Star Wars: The Bad Batch episode 6 contradicts an R2-D2 story from Star Wars: The Clone Wars. In episode 6, titled “Decommissioned,” Clone Force 99 find themselves in the Corellian system, working another mercenary job for the Trandoshan bar owner and underworld figure Cid. There they run into Clone Wars season 7’s Martez sisters, who are after the same prize – an old Separatist tactical droid headed for decommissioning and dismantlement.
After venturing deep into the decommissioning facility, the Bad Batch and the Martez sisters become overwhelmed by an encroaching platoon of police droids, more than they could possibly face on their own. In a spurt of brilliance, Tech, Trace. and Rafa hack and reprogram the tactical droid, compelling it to order all other Separatist battle droids in the facility to awaken and open fire on the police droids. Thanks to the surprise reinforcements, the crew manages to escape.
The climax of “Decommissioned” also features what seems to be a contradiction of a storyline from The Clone Wars. After the battle droids are reactivated to help defend the clones and the Martez sisters, Echo comments that he “never thought [he]’d see battle droids helping [them].” However, Echo has been aided by battle droids before. In The Clone Wars’ “Citadel” episodes, Echo, Rex, Obi-Wan, Anakin, Ahsoka, and a squad of elite clones infiltrate a Separatist prison facility to rescue a Jedi general and Wilhuff Tarkin. As part of the plan, R2-D2 reprograms a small number of battle droids to help them get inside. The droids see R2 as their commander, and they fight directly beside Echo during the episodes.
Is this simply a continuity error? Not necessarily. The “Citadel” episodes are particularly important for Echo, as it’s during the escape that he makes a noble sacrifice to help save the rest of the squad. For years, fans believed Echo died at the Citadel. Clone Wars season 7 revealed that he actually survived, however, and was being used as a cyberized bio-computer to help the Separatists predict Republic military maneuvers.
Echo’s passing comment about battle droids in “Decommissioned” could be nothing more than an accidental contradiction, but it could also be a sign that the clone still has some level of amnesia surrounding his “death.” Echo was imprisoned by the Clone Wars' Separatists for a long time, after all, and he was incredibly disoriented after his initial rescue. It would make sense for the events directly leading up to such a debilitating injury to be somewhat fuzzy for Echo, and his line in Star Wars: The Bad Batch episode 6 may confirm that’s the case.
