I need some happy angst in my life right now so here’s Fives living and getting to find Echo.
Once again, posting things from my fic that I think appeal to a wider audience. Ever since I saw Echo was alive, I knew I needed Fives to have been there. It was a pleasure writing this version.
Again, sorry my usual followers, this is stuff in the fics.
Today’s Sample: Fives learns what Rex discovers and comes along on the mission to rescue Echo.
The context: Fives lives and Ahsoka stays with the 501st. Also Ahsoka has super charged Force powers that cripple her if she uses them too much. She leads the mission to go get Echo. Also Fives and Crosshair one hundred percent got into a fight. (oh and Tup lives too)
Anyway, I hope you enjoy!
General Skywalker was serious as they explained what had happened.
“I’ll talk to the Council.” He said. “But we will be getting permission.”
Rex knew that meant they were going whether or not they got actual permission. For once, the General was acting as his old self again.
“Go and talk to Fives.” He said. “He’ll want to know.”
“Thank you, sir.” Rex said.
General Skywalker patted Rex on the shoulder.
“I’ll let you know when we can leave.” He said. “And I’ll see if that Bad Batch can give us a hand.”
Rex and Ahsoka turned to leave before the General spoke again.
“Oh, and Rex?” He said. “I’ll need your- help later, okay?”
Rex repressed a sigh.
“Yes, sir.” He said.
“You’re only back a few days, and he’s making you stand watch during his little meetings with Padme?” Ahsoka asked once they were on the way to the barracks, shaking her head.
“It’s all right most of the time.” Rex said. “Just as long as General Kenobi’s not around.”
Fives was waiting at the entrance of the barracks for them.
“Rex, Ahsoka.” He said as they approached. “Tup said you had something important to talk to me about?”
“Yes.” Rex said.
“We’ll go to my quarters to talk about it.” Ahsoka said.
Fives’ frown deepened, but he followed them to the small room Ahsoka stayed in.
“Take a seat.” Ahsoka said to Fives, gesturing to her cot.
Fives did so, looking between them.
“Whatever it is, I didn’t do it, okay?” He said.
It was a weak attempt to diffuse the tension, Rex knew, and Fives’ grin slipped away as Ahsoka and Rex continued to look grim.
Rex gave the outline of the mission: that they suspected an algorithm that could predict Rex’s plans.
“We found a live signal at the Separatist Cyber Center. From a being on Skako Minor.” Rex said. “When we asked who it was-”
Rex took a deep breath. He hoped he wasn’t wrong in opening this wound.
“It said it was CT-1409.”
Fives’ eyes widened, his nostrils flared, and he stood immediately.
“When do we leave?” He demanded.
Rex and Ahsoka shared a look.
“Fives, we are going, and soon, but you have to consider that this may be a trap.” Ahsoka said.
“Of course it’s a trap!” Fives said. “They’re using our dead brother to try and lure us in! They have to pay for it!”
“Fives,” Rex said, unsure on how to respond to Fives’ reaction. “Echo could be alive.”
“He’s not.” Fives’ voice had dropped to a low growl. “He’s not. It’s a trick and they have to pay.”
“Fives-”
Fives whirled on them, eyes wild.
“Don’t you think I would know if my brother was alive?” He yelled. “I saw him die! I felt it! Echo is dead!”
He stared at them, daring them to say differently. Tears were leaking down his face, unnoticed.
“Just-just let me know when we leave.” He said.
He pushed past them and out the door.
“Ahsoka.” Rex said. “Can you- can you maybe feel Echo?”
Ahsoka shook her head.
“But that doesn’t mean he’s for sure dead.” She said. “I couldn’t really feel Master Obi Wan when he was pretending to be that bounty hunter, and sometimes a person can change so much that you can’t recognize them in the Force.”
“I have to believe he’s alive.” Rex said quietly. “It has to be him.”
"But if it's not?" Ahsoka asked.
