. On the way there, Hunter noted that all of the regular clones were acting just as strange as the ones on Kaller.[8]

Entering the barracks, Echo commented on the worsening smell, and Hunter told him he was still new to the squad and that he would get used to it in time. Wrecker added several tally marks to the wall for the successful missions the squad had undertaken since their last visit home, leading Echo to point out that Kaller had not been a win. Sitting at the table in the center of the room as the others largely dispersed to their bunks, Echo vented about what had happened on Kaller, wondering how the clones could have turned on Billaba so abruptly given that some of them had served under her for years, as the claim that the Jedi had all committed treason made no sense. Tech noted that it was well known that the Kaminoans had engineered the clones with behavioral programming which inhibited certain traits in order to make them more obedient, suggesting that this was to blame. He further suggested that the Bad Batch's genetic mutations, which the Kaminoans had enhanced, made them largely immune to the programming, although he could not be certain. When Hunter brought up the fact that Echo was technically a reg, leading Echo to wonder why he had not reacted like the others, Tech theorized that Echo's experiences at the Citadel and being subjected to experimentation afterwards had disrupted whatever programming he had been engineered with, noting that percentage-wise, he was more of a machine than a man. Echo sarcastically responded that he was lucky.[8]

Imperial-Kamino-security

Echo witnessing the proclamation

The clones on Kamino were shortly summoned to a mandatory briefing on the state of the Republic, which Hunter noted he did not want to miss. As the Batch and many regs watched in a large room, Palpatine claimed the Jedi had attempted to assassinate him and their "rebellion" had been crushed, before proclaiming the reorganization of the Republic into the first Galactic Empire. Echo was unnerved, but after Palpatine finished his speech, all of the regular clones in the room began cheering, leading Tech to make an arch remark about their programming. Afterwards, as they walked through the hallways, Echo was uncomfortable with serving an empire, noting the clones were soldiers of the Republic. Crosshair displayed apathy towards the change in government, but Tech noted that the eradication of the Jedi was a fairly big difference. Hunter realized the squad was being followed by a young girl who introduced herself as Omega, before making it clear that she was familiar with the squad and its members. When she was asked why she was on Kamino, Nala Se walked up and said the girl was her medical assistant before leading her away, leaving the Batch confused.[8]

Later, as the Bad Batch sat down in the mess hall, Wrecker dismissed the notion that he could be programmed, despite Tech's assertions that the facts supported his hypothesis. They were then joined by Hunter, who informed them that he had overheard the regs talking about Imperial had arrived on Kamino to evaluate the clones. However, they were all confused when Omega showed up and decided to sit with them. When Hunter asked her if she had anything else she needed to do Omega replied that she doesn't and that she likes hanging out with them, as they're different like herself. Her presence, however, led to mockery from a passing trooper, and Omega's response to his behavior was to throw food at him, starting a brawl between the Batch and the regs. Echo was exasperated as this was not the first time, briefly facepalming before joining the fight. Crosshair continued eating until his meal was disrupted by Echo being knocked across the table, leading him to join the brawl in irritation. At a disadvantage due to having only one hand, Echo was knocked to the ground by another clone, but before he could get up, he was distracted upon seeing Tarkin and Lama Su observing the brawl from above. A warning shout from Tech came too late for Echo to avoid being knocked out cold with a tray.[8]

Echo was taken to the medical bay, where he was examined by medical droid AZI-345211896246498721347. Omega also insisted on staying by his bedside until Echo woke up, although AZI-3 attempted to get her to leave. When Echo did wake up, he briefly panicked upon realizing where he was, batting away the medical equipment and yelling to "get them off" before he became more aware of his surroundings. Omega was able to calm him down and told him that she hated being hooked up to their machines as well. AZI-3 introduced himself, but when he addressed Echo by his designation number, Omega corrected him about the clone's name. The rest of the Batch arrived, Wrecker smugly exclaiming to Crosshair that the sniper owed him two credits since Echo was, indeed, alive. AZI-3 told them that Echo's condition was stable, but left after dramatically informing the others that they appeared to be genetically defective and that they must be shocked. Tech remarked about the squad being more deviant then defective, and Echo informed his squad that Tarkin was the Imperial who had been sent to evaluate the clones. When Tech asked if it was indeed the same Tarkin from the Citadel rescue, Echo confirmed it, saying that he had not liked clones back then and that his presence could be dangerous. Hunter said the squad had been summoned by the Prime Minister, so the squad departed, leaving Omega behind.[8]

