Russo-ISC

Russo-ISC
Production information
Homeworld	Coruscant
Manufacturer	Cybot Galactica
Model	SP-4 ISC
Class	Analysis droid Forensics droid
Technical specifications
Height	1.8 meters (5 ft, 11 in)
Gender	Masculine programming
Pronouns	He/him
Sensor color	Black
Plating color	Blue and silver
Equipment	Datapad Optics and scanning visor
Chronological and political information
Affiliation	Jedi Order

"I am Russo-ISC, crime scene analyzer for the Jedi. I will be working with you and your Padawan on this case. I was assigned by Master Windu."

―Russo-ISC, to Anakin Skywalker

Russo-ISC was a SP-4 ISC crime scene analysis droid who served the Jedi Order, working at the Jedi Temple during the Clone Wars, a conflict between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems. In 21 BBY, Russo served as a crime scene analyzer, working alongside Police Inspector Tanivos Divo, as they investigated the murder of the Trandoshan assassin Nack Movers, who had been murdered his girlfriend Ione Marcy and his bodyguard Cassilyda Cryar.

Russo's service with the Jedi continued towards the end the Clone War and in 19 BBY, he was assigned by Jedi Master Mace Windu to assist the Jedi in investigating the bombing of the Jedi Temple hangar. In the Temple's hangar, he met Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan Ahsoka Tano, who were also assigned the mission. Despite rumors that a Jedi was involved in the plot, Skywalker convinced Russo to bring Tano with him to interview the witnesses. They interviewed the witnesses in the Jedi Temple medical bay, where they learned it was Jackar Bowmani who had bombed the Temple. When Russo checked the Temple's security footage, he discovered Bowmani was fed nano-droids, which went into the Abyssin's bloodstream, transformed Bowmani into a bomb, and left only his hand intact. After Skywalker and Tano arrested Bowmani's wife Letta Turmond for feeding her husband the nano-droids, Russo went through the security footage again. He confirmed that Bowmani had acted alone, meaning according to his research, no Jedi aided the saboteur.

Biography

Coruscant work

Russo-ISC was a SP-4 ISC crime scene analysis droid with masculine programming, who was constructed on the galactic capital of Coruscant and served the Jedi Order and the Coruscant Security Force during the Clone Wars. As the modern Jedi Order's role as guardians and peacekeepers extended to crime-prevention and detective work, Russo worked in tandem with Jedi investigators and local law enforcement, keeping both updated on the evidence he gathered.

As the pall of dark side of the Force clouded the investigators' ability to use their intuition and connection to the Force, Russo and other analysis droids became more prevalent, and were called upon to assist with crime scene analysis. This continued into the Clone Wars as the Jedi's services became overshadowed by their new duty as military commanders; a role in which the Jedi never felt comfortable.

Russo and his team of analysis droids worked alongside the Jedi investigators to solve mysteries and assist in crime scene analysis as the Jedi increasingly relied on the technological resources available in the Jedi Temple. These resources included using the Temple's cutting-edge analysis equipment and facilities to help his team and Jedi Knights in their investigation. Russo and other Jedi detectives also had access to the vast trove of research material available in the Jedi Archives, which was tended to by librarian Jocasta Nu.

Russo wrote a crime scene report on Nack Movers' murder, which was later filed by Exanter Divo.

In 21 BBY, the second year of the Clone War, the notorious Trandoshan assassin Nack Movers was slain by his girlfriend Salenga Ione Marcy and Terrelian Jango Jumper Cassilyda Cryar; his bodyguard and assistant. Police Inspector Tanivos Divo had been monitoring all three of them for some time and knew Movers had evaded the law due to his connections. The three criminals had lived together in a skyrise apartment on the upper east side of the Jrade District. Unbeknownst to Movers, Marcy and Cryar had become very close with each other, and he failed to detect they were plotting against him.

Jedi Master Tera Sinube and Padawan Ahsoka Tano were the first to discover Movers' dead body as they searched Nack Movers's residence for Tano's stolen lightsaber. Both women fled from their home, but the Jedi pursued the criminals across the cityscape and captured them, before they were handed over to police droids at a train station. After Cryar and Marcy's arrest, Russo joined the investigation, creating a crime scene examination report as he worked alongside Divo.

While analyzing the crime scene, Russo reported Movers's height and weight and the substances discovered in his bloodstream. Movers was trained as a Malkite poisoner and Russo detected the Trandoshan assassin had been contaminated with the same Sennari drink that he used to poison his victims, with 11.3 of the Sennari extract appearing in his bloodstream. The rest of Russo's blood sample analysis revealed the other substances in the Trandoshan's bloodstream were non-contaminants. Russo and Divo's examinations of knocked-over furniture and claw marks on a painting of Movers, Marcy, and Cryar confirmed that Movers's death had been near-instant after a series of convulsions from the poison, which was toxic to Trandoshans. All of Russo's analysis results were subsequently noted in the file Divo compiled on the case.