"Then I say his name in remembrances again." Rex said. "And move on, like with every fallen brother."
It was a lie. If it was not Echo, Rex did not know if he could move on this time.
Fives shot again and again into the crowd of clankers. His face still throbbed from where Crosshair had landed his only decent punch from their fight earlier. Fives liked to think that the sniper had come off worse for wear from their scuffle. The idiot shouldn't have brought up leaving Echo behind.
That was why this couldn't be Echo. It was a trap, through and through. Because if Echo was alive, that meant Fives had left his injured brother behind, left him for dead. Fives could have never done that. So Echo wasn't alive. It was just a fact.
Ahsoka led the group through the Techno Union's base. Rex was at Fives' side. The Captain had been high strung and moody this whole mission. He'd nearly attacked Crosshair too and would have if Ahsoka hadn't stopped him.
Fives vaguely wondered how he'd been acting, if Rex was this bad.
Fives was forced to admit, the Bad Batch was good. He wouldn't choose to take any of them on missions, as they were all pretentious shebs'e. Except the big one. Wrecker was all right, and was worth a squad of his own.
He’s a bit like Hardcase Fives thought as he yanked a droid's head from its body and chucked it at another oncoming clanker. He never thought this much during missions. He had a laser focus, only deviating for a well timed joke.
"The signal is coming from in there." Tech said, pointing to a door.
He had been calling it Echo's signal until Fives had threatened to shove his datapad up his unmentionables. It wasn't Echo's signal. It was a trick.
"Open the door!" Rex ordered.
An ugly, amphibian like mug appeared on a screen next to the door.
Fives tuned out most of what Wat Tambor had to say and shot more clankers.
"Your friend is dead." Fives managed to catch Wat Tambor's words over the blaster fire.
He knew it.
"Liar!" Rex snarled.
Fives wanted to scream at Rex. He didn't know how the Captain would react to finding out that Tambor was telling the truth. Rex needed to let the delusion go.
"Fives!"
Fives looked back to see an open door. Rex was beckoning to him.
"You're with us!" He said.
Fives ducked in with Tech and Rex. Hunter looked back at them.
"I hope you find what you're looking for." He said.
The door closed behind them. They were in a dimly lit chamber with several control desks. The focus of the room seemed to be a strange- Fives couldn't think of any other word than casket.
"I don't like the look of this." Tech said as they moved slowly into the room.
He tapped at his datapad.
"I'm definitely picking up a lifeform in there."
"Signals can be faked." Fives said.
No one responded. Rex was staring at the casket.
"I think I can get it open." Tech said.
He worked at the controls. Fives stood next to Rex, ready to pull him away from whatever trap was contained in the casket.
The casket opened.
A body fell forward, hanging from a jungle of cords and wires.
For a horrifying moment Fives thought it was a corpse. Then he saw the flickering of the eyes.
It was alive.
Echo was alive.
Fives moved faster than Rex, ripping his helmet off and climbing up to where Echo was attached. An anguished noise he couldn't remember making echoed around the chamber. He pulled Echo down into his arms.
"Echo!" Fives said.
Echo made no movement. His skin was freezing, even through Fives' armor and blacks. Fives clutched him harder into his chest.
"Ey'ika, wake up." He said.
Hot tears were dripping off his nose onto Echo's back, melting the frost.
"Ey'ika, please." He begged. "We're here, we're here. You can wake up now."
He was openly crying now. He was vaguely aware of Rex giving Tech instructions, but he didn't care what the others did. Echo had to wake up.
Then Echo began to speak.
"We-we have to get to the shuttle-" Echo mumbled. "To escape the Citadel."
Fives' already cracked heart broke into two.
"No! I'll go first."
"No, Echo." Fives said in a rush, rocking Echo back and forth. "No, you're not there."
"No, no!" Echo struggled weakly against Fives' grip.
"You're with me. It's Fives. I'm here." Fives babbled.
"No!" Echo pushed against Fives one last time before falling back. "Fives?"
