The Dark Side Clouds Everything: The Trials & Choices Faced in 'The Bad Batch' Season Two
As we near the half way point, the second season of 'The Bad Batch' explores how the characters grapple with their new reality and prepare for the choices that lay ahead...
“Perhaps, one day, we will all find a new path,” the Wookiee elder Yanna, tells Hunter in the closing moments of last week’s episode of The Bad Batch, “Tribe”.
“Hopefully, one far away from war,” the leader of clone force 99 replies.
The two are watching from afar as their young wards, the former Jedi-youngling Gungi and the enhanced clone Omega, meditate silently, their hands resting upon one of the sacred trees of Kashyyyk. It’s a glimmer of optimism in this dark period.
Across the rest of the galaxy, however, a shadow is spreading. Evil is triumphant. The Empire has risen. The Sith now rule the galaxy. And yet there is little appetite for fighting back. The scars of the clone wars are still fresh and many of those who fought in the last war aren’t eager to start the next one.
The long-awaited second season of The Bad Batch exists in this space. The first six episodes have been spent grappling with what it means for the titular “Bad Batch”, enhanced clones who were bred for war, to find their place in a galaxy that doesn’t want to fight.
The season, so far, has eschewed the season-long-arc storytelling format that has become a staple of Star Wars television in the Disney+ era, choosing instead to begin the season with four stand-alone episodes and one two-parter (which was really just another stand-alone story told over 44 minutes instead of 22). In doing so, showrunners Jennifer Corbett and Brad Rau have painted a compelling picture of how the Empire is slowly spreading into every corner of the galaxy, ensuring that any pockets free from its domain are eventually brought into its grip.
These same events, however, are also reminding the Bad Batch that there are things, beyond survival, worth fighting for.
Spectre of the Past
To understand this season of The Bad Batch, it’s helpful to look back at where the galaxy has been for the past several years. One of the oldest themes in storytelling is the horrors of war, and seven seasons of The Clone Wars (the direct predecessor to The Bad Batch) showed us the Star Wars galaxy’s version of those horrors. With battles waged across the galaxy, from the Outer Rim sieges to the battle of Coruscant, the clone wars touched the lives of all who reside in this galaxy. From the Jedi, clone troopers, and senators (on both sides) at its centre to those on the fringes of the galaxy, The Clone Wars showed how traumatic a galaxy-wide war could be.
Especially, since prior to the outbreak, the larger galaxy had known peace for centuries. There were flare-ups and crises and planets that went to war, but nothing to the scale and scope of the clone wars. As Sio Bibble so theatrically put it, “There hasn’t been a full-scale war since the formation of the Republic.”
Going from centuries of peace to a years-long, galaxy-ravaging war changes people. Good people, who would have opposed the Empire prior to the clone wars were so relieved to see the fighting end they greeted Palapatine’s new order with elation. The most haunting moment in all of Star Wars comes as Palpatine declares himself Emperor before the Senate, once a bastion of democracy and freedom, and is met with jubilation and excitement.
“So this is how liberty dies,” Padme Amidala observes in the moment, “with thunderous applause.”
But it’s not just senators in their offices on cushy Coruscant cheering on the new Emperor. Early in its first season, The Bad Batch showed how everyday people were greeting the news with similar enthusiasm. In the episode “Cornered”, the Bad Batch witnesses a crowd of people cheering on a parade of clone troopers in their clean, white armour.
“What are they celebrating?” asks Omega.
“The end of the war,” replies Hunter.
Whatever appetite there was in the galaxy for fighting is gone. The soldiers of the Empire—of oppression—are being cheered on while at the same time, in the background, an announcement ordering people to sign up for chain codes (tracking chips) can be heard. The people of the new Empire are just happy to have “peace”, regardless of the cost.
Vision of the Future
If we fast forward ten years, past the events of The Bad Batch, and look at Obi-Wan Kenobi, we see what the galaxy has become. The Empire is everywhere, from the dusty streets of Tatooine to the seedy metropolis of Daiyu to the plains of Mapuzo, and no one is safe.
But something else has changed. The joy that greeted Palpatine’s rise has faded. There are still true believers, of course, like Freck—the friendly Imperial loyalist who gives Obi-Wan and Leia a ride in his truck (the back of which is adorned with an Imperial flag) before turning them over to the local garrison—but the general feeling in the galaxy is notably darker. People are desperate, paying scammers to get them off-world and relying on underground networks to help them escape the Empire’s wrath.
And the Clones, who were once the focal point of people’s adulation over the end of the war, are all but forgotten.
“Spare any credits?” a homeless clone trooper asks Obi-Wan, holding out his old helmet in a desperate plea for aid. “Help a veteran get a warm meal.”
