- "Get the order and execute it. Let the generals sort out the rest."
- ―Bly
Bly, whose Clone trooper designation was CC-5052, was a clone marshal commander who served both the Galactic Republic and the Galactic Empire that followed. A clone of Jango Fett, CC-5052 was bred on Kamino, where he was trained as an Advanced Recon Commando by Alpha-17. Alpha-17 also gave CC-5052 the name "Bly," which the clone commander himself adopted. Assigned to the 327th Star Corps, Bly worked with Jedi General Aayla Secura throughout the Clone Wars. Serving in campaigns on planets such as Quell, Maridun, Alzoc III, Florrum, and New Holstice, Bly worked with Secura to personally extract a valuable Scientific Instrument Package from Honoghr. During the mission, Bly encountered renegade Jedi Quinlan Vos, whom he deeply mistrusted. Shortly after the Honoghr mission, Bly and Secura served alongside the reformed Vos in the Siege of Saleucami.
Before they could complete their mission on Saleucami, Secura, Bly, and the 327th were redirected to Felucia, to save captive Jedi Barriss Offee and her apprentice Zonder. With that mission a success, Bly and his troops hunted Shu Mai, who was a member of the governing body of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. They eventually discovered that they were too late to capture Mai, and that her forces had unleashed a deadly toxin into the planet's water supply. Bly set out with Secura to stop the toxin from spreading, but in transit he received the command to execute Order 66, which meant that all Jedi were declared to be enemies of the Republic. After gunning down Secura, Bly's men were unable to locate Zonder or the two other Jedi Padawans involved in the Felucia campaign, Ekria and Drake Lo'gaan. Several months later, Bly was given the opportunity to finally eliminate Ekria and Lo'gaan by Darth Vader. On Tepasi, Bly shot both Jedi fugitives, and though he believed them dead, they had in fact survived.
Biography[]
Early life and career[]
Bred on Kamino, CC-5052 was among the first generation of clone marshal commanders to be trained by the Advanced Recon Commando Alpha-17,[2][5] who gave him the name "Bly."[1] A clone of the Mandalorian bounty hunter Jango Fett, Bly was trained as an Advanced Recon Commando himself, giving him a more independent mindset and allowing him to think "outside the manual" when it came to the shifting of tactical situations.[2] As a clone commander, it was Bly's job to act as an intermediary between the Jedi Generals and the regular clone troopers,[1] although he was bred to be loyal to the Republic above all others.[2] Bly was assigned to the 327th Star Corps, which fell under the 2nd Sector Army.[5]
He personally served Jedi General Aayla Secura, and they began to develop a close relationship during their shared service in the ongoing Clone Wars.[7] When the Republic amassed a number of droids that needed their memory cores unlocked and wiped, Bly helped to recruit a Jedi Knight for the task, as the secrets in the droids could be crucial to the war effort.[8]
Service with Secura[]
Quell[]
- "A nicely played distraction, Bly."
- ―Aayla Secura
In 22 BBY,[9] in an attempt to reap information from the memory banks of a Confederate tactical droid, Bly and Secura set up a trap in a rocky canyon. They were able to fabricate an information bunker, which attracted the attention of the droid. In turn, the droid ordered his troops to attack the bunker, prompting Bly and the men of the 327th to attack them from the rear. They were able to effectively dispatch the droid's troops, while Secura beheaded the tactical droid. Since the droid had not gone into cyberostasis, they would be able to plunder its memory banks for intel. Later,[7] Secura led a task force of three Venator-class Star Destroyers to Quell. There, they were engaged by a group of Munificent-class star frigates.[10]
Secura's forces suffered heavy damage, and soon enough, her command ship, the Liberty, was the only one remaining. Its shields fell, but fortunately for the Republic taskforce, General Anakin Skywalker was due to arrive in the Resolute, with reinforcements. Sure enough, the Resolute entered the system, but the Confederate frigates began launching B2-RP battle droids. Realizing that they were intending to board her ship, Secura ordered Bly to repel the attacking forces. Gunships from the Resolute arrived at the site of the battle to aid Secura's listing starship, and Skywalker, his apprentice Ahsoka Tano, and Rex were able to board. They rendezvoused with Secura and Bly aboard the ship, and Skywalker reported that he had arranged for one of his Consular-class cruisers to dock with the damaged Star Destroyer.[10]
The Confederates redoubled their attack, attempting to down Secura's ship. As Bly, Secura, Skywalker, Tano, Rex, and the clone troopers Cameron, Flash, and Lucky made their way toward the docked cruiser, a series of explosions tore through the Star Destroyer, chasing them down a corridor. Skywalker, in an attempt to save both his allies and the cruiser, sealed himself off with a set of blast doors, and held back the force of the explosion with the Force. As a result, he was seriously injured, but Tano was able to recover his unconscious form. The group boarded the cruiser, prompting its pilot to make a heading for the Resolute. Aboard the Resolute, Admiral Wullf Yularen advised Secura against docking in the middle of a battle, but Secura realized that the severity of Skywalker's injuries meant that he needed better medical care than the cruiser could provide.[10]