His eyes finally focused on Fives' face.
"You- you came back for me." He said.
A fresh wave of tears overcame Fives. He pressed their foreheads together.
"I'm sorry." Fives choked out. "I'm sorry."
Echo shifted against Fives' grip.
"Rex?" He asked.
Rex knelt next to them.
"Yeah, it's me." He said softly.
"What- what happened?" Echo asked. He pulled weakly away from Fives and looked around. "Where am I?"
"It's okay, Echo." Rex said. "You're safe now."
Fives wondered how Rex was staying so calm. How could he reassure Echo that it was okay? It wasn't okay. Didn't he see what they had done to Echo? And they were the ones who left him.
"Just sit tight trooper." Rex said. "You're going home."
He beckoned and suddenly Tech was with them. Fives instinctively wrapped his arms tighter around Echo.
"Fives." Rex said. "We gotta make sure he's okay."
Fives swallowed. He felt if he let go of Echo, then his brother would suddenly disappear and Fives would find that it was a dream. He released Echo and gently positioned himself so that Tech could get a look, but kept one arm around Echo's shoulders.
Tech was surprisingly gentle as he checked Echo over. Even still, every so often Echo would shudder or flinch.
Fives took in Echo’s condition as Tech worked. Echo was so, so thin. He was ghostly pale and his now faded eyes were too large in his face. But the worst thing was what they had added. Metal studded the skin of his back, his stomach, his chest, his head. Wires were screwed into his left arm, and his right- Fives swallowed bile as he looked at the inhuman scomp they had replaced his right hand with. As far as Fives could tell, Echo’s legs were also mechanical. For a second, Fives was overwhelmed with how little of his brother was left.
"Unfortunately there isn't much I can tell without a good scanner." Tech said after a moment. "As I suspected, most of the useful information will come from the data here."
He stood and handed Fives a canteen.
"He is dehydrated." Tech said. "Make sure he drinks."
Then he turned back to the controls and started tapping away.
Fives unscrewed the canteen and held it to Echo's lips. Echo grimaced and turned his head away.
"Come on, Ey'ika." Fives encouraged. "Just a little."
Echo opened his mouth and Fives poured a little of the water in, careful not to make his brother choke.
Echo drank slowly at first, and then hungrily. Both his hand and his robotic attachment came up to steady the canteen as he gulped.
"Slow down." Fives said.
Echo's eyes widened and he pushed away at the canteen. He only moved it a little bit, but it was enough space for him to hunch over and vomit the water over his and Fives' laps. It hadn't had time to warm in Echo's stomach and the cool, yellowish liquid soaked into Fives' blacks.
"S-sorry." Echo mumbled, attempting to wipe at his mouth.
"It's okay." Fives soothed.
Echo stared at the canteen. His throat bobbed up and down as he swallowed, his thirst evident.
"Hey Tech!" Fives said. "He threw up the water."
Tech glanced at them.
"His stomach's size has been reduced considerably." He said. "Only let him take sips every few minutes."
"You hear that, Echo?" Rex asked.
Echo nodded.
"Do you remember how you got here, Echo?" Rex asked after Echo had had a few sips.
Fives shot Rex a glare. Echo didn't need to be interrogated right now.
"No." Echo said softly. "I-I just remember trying- trying to get to the shuttle and then- and then-"
He clutched at his head with his hand. He was trembling under Fives' arm.
"That's all right, trooper." Rex said. "Just relax. Do you think you can stand?"
Echo put his hand on Fives' shoulder, pressing down. He managed to get to his feet, but he swayed. He took a step but immediately lost balance. Fives caught him and helped him back down.
"It'll be fine." Fives said. "I'll carry him."
Rex nodded. He placed his hand on Echo's shoulder again for a moment before standing and taking a defensive position near the front of the room.
It wasn't long before Ahsoka came into the room.
“Things are almost under control out there.” She said. "How's it going in here?"
