TJ-55/Legends

"Maybe this tactical droid will tell us how they knew our plan."

- CC-7567

TJ-55 was a T-series tactical droid in the Confederacy of Independent Systems Droid Army during the Clone Wars. In 21 BBY, he and another tactical droid were stationed on Christophsis with the droid forces of the Retail Caucus, which invaded the planet. Soon after the invasion, the Galactic Republic sent an Army detachment, led by Jedi Generals Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, to liberate the planet.

During the battle between Republic and Separatist forces, TJ-55 led an ambush on the Jedi's forces at the North and South towers of Crystal City. As the remaining Republic forces tried to evacuate from the roof of the South tower, the tactical droid led a squad of B1 battle droids to attack the retreating clone troopers. However, during the fighting, the droid's head was ripped off by clone trooper Gus and was brought back to the Republic's base for a robolobotomy. The investigation only confirmed that there was a spy amongst the Republic's troops before the droid stopped processing. The spy was eventually revealed in the form of Clone Sergeant Slick, who was later apprehended.

Biography
"The Republic army is in the north and south towers, level 46."

- TJ-55, during a robolobotomy



Battle of Christophsis
Manufactured by Baktoid Combat Automata TJ-55, a T-series tactical droid, served in the Separatist Droid Army during the Clone Wars. In 21 BBY, he and another tactical droid were assigned to help General Whorm Loathsom of the Retail Caucus, an ally organization of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, to conquer the planet Christophsis. However, the Galactic Republic dispatched clone troopers, led by High Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi and General Anakin Skywalker, to liberate the planet. After landing, the Jedi began to prepare an ambush, but Clone Sergeant Slick, a Separatist spy embedded within the Republic forces, informed the Confederacy about the Republic's plan, and the location of the Republic forces was transmitted into TJ-55. Unaware of this, the Republic set up several repeating blaster cannons on the North and South towers of the Crystal City and prepared to open fire at the droid forces as they passed through the city plaza below.

Consequently, by the time the tactical droid led his forces to the towers, he was well aware of the presence of Republic troops. He commanded his B1 battle droid forces from his Armored Assault Tank and surprised the Jedi and clones by splitting his troops, thus bypassing the ambush. Battle droids then attacked the South tower, where Kenobi was with his troopers. Kenobi and his clones were pinned down by the droids, but Skywalker noticed the situation from the North tower. He signaled an LAAT/i gunship for an evacuation and led his clone troopers to help Kenobi. The Republic forces were able to hold their ground but were forced to retreat with the battle droids' larger numbers. As the Jedi and remaining clones took a turbolift to the roof, where the gunship was landing for evacuation, TJ-55 left his tank and followed the Republic troopers with his droid forces.

Downfall and robolobotomy
On the roof of the South tower, the tactical droid led the attack of the battle droids, in order to prevent the retreat of the Republic troops. Equipped with an E-5 blaster rifle, he managed to shoot at least one clone trooper during the firefight. However, clone trooper Gus saw the tactical droid, jumped for him, ripped his head off, and leaped onto the Republic gunship as it departed from the tower. While the gunship left, the still-functioning body of TJ-55 rotated senselessly, shooting several mis-aimed shots on its own.

Later on at the Republic's Christophsis base, TJ-55's head was analyzed in a robolobotomy by Clone Commander CC-2224 and Clone Captain CC-7567. The droid's data files only verified that the Separatists had gained secret information about the positions of the Republic forces before the head stopped processing, ruining any chances of a further analysis. Despite this, the spy was discovered to be Sergeant Slick, who was apprehended, and General Loathsom's droid forces were eventually defeated as well.

Characteristics
"It just doesn't make sense. Blast!"

- CC-7567, as the head of TJ-55 deactivates after revealing its information

Like all tactical droids, TJ-55 stood 1.93 meters tall and was far more intelligent than standard battle droids of the Separatist Droid Army and wasn't controlled by a computer, allowing him to think and function independently. In battle, he gave his orders from his Armored Assault Tank, but he was also ready to leave his tank and attack with his troops at close combat range, where he used his E-5 blaster rifle. The droid had the word "TACTICAL" written along the side of his head in Aurebesh, and had masculine programming.

Behind the scenes
TJ-55 made his first and only appearance in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television episode "The Hidden Enemy." He was voiced by James Arnold Taylor, who also provided the voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi and the second tactical droid in the same episode. Even though the droid appeared unnamed in the episode, he was later named as TJ-55 by his concept art, first presented in Star Wars: The Clone Wars: The Complete Season One.

Notes and references
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