There’s this one Clone Wars story I keep thinking about because it’s so different from the usual. It’s about a B1 battle droid – yeah, the “Roger Roger” kind – but this one didn’t follow the script. His name was B1-0516, but Obi-Wan called him Bats. And the wild part? This actually happened in Star Wars Adventures (2017) #19. It’s canon.
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A Glitch Flipped The Switch
During a Republic–Separatist battle on the planet Horain, B1-0516 was just another droid doing what he was built to do. That changed when a stray blaster bolt, deflected by Obi-Wan, hit his processor. The shot didn’t destroy him, but it scrambled something in his head.
That’s when B1-0516 started thinking for himself. He looked at the battlefield, saw all the droids attacking just two people – Obi-Wan and Captain Rex – and went, “Wait a minute, that doesn’t seem fair.” Right after that, he offered to help them. I mean, he literally said, “You bet! Battle droid B1-0516 at your service.” That’s when Captain Rex gave him the nickname “Bats.”
Bats didn’t just talk – he backed it up. He joined Kenobi and Rex in the middle of the fight and even tricked a Separatist commander by pretending they were his prisoners. The commander told him to bring them to Count Dooku, thinking Bats was still loyal. But instead, Bats pulled out two blasters and started firing on his fellow droids.
He gave it everything he had, but there were too many of them. He was eventually captured and taken to a Separatist garrison.
They Tried To Reset Him, But He Fought Back
At the garrison, the tactical droid in charge wanted to wipe Bats’ memory and reprogram him. Bats wasn’t having it. He grabbed a severed droid arm and used it as a weapon to fight back. Even with orders shouted at him to stand down, he refused.
That’s when Obi-Wan came crashing in with a stolen AAT. While the Separatists were distracted, Bats jumped in and smashed the tactical droid with that same arm. Together, they escaped and made it back to the Republic lines.
When they got back, Kenobi introduced Bats to Anakin Skywalker. He told Anakin that having a battle droid who could blend in might come in handy. And Bats? He looked at Anakin and asked for a lightsaber. That part sticks with me – it just shows how far he’d come from being another faceless droid in the Separatist army.
His Story Is 100% Canon
All of this comes from Star Wars Adventures (2017) #19, and it’s part of official canon. What makes it hit different is that Bats didn’t change because of a Jedi trick or some outside programming. One glitch gave him just enough awareness to see what was happening – and he chose to fight for the other side.
Out of all the battle droids in the Clone Wars, Bats is the one who made his own decision. And that’s why his story stands out.