"I'm still trying to decrypt Echo's cerebral interface." Tech said promptly. "Until I do, we cannot disconnect him from this computer system."
She came forward and knelt in front of Echo.
“Echo.” She called softly.
Echo, who had retreated into his own mind, started and looked up.
“Com-commander?” He stuttered. “What-what happened to you?”
Ahsoka gave a small laugh. Fives’ own smile disappeared when he saw the look on Echo’s face.
“How long have I been here?” Echo whispered.
“We can talk about that later.” Ahsoka said. “How do you feel?”
“I-” Echo swallowed. “I’ve been better, sir.”
Ahsoka glanced at Rex and Fives.
“He’s too weak to walk.” Rex supplied. “He’s very disoriented. Can’t remember how he got here.”
Ahsoka nodded.
“Have you called in the extraction squad?”
“I tried.” Rex said. “Signals are-patchy here. I don’t think I got through.”
Ahsoka grimaced.
“Well, we’ve been in worse binds.”
The rest of the Batch had come into the room.
Fives ignored their reports and turned back to Echo. His brother was shivering and damp from the melting frost. All Fives could do was hold his brother close.
Echo seemed to fade in and out of reality. Occasionally he would jerk and whisper his number again.
"I've got it!" Tech declared. "We can unplug him now."
Rex approached and Fives helped Echo turn around. Fives held him steady as Rex ripped the connections out. Echo jerked and gasped after each one. The last one sent him sprawling onto Fives' shoulder, coughing. He lay still for a second.
"Echo?" Fives asked.
He pushed Echo off of him and held him at arm's length. To his surprise, Echo was sitting upright by himself. When he looked into Fives' eyes, there was a light that wasn't there before. A smile touched his lips.
"I got a big headache." He declared.
Fives gave a laugh that verged on a sob. Echo was free.
Fives helped Echo up the Marauder's ramp, despite his brother's protests.
"I can walk, Fives."
"Just because you can, doesn't mean you should." Fives replied.
Echo's snort of laughter made Fives' heart swell.
Behind them Rex carried Ahsoka. Saving all of their shebs'e had put her firmly out of commission.
Fives figured that spewing forth masses of lightning would take it out of anyone.
The battle alongside the Poletec had been going badly. Fives had had the traitorous thought of wishing they had a Jedi with real lightsabers. Ahsoka's electrostaffs had been useless against the tri-droids. Hunter and Rex had been making some progress on them, courtesy of Wrecker chucking them on top of the droids.
Then one had made the mistake of turning its sights on Crosshair and Echo.
Fives had shouted, but Ahsoka had acted. Fives could still see in his mind her flinging her hands forward in a desperate attempt to stop the tri-droid from firing. Instead of an invisible push, a barrage of green bolts of electricity had sprung from her fingers. It had overwhelmed the tri-droid and it toppled over into its fellow, bringing them both down.
After they'd taken out the rest of the droids, they'd found Ahsoka unable to move, but able to curse loudly. Rex had carried her the entire way back.
Fives had been impressed, but Ahsoka seemed somewhat upset about it. General Skywalker had told stories about Dooku's ability to use lightning. Allegedly it was something only Sith could do.
Fives figured there was a first time for everything. Ahsoka was the furthest thing from a Sith one could get, at least according to Fives' limited understanding.
Echo stumbled and Fives quickly steadied him.
"You okay?" He asked.
"Yeah." Echo said. "Just a little tired."
"I suspect you are feeling more than 'a little tired.' Tech said. "The adrenaline that has kept you functioning the last several hours should be wearing off."
Fives had Echo sit on one of the Marauder's seats. Looking into his brother's eyes, Fives guessed Tech was right. Echo's eyelids were drooping.
On the other side of the ship, Rex was lifting Ahsoka onto one of the sleeping racks.
"Does this happen to you a lot?" Wrecker asked Ahsoka. "Cause this is the second time-"
Rex shot Wrecker a look, but Ahsoka laughed.
