Russo-ISC

"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^[4]

Russo-ISC was a crime scene analysis droid that worked on behalf of the Jedi Order. In 20 BBY, he was assigned by Mace Windu to investigate the bombing of the Jedi Temple. 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 Halls of Healing and learned it was Jackar Bowmani who had bombed the Temple. Russo then checked security footage, and their investigation led to him discovering that Bowmani was fed nano-droids which went into his blood system, transforming Bowmani into a bomb, which 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 and confirmed that Bowmani had acted alone, meaning no Jedi aided him.

History[]

Russo-ISC was a crime scene analysis droid employed by the Jedi Order^[1] who served the Coruscant Security Force.^[4] He was stationed at the Coruscant Jedi Temple to aid the forces of Jedi investigators. The modern Jedi Order's role as guardians and peacekeepers extended to crime-prevention and detective work. As the pall of the dark side of the Force clouded the ability of investigators to rely on the Force, analysis droids such as Russo-ISC were called upon to assist with the crime scene analysis. The Jedi's services also became overshadowed by their new duty as military commanders in the Clone Wars; a role in which the Jedi never felt comfortable.^[1]

As a result, Russo and other analysis droids worked alongside the investigators to solve mysteries and assist in crime scene analysis as the Jedi increasingly relied on the technological resources available in the Temple. This included using the Temple's cutting edge analysis equipment and facilities to help his team and Jedi Knights in their investigation.^[1]

Meeting Skywalker and Tano[]

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

―Russo-ISC to Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano^[4]

In 20 BBY,^[5] an explosion destroyed many gunships and killed many Jedi, clones, and civilians alike in one of the Temple's hangars. As a result of this, Jedi Master Mace Windu tasked Russo with analyzing the damage and to question any witnesses. In the Temple hangar bay, he consulted with Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and his apprentice Ahsoka Tano on the results of his investigation.^[4] Tano and Skywalker tried to use the Force to detect strong emotions and impressions. However, the emotional shock of the bombing was so intense that it blotted everything else out.^[6] Therefore, like other Jedi Investigators, Tano and Skywalker relied on Russo and his team's help to investigate the bombing.^[4]

Despite the rising fear and paranoia, especially with the Jedi, Russo, Skywalker and Tano began looking for clues to the culprit's identity.^[6] Skywalker requested that Russo and Tano began the interviews of the witnesses together. Russo countered, requesting to interview the witnesses^[4] and survivors^[1] by himself as many of the wounded heard rumors a Jedi was responsible for the bombing and would therefore be ill will towards Tano^[4] since they believed a rogue Jedi may have been responsible for the bombing.^[1] Skywalker disagreed and requested Russo bring Tano with him as the bombing killed many Jedi, as well as clone troopers and Temple maintenance workers.^[4]

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.^[4]

AhsokaRussoPantoran-Sabotage — Russo, with Tano, questioned a Pantoran witness to the crime.

While they were in the Halls of Healing, 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 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 no, as he hadn't seen much of anything after the explosion. Tano thanked him, before she and Russo headed back towards the doors to the medical bay doors.^[4]

On their way out of the Hall of Healing, 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.^[4]

Jedi guards at rally — Skywalker speaks to Drallig, who was guarding the Jedi Temple during a rally.

As Skywalker approached Drallig on the Temple's steps, he witnessed a crowd of angry protestors, rallying against the Jedi for their violence during the war.^[6] Skywalker showed Drallig the hologram of Bowmani on the imagecaster, telling the Chief of Security to be on alert. Letta Turmond identified Bowmani in the hologram and informed the Jedi she was Bowmani's wife and claimed she had been trying to reach him since she heard of the explosion. Skywalker took Turmond in for questioning and asked if she thought that her husband could bomb the Temple. Turmond angrily revealed that Bowmani passed all the difficult entry tests required to work at the Temple. She insisted that Bowmani would never bomb the Temple and demanded Skywalker found him, before Skywalker released her.^[4]

Bowmani's identity confirmed[]

"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^[4]

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

Through painstaking work, Russo and his analysis droids reconstructed the trajectory and original position of each piece of bomb debris.^[6] Russo and Tano then scanned the holographic 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. After Skywalker arrived, Tano informed him that she and Russo were under the assumption that whoever else 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 said, Bowmani may have planned to bomb the hangar and kept quiet. Russo then informed Tano and Skywalker he discovered an anomaly that should not have been there. He moved the holographic display around to reveal pieces debris from the blast origin. They contained nano-droids, which where microscopic droids of a highly volatile nature. Skywalker instructed Russo to go through security footage and check if Bowmani went to other parts of the Temple.^[4]

JediTempleCentralSecurityStation-Sabotage — 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. Skywalker asked Russo if he found Bowmani, to which the droid lifted up his 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.^[4]

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. 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 Bowmani's home for evidence.^[4]

As Skywalker and Tano searched Bowmani's home, Tano used handheld sensors to discover nano-droid traces in the disposal, confirming that Bowmani consumed them in his food. A confused Turmond soon arrived and Tano scanned her body, confirming she did not have any nano-droids on her. Skywalker told Turmond they were taking her in for further questioning, however, Turmond attempted to flee from them immediately after leaving the building. The Jedi quickly tracked Turmond down, blocking her escape. Turmond's mouth slipped, with her declaring Bowmani was dead, despite Skywalker and Tano only telling her that he made the bomb. Skywalker asked Turmond if she fed the nano-droids to Bowmani. Turmond confessed that she fed Bowmani the nano-droids, before being taken into custody.^[4]

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.^[4]

TheRussoReport-Sabotage — Russo reported his final conclusions to the Jedi.

Back in the Temple, 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. He was pleased to report to the Jedi 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 no Jedi was involved. Tano thanked Russo for his assistance in the investigation. After the transmission ended, Windu told Skywalker and Tano he believed they could guess Turmond's motives. Public opinion was swaying against the Jedi more and more the longer the war progressed, with Turmond being one of the many people who had lost faith in the Jedi.^[4] Turmond was later transferred to military custody and was detained at the Republic military base 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.^[7] Ultimately, Skywalker proved that Tano's close friend Barriss Offee was the Jedi who had masterminded the bombing of the Temple hangar.^[8] Offee had directed Turmond to feed the nano-droids to Bowmani,^[7] and she subsequently framed Tano for the bombing and the murder of Turmond.^[8]

Personality and traits[]

Russo-ISC was a crime scene analysis droid with masculine programming, black sensors, as well as blue and silver metal plating. He was a non-nonsense analysis droid.^[3] Russo was also a 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.^[1]

Skills and abilities[]

Russo was effective at crime scene analysis. He was also a good interrogator, and he wanted to interview the Temple bombing witnesses by himself. Russo worked with Ahsoka Tano as they interrogated witnesses in the Halls of Healing. Russo was able to scan time lapsed security footage at a quick pace, leading him to conclude Jackar Bowmani acted solo in the Jedi Temple hangar bombing.^[4]

Equipment[]

Russo wore a visor,^[3] which he could flip up and down. He also used a datapad which helped him discover nano-droids in the bomb's debris.^[4]

Behind the scenes[]

Russo-ISC illustration — Character illustration of Russo-ISC

Russo-ISC was first introduced in "Sabotage (episode),"^[4] 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.^[4] The episode was written by Charles Murray and directed by Brian Kalin O'Connell.^[6] Russo's characterizations and name alluded to David Caruso's character Horatio Caine from CSI: Miami.^[9]