Did Echo Ever Find Out What Happened to Fives?

I’ve been rewatching Star Wars: The Bad Batch, and honestly, I think the series is pretty good. What I really enjoy about it is how it brings back familiar faces from The Clone Wars, like Ventress, Cad Bane, and the one that always surprises me—Captain Rex and his role in the show.

But something that really stands out is the connection between Rex and Echo, both of whom served under the 501st Legion. If you remember, Echo was especially close to Fives, and one of the most heartbreaking moments in The Clone Wars was when Fives sacrificed his life in Rex’s arms while trying to warn him about the inhibitor chips inside every clone.

I can’t help but wonder—does Echo ever talk about Fives in The Bad Batch? Did Echo even know what really happened to Fives? Considering how close they were, it feels like something that should have been addressed.

Fives and Echo – Two Clone Troopers With the Darkest Fates of All

Before everything fell apart, Fives and Echo were inseparable. We first saw them as rookies in Domino Squad, struggling through training but proving their worth during the defense of the Rishi Moon outpost. Their bravery caught Captain Rex’s attention, and he personally recommended them to the 501st Legion. From that moment on, they fought side by side, their bond only growing stronger as they became two of the most dedicated troopers in the Republic Army.

However, their fates took a tragic turn, leading them down separate paths neither could have imagined.

Fives Uncovered the Truth but Died Before He Could Save His Brothers

Fives came closer than any other clone to uncovering the inhibitor chip conspiracy, a secret that could have changed the course of the Clone Wars. After Tup’s chip activated early, causing him to assassinate a Jedi, Fives investigated the cause and discovered the existence of the chips inside all clones. Realizing that the chips were a tool for controlling the clone army, he tried to warn the Republic and his fellow troopers.

However, Palpatine manipulated the situation, framing Fives as a traitor. Despite his desperate attempts to explain the truth, no one believed him. In the end, he was cornered and shot down, dying in Rex’s arms. His final words were a warning about the bigger plan, but by then, it was too late. His death ensured that Order 66 would proceed as intended, making his fate one of the most tragic among the clones.

Echo Lost His Free Will and Became a Tool for the Enemy

Echo’s fate was equally grim but in a different way. Presumed dead after an explosion at the Citadel, he was actually captured by the Techno Union and subjected to horrific experiments. The Separatists turned him into a human-computer hybrid, using his mind to predict Republic battle strategies. He was stripped of his autonomy, unknowingly helping the enemy for years.

When Rex and the Bad Batch discovered Echo was still alive, they rescued him from Skako Minor. But even after being freed, Echo was never the same. His body was heavily modified, and he no longer felt like he belonged in the 501st Legion. Instead, he joined the Bad Batch, a squad of clones who, like him, no longer fit into the standard ranks. Though he survived, he lost the life he once had, making his fate just as tragic as Fives’ in its own way.

Echo Probably Learned About Fives, But We Never Saw It

In Star Wars: The Bad Batch, we know how deep the bond between Echo and Fives was, but the series never actually shows Echo asking about Fives’ fate. That leaves us wondering—did he ever get the full story from Rex, or was it something left unspoken?

We do get a moment where Rex brings up Fives when he leads the Bad Batch to remove their inhibitor chips. While heading to the medical chamber inside a Jedi Cruiser, Rex admits, “Fives tried to warn me about the chips, but I didn’t understand at the time.” 

But after that, we don’t see any scene where he explains to Echo exactly what happened—despite the fact that Fives died in his arms.

That makes me believe the conversation must have happened off-screen. And we’re not the only ones thinking that—The Bad Batch head writer Jennifer Corbett even confirmed in an interview with Collider that she wished the series had shown a moment where Rex and Echo talked about Fives. She explained that while we don’t see it on screen, it doesn’t mean it never happened.

“For Fives, I imagine that Rex and Echo had that conversation after he was rescued off of Skako Minor, and I know in Season 1 we did have Rex reference Fives on Bracca. So, in my headcanon, they’ve had many conversations about Fives.”

Even though the show never gives us that closure, Corbett’s words suggest that Fives’ legacy wasn’t forgotten. Rex and Echo must have talked about it at some point—it just wasn’t something we got to see.