As the cruiser began docking operations, it was set upon by Vulture droids. When the ship was struck by fire, the pilot was thrown onto the controls, accidentally activating the ship's hyperdrive. Despite Bly's best efforts, he was unable to disengage, but Yularen, acting quickly, had the Resolute move away from the cruiser, leaving it free engage its hyperdrive and depart Quell prematurely. Despite the overwhelming odds against surviving a hyperspace jump in a gravity well, the cruiser, and all aboard it, survived. As it traveled through hyperspace, Bly learned that the ship was on a direct collision course with a star. As the clones tried desperately to disengage the hyperdrive, Secura ordered that they power down all the ship's systems. They did so, bringing the cruiser into realspace just short of the star. Secura then powered the ship back up again, allowing it to maneuver around the star, which in turn allowed Tano to slingshot the craft around the star and into a crash landing on the planet of Maridun.[10]
Maridun[]
- "Cameron's dead. So are Lucky and Flash."
- ―Bly reports their losses to the Jedi
As the wreckage of the ship burned on the planet's surface, all evacuated through its emergency escape hatches. Once the fires had burned out, the group used the wreckage as a makeshift shelter. Skywalker's condition, however, continued to deteriorate, and the group began to realize that he needed swift medical attention. Tano suggested that Bly and Secura scout in a southerly fashion while she and Rex would stay and watch over Skywalker, but Secura disagreed, insisting that she and Tano work together as Jedi. In a cursory search of the area surrounding the wreck, Bly discovered a carved tablet depicting a humanoid battling some sort of predator. The group realized that the tablet indicated that there was an intelligent species dwelling on the world, and set themselves upon the task of finding said species. Also depicted on the carving were large trees, which Bly, Secura, and Tano decided to look for, as a clue to the species' location. Setting out with Cameron, Flash, and Lucky, and leaving Rex behind with Skywalker, the group found one of the trees by nightfall. Falling seed pods from the trees nearly killed the six offworlders, but Secura spotted a path in the grass that had been used to drag the pods away, presumably by a member of the intelligent species.[10]
As the scouting party followed the path, they were set upon by two large mastiff phalones. Bly was able to kill one of the creatures, which scared the other away, but the pair had been able to kill Cameron, Lucky, and Flash. By dawn, Bly, Secura, and Tano came across a village made of the massive seed pods, occupied by Lurmen. They were greeted by the village leader, Tee Watt Kaa, but the elderly Lurmen was suspicious of their intent. Secura insisted that they were peace keepers, but Kaa argued that the Jedi were a violent people. The Lurmen had colonized Maridun in an attempt to flee the death and destruction that the Clone Wars brought, and in accordance with that, he asked the trio to leave his village. Tano launched into an impassioned plea for aid, however, and Kaa decided to send his healer son, Wag Too, to aid Skywalker. He still did not trust the Jedi, however, and insisted that one of them remain at the village, lest they try and kidnap Too.[10]
Secura opted to stay behind, but the blaster-toting Bly was not allowed to remain within the village. The clone commander set off with Tano and Too, and after running for 17 hours straight,[11] arrived back at the wreckage just as a mastiff phalone was tearing apart the shelter and attacking Rex and Skywalker. Too was able to incapacitate the creature, but barred Tano from killing it. Meanwhile, Bly assisted Skywalker, who had been further injured in the altercation with the mastiff phalone. Too was able to stabilize Skywalker's condition, and the general was set to make a recovery.[10] They returned to the village, where Skywalker's recuperation continued. Meanwhile, Bly was informed by Rex that a Confederate C-9979 landing craft was approaching the Lurmen settlement, which Bly then immediately relayed to the Jedi.[12]
Kaa insisted that the Jedi leave the village, lest the Confederate invaders find them. Too helped the clones and the Jedi to sneak out of the village, while Kaa met with the leader of the Confederate force, General Lok Durd. As the clones and the Jedi moved out of the village, the Confederate troops began ransacking the place. The group was able to make its way to some long grass, where they hid until the droids finished their sweep of the settlement. Skywalker, remembering that they would need a ship to get off Maridun, suggested that if the Confederates had a landing craft, they would also likely have a shuttle of some sort. As Skywalker and Rex plotted, Tano spotted a Confederate recon droid nearby. Bly and Rex opened fire on it, while Bly jammed its comlink. The droid fled, and the group gave chase. Secura was able to dispatch the droid, and their chase had taken them to the base of a large tree. The group climbed the tree, and from their new vantage point, they spotted the Confederate invaders building a fortified outpost around the landing craft. Within the outpost was, as Skywalker predicted, a Confederate shuttle.[12]