"It's a recent development." She said. "Doesn't happen as often as it used to though."
"Here." Fives looked up to see Hunter holding out a set of blacks and a blanket.
"Thanks." Fives said, accepting them.
He nudged Echo, who'd been staring into space.
"Tech says he shouldn't eat anything right now." Hunter went on as Fives began helping Echo get the blacks on. "But he's getting nutrition and saline shots ready."
Fives nodded his thanks. Echo kept zoning out, making dressing him a little difficult. Finally Fives got Echo settled with the blanket wrapped tightly around him. Fives removed his own upper armor and put an arm around Echo. For the first time since they'd freed him from that casket, Echo stopped shivering.
It wasn't until the Marauder had taken off that Tech came by with several hypos.
"Echo." Fives said softly.
Echo blinked at Fives and then saw the needles. His eyes widened.
"No-" He croaked and jerked away from Tech. "No more, get away from me-"
"Echo!" Fives held his brother firm. "Echo, you're safe. These are going to help you."
Echo shook his head.
"No more." He said again. "No more."
"You will have to hold him." Tech said. "I will administer a sedative first."
"I'm not gonna hold him down!" Fives said. "Not like they did!"
Tech pushed at his goggles and frowned.
"Echo." Ahsoka said. "Be calm."
Fives could feel the power in her words. Echo stopped struggling. He meekly allowed Tech to roll up his sleeve and give him the first shot, though he was trembling. He flinched hard as the needle pierced his skin. Fives let out a breath as Echo's head fell onto his shoulder.
"Excellent." Tech said.
He administered the other two shots. Fives tucked his brother in closer and settled down.
The Batch migrated to the cockpit. Fives suspected they were uncomfortable with their ship so overtaken by strangers. There were a few minutes of indistinct conversation before the only sound on the ship was the hum of the engines.
Fives looked down at Echo. The shadows under his eyes were so dark. Fives wondered why. Wasn’t stasis like sleeping? He’d have to ask Kix when they returned. Maybe they just looked dark because of Echo’s ghostly skin.
Clones didn't have much to lose in terms of body weight. They were slim, efficient machines. But Echo was skeletal. His bony shoulder dug painfully into Fives' side.
Fives suddenly became terrified for Echo. Did he meet the standards anymore? Could he do what was required of him as a soldier?
That thought made Fives even more sick to his stomach. Echo, if he wanted to live, had to become a soldier again. Looking down at him, Fives thought that he'd never seen anyone who looked less ready to go to war. Fives didn't want him to, either. He wanted Echo to have the chance to forget about what he'd been through. The war would make that impossible.
Echo twitched in his sleep and let out a soft groan. Fives didn't want to imagine what horrors lurked behind Echo's eyelids.
"You're safe, Echo." Fives muttered. "I'm here."
Echo stilled again. Fives mentally prepared himself for a long trip. Echo would need him and Fives would be there. It wouldn't make up for the years he'd left Echo alone, but he would be there.
He would not sleep. Not when there was the chance of waking and finding that Echo’s return was a dream.
Mando’a:
shebs’e: asses
Ey’ika: Little Eyayah, Fives’ special nickname for Echo
Eyayah: Echo
And then later they fight about Echo going with the Bad Batch and it’s the last conversation they have before Fives takes a blaster bolt for Ahsoka after Rex’s chip activates. And then Fives nearly dies because they don’t have enough bacta. But then he recovers and bullies his way into the Bad Batch. And somehow I torture him less than in my other fic.
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@theneutralmime
Man, you absolutely need to find your way into the pro Jedi corner of AO3.
Setting that aside, what do I think the clones' opinion on Anakin is in canon (and specifically Rex's opinion)?
