Axe (clone trooper)/Legends

"This is Two&mdash;Axe. Ready when you are, Skipper."

- Axe checks in with Ahsoka Tano

Axe was the nickname of a veteran clone trooper pilot who served in the Galactic Republic's Navy. During the Clone Wars, Axe was normally present onboard Jedi General Anakin Skywalker's Venator-class Star Destroyer, Resolute. On the Resolute, the clone pilot served in Blue Squadron, a Republic starfighter unit, and was given the call sign "Blue Leader." However, Axe gave the title to Jedi Commander Ahsoka Tano around 22 BBY when the two participated in the Battle of Ryloth. Axe then took the call sign of "Blue Two." Blue Squadron was tasked to destroy Confederate Captain Mar Tuuk's blockade over the Twi'lek planet Ryloth.

During the battle, Axe was accompanied by fellow clone pilots Slammer, Kickback, Tucker and Swoop; while the squadron made their way toward Tuuk's command ship. However, Confederate Vulture droids attacked Blue Squadron, causing heavy damage to several of their fighters. As the droids also attacked the three Venator-class Star Destroyers, Resolute, Defender, and Redeemer, Admiral Wullf Yularen and Skywalker ordered Tano and her men to retreat. However, as Blue Squadron made their way toward the Resolute hangar, Axe was killed when his fighter was shot down by a Vulture droid.

Biography
"Come on, you whiners. Let's get dirty!"

- Axe, during the Battle of Ryloth

Axe was the nickname of a clone trooper pilot who served in the Galactic Republic's Navy. He, like all clone troopers, was one of the many clones of the Mandalorian bounty hunter Jango Fett. Normally present onboard Jedi General Anakin Skywalker's Venator-class Star Destroyer, Resolute, Axe served within Blue Squadron, a starfighter squadron in the Republic Navy, stationed onboard the Resolute. During his time in Blue Squadron, the clone trooper pilot was given the call sign "Blue Leader."

Around 22 BBY, the Techno Union Foreman, Emir Wat Tambor, seized control of the planet of Ryloth and its inhabitants. The Jedi High Council dispatched Skywalker and his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, to destroy the Confederate blockade surrounding the planet. Onboard the Resolute, Blue Squadron was assigned to destroy the enemy blockade. For the mission, Tano was given the task of leading the squadron. Despite it being Tano's first time leading a squadron, Axe gave her the title of "Blue Leader," while he himself took the call sign "Blue Two."

Under the command of Tano, who led the squadron in her Jedi starfighter, Axe was accompanied by fellow Blue Squadron pilots Slammer, Kickback, Tucker and Swoop, who flew in V-19 Torrent starfighters. Tano contacted her pilots, and after Axe and the other Blue Squadron pilots checked in with the Padawan, the group left the hangar of the Resolute. As the squad headed toward the blockade's leading command ship, led by Confederate Captain Mar Tuuk, Axe and the other pilots were quickly confronted by a tier of Vulture droids. After Tano split her squad into two groups, Axe and five other pilots separated from her group and were ordered to attack the battleship, while Tano's group engaged the Vulture droids. En route toward Tuuk's command ship, Axe's group had a clear path toward the battleship.

However, four Munificent-class frigates joined Tuuk's blockade, neutralizing Blue Squadron's attack run. Noticing this, Skywalker and Admiral Wullf Yularen, who were onboard the Resolute, ordered Blue Squadron to fall back and protect the Resolute, as it and their other two Venator-class Star Destroyers&mdash;the Defender, and Redeemer&mdash;were outnumbered. Tano, however, disobeyed the direct order and followed through with her attack on the leading cruiser of the blockade. As more Vulture droids attacked the group, Axe and the other pilots took heavy fire from the droids. Soon, Tucker was shot down by a droid, and Axe's fighter was hit near one of its wings. When a group of Vulture droids attacked the three Star Destroyers, Yularen and Skywalker warned Tano to retreat, as the Republic forces had been caught in a trap.

Tano obeyed and turned back toward the Resolute, as more Vulture droids attacked the three Republic Venator-class Star Destroyers. The outnumbered Blue Squadron headed toward the hangar of the Resolute. When a Vulture droid crashed into the bridge of the Resolute, Skywalker ordered an immediate jump into hyperspace. Hearing about Skywalker's retreat over her starfighter's comlink system, Tano warned Axe and the remaining pilots about it. However, as Axe tried to keep up with Tano, Axe's starfighter was heavily attacked from behind. Tano tried to help her second-in-command, but it was too late. Axe's fighter malfunctioned and overloaded before he could make it back, and he perished above Ryloth.

Personality and traits
"Don't worry about me, skipper."

- Axe, to Blue Squadron leader Ahsoka Tano

An expert veteran fighter pilot, and a strong leader, Axe was a capable pilot who served in the Republic Navy's Blue Squadron as "Blue Leader." Axe wasn't afraid to question his superiors during a mission and showed pride within his squadron. Prior to the Battle of Ryloth, Axe gave the title of "Blue Leader" to Ahsoka Tano, while he took the title of "Blue Two." He befriended her and obeyed the orders she gave to him. During the attack toward Tuuk's command ship, Axe knew Tano made a mistake when she failed to cooperate with Skywalker and Yularen's order of retreating and continued her attack run toward the command ship. Axe, however, remained loyal to his squadron leader, which would cost him his life.

Equipment
Axe's Phase I clone trooper armor was sleek white. His helmet sported the colors of Blue Squadron, and was detailed with blue markings. Because Axe was a starfighter pilot, his shoulder armor allowed him to preform quick maneuvers, and his elbow guards were attached to his forearm armor. Axe was equipped with a DC-17 hand blaster.

Behind the scenes
Axe first appeared in "Storm Over Ryloth," the nineteenth episode in the first season of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series, which aired on February 27, 2009. Like all clone troopers in the series, Axe was voiced by Dee Bradley Baker. Axe's biography was further expanded in the 2009 Star Wars: The Clone Wars: The Official Episode Guide: Season 1. In the Star Wars: The Clone Wars Character Encyclopedia, it was revealed that Axe's height is "2.08 meters." This sets up a continuity error, as the Databank confirmed that all clones of Jango Fett should have the height of 1.83 meters.

Appearances

 * Droids Over Iego
 * Droids Over Iego