However, the group was quickly redirected to the training center at Tarkin's request to verify their worth to the Empire. Beginning at first with a standard combat simulation, the squad quickly realized they were facing live-fire training droids. Behind a block, Echo noticed that practice rifles are useless against real battle droids, so Hunter decided to improvise. The droids were eventually eliminated, with Echo deactivating one by thrusting his mechanical arm into his head.[8]

Returning to their barracks, Echo shared Wrecker's contemplation of the session unfolding as he recalls his warnings about Tarkin. The admiral himself then arrived, admitting his admiration for the unorthodox but successful methods of Clone Force 99 before giving them a mission to eliminate insurgents on Onderon. Echo inquired about the kind of insurgents in question, to which Tarkin described them as Separatist troops. Later, as the squad prepared for their mission in the hangar, Echo attempted to accept additional insurgent information but was unable to do so due to the Imperial file lockdown, leaving Tech to try in his stead.[8]

A new era

Becoming a fugitive

"Why are we debating this? We need to complete the mission."
"Wake up, Crosshair. They sent us to eliminate innocent civilians."
"Who said they're innocent?"
―Crosshair and Echo at odds over Empire[8]

Once landed in the jungle of Onderon, the group traveled two kilometers to the Separatist encampment, where they took cover in the jungle to observe the encampment. When Tech revealed the complete absence of any battle droids, Echo began to doubt their targets were insurgents as the group observed a small camp of humans that included women and children. The clones are subsequently discovered by Onderonians and the clones were forced to surrender.[8]

They were taken to the center of the camp where Echo noted that the insurgents were not Separatists but soldiers of the Republic. The leader of the insurgents, the former resistance fighter Saw Gerrera, explained to them that the Empire did not shy away from any lies to justify the massacres of those refusing to bow to new power. Forced to break camp, Gerrera let the clones go, recalling being aided by the clone troopers during the liberation of his planet during the Onderonian Civil War. He left the squad with words of advice, saying to adapt and survive or die with the past.[8]

Returning to the Marauder, Crosshair expressed that they had to finish the mission and kill Gerrera and his men, to which Echo told him to wake up and not comply with the Empire since they had been sent to eliminate innocent people, only to make Crosshair coldly doubt their innocence. Echo then watched Hunter and Crosshair argue over Crosshair's strong loyalty to the new Empire until the Clone Sergeant shot down a probe droid spying on them. Knowing that this is Tarkin's work, Hunter decided to return to Kamino for Omega, especially after Tech revealed that Omega was an enhanced clone, just like them.[8]

OmegaEscapeFromKamino-Aftermath

The Batch fights their way off Kamino

Back on Kamino, the squad was immediately detained and accused of treason by Tarkin for conspiring with Gerrera before being placed in a cell, stripped of their equipment but nevertheless finding Omega locked up with them. Crosshair began to lash out at Hunter for their predicament, prompting Echo to defend Hunter. Several shock troopers suddenly come to take Crosshair with them on Tarkin's orders. Tech later managed to find a ventilation system that Omega used to pass outside the cell and free them.[8]

The Bad Batch discreetly moved towards the hangar to retrieve their equipment, planning to then rescue Crosshair. Unfortunately, they were surrounded by other shock troopers led by a Crosshair, who has undergone his chip amplification, making him even more loyal to the Empire. Despite this setback, Hunter, Echo, Tech, Wrecker, and Omega managed to get back into the Marauder and flee Kamino, becoming fugitives of the Empire.[8]

Stop at Saleucami

Echo: "So this friend of yours, what's he doing all the way out here?"
Tech: "Hiding. That's what deserters do."
Hunter: "Staying off the radar's not our specialty, but he's been doing it for years."
Echo: "And you trust a deserter?"
Tech: "Why not? We're all deserters now."
―Echo, Tech, and Hunter on Saleucami[22]

In hyperspace, Echo and Hunter were surprised to see that Omega had finally fallen asleep after exploring the ship. Echo expressed worry at the prospect of being able to adequately care for her as they approached Saleucami, where the Batch was going to visit an old friend, although Echo did now know who. Upon landing and exiting the ship, the clones were confused by Omega's fascination with dirt, something that she had never experienced before on Kamino. As they walk through cropland, Echo asked what their mysterious friend was doing on the planet, and Tech simply replied that he was hiding like all deserters do. Even as Hunter was confident, Echo remained skeptical. As they exited the field, Wrecker inadvertently triggered a trap that activated several battle droids. A couple suddenly approached them, Suu Lawquane and her husband Cut Lawquane, a former clone trooper who deserted the army during the war. When they realized it was the Bad Batch, they welcomed them to their home.[22]