Bly noted that getting into the outpost would be no small feat, as the enemy's security appeared to be flawless. As the group continued to observe the base, Skywalker saw that Durd's forces had some sort of large new weapon in their arsenal, and he asked Bly and Rex to investigate. As they moved closer, the vehicle fired a large projectile into the sky. When the projectile hit the ground, it unleashed a rapidly expanding ring of fire that wiped out everything in its path. Bly and Rex attempted to outrun the blast, and Rex decided to fire his grappling cable at a branch of the large tree, in order to ascend out of the blast's range. Bly followed suit, but tripped on a log, and as a result, his cable fell short of the tree. Before he could be killed by the blast, however, Secura swung down on a vine, and rescued him.[13]
The Jedi quickly realized that Durd's target would be the Lurmen, and Skywalker devised a plan of attack: first, they would eliminate the Confederate communication station, steal the shuttle, and then return to aid the Lurmen. When night fell, the group approached the base, and together they covertly dispatched the guards. Tano and Secura were able to enter the outpost, wherein Tano proceeded to open the main door, allowing Bly, Rex, and Skywalker to join the others. The rest of the guard droids dispatched, the group made their way toward the parked shuttle. Before they boarded, the clones gathered two shield generators to take with them. The group then flew the shuttle to the Lurmen village.[13]
Although Kaa still refused to accept the aid of the Jedi, Skywalker went about ordering the clones to set up the shield generators, in preparation for the defense of the village. In addition, the Jedi and the clones began moving the large pods into place, forming a makeshift barrier. When the Confederate forces were close enough to the village, Durd fired his new weapon. In response, Skywalker had the shield generators activated, and the shields in turn protected the village from the blast. Durd's next move was to have his army of droids charge the village, prompting Skywalker, Tano, Secura, Bly and Rex to move outside the shield and engage the attackers. They were able to successfully dispatch the first wave of droids, but the second and third waves were able to make through the shield perimeter, forcing Bly and Rex to retreat behind the pod barrier. Skywalker set off on his own to destroy the weapon, leaving Tano and Secura free to battle the droids that were moving into the village. Unfortunately for the defenders, the droids were able to destroy both of the shield generators. Skywalker was able to destroy the weapon, however, and the Lurmen, under the leadership of Too, banded together, and helped the clones and the Jedi destroy the attacking droids. Durd was later arrested by Skywalker,[13] and Admiral Yularen's cruisers arrived at Maridun to extract the clones and the Jedi.[12]
Alzoc III and Florrum[]
- "General, this scouting mission just got interesting. The Seppies are moving in. They've targeted…an unallied vessel. It's making planetfall on Florrum."
- ―Bly reports Alama's vessel to Secura
Bly accompanied Secura, Jedi General Luminara Unduli, and Clone Commander Gree to investigate the planet Alzoc III, where Separatist activity had been reported by the Hutt crime lord Jabba Desilijic Tiure. The Republic squad took several All Terrain Tactical Enforcers and headed for the coordinates of the location provided by Jabba. Along the way, the walkers were forced to scale a vertical cliff, and when a walker's path became blocked by a bulk of ice, Bly immediately ordered his men to blast it. Secura, however, ordered to hold, stating that the blast could lead to the collapse of the entire cliff, and proceeded to remove the obstacle in a more delicate way. Upon arriving at their destination, both the Jedi and the clone troopers witnessed a crash site of a large capital ship and were stunned by the view of huge masses of ice and numerous starship parts floating freely in the air. Deciding to investigate the unusual phenomena, Bly, Gree and several clone troopers used their jetpacks to reach what remained of the ship's hangar, while the Jedi followed them by using the Force to navigate through debris. When the group rendezvoused at the hangar, it was attacked by a Vulture droid, and it became apparent that the crash site attracted Separatist interest as well. The Jedi quickly defeated the droid and ordered the clones to scout ahead and find the ship's data recorder, while they themselves engaged the battle droids and followed by an alternate route.[15]
After reaching the remains of the ship's bridge, Gree began to slice the vessel's data recorder, while Bly, the Jedi and the clone troopers protected him from the attacking droids. After successfully neutralizing the battle droids, Gree was able to access the record of the ship's final moments. It became apparent that an individual had used a Telgorn dropship to board a Munificent-class star frigate carrying two classified weapons, stole one of them, and then departed shortly before the frigate was hit by an explosion. The vessel had then crashed on the planet, where the weapon created a gravity anomaly. Soon, it was also revealed that the Dark Acolyte Asajj Ventress had already visited the crash site and set the remains of the frigate for self-destruct. The Jedi ordered the clone troopers to safety and then briefly dueled Ventress. Secura and Unduli trapped the Dark Jedi under the bulk of ice before leaving the crash site and reporting to the Jedi High Council.[15]