It seems overall positive, from what we can tell. In season 2 during the Landing at Point Rain episode, Rex's only obvious response to being thrown off a wall is to tiredly tell Anakin to "just ask him to jump next time." During the Umbara arc in season 4, Fives specifically points out that Anakin would never act the way Krell does. In season 6, during the Fives chip arc, we see Fives feeling pretty comfortable teasing Anakin with a dick joke and Anakin's only response to it is basically to tell him to focus. In season 7, Rex feels comfortable pushing Anakin a little about the mission to find Echo, to ask for help and support from Anakin without worrying about any major backlash (granted, Anakin DOES nearly refuse to help Rex at all and Padme has to talk him into it, but Rex clearly believes it's worth asking Anakin for assistance at all which still tells us something about what Rex thinks of him). In Rebels, Rex does nothing but gush about Anakin very positively, at nearly any chance he gets. Rex obviously doesn't know about Anakin betraying them all at this point, and you could argue that due to how he likely thinks Anakin died that his memories have perhaps developed a rosy hue that kind-of distorts them into something more positive than they were initially. But that's speculation and my personal interpretation based on my feelings about Anakin, not necessarily what's actually represented within the show.
So overall, what we DO see of Anakin's relationship with the men under his command during TCW is generally positive and that he's a General who does try to minimize casualties among his troops. HOWEVER, he is not the ONLY Jedi who is trying to minimize casualties, but one of MANY. In the Umbara arc, Fives doesn't just point out that ANAKIN would never be like Krell, but that NONE OF THE JEDI would be like Krell. And during the Citadel arc, there's an entire side story where Tarkin criticizes the Jedi for explicitly refusing to push for victory at any cost, and while both Ahsoka and Obi-Wan vehemently disagree and defend the Jedi's strategy, it's ANAKIN who agrees with Tarkin that they're being too soft. So while Anakin appears to be going along with the Jedi's current strategy and is smart enough to recognize that sometimes there are smarter ways to victory that cost fewer lives, he is BY FAR not the only Jedi to care about minimizing clone casualties and is in fact the ONLY Jedi we ever see who seems to believe they're being TOO SOFT and should maybe be pushing harder for victory no matter the cost.
Rex's relationship with Ahsoka is... odd sometimes. I feel like the end of the show (and things like TOTJ) sort-of insinuate that their relationship is a lot closer than we actually see it be during TCW. There are practically no scenes where the two of them get to just... be together and bond. It generally seems to stay pretty professional through season 5. Obi-Wan at least has a few times where he and Rex have sort-of SHARED an experience on a mission together, like their time on Kadavo as slaves or even Umbara to some degree, Christophsis, Saleucamai, etc. The only arc coming to mind where Rex and Ahsoka are left together is the Blue Shadow Virus arc which focuses much more on Ahsoka bonding with PADME, not Rex or the clones. So while Rex's relationship with Obi-Wan seems to also be fairly basic and professional, there's a lot more times where the two of them end up on a mission together without Anakin or Ahsoka around, while Ahsoka and Rex often seem to get separated and when they aren't, the focus is on Ahsoka bonding with someone ELSE.
I think a lot of people WANT Rex and Ahsoka to have really cared about each other and obviously season 7 of TCW made it a lot more explicit, but the first 5 seasons of TCW don't really build it up that much, and it's something I think TCW failed at personally. It would've been nice to have more exploration of that relationship, but I just don't feel like we got it. If we ignore season 7 of TCW, I honestly feel like Rex DOES have more of a relationship with Anakin than he does with Ahsoka. I think it's always very professional, but there does seem to be a level of familiarity and comfort and respect there between them that just doesn't exist with Ahsoka.
All of this being said, I don't think any of that really justifies Rex GUSHING about Anakin in Rebels and constantly comparing him favorably to Kanan, that doesn't feel in character for Rex to me or particularly accurate to the way that relationship was actually portrayed.