At their homestead, Echo was introduced to Cut and Suu for the first time. Cut quickly noticed the absence of Crosshair and also said that Rex had stopped by recently to warn him that the clones had turned against the Jedi. Echo was intrigued by the whereabouts of his former leader, and Cut explained that Rex had passed through the day before and had mentioned a "behavioral implant." Omega then spoke up, identifying the implant as an inhibitor chip, an implant placed in each clone to alter their behavior.[22]

Later, the group learned of an Imperial-imposed chain code policy that sought to identify all citizens and denying transportation offworld to those unidentified. They realized that Cut would eventually be discovered as a deserter from the army. They held a meeting, but were interrupted when Shaeeah entered to warn everyone that Omega, having gone outside the fence, was at the mercy of a nexu. Luckily, she was saved in time, though the four clones remained concerned seeing a still-traumatized Omega brought back to safety by Cut. Inside the farmhouse, Hunter swore that the group would help Lawquane and his family leave Saleucami safely.[22]

In the Marauder, Echo pointed out the irony of the clone troopers assigning numbers to the civilians. Tech posed the idea of having the ship seized with them onboard to infiltrate the compound. There, they could counterfeit chain codes for the family and hand them off inside the spaceport. Echo was initially skeptical but then decided that it could work. As the Marauder was impounded, Hunter notified Echo and Tech via comlink that Omega was inside the ship with them, surprising both troopers.[22]

After successfully hiding from an inspection, Echo told Omega to stay on the ship before sneaking to the security room. Inside, he infiltrated the network but found no memory cards to copy a chain code onto until Tech pointed him towards the safe. Echo unlocked it and grabbed several memory cards before returning to the ship. Unfortunately, once Tech had successfully forged the chain codes, he spotted more clone troopers gathering outside the impound lot. In response to Tech stating they couldn't risk being caught with the chain codes, Echo corrected they couldn't get caught at all, knowing the port would go into lockdown if they got caught up in a blaster fight. However, the two clones noticed that Omega had left and taken the doctored cards with her. Echo then tried to remove the magnetic clamp impounding the Marauder until he was spotted by a trooper. Echo claimed to be the maintenance technician, but Tech then stunned the trooper. However, the trooper managed to get an alert out beforehand, attracting more clone troopers. As Echo predicted, the Bad Batch soon became caught up in a blaster fight. Echo continued to struggle removing the clamp, so Wrecker busted it with his bare hands. As the Lawquanes successfully made it onto the shuttle, the Bad Batch took off in the Marauder.[22]

Adventure on the Ordo Moon

Replacements

Echo on the Marauder with his fellow Bad Batch squadmates

Echo reported that the Marauder took a severe hit while fleeing Saleucami and complained that they were the only ones starting repairs since Tech was more focused on making a scanner to check the status of their chips. The ship snapped out of hyperspace and Echo informed Hunter that they needed to land because the main capacitor was failing. The Bad Batch managed to make a bumpy landing on the Ordo Moon. As Omega searched for the only spare capacitor onboard, she discovered Crosshair's weapons chest, leaving the clones saddened. Wrecker admitted that he missed his former comrade, but Echo reminded him that Crosshair had shot him. Tech speculated that Crosshair turned on them because of the chip, which Omega confirmed.[23]

Echo and Tech then went outside, wearing oxygen masks, to fix the capacitor. Hearing a noise, Echo inspected the surroundings of the Marauder and found traces of scratches on the hull. Returning inside, Echo barely had time to inform Hunter of his discovery as other systems began to fail. Omega spotted something crawling outside with the capacitor in its mouth and screamed as Echo confirmed on screen that the beast had stolen the device. Tech identified the creature as an Ordo Moon Dragon, a voracious creature that fed on raw energy. Hunter ordered Echo and Tech to reactivate the remaining systems while he and Omega searched for the capacitor. The two eventually returned with the capacitor, and with the Marauder fully operational, the group departed the moon.[23]

Pit stop on Pantora

"You're not a droid."
"You got me for a bargain."
―Echo, to a Gran trader[24]

With fuel and rations critically low, the group needed to resupply. Echo pointed out another problem they had to address, which was that the Marauder's signature was wanted. Tech simply replied that they could scramble it next time they landed, saying that the nearest planet was Pantora. The group decided to land there, which excited Omega, who was anxious to explore more of the galaxy. The squad landed at Ro Station, and Echo, Hunter, and Omega headed into town to restock. When Wrecker complained about not coming, Echo reminded the hulking clone that he stood out, to which Wrecker retorted that the cyborg Echo also did. Echo donned his helmet to be more discreet before joining Hunter and Omega.[24]