Meeting Skywalker and Tano

"Only analysis and investigation will prove what is true or not."

―Russo-ISC to Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano

Russo-ISC assisted Skywalker and Tano in analyzing the crime scene and collecting eyewitness accounts.

As the war continued to progress, the public's opinion about the Jedi Order and their generals became less popular. In 19 BBY, during the final year of the Clone War, the public's fear, anger and doubt led to the unthinkable: an attack on the Temple, resulting in one of the Temple's hangars being bombed. The bombing cost twenty-six people's lives, while dozens more were wounded. This shocking terrorist strike at the heart of the Jedi Temple crystallized how unpopular the war had become on Coruscant and proved how fragile the image of the Jedi as benevolent protectors had become.

As rumors spread that a Jedi might have betrayed the Jedi and planned the attack, Jedi Master Mace Windu assigned Russo to uncover the perpetrator. The Jedi Council also assigned Anakin Skywalker and his apprentice Ahsoka Tano—the same Padawan from the Movers case—to the mission. As Skywalker and Tano entered the smoldering wreckage of the extensively damaged hangar, they discussed the possibility of a Jedi being responsible for the bombing. Tano doubted that a Jedi could bomb a place so sacred to the Jedi Order, killing their own colleagues and dedicated servants in the process. However, Skywalker remained more open minded, as he reminded her that there were Jedi that did not agree with their approach, such as Dooku and Pong Krell, and went rogue. Therefore everyone, even Jedi were potential suspects for the perpetrator. All Skywalker and Tano knew was the same as Russo, the seeds of doubt made the truth of the matter murky and unclear.

In the hangar, they met Russo and a few other analysis droids who had already begun investigating the debris. Russo told them that only analysis and investigation would prove what was true and what was not. Skywalker requested that Russo and Tano began the interviews of the witnesses together. Russo countered, requesting to interview the witnesses and survivors by himself as many of the wounded heard rumors a rogue Jedi was responsible for the bombing, which unsettled everyone, and the witnesses would therefore be ill will towards Tano. However, Skywalker disagreed, requesting Russo bring Tano with him as the bombing killed many Jedi, as well as clone troopers and Temple maintenance workers.

Interviewing witnesses

"I believe it was Jackar Bowmani."
"Jackar Bowmani. Who is Jackar?"
"One of the maintenance crew in the hangar."
"Why do you think it was him?"
"I passed him as I was going on my shift change. He... he had been working all morning in the section the blast came from."

―The Pantoran witness reveals to Tano and Russo his presumed suspect

Russo, with Tano, questioned a Pantoran witness to the crime.

While they were in the medical bay, Tano told Russo the witnesses' distrust was troubling, as many of them had worked in the Temple for years. Russo told her fear made even the most trusting individual irrational. One injured witness said he believed Jackar Bowmani was responsible for the hangar bombing. Tano asked the Pantoran to inform her and Russo on Bowmani's identity while Russo looked up Bowmani on his datapad. The Pantoran witness told them Bowmani was one of the maintenance crew in the hangar. The witness passed Bowmani as he was starting his shift. Bowmani had been working all morning in the section the blast came from and that was the last place the Pantoran saw him. Russo then showed the Pantoran an image of an Abyssin male on his datapad and the Pantoran confirmed the image was of Bowmani. Russo then asked the Pantoran witness if he had seen Bowmani since the explosion. The Pantoran replied he had not, as he did not see much of anything after the explosion. Tano thanked him, before she and Russo headed back towards the medical bay doors.

On their way out of the medical bay, Tano told Russo their next mission was to find Bowmani. At the doors, they were greeted by Skywalker who informed them the rumor about the perpetrator being a Jedi was growing. Skywalker told them he sensed increased anger and confusion throughout the Temple. In response, Tano told Skywalker she and Russo had a lead, and they were looking for Bowmani, as she showed Skywalker the holographic information of Bowmani on an imagecaster. Russo informed Skywalker one of the witnesses saw Bowmani in the vicinity before the bomb exploded and Bowmani had been unaccounted for since the explosion. Skywalker responded that no one just disappears. Russo stated that the bombing must have therefore been well planned out. Skywalker told Russo and Tano it had to be well planned out to get past Jedi. Skywalker left the medical bay to talk with Chief of Security Cin Drallig, while Tano and Russo continued their investigation.

An unexpected discovery

"These pieces come from the blast origin. They are covered with microscopic droids of a highly volatile nature."
"Nano-droids."