Nor do I think that any of the more professional respect that Rex did have for Anakin would keep him from refusing to forgive him once he finds out the truth about Vader. People attribute "I'm no Jedi" to Ahsoka these days, but the first person to say that line was REX, right before he spears a slaver. And I think it would be reasonable to assume that, if Rex as told the truth about Anakin, that he'd be able to look back at their history and see all of the times Anakin took advantage of him in a very different light. When he thinks Anakin was a heroic Jedi, he can see those moments as just Anakin trusting Rex with all of his deepest secrets. But after he knows Anakin is the one who enslaved the clones and murdered the Jedi? I imagine that might change.
And dear LORD, I've got about a MILLION issues with the idea that Anakin de-chips the 501st clones post-Order 66 and that they still LIKE HIM afterwards. For one, Anakin would not do this. This is wildly out of character for him. Anakin is a slaver and people need to just accept that this is a completely canon aspect of his character. Anakin does not CARE about anybody while he's being Vader, his primary concern is HIMSELF and he wants everyone else to be miserable in the dark with him. He has zero issues with causing pain or exerting power over people and we see this OVER AND OVER AGAIN during the Original Trilogy. There is absolutely no way that Anakin, while still Vader, would EVER de-chip the clones.
But even that has nothing on the absurdity that is the idea that the clones still LIKE HIM once they're de-chipped, like... WHAT THE FUCK. They now know that Anakin MIND-CONTROLLED THEM INTO WEAPONS that he used to cause a GENOCIDE AGAINST THE JEDI. How in the FUCK would any of the clones be OKAY WITH THAT? Anakin MARCHED THEM INTO THE FUCKING TEMPLE AND POINTED THEM AT INNOCENT MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN. If there is ANYTHING that we learned about the clones during TCW, it's that they would NEVER have been okay with that or done it of their own free will. So the only way you can justify the clones "getting along" with Anakin post-Order 66 is to claim the clones just hated the Jedi enough to be totally fine with having been used to commit their genocide.
And even if we assume that, we still have to assume the clones just don't care that much about Anakin having been a part of mind controlling them IN THE FIRST PLACE. That's a MAJOR betrayal for them to forgive EVEN IF they don't care about the Jedi they were forced to kill (INCLUDING CHILDREN). And these are the 501st clones, which means they would've personally known Anakin, these were the men Anakin was PERSONALLY responsible for protecting, which just makes the betrayal all the worse. It would've been bad enough if it was, say, the Coruscant Guard who probably barely know Anakin and who Anakin was not tasked with ever leading, but it's not. It's the 501st, who HAVE to rely on Anakin to lead them well. It's the 501st, many of whom already went through Umbara where they dealt with a Jedi General who treated them JUST LIKE THIS and we saw that NONE OF THEM LIKED IT (even Dogma, who believes in loyalty to the Jedi above all else, doesn't actually LIKE what they're forced to do and is just as horrified as anybody else when they realize they've been tricked into killing fellow clones).
So while I think it's entirely fair to say that Rex and the other 501st DID have a positive relationship with Anakin during the Clone Wars and that Anakin was doing his best to minimize casualties, I think it's UNFAIR to claim that Anakin was doing something the other Jedi WEREN'T also doing and that the clones would EVER continue to respect or like him post-Order 66.
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TBB S3E7 Reactions
Alright, in lieu of an analysis this week, you guys get some extra long reactions from me. Spoilers for Extraction under the cut!
- Of course the operative is still alive after being completely buried by rocks
- You okay there Rexy boy?
- Aww, Crosshair helping him up
- “There’s always another way” feels like foreshadowing
- CX does sound awfully like Tech when he’s grunting. Either that or DBB has only one way of making groaning noises 😂
- The rim lighting in this episode is such a pain for making screenshots but so satisfying for watching
- The modified clone theme when Wolffe lands 😭
- Wolffe was really getting 3PO flashbacks there with that disgusted sigh
- Isn’t Hilo a canon commando?? Or is he from legends?