The trio advanced in the market streets and stopped in front of a parade of clone troopers that were being applauded by civilians celebrating the end of the war. Echo noticed the same chain code registration system that they had discovered on Saleucami, telling Hunter that they should complete their resupply as soon as possible. Omega did not see the problem with the people celebrating the end of the war, and Echo pointed out that it depended on which side they were on. Stopping by the store of a Gran trader, Hunter began to bargain with him as Omega showed Echo a clone trooper doll. As Echo examined it, he caught the trader's attention. Mistaking Echo for a droid, the Gran offered to buy him for two thousand credits. Echo was offended that Hunter planned to accept the deal, but Hunter reminded him that they needed the money and that he could sneak away afterwards. Echo relented but also demanded that his price be increased before Hunter completed a deal, selling Echo for three thousand credits. Echo was taken by the Gran inside the store and sent into the back room to oversee the work of the other droids he owned. After the Gran left, Echo lifted his helmet and was approached by the protocol droid CG-67, the self-proclaimed leader, before she realized that he was not a droid.[24]

Later, Echo, Tech, and Wrecker received a communication from Hunter saying that Omega was being chased by a mysterious woman. Wrecker left to search for her, leaving Echo and his new crew of droids to return to the ship and help Tech re-assemble the Marauder. Echo led the droids away from the shop, telling CG-67 that she would be head droid again when they finished. After removing all their restraining bolts, Echo and the droids exited the storeroom. When Echo returned the bolts to the Gran, the trader was shocked to see that he was not a droid, to which Echo sarcastically retorted that he had acquired him for a bargain price. Back at the Marauder, the group began assembling the ship.[24]

Once the ship was ready, Echo returned onboard with the rest of the team, who had rescued Omega. Flying away from Pantora, Hunter said that he had to deal with a bounty hunter, a term unknown to Omega until Echo explained what it was. Omega was distressed by the news, but the squad reassured her that they would always protect her.[24]

Confront Zygerrians on Ord Mantell

"Gotta say, fellas. I wasn't sure you could pull this job off."
"You could have told us we were going after a rancor."
"Hmm. Must've slipped my mind."
―Cid to Echo.[25]

Shortly after, Omega received Crosshair's comlink, and Echo warned her that it was not a toy. As the Bad Batch traveled to the astronomical object Ord Mantell to get intel on the woman who was stalking Omega on Pantora, Echo revealed that he knew someone on Ord Mantell who was a former Jedi contact, an individual named Cid. Tech inquired if it was the Jedi killed, prompting Echo to point out to his comrade that there were no other options. Once they arrived on Ord Mantell, the clones went to an uncrowded cantina where Cid was supposed to be. When asked by Hunter who of the three persons present was Cid, Echo clarified that he had only heard of Cid but had never met him in person, a detail Tech wished he had said earlier. Omega realized that the female Trandoshan was actually Cid while the clone squadron argued about who it was. Cid then brought the group to her office and asked them what they wanted, and Echo accessed her terminal to show the image of the assassin there. Cid deduced that she was a bounty hunter but demanded a favor from the Bad Batch in exchange for sharing information, also calling them mercenaries much to Echo's disbelief. Cid then explained that the mission she was entrusting to them consisted of saving a child named Muchi from the clutches of the Zygerrian slavers posted on the other side of Ord Mantell.[25]

Back aboard the Marauder, Omega asked what a slaver was and when Tech's answer revolted her, Echo explained that slaves were prisoners who had no choices or decisions. Omega did not think it was fair and Echo said she was right but they were going to release Muchi, whereupon Tech emphasized the financial compensation it would bring although Echo hasn't fully shared his enthusiasm. Arriving at the edge of the Old Ord Mantell City where the Zygerrians were hiding, the team quickly spotted the slavers and their servants. Omega was ordered to stay aboard the Marauder while the squad begins infiltration. Echo was also instructed to position himself high to cover the others. After signaling two speeder patrollers, Echo heard movement before being ambushed by a Brezak creature which knocked him off a tower, knocking him unconscious on impact to the ground while his teammates were subdued in turn.[25]