―Russo-ISC and Anakin Skywalker

Russo shows Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano his discovery of the nano-droids.

Russo created a composite of the crime scene by assembling data from security sensors, as well as efficiency and safety monitors that covered the hangar facility. He holographically projected these streams of data over the bombing site, enabling an in-context analysis of the explosion to be conducted. Russo and his team were then able to walk through varying points of the bomb site, and throttle backward and forward in the timeline, to piece together the chain of events.

After the holographic projection was assembled, Russo and Tano scanned the reconstruction of the explosion, studying the remains of the gunships and other debris. Tano used the trajectory of the debris to conclude the precise origin-point of the blast. Russo questioned why there was no bomb residue. When Skywalker arrived, Tano informed him that she and Russo were under the assumption that whoever blew up the hangar triggered a ship to explode. Russo used the shrapnel to see if that could help identify the perpetrator. Tano speculated that based off what the Pantoran witness told them, Bowmani may have planned to bomb the hangar and kept quiet.

Russo informed Tano and Skywalker he discovered an anomaly that should not have been there. He moved the holographic display around to reveal pieces of debris from the blast origin. They contained nano-droids, which where 1.5 nanometer-long microscopic droids of a highly volatile nature. These droids were usually undetectable, except by dedicated sensors. They were illegally reprogrammed, allowing them to reconstitute carbon-based matter into dangerously unstable configurations, which in turn enabled them to create violent explosions, such as the Temple bombing. After Russo's revelation, Skywalker instructed him to go through security footage and check if Bowmani went to any other part of the Temple.

The truth behind Bowmani

"At this pace, I am able to view hundreds of hours of footage."

―Russo-ISC

Russo analyzed hundreds of hours of Jedi Temple hangar security footage at a fast pace, surprising Skywalker and Tano.

In the Jedi Temple central security station, an analysis droid gave Skywalker a datapad with the file on Bowmani. Skywalker read it, revealing to Tano that Bowmani was the foreman of all the gunships, bombs and weapons and specialized in nano-weaponry. Skywalker and Tano then walked over to the security monitors Russo was scanning at a high speed. Skywalker questioned Russo if the monitors were going too fast for him to comprehend. Russo responded it was simple data and at that pace, he could view hundreds of hours of footage. The pace Russo could view the holographic security footage was far faster than any Jedi could view them.

Skywalker asked Russo if he found Bowmani, to which the droid lifted up his optics and scanning visor, and replied he had not. In response, Skywalker informed Russo he was going to gather some Jedi to search the Temple, telling Russo and Tano if Bowmani was still there, he could be planning another attack. Russo gestured to the other analysis droids and replied that instead of Jedi he had droids who could complete the task much faster. As Tano and Skywalker left the room, Russo turned to the other droids, giving them their next assignment.

After Russo did further investigation, he reported to Skywalker that he and his fellow analysis droids had found Bowmani. Skywalker and Tano had just finished their latest report to the Jedi High Council and Skywalker ordered Russo to lock down all exits so Bowmani could not escape. When Skywalker and Tano arrived in the hangar, they scanned the room, confused on why they could not find Bowmani. Skywalker asked Russo where Bowmani was and Russo replied part of him was in the hangar. Skywalker told him it was a bad time for jokes, before Russo revealed to them that only Bowmani's hand remained. The rest of Bowmani exploded as he was the bomb. The nano-droids triggered the carbon bomb to explode, resulting in Bowmani's death, along with eleven other maintenance workers, as well as eight clones and six Jedi, while dozens of others were wounded.

Russo gave Tano a handheld sensor which revealed Bowmani's hand was covered in nano-droids. Tano asked how the droids got in Bowmani's bloodstream. Skywalker told Russo and Tano they needed to search Jackar's home for evidence. Tano and Skywalker searched Bowmani's home, where Tano discovered nano-droid traces in the disposal, confirming that the Abyssin had consumed them in his food. Bowmani's wife Letta Turmond soon arrived, and Skywalker informed Turmond they were taking her in for further questioning, but she fled down an alley. The Jedi quickly apprehended her and Skywalker pressured her to confess she fed Bowmani the nano-droids.

Aftermath

"I am pleased to report there were no other nano-droids found in the sweep of the Temple. I am also pleased to report based on security footage, Jackar Bowmani acted alone, meaning no Jedi were involved."

―Russo-ISC reported his final conclusions to Tano, Skywalker, Windu and Yoda

Russo reported his final conclusions to the Jedi.