Later in the war, aboard an Acclamator-class assault ship,[16] CC-5052 was on a scouting mission with Secura in the Outer Rim Territories when they came across an unallied vessel being attacked by a Confederate Munificent-class frigate. Secura consulted him on advisable actions, and Bly believed that they should reconnoiter the planet for more information. The Jedi ordered the clone commander to take a squad of troopers aboard an LAAT/i gunship and gather more information, and to hold fire unless fired upon. The Confederate captain, seeking to eliminate both the Republic gunship and the neutral vessel belonging to the bounty hunter Shahan Alama,[14] dispatched Vulture and Hyena droid starfighters. Bly's gunship were able to defeat the Confederates, as well as shoot down Alama's craft, and returned to Secura's ship.[16]
New Holstice and Honoghr[]
- "Know the mission, know your enemy, achieve the mission, kill the enemy. That's all I need. It's all any soldier needs."
- ―Bly
Seventeen months after the First Battle of Geonosis, Bly and the 327th fought in the Battle of New Holstice, under the command of Secura. On New Holstice, Bly and his troops successfully battled against the Mandalorian Protectors, driving the warriors into full retreat. However, the Star Corps suffered heavy losses and was whittled down to an effective strength of sixty percent. The commander alerted Secura to the shortage of troops, but the Jedi resigned herself to the fact that other units across the galaxy were under just as much stress.[4] During his time with Secura, Bly began to grow close to the Jedi, earning the two of them the ire of other Jedi such as Arligan Zey.[17]
Continuing to work with Secura, Bly was then sent to Honoghr. The Confederate core ship Gahenna was believed to be carrying a new defoliant toxin, Trihexalophine1138, with the intent of using it on Naboo. An Acclamator-class assault ship under the command of Jedi General Rii'ke En had engaged the Gahenna, damaging the vessel so severely that it crashed onto Honoghr, but the toxin survived the plummet to the planet's surface. In the battle, En's ship had also sustained heavy damage and was forced to crash-land on the planet. Investigating the incident, En tracked the Confederate Scientific Instrument Package that contained data pertinent to Trihexalophine1138 to a Rakatan temple, where it had been taken by the native Noghri. The general then alerted Secura's unit to the location of the package and its relevance, but was soon killed by the Noghri.[1]
Along with a small detachment of clones and General Secura, Bly made his way to the planet's surface before tracking through the Honoghr forests to the Rakatan temple. It was the commander's hope that they would be able to retrieve the SIP without detection by the Noghri, but any attempt at stealth was abandoned when the Noghri ambushed the party. Retreating into the temple, Bly posted a trooper as a rear guard, with the order that were he to fall, another would take his place. By the time they had entered the temple, Bly and Secura were the only Republic troops left. Fighting off a horde of Noghri warriors, the pair were saved when Quinlan Vos entered the engagement.[1]
Bly immediately recognized Vos as the renegade Jedi who had defected to the Confederacy and had become an associate of Count Dooku. Secura, who had been trained by Vos, asked him where his allegiances lay. The general believed Vos's claim that he was still acting as a double agent for the Jedi, but Bly was not so trusting. It took a direct order from Secura to prevent the clone commander from opening fire on Vos, but he was still far from happy with the situation. Vos, as a token of his goodwill, offered to aid Secura in obtaining the SIP, an offer the general accepted.[1]
With the information that En had provided before his death, the trio knew where in the temple the SIP was being kept. More challenging was the elimination of the Noghri guards. Bly ventured out alone, drawing enemy fire, while Secura and Vos dispatched the enemy guards by stealth. Reaching the chamber holding the SIP, Vos pointed out that the area was booby-trapped with poisonous darts. Although the Jedi worked as a team to extract the device, the trap was triggered. Fortunately for the trio, no one was hurt, allowing them to escape the temple unharmed. When they were safely out of range, Vos demanded that Secura relinquish the SIP. Secura, displeased, ignited her lightsaber, prompting Vos to do likewise. Realizing that Vos was truly a threat to the mission, Bly attempted to shoot the renegade Jedi, but his target swiftly rounded on him and threw the clone hard into a wall with the Force.[1]
Bly fell into unconsciousness, and as he came to, he witnessed Secura and Vos dueling fiercely. Eventually, Vos was able to overpower his former Padawan and prepared to land a killing blow. Bly, roused into consciousness, shot Vos in the shoulder. When his vision was more clear, he fired again, this time shooting to kill. His second shot was deflected by Secura, who did not want the renegade Jedi harmed. The distraction was all Vos needed to escape on his ship, the Skorp-Ion, although Secura still possessed the SIP. Returning to their task force, Bly received treatment for wounds sustained during the Honoghr mission, although he was confused as to why his general considered the mission a failure.[1] Following the Honoghr operation, Bly and Secura served a tour of duty on Anzat.[2] At the conclusion of the Battle of Altyr V, Bly promoted Deviss, who had distinguished himself in the conflict, to the rank of commander.[5]
Saleucami[]
- "You shot at me the last time we saw each other."