Captured and handcuffed, Echo dared to stand up to the Zygerrian guard who activated the Wrecker's electric collar only to be electrocuted as well. Hunter started to worry about Omega's safety, to which Echo remarked that their guns and comlinks were out of their reach but Tech decided they would not need them to warn Omega, who was on the way. The Zygerrian leader, Raney, approached the Bad Batch to contemplate his new catch and Echo protested that the Republic had abolished slavery, only for Raney to deny that the Republic no longer existed. The former Republic clone troopers then discreetly guided Omega by declaring aloud that the Zygerrians had done well to take their materials because they would not have had so much luck otherwise, allowing the young girl to find the place where the armament is found. Omega's rescue attempt resulted in the release of a teenage Rancor who unleashed on the Zygerrians, giving Wrecker the opportunity to break the massive chain that bound them and then free the rest of the Bad Batch. While helping free the three slaves, a confused Echo learned that Muchi is actually the Rancor. Echo and Omega then escorted the trio to safety, Echo taking down three Zygerrians while Omega retrieved an energy arc from one of them then the two returned on a speeder to see the end of the fight between Wrecker and Muchi.[25]

The Bad Batch returned to town with Muchi who was happily reunited with Bib Fortuna, the Rancor's owner's right-hand man. After the Twi'lek and Muchi left, Cid expressed having had doubts about their accomplishments and Echo criticized her for not saying earlier that they had to retrieve a Rancor, which Cid simply claimed did not just a small oversight on her part.[25]

Infiltration on Corellia

"Never thought I'd see battle droids helping us."
―Echo reacting to the reprogrammed battle droid.[26]

At Cid's Parlor, Echo trained Omega to use her new weapon by performing target shooting, but the young girl was quickly complained of being bothered by the presence of Bolo and Ketch, something Echo did not excused because he mostly wanted her to be able to ignore distractions through training. Cid had spontaneously ended the shooting session to assign the Bad Batch the mission to go to Corellia to extract a tactical droid from a decommissioning facility.[27]

With the Marauder stealthily clinging to a Class Four container transport to dodge the planetary sensors, Echo explained to Omega that tactical droids are among the most important droids because they have the ability to learn from their mistakes in battle and improve afterwards. With the target building in sight, Echo suggested landing the ship in the industrial area and continuing on foot.[27]

The squad then evaded the police droids, entered the facility through a balcony and knocked out an employee before splitting up on the catwalk. Echo, Hunter, and Tech took control of a control panel then Echo infiltrated the system to find only one still intact tactical droid located at the north conveyor. Another infiltrator, Trace Martez, quickly took the droid's still-intact head, only to accidentally come face-to-face with the three clones who immediately held her at gunpoint. Things got even worse when an unintentional shot from Omega alerted employees who later discovered the intruders and caused a lockdown. The police droids arrived in droves and quickly opened fire. As Trace attempted to flee, Hunter ordered Tech and Echo to break containment while he pursued her. Echo blew the power to the entire system to bypass the loop, but he needed a high-posted Wrecker to reach the main control panel. Once the fire door was unlocked, the clones joined by Trace and her sister Rafa began to be surrounded by more and more droids until by joining forces they reactivated the battle droids destined to be destroyed with the head of the tactical droid and reprogrammed the old separatist droids to only attack police droids. The group managed to reach the Silver Angel, though the tactical droid's head was destroyed in the escape.[27]

On board, the Martez sisters explained to the clones that they wanted to acquire the head for someone leading a movement against the Empire. Rafa also asked them why they weren't on the side of the Empire like the other clones, to which Hunter replied that they were different. The Bad Batch was then dropped off at the Marauder, parting ways with the sisters.[27]

Removing behavioral chips

"Fives tried to warn me about the chips, but I didn't understand at the time."
"It's still hard to believe now."
"How did you boys find out about them?"
"Omega."
"The kid?"
―Echo and Rex about inhibitor chips.[28]

After returning from a mission to retrieve a lizard that resulted in them being chased by three gunships, Echo, Hunter, and Tech received their payment from Cid but protested the low amount of credit Echo received. didn't agree to be a mutually beneficial arranger before Cid revealed they were indebted to her due to their consumption of docking fees, port charges, gear, fuel, and rations, not to mention the Mantell Mix consumed by Omega and Wrecker put on the Trandoshan note. A blaster shot in the bar suddenly interrupted the unpleasant conversation and when the foursome went to see what had happened, the hooded individual who had fired to scare away Bolo and Ketch who was harassing him turned out to be Rex, to the amazement of the three clones.[29]

Sitting at the counter, Rex explained to his brothers that he had so low profile after the Clone Wars that the Empire considered him dead. Echo surmised that it must have been hard for Rex to find them, then the former captain said that the Martez sisters had informed him of their implications on Corellia and that he would have a good chance of finding them in Ord Mantell. After meeting Omega, Rex was alarmed to learn that none of the four clones had removed their inhibitor chips due to their deviant natures having seemingly made them immune to their functionality, nearly drawing their blaster due to his fear of the effects of Order 66. Denying the worst, Rex offered a potential solution to his friends for removing the chips.[29]

Bad Batch and Rex on Bracca

The Bad Batch and Rex on Bracca.

