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 Navy. During the Clone Wars, the clone pilot served in Blue Squadron, a Republic starfighter unit attached to the Venator-class Star Destroyer Resolute, and was given the call sign "Blue Leader." However, Axe gave the title to Jedi Commander Ahsoka Tano in 21 BBY when the two participated in the Battle of Ryloth, and then took the call sign of "Blue Two." In the engagement, Blue Squadron was tasked with destroying the 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 its 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 Republic force's three Venator-class Star Destroyers&mdash;the Resolute, Defender, and Redeemer&mdash;Admiral Wullf Yularen and Skywalker ordered Tano and her men to retreat. However, as Blue Squadron made its 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," a clone of the Mandalorian bounty hunter Jango Fett, was the nickname of a clone trooper pilot who served in the Galactic Republic's Navy. Axe served within Blue Squadron, a starfighter squadron in the Republic Navy that was stationed on board Jedi General Anakin Skywalker's Venator-class Star Destroyer, the Resolute. During his time in Blue Squadron, the clone trooper pilot was given the call sign "Blue Leader."

In 21 BBY, the Techno Union Foreman, Emir Wat Tambor, seized control of the planet Ryloth and its Twi'lek inhabitants, and the Jedi High Council dispatched Skywalker and his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, to destroy the Confederate blockade surrounding the planet. On board the Resolute, Blue Squadron was assigned to destroy the enemy blockade. For the mission, Tano was given the task of leading the squadron. Despite the fact that it was 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 squadron headed toward the blockade's leading command ship, led by the Confederate Captain Mar Tuuk, Axe and the other pilots were quickly confronted by a tier of Vulture droids. After Tano split her squadron 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 cut open a clear path to 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 on board the Resolute, ordered Blue Squadron to fall back and protect the Resolute, as it and its accompanying 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 again 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 of Skywalker's retreat over her starfighter's comlink system, Tano warned Axe and the remaining pilots. However, as Axe tried to keep up with Tano, his 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 was not 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 on Tuuk's command ship, Axe knew that Tano had made a mistake when she failed to cooperate with Skywalker's and Yularen's order of retreating and continued her attack run toward the command ship. Axe, however, remained loyal to his squadron leader, a choice that would cost him his life.

While clone troopers of Jango Fett stood 1.83 meters, Axe, a clone of Fett himself, was 2.08 meters tall.

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 perform 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 StarWars.com Databank confirms that all clones of Jango Fett should have the height of 1.83 meters.

Appearances

 * Droids Over Iego
 * Droids Over Iego