"You were an enemy the last time I saw you. Now they say you're not." - ―Quinlan Vos and Bly
In 19 BBY, Secura, Bly and the 327th Star Corps were dispatched to Saleucami, where a prolonged siege was taking place. The Confederacy was using underground caves below the planet's capital to clone Morgukai warriors, who were subsequently trained by the Anzati. As these clones would be deadly warriors and an extremely effective tool for the Confederacy, the Republic hoped to preemptively halt this threat by besieging the capital city. The Republic's forces were commanded by Oppo Rancisis, with Quinlan Vos, who appeared to have defected once again, serving as the Senior Jedi General's second-in-command.[18] During the siege, Bly worked closely with fellow commanders Neyo and Faie.[19] Secura wished to speak with Vos following a large battle that had gained the Republic ground, so she sent Bly to make the request. Vos was displeased with the presence of the man who had recently shot him, and he brushed off Secura's request.[18]
Secura, not to be deterred, met with Vos anyway, though she sent Bly away for some privacy. The following day, the Republic troops made their way into Saleucami's capital, with Bly once again fighting alongside his general. Eventually, Dark Acolyte Tol Skorr entered the skirmish, taunting Vos and leading him away from the battle. Bly was concerned, but Secura assured him that the situation was under control. Following the battle, control of the city remained contested, leaving the Republic forces with little choice but to return to their encampment. That night, Morgukai clones attacked the camp, forcing most of the Jedi committed to the Saleucami campaign to respond. Bly also fought to defend the encampment, but the battle proved to be nothing more than a diversion.[18]
The true target was Rancisis, who was found dead in his chambers, slain by Confederate agent Sora Bulq. Nevertheless, the Republic forces continued on with their attacks, albeit without the advantage of Rancisis's battle meditation. Making a final assault, Secura and Vos made their way into the cloning chambers of the catacombs to sabotage the Confederate operation and confront Bulq. Meanwhile, the rest of the Jedi set out to remove the large planetary ion cannon that was preventing the Republic fleet from moving over the city and bombarding the Confederate installation. Bly and his men were tasked with making sure that no Morgukai warriors made it out of the enemy base alive. When the ion cannon was destroyed, Bly suggested to General A'Sharad Hett that an extraction team be sent after Vos and Secura, but the Jedi refused, urging Bly to continue pursuing his objectives. Hett's persistence paid off, as the Confederate base was demolished, and the enemy forces routed. Bulq and Skorr also perished in the battle, and the Siege of Saleucami was all but won.[18] Despite the fact that some Morgukai warriors had survived,[20] Bly and Secura were given orders to take their forces to the world of Felucia.[18]
Endor[]
- "So, Commander Bly, what will you do when this war is over?"