Later, the Bad Batch joins Rex at the starship graveyard on Bracca, Rex's plan to remove the chips requiring access to a Venator ship like the one he had his own chip removed from. As the clones made their way through the wreckage to avoid being spotted by the Scrapper Guild, Rex shared with Echo that Fives tried to warn him about the chips but didn't understand at the time, with Echo revealing also that it was Omega who had revealed to them the existence of the chips. Inside the Venator, Echo asks Rex how he got his chip removed, to which Rex just says he got help. With the exception of Wrecker, the group was able to jump across a chasm using a cable and Wrecker was grabbed by a Dianoga when the cable gave way but Echo repelled the beast by shooting him while the others went up Wrecker.[29]

Finally at the medical bay, Echo calibrated the surgical module and activated the operating machine. Unfortunately, Wrecker would eventually succumb to his chip's programming and attack his comrades with his blaster rifle. Echo, Rex, and Hunter lured Wrecker outside to prevent him from damaging the extraction equipment and Echo used a canister as a melee weapon, only for Wrecker to grab him in the face and threw him at Rex, knocking them both unconscious.[29]

After Rex managed to stun Wrecker before he could kill Omega, Echo and the others brought their unconscious comrade back to the medical bay and began extracting his chip. Echo worried about how long the procedure was taking and then Wrecker not waking up immediately afterwards. Once Wrecker regained consciousness and became his full self again, Echo had his chip removed.[29]

Personality and traits

"Personally, I like that it's so quiet out here. I can catch up on the reg manuals."
"Echo, what is wrong with you?"
―Echo and Hevy, on the Rishi Station[2]
HavocGivesOrders-ARCT

Echo and Fives served alongside each other since they were cadets

All clones were built to be loyal to the Republic, and Echo was no exception.[7] In his younger days, he was by the book and a stickler for the rules. This often grated on his fellow cadets, who called him a "know-it-all." He showed considerable respect for his trainers during his time as a cadet.[6] While posted on the Rishi Moon, he enjoyed the downtime that bored and frustrated his squad-mates, using it to read and catch up on military regulations. He frequently quoted said regulations to his teammates to explain or suggest strategies.[2] From his time as a cadet, his compulsion to repeat orders to his teammates gained him the nickname "Echo," which stuck with him throughout his career.[3] Although inexperienced at the time of the Rishi Moon incident,[2] Echo adapted quickly to battle using both his mental and military training.[2][11] Echo was commended on numerous occasions for showing bravery, courage,[2] dedication, loyalty,[30] ingenuity,[7] and skill in battle or otherwise during his service to the Republic.[11]

Echo developed a particularly close bond with Fives, which continued after the two were the only members of their squad to survive the Rishi Moon. Conversely, he often clashed with Hevy, who chafed at his obsession with rules and got into physical altercations with him when they were cadets.[2] Despite the friction in their relationship, Echo trusted Hevy and grieved his death when he sacrificed himself to destroy the Rishi Moon outpost. Echo later honored his sacrifice by adding an illustration of a blaster cannon to his armor with the Aurebesh words "For Hevy" written with it. He felt great sorrow when 99, who had served as a mentor to their squad, was killed during the Battle of Kamino.[11]

Rexechounfinishedbuisness

Echo remained loyal to the Republic despite his tribulations, showing bravery and courage numerous times during his career.

Echo showed considerable resolve and remained loyal to the Republic even following his Separatist capture. After being left for dead on the Citadel, he had been experimented on and forced to use his mind to aid the Separatist Alliance's military efforts. Despite the capture he had been through,[4] Echo remained true to the Republic and was able to turn the tide of the Battle of Anaxes. Even though he felt very close to Rex, he decided to join the Bad Batch in the aftermath of the battle, feeling that he fit in with the unique squad.[7] As part of the Bad Batch, Echo provided valuable insight via his knowledge of proper military stratagem and tactics.[31]

As a result of his cybernetics, Echo was one of the handful of clones that was not forced into turning on the Jedi when Sidious issued order 66. Like the other members of Clone Force 99, Echo displayed a high level of creativity and deviance from standard protocol, though he was sometimes critical of his squad members' lack of cleanliness and order.[8] He would become protective of the young clone Omega and acted as a mentor for her.[source?] He would depart from the Bad Batch to join Rex in the mission to help his clone brothers.[3]

