WARNING: This article contains spoilers for "A Distant Echo," the latest episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 7.
Echo is alive! In "A Distant Echo," the latest episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Captain Rex and the Bad Batch discovered that he has been held captive by the Separatists, who turned him into a weapon against the Republic.
Last week, Rex and his clone forces found themselves fighting a losing battle against Admiral Trench and the Separatists. The Separatists appeared to be able to predict Rex's every move, which made him uneasy. So, alongside the Bad Batch, he went on a fact-finding mission -- only to hear a signal being broadcast from Skako Minor by none other than Echo himself.
In "A Distant Echo," Rex headed to Skako Minor with Anakin Skywalker and the Bad Batch. There, the locals led them to the Separatist base after the clones agreed to get rid of them. They infiltrated the base and fought tooth and nail to get to the room from which the signal was being broadcast. As Anakin and the Bad Batch held back a battalion of droids, Rex and Tech broke into the room and discovered a stasis chamber.
When Tech opened the chamber, Echo fell out. The clone was in rough shape. His head was covered with plugs and implants; the lower half of his body was gone and replaced with droid parts, much like Darth Maul. He was so thin his ribs protruded from his chest. Horrified, Rex rushed forward and detached Echo from the machine.
Despite all appearances, Echo was alive. He woke up with a gasp and mentioned the Citadel, which revealed he remembered nothing after the explosion that allegedly killed him. After a moment, Echo recognized Rex. "You came back for me," he realized.
"Yes," Rex said, with sadness in his eyes. "It's okay. You're safe now. Just sit tight, trooper. You're going home."
As CBR explored last week, Echo was originally known for his fierce loyalty and dedicated discipline that caused him to repeat orders like an "echo." He was part of Domino Squad along with fan-favorite Fives. He became one of the soldiers with whom the audience spent time in the opening seasons of The Clone Wars, first serving with Captain Rex on the Rishi Station moon base.
It was in defense of the moon base that Echo graduated to the 501st Legion along with Fives, later being promoted to an elite ARC trooper. In the Season 3 episode "Counterattack," Echo seemingly sacrificed his life for his brothers in an explosion, but his story didn't end there. In Season 7, Echo is getting a second chance -- so long as Anakin and the clones can escape Skako Minor alive, that is.
Streaming on Disney+, the final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars stars Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker, Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano, Dee Bradley Baker as Captain Rex and the clone troopers, James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Katee Sackhoff as Bo-Katan and Sam Witwer as Maul. New episodes arrive every Friday.