"Whatever I'm ordered, of course." - ―Aayla Secura and Bly
On the way to Felucia, Bly and Secura were ordered to take a detour in the Endor system to investigate Endor's forest moon. Apparently, a Confederate base had been located on the moon, leading Secura to dispatch a scout squad to investigate. When they did not report back, she and Bly landed on the moon in order to explore the enemy base. The base itself was deserted, although the surrounding grounds were littered with battle droids and clone trooper armor. Secura ordered Bly to fortify the position while she continued the investigation. She returned shortly after, reporting that the troops, Republic and Confederate alike, had been killed by a local creature. Without further ado, Secura, Bly, and their unit set off toward Felucia.[21]
En route aboard the cruiser Intrepid, Bly decided to quell his frustration over the fact that the Saleucami mission was not completed by eschewing sleep for exercise. Secura came to observe, and she informed the commander that she had now been given command of a full unit by Mace Windu. While sparring in a practice fight with Secura, Bly was informed that Barriss Offee, who had been sent to Felucia to track down Separatist Council member Shu Mai some weeks prior, had not been heard from. Along with the new detachment of troops sent to Secura's command, a Jedi Padawan, Ekria, had been placed in the general's custody. The new recruit, a talented slicer, was able to pinpoint where Offee, who had clearly been captured, was being held. Bly was surprised but impressed by Ekria's work.[20]
Immediately afterward, Secura and Ekria received a transmission from Grand Master Yoda, requesting that all Jedi within range of Coruscant return immediately, as the galactic capital was under attack from the Confederacy. Bly deduced that Dooku had lured as many Jedi as he could to the Outer Rim Territories, putting them out of range while he struck at the heart of the Republic. Secura was livid, insisting that Bly turn the Intrepid around and set a course for Coruscant, but the commander reasoned that they were too far away, and that the Felucia mission was still the priority. Ekria concurred and believed that the capture of Shu Mai would still be an advantage to the Republic, while Bly simply hoped not to have another incomplete mission on his record. Secura relented and allowed the Intrepid to resume its course.[20]
Felucia and Order 66[]
- "It got quiet suddenly… Bly, do you think it's droids?"
"No." - ―Aayla Secura and Bly, seconds before the latter shoots Secura
Bly, Secura, and Ekria landed on Felucia and journeyed to the Nigkoe Detention Facility, where Offee and her apprentice, Zonder, were being held. While Ekria sliced into the center's shields, Bly and Secura fought their way through the guard droids and into the complex. Encountering a Gossam security guard, Secura demanded to be taken to the Jedi prisoners. The guard obliged, though it was Secura's cleavage rather than her mastery of the Force that had convinced the Gossam, much to Bly's confusion. Dispatching the guards inside Offee's cell, the trio rendezvoused with their targets, although the intended escape route was blocked by a massive droid army parade. Adapting to the situation, Bly used an ascension gun to carry Secura to the top of the building, with Zonder, Ekria and Offee close behind. The commander then destroyed the center's deflector shield generator, allowing his troops to land and rescue them.[20]
Allowed some respite, Ekria was able to locate a way into Shu Mai's compound, outside the city of Kway Teow. Clearing the perimeter guards, Bly and the Jedi rode BARC speeders toward the compound while being pursued by Vulture droids. The pursuers were in turn destroyed by Republic Aggressive ReConnaissance-170 starfighters, allowing Bly and his comrades to drop the Jedi off in a nearby swamp. From there, Secura and her fellow Jedi were able to enter Shu Mai's compound. To Secura's frustration, the Confederate leader was long gone, but Ekria was able to disable the locks on the main entrance nonetheless. Bly and his troops started to make their way into the building, but were stalled when deadly toxins were let into the air by the Separatists. As soon as Ekria realized that it was a trap, Secura ordered all her troops to evacuate the compound. Moments after Bly and the Jedi had escaped, Shu Mai's base of operations exploded, resulting in a considerable loss of clone troopers.[20]
In addition to the destruction of Shu Mai's compound, the toxins were released into the Felucian water supply, part of a Confederate measure to make sure the world did not fall into the hands of the Republic. Secura acted quickly to stop the spreading of the toxin, splitting her force into three groups that would each attack a water treatment facility. Offee led one squad to Har Gau, Ekria, Zonder, and new addition Drake Lo'gaan attacked Jiaozi, while Secura and Bly advanced on Niango.[20] Adapting to the situation, Bly and his men made use of the native gelagrubs as mounts.[23] En route, Bly received a transmission from Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, ordering him to execute Order 66. Secura and all other Jedi were now considered enemies of the Republic, leaving Bly with little choice but to abandon any friendship he might have had and kill his former commanding officer by shooting her in the back. Bly was one of the few reluctant commanders to follow up Order 66. He doubted he and his fellow soldiers would still be standing if it had not been for Aayla Secura's quick thinking in the constant surprise attacks from the acklay. When Bly fired he made sure the death was quick and painless.[20] His men aided him, continuing to fire on Secura even after her body had hit the ground.[24] Not taking any chances, Bly then had his troops inspect Secura's corpse, confirming her death.[20] The efforts to stop the spreading of the toxin were abandoned,[25] with the ensuing deaths blamed on the Jedi.[6] To Bly's frustration, however, Zonder, Ekria, and Lo'gaan escaped, leaving the commander with yet another incomplete mission on his record.[6]
In the Empire's service[]
- "You have incomplete missions on your record, Commander."