Echo, as a genetic clone of Jango Fett,[6] was a human male with black hair, brown eyes, and tan skin.[2] Although all normal clones of Jango Fett were physically identical to the bounty hunter,[16] Echo was slightly skinnier than his fellow former Domino Squad teammates,[32] but still stood at the same 1.83 meters in height.[3] Following his Separatist capture, Echo's skin became pale during his time in stasis and his body was outfitted with numerous cybernetic implants[4]—including a socket-arm in place of his right hand—but he became weak and emaciated, and had also lost his hair.[5] Following his rescue, Echo's physicality was soon restored to its original physique and upgraded with improved cybernetics, although he remained pale and hairless.

Equipment

Cadet to ARC trooper

"Looks like we got ourselves a batch of shinies, Commander."
"Shinies, sir?"
"That's right. Your armor, it's shiny and new, just like you."
―Rex to Echo, coining the term "shinies" and stamping Echo's armor[2]
ARCTrooperEcho-Transformations

Echo kept Rex's handprinted stamp—from the blood of a Rishi eel—on his armor during the Clone Wars.

During Echo's time as a cadet, he and the rest of Domino Squad wore a green-colored variation of training armor, which had his cadet designation number—CT-21-0408—written in Aurebesh on his upper left leg's armor plating.[6] After his induction into the Grand Army of the Republic, Echo bore the standard white armor that all clone troopers were issued. Echo and his teammates at the Rishi Moon were referred to as "shinies" by Captain Rex, due to their new armor being unscathed and for Echo's inexperience with combat. After Rex killed a Rishi eel in defense of Echo and the clone troopers before they took back the Rishi Station, he stamped his hand, covered in the eel's blood, on Echo's armor.[2]

Echo carried this stamped handprint on his armor for the rest of his time with the 501st, even after his promotion to the rank of ARC trooper.[11][14] With his new rank, Echo was issued standard ARC trooper armor and he clad it in blue paint;[14] this armor, along with his helmet, was destroyed when he was nearly killed on Lola Sayu.[13] He carried a DC-15A blaster carbine during the Battle of Kamino[11] and a pair of DC-17 hand blasters during his time as an ARC trooper.[14]

Clone Force 99

"You are more machine than man. Percentage-wise, at least."
"Lucky me.
"
―Tech and Echo discuss the latter's cybernetics[8]
EchoNewArmor

Echo's upgraded "Bad Batch" armor.

Following his rescue from Separatist capture, Echo was outfitted with new armor on Anaxes that covered the cybernetic parts that the Separatists had outfitted him with and was also clad in blue—[7] the same shade that was once on his ARC trooper armor.[5] By the end of Clone Wars, Echo upgraded his armor to fit more with the Bad Batch. He continued to use a DC-17 hand blaster, albeit only one due to his cybernetic scomp link.[33] Thanks to his cybernetic implants and that scomp arm, Echo had a unique talent for interacting with computer systems.[31]

Behind the scenes

"I have to give you one spoiler because I know it meant a lot to some of you. Yes, Echo is alive."
―Dave Filoni on Echo's fate, prior to "The Bad Batch" reveal[34]

The character of Echo made his first appearance in the television episode "Rookies," the fifth episode of the premiere season of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series in 2008. He was voiced by Dee Bradley Baker, along with all other clone troopers in the series.[2] Echo later appeared in the episodes "Clone Cadets,"[6] "ARC Troopers,"[11] "The Citadel,"[14] and "Counterattack," the latter in which he was seemingly killed off.[13] When The Clone Wars series was canceled, numerous concepts and episodes featuring Echo went unfinished, but the series directing supervisor, Dave Filoni, teased that Echo would return following the premiere of the final season of The Clone Wars.[34]

Clone Echo cyborg

Echo, for the The Clone Wars Legacy unfinished episodes, was conceptualized and appeared as a cyborg following his apparent death in The Clone Wars.

In April 2015, at the Celebration Anaheim Star Wars convention, the final unfinished episodes of The Clone Wars Legacy were revealed to feature Echo's return, and—grouped together as "The Bad Batch"—were later featured on StarWars.com.[35] The concept art of Echo as a cyborg for The Clone Wars Legacy was penned by Kilian Plunkett and Pat Presley.[5] Despite being unfinished, the episodes, like the rest of The Clone Wars series, are considered part of the official Star Wars canon by the Lucasfilm Story Group.[36] There were plans for Echo to become the fifth member of the Bad Batch on a mission to Kashyyyk in additional episodes, a clip of the animatics from these episodes were shown at the convention.[37]

Echo on kashyyyk

Echo, as he appeared in the unfinished episodes when he joined the "Bad Batch" on Kashyyyk.