- I will never get over how realistic light looks in this show
- There’s no way that CX just caught himself with his hands
- “We’re waiting on you” they’re not leaving Crosshair behind this time 🥹
- Lol Batcher. Licking cute clones faces. Always the priority
- How is this CX such a good shot??
- Oh Wolffe definitely has a constant headache. Idk how he’s actually put up with being in the Empire this long.
- This purple atmosphere is so pretty
- “I’m much worse” — SCREAMING. And the little tilt with his helmet to make his point clear? This man can have me however he wants. Anytime, anywhere. Call me, baby (I hope someone laughed at that lol)
- So Hunter does hear the ships. I wonder if his senses are more tuned for mechanical vibrations and animal life than people
- Lol Howzer is this really the time for a heart to heart?
- “Loyalty meant something to me” 🫡
- Lol that TK Trooper sounded like a mid-Atlantic 50s movie star
- How is the operative this nimble? Seems suspicious
- Smoke bombs are CF99s signature
- Interesting that for once the stun bolts are being used ON the Batch instead of by them.
- Wrecker and Batcher are a great team
- Hunter just dropping that TK and then Crosshair taking out their ship. Phew
- Also not suspicious at all that they’ve neutralized all the TKs and left the clone troopers for later.
- How did Crosshair sense the operative coming up behind them?
- RIP Nemec 😓
- “Too bad” 😩😩😩
- Oh Cross, you know you’re not the best at hand to hand combat. This is a very bad idea
- That waterfall is pretty though
- Dear lord why did they have to make these scenes so dark
- Oh fuck. I can’t even tell who threw who off the cliff
- The whole squad going after Crosshair even though he told them to get to the extraction point 😭
- CX obviously knows Crosshair and has beef with him. Again, for the millionth time—WHAT THE HELL DID HEMLOCK DO TO ALL OF THEM
- “You had your chance to be one of us. You chose the wrong side”. Really can’t wait for this to be explained.
- Crosshair’s reflexes are so fast for being all gangly limbs
- Okay I seriously almost had a heart attack here (this is a rewatch so my reactions aren’t immediate but holy cow I almost couldn’t believe what I was seeing watching Crosshair almost drown. Don’t you dare do it Jen!)
- It is v suspicious how fixated on Crosshair CX is even after he’s neutralized him
- Thank GOD for Howzer
- Okay, I can breathe a little again
- That’s…an awfully long fall for someone to survive
- The TBB team took the water scenes from The Crossing in season 2 and said, yeah, how about we just make that a million times better 🤯
- “That’s not Echo”. No, no it is not
- Good to know that Rex is still considered dead by the Empire (although that honestly seems strange that CX in season 2 knew who he was). That’s heartbreaking that Wolffe thought he was dead this whole time though
- Wow. The respect these two men have for each other
- “Oh I did. Lost a lot of good men that day” *cries in TCW season 7*
- Idk how Rex keeps going honestly
- His voice may be gentle but his face means BUSINESS
- Rex 🤝 Omega - believing the power of friendship can save anyone and anything they come across
- Fuck your orders Wolffe
- “I’ll make sure you’re given a fair trial” you really have no idea who you work for Wolffe do you
- Hunter being willing to stand down when Rex asks him to
- “I know you. As your brother, I’m asking you to do the right thing” the brotherly reunions this season are just paralleling all over the place
- Gregor the handsome fellow that you are. I swear his pauldrons get bigger every time we see him
- “Let my people go” the Exodus vibes are strong here too
- Guess we’re gonna be finding out what makes this CX so special. Still can’t believe he survived.
- Rex just lost almost all of his men again 😣😭
- The sheer respect and care that Hunter and Rex have for each other. The hand on the shoulder. The losses that tie them together. The worry and earnestness in Hunter’s face and tone when he tells Rex he can’t win. He doesn’t emote this much to people he doesn’t consider family.
- The ways Hunter still is hesitant to do anything but run and hide, and Rex still can’t give up. Not quite yet.
- How Hunter won’t be able to either until they know what is really going on with Omega.
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