Shortly after Turmond's arrest, Skywalker and Tano reported to Windu and Yoda that Turmond was being held in cell in the Temple to await further questioning. Russo contacted Tano on an imagecaster and reported that no other nano-droids were found in his search of Temple. He also was relieved that based off the security footage, Bowmani acted alone, meaning based off his analysis, no Jedi was involved. Tano thanked Russo for his assistance in the investigation.

After the transmission ended, Windu informed Skywalker and Tano that all though there was no indication of Jedi involvement in the bombing, he was deeply concerned that the incident served to fuel anti-Jedi sentiment amongst Republic citizens. Turmond was later transferred to military custody and was detained at the Imperial Inspectorate HQ where she revealed to Tano that a Jedi had convinced her to feed the nano-droids to Bowmani. However, Turmond was strangled to death before she could reveal to Tano the name of the culprit. Ultimately, Skywalker proved that Tano's close friend Barriss Offee was the Jedi who had masterminded the bombing of the Temple hangar, murdered Turmond and subsequently framed Tano for her crimes.

Legacy

Tan Divo's grandson, New Republic police commissioner Exantor Divo of Hosnian Prime, later catalogued both the Movers and the Jedi Temple bombing cases in Scum and Villainy: Case Files on the Galaxy's Most Notorious, a series of security files he published in 34 ABY. Russo's work in both cases was reflected in Scum and Villainy.

Personality and traits

Russo-ISC full detail

Russo-ISC was a SP-4 ISC crime scene analysis droid with masculine programming. He stood at 1.8 meters (5 feet, 11 inches) and had black sensors. His full body, blue and silver metal plating was seen on ISC droids and was normally absent from other analysis droids, as Russo and his ISC counterparts did not need the same level of irradiation cleaning.

Russo was a no-nonsense analysis droid, designed to analyze crime scenes and interview witnesses. He also was team leader, taking command over the other analysis droids who were plugged into the sensor and security networks of the Jedi Temple. Russo's detectable sense of pride, keen perception and a strong independent streak enabled him to take on some of the hardest cases the Jedi faced.

Like many ISC droids, Russo had the beginnings of a quirky personality. His speech pattern was particularly unique, which was punctuated by him habitually flipping his optics and scanning visor up and down while stating over-dramatic revelatory statements. He also frequently made brusque statements, which took Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan Ahsoka Tano some time to get accustomed to hearing.

Skills and abilities

Russo was effective at crime scene analysis, and was a reliable assistant to Jedi investigators as they solved mysteries at crime scenes. He was also a good interrogator, he was capable of interviewing the Temple bombing witnesses by himself. Russo worked with Ahsoka Tano as they interrogated witnesses in the Temple's medical bay. Russo's tracking and pattern recognition enabled him to scan time lapsed security footage at a quick pace, leading him to conclude Jackar Bowmani acted solo in the Jedi Temple hangar bombing. Russo led other analysis droids including regular SP-4 droids while they worked with the Jedi to solve crimes. He also analyzed data from the crime scenes to construct a full timeline of events. During this process, he interviewed witnesses and suspects, comparing the data from his conversations with the crime scenes' reconstruction, as well as checking local surveillance, confirming or discarding alibis.

Equipment

Like all SP-4 ISC units, Russo had an optics and scanning visor, which gave him the same magnification and scanning abilities as a JN-66 analysis droid. He also carried a datapad to help him filter and prioritize the wealth of information coming back to him for analysis, which was also standard amongst ISC units.

Behind the scenes

Character illustration of Russo-ISC by David Le Merrer

Russo-ISC was first introduced in "Sabotage," the seventeenth episode of the fifth season of the animated television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which premiered on February 9, 2013. He was voiced by Dee Bradley Baker, who also voiced the clone troopers in the episode. The episode was written by Charles Murray and directed by Brian Kalin O'Connell. Russo's speech pattern, name and habit of flipping his visor to punctuate his speech are all nods to David Caruso's character Horatio Caine from the crime drama series CSI Miami.

Appearances

• Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Sabotage" (First appearance)

Sources

• "Sabotage" - The Clone Wars Episode Guide on StarWars.com (original link is obsolete)
• Russo-ISC in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct)
• Letta Turmond in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct)
• "Sabotage" Episode Guide | The Clone Wars on StarWars.com (backup link)
• Star Wars Helmet Collection: Boba Fett Databank A-Z: Alzoc III–Antilles
• Star Wars: Build Your Own R2-D2 47 Droid Directory: Jedi Droids – Data Analysis Units
• Star Wars: Scum and Villainy: Case Files on the Galaxy's Most Notorious
• The Clone Wars Rewatch: It's a "Sabotage"! on StarWars.com (backup link)
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Character Encyclopedia - Join the Battle!
• Coruscant in the Databank (backup link) (Picture only)
• Russo-ISC in the Databank (backup link)

Notes and references

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