"Yes, sir."
"Would you care to reduce that by one, trooper?" - ―Darth Vader, to Bly
Shortly after the death of Secura, the Republic became the Galactic Empire, following Palpatine's Declaration of a New Order. Bly continued to serve under Palpatine's new regime and was sent to Yutusk to control a protest rally. While on Yutusk, Bly and fellow trooper Galle were contacted by Lord Darth Vader, Palpatine's second-in-command. Vader reminded Bly that he still had incomplete missions on his record, then offered the commander the chance to finally complete one of them. Shipped to Coruscant, Bly met with Director of Imperial Intelligence Armand Isard, as well as Inquisitors Antinnis Tremayne and Lanu Pasiq, who were tracking down the rogue Jedi Padawans Ekria and Lo'gaan. Zonder had been executed by Vader in days prior, leaving Bly free to focus on the two surviving fugitives. Bly recounted the events leading up to the Battle of Felucia, specifically Ekria's talent for slicing into networks. Isard insisted that no one had breached his intelligence network, but Bly pointed out that the director had never worked with Jedi before.[6]
Isard then suggested posting access-markers on specific data nodes, which would alert Intelligence when they were breached by Ekria, allowing Tremayne to track down the location of the Padawans. Sure enough, the fugitives were located in a Coruscant apartment, but as Bly, Tremayne and Pasiq closed in on the location in a Low Altitude Assault Transport, the quarters were torn apart by an explosion. But Tremayne was not fooled, and he detected a speeder leaving the area. The group set off in pursuit of the fugitives, chasing them though the skylanes of Coruscant. Ekria jumped off the speeder mid-pursuit, but Tremayne ordered Bly to stay on Lo'gaan's tail. The Padawan reached platform NL1922, where Vader was preparing to board a shuttle to Tepasi. Lo'gaan was subdued by Vader's Noghri guards, leaving Tremayne and Bly to track down Ekria. The commander, using Isard's access-markers, discovered that Ekria was taking the freighter Casuistic to Tepasi, presumably to save Lo'gaan.[6]
On Tepasi, Vader, with the captive Lo'gaan in tow, confronted Baron Orman Tagge in a large TaggeCo factory. Tagge had been attempting to usurp the Dark Lord's place at Palpatine's side, earning him Vader's ire. As punishment, Vader blinded Tagge with his lightsaber, rousing Ekria from her hiding spot in the Baron's facility. Unbeknownst to the fugitive Jedi, Bly and his troops had been in the upper gantries of the factory, waiting for her to reveal herself. They opened fire on her, apparently killing her in the process. Lo'gaan, driven into a rage, used the Force to throw Bly and his troops against a wall, knocking them out of commission. When Bly regained consciousness, he was met with the sight of Lo'gaan and Vader dueling. Waiting for an opening, the commander shot Lo'gaan in the shoulder, putting him at Vader's mercy. The Dark Lord took the opportunity, stabbing Lo'gaan and letting him plunge to his apparent death in the factory. Vader then congratulated Bly on finally completing his mission. Though none of the Imperials knew it, Lo'gaan and Ekria had in fact survived the encounter.[6]
Personality and traits[]
- "The General's good. Knows her stuff and doesn't waste time. Got to respect that."