In the episode "The Bad Batch," Echo was officially identified by his clone trooper designation, CT-1409.[16] However, in the Star Wars sourcebook Ultimate Star Wars, released after the premiere of The Clone Wars Legacy episodes, Echo was identified by a different designation number, CT-21-0408.[38] This number was taken from Echo's designation number seen on his training armor in the episode "Clone Cadets," where it was fashioned on his leg. The number was never spoken aloud in the episode, although other cadets—like Hevy (CT-782), for example—did have their numbers spoken, which matched their training armor.[6] In the StarWars.com Databank, Echo is also identified as CT-1409,[3] but this article assumes that CT-21-0408 is also canon.[38] Echo is erroneously included on the "Lead from the Front"[39] and "Leaders of the 501st" cards included within 501st Legion Battle Force Starter Set;[40] Echo went missing in action before the implementation of phase II clone trooper armor[13] and joined the Bad Batch after returning to the war,[7] but the cards depict him as a member of the 501st in phase II armor.[39][40]

Appearances

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Non-canon appearances

Sources

Notes and references

  1. 1.0 1.1 Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Character Encyclopedia - Join the Battle!
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 2.22 TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Rookies"
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 StarWars-DatabankII Echo in the Databank (backup link)
  4. 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "A Distant Echo"
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 StarWars Bad Batch Concept Art Gallery on StarWars.com (backup link)
  6. 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Clone Cadets"
  7. 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 7.12 7.13 7.14 TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Unfinished Business"
  8. 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 8.14 8.15 8.16 8.17 8.18 8.19 8.20 8.21 8.22 TBBtemplate Star Wars: The Bad Batch — "Aftermath"
  9. TBBtemplate Star Wars: The Bad Batch — "Truth and Consequences"
  10. StarWars-DatabankII Echo in the Databank (link obsolete; content only found on older version of webpage: backup link)
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 11.8 11.9 TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "ARC Troopers"
  12. Star Wars: Timelines
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Counterattack"
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "The Citadel"
  15. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Citadel Rescue"
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "The Bad Batch"
  17. StarWars-DatabankII Arc Trooper Echo in the Databank (link obsolete; content only found on older version of webpage: backup link)
  18. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "On the Wings of Keeradaks"
  19. Ultimate Star Wars, New Edition
  20. Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
  21. TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Orders"
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.5 TBBtemplate Star Wars: The Bad Batch — "Cut and Run"
  23. 23.0 23.1 TBBtemplate Star Wars: The Bad Batch — "Replacements"
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 TBBtemplate Star Wars: The Bad Batch — "Cornered"
  25. 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 25.4 TBBtemplate Star Wars: The Bad Batch — "Rampage"
  26. TBBtemplate Star Wars: The Bad Batch — "Decommissioned"
  27. 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 TBBtemplate Star Wars: The Bad Batch — "Decommissioned"
  28. TBBtemplate Star Wars: The Bad Batch — "Battle Scars"
  29. 29.0 29.1 29.2 29.3 29.4 TBBtemplate Star Wars: The Bad Batch — "Battle Scars"
  30. Star Wars: Force Collection (Card: Echo (★★★★))
  31. 31.0 31.1 StarWars-DatabankII Echo in the Databank (link obsolete; content only found on older version of webpage: backup link)
  32. StarWars "Rookies" Concept Art Gallery on StarWars.com (backup link) (image 8 of 10)
  33. Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Character Encyclopedia - Join the Battle!
  34. 34.0 34.1 StarWars To Fans of Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Thank You on StarWars.com (backup link) (Excerpt: P.S. I have to give you one spoiler because I know it meant a lot to some of you. Yes, Echo is alive.)
  35. StarWars Star Wars: The Clone Wars "Bad Batch" Recon on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
  36. SWYTlogo Star Wars: The Clone Wars Legacy on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)  (Posted on StarWars.com)
  37. SWYTlogo Bad Batch Star Wars: The Clone Wars Panel | Star Wars Celebration Anaheim on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)  (Posted on StarWars.com)
  38. 38.0 38.1 Ultimate Star Wars
  39. 39.0 39.1 SW Legion template Star Wars: Legion501st Legion Battle Force Starter Set (Card: Lead from the Front)
  40. 40.0 40.1 SW Legion template Star Wars: Legion501st Legion Battle Force Starter Set (Card: Leaders of the 501st)

External links

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