- ―Bly, on Aayla Secura
A dependable clone trooper,[26] Bly was bred to be fiercely loyal to the Republic and his superior officers. As a clone commander, he was allowed much more initiative and independence than his fellow clone troopers. Despite this, he always valued the mission as the most important thing in any situation, even over the wellbeing of his comrades. Bly felt it was better that he didn't have to concern himself with the politics or minutiae of his missions and was happy just to execute his orders.[1]
His unswerving dedication to the Republic and his objectives would lead him to deeply mistrust Quinlan Vos, even though Secura had assured him otherwise. Bly attributed his mistrust of Vos to his instincts, which he had received from his clone template, Jango Fett. Despite his feelings toward Vos, he respected the Jedi's abilities in combat. He also advocated Vos' killing of Noghri in cold blood, considering that the enemy would not hesitate to do the same to Bly or his allies. Nevertheless, his instincts told him to open fire on Vos when the situation on Honoghr intensified, despite Secura's orders.[1]
Bly respected Secura's talents, namely her ability to successfully complete missions in a prompt fashion. He acknowledged that the Jedi were more suitable to command than the clones due to their natural ability with the Force, which heightened their coordination.[1] He appreciated her sentiment that personal feelings were not as important as battlefield objectives, and he wished other Jedi would exhibit her restraint in such matters.[27] His loyalty to Secura did not stop him from feeling alarmed at the recklessness of other Jedi generals.[28] Bly and Secura's relationship became more personal during the war,[17] making their method of operation less and less formal in the waning months of the conflict. However, even friendship could not override Bly's ingrained loyalty to the Republic, as he unquestioningly gunned down Secura in 19 BBY.[20]
The commander, in the late stages of the war, would be reassigned several times before being able to complete his mission. Following the Siege of Saleucami, Bly's frustration over being reassigned prompted him to train and exercise aboard the Intrepid, even taking time to spar with Secura in a practice fight.[20] Darth Vader would capitalize on Bly's desire to complete his missions, enlisting him to track down Ekria and Drake Lo'gaan following the rise of the New Order.[6]
Equipment[]
At first, Bly utilized the standard Phase I clone trooper armor, sporting several customizations, including a kama command skirt which significed his rank,[27][29] an ARC pauldron, and polarized macrobinoculars.[29] He wielded a pair of krayt dragon pearl-handled DC-17 hand blasters,[5] with which he was an expert shot,[27] in addition to the standard DC-15A blaster rifle and the DC-15S.[1] Occasionally, he would utilize a jetpack,[7] an item he would use with a degree of expertise.[27] At the Battle of New Holstice, he wore his Phase I armor without the customizations,[4] but afterward would make the upgrade to Phase II armor.[1] He held extensive knowledge of armed and unarmed combat skills, leadership skills, and military tactics.[27]
Behind the scenes[]
Commander Bly made his first appearance in John Ostrander's Republic 65, where he was shown briefly conversing with Aayla Secura. He would later feature as the main character in Ostrander's Republic 68, which is told from Bly's perspective. Originally on the cover of Armor, Bly featured no yellow markings, which were added for the final version.[30]
Bly would once again play a supporting role in Ostrander's Star Wars: Republic: Siege of Saleucami, before appearing in Paul Ens' webstrip, Reversal of Fortune. Eventually, in 2005, Bly appeared in George Lucas' Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith. Originally, Bly was going to feature red markings in the film, but was changed to yellow to better fit the imagery of Felucia. The "red Bly"[2] would later become Commander Deviss.[5] Following Revenge of the Sith, Bly made appearances in the Clone Wars Adventures story What Goes Up... and the Reversal of Fortune sequel, Evasive Action: End Game. In Guide to the Grand Army of the Republic, Bly's number was incorrectly given as "CT-80/88-2199," which conflicts with most other sources. Bly also made appearance in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series episodes "Jedi Crash" and "Defenders of Peace," where he was voiced by Dee Bradley Baker. Bly was given roles in The Clone Wars webcomics Headgames, Hunting the Hunters, Part I, and was recommissioned for the video game Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes as a playable character, where he was again voiced by Baker. In the March 2011 video game LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars, Bly was featured in several comical adaptations of "Jedi Crash" and "Defenders of Peace." In the LEGO adaption (the game), Bly incorrectly had a rangefinder instead of his macrobinoculars. This is because at the time of development, LEGO hadn’t made this macrobinocular piece yet. It was finally released in the 501st Specialist Battlepack in 2022.
In March 2013, the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series depicted Barriss Offee as a traitor to the Jedi Order, in the timeline preceding the events of Reversal of Fortune. The change to Offee's character brought into question whether she was still involved in the operation on Felucia, in which Bly took part. Holocron continuity database manager Leland Chee has stated that Lucasfilm Ltd. has not yet made a decision about how the Reversal of Fortune material would be retconned, though he personally could not see Offee returning to the Jedi Order in time for the events of the comic.[31] Until official confirmation is provided, this article preserves all material from Reversal of Fortune as canon.
At one point, the Decoded version of "Jedi Crash" mistakenly addresses Bly as Rex.
Appearances[]
- Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures (In-game location: Workshop)
- The Clone Wars: Headgames
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Jedi Crash"
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Defenders of Peace"
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes
- The Clone Wars: Hunting the Hunters (Part I)
- Republic Commando: True Colors (Mentioned only)
- Republic 65 (First appearance)
- Republic 68
- "What Goes Up..." — Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures Volume 5
- Republic 74
- Republic 75
- Republic 77
- Star Wars: Battle for the Republic
- Reversal of Fortune
- Star Wars: Battlefront II (cutscene)
- Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
- † Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith
- Evasive Action: End Game
Non-canon appearances[]
Sources[]
Notes and references[]
External links[]
- Execute Order 66 on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- The 2007 Databank 100 on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- "Mistaken Identities" — Keeper of the Holocron — Leland Chee's StarWars.com Blog (content now obsolete; backup link)