A far cry from a parade in front of cheering admirers.
Out of this darkness come sparks of hope. The operative Roken, who helps people flee the Empire using “The Path”. The former Imperial officer Tala, who uses her position to undermine the Empire from within. And, of course, the young Princess Leia Organa, whose spirit and dedication will one day the Rebel Alliance to victory.
It’s still a long way from the events of Rogue One and the hope of the Original Trilogy, but it’s a start. As one of the Jedi quotes on the wall of a “The Path” outpost puts it, “the light will fade, but it is never forgotten.”
Empire Triumphant
By virtue of its place in the timeline, The Bad Batch has the difficult assignment of bridging these two visions of the galaxy, the excitement over a new age that gives way to the near-hopelessness that eventually inspires rebellion. Not an easy task.
This is where the choice to begin the season with stand-alone stories, rather than an all-encompassing arc, comes in. By beginning the season with what are essentially five vignettes, we see how the first year of the Empire’s reign is reshaping the galaxy.
First, we see the scars of the previous war and how those who suffered under it responded. Then, we travel to the heart of the Empire to see how those who dare to defy the Empire’s ways are treated. This is followed up by a warning, even those we think are allies may yet betray us when the Empire shows up at their door. After that, we take a small breather to imagine a galaxy where running from the Empire isn’t all our characters are allowed to do. And then there’s “Tribe”, which brings together many of the themes the previous four stories explored. More on that later.
Ever since the Bad Batch experienced Order 66 in the series premiere, “Aftermath,” there has been conflict within the group over how they should handle their place in the new galaxy. First, and most explosively, between Crosshair and the rest of the Batch. Crosshair believes the batch should have remained loyal to the Empire. Good soldiers follow orders, after all. The other members of the batch refused to follow the Empire’s orders and were hunted by Imperial agents, led by Crosshair, throughout season one.
But with the Empire now believing Hunter, Omega, Echo, Tech, and Wrecker are dead, this story has been placed on the back burner for the time being, with another conflict moving slowly into the foreground.
Risking It All For Something Real
The disagreement between Echo and Hunter is a far less explosive conflict than that between Crosshair and the rest of the Batch, but it still has significant implications for what the future holds for clone force 99.
The disagreement between the two clones isn’t political, but rather over where their focus should be. Hunter, driven by a desire to protect Omega from the horrors he experienced in the clone wars, dreams of finding somewhere free from violence, where Omega can grow up in peace. Echo, meanwhile, sees where the winds are blowing and wants to start taking action against the Empire.
Their most direct debate over this comes in the season two premiere, “Spoils of War.”
“We can do better things with Dooku’s fortune than hide, Hunter,” Echo says of their mission to Serenno to steal some of the dead Sith lord’s fortune. “With what we’re up against we have to be prepared to fight. That means numbers and weapons.”
“That’s not the kind of life this kid deserves,” replies Hunter, who believes Dooku’s fortune would be best used to find somewhere quiet to settle down.
“Our lives are like this because of Omega,” Echo hits back. “Taking her off Kamino was the right thing to do. But there are others out there who need our help. We’ve seen what the Empire is doing throughout the galaxy. We should be doing more.”
This debate between Echo and Hunter, in many ways, sets the stage for what follows in the season so far. Neither man is an enemy of the other, nor do they really want different things. It’s how they see going about finding the peace they crave where they differ.
Hunter, who has known nothing but war and dreams of experiencing peace with his little sister, wants to carve out their own little oasis, like the one his friend Cut Lequane had. Echo, on the other hand, wants to follow in the footsteps of his old friend Captain Rex and, as Luthen Rael would put it, risk it all for something real. Echo knows that peace is impossible with the Empire and he wants to do something about it.
Where they are united, however, is in knowing that the Empire’s rise means bad things are in store for themselves and for the galaxy. If only the missing member of the Bad Batch could see it too.
The Solitary Clone
The third episode of season two, “The Solitary Clone”, puts the focus squarely on Crosshair and how he’s grappling with the consequences of his choices. We pick up with him on Coruscant, where we learn that many of the surviving clones are following the Bad Batch’s lead and going AWOL. At the same time, the status of the remaining clones is diminishing as the Imperial war machine relies more and more on recruits.
Already the transition from the heroic status we saw in season one to the desperate, homeless veteran of Obi-Wan Kenobi has begun.
Even among the remaining clones, Crosshair is isolated. He walks alone through the hallways and the clones in the mess hall get up from the table immediately when he sits down. This is nothing new for Crosshair. We saw in “Aftermath” how the other clones looked down upon the Bad Batch (and the Bad Batch looked down on the “Regs”). But in the past, Crosshair still had Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, and Echo to commiserate with. Now he has no one.
So it comes as a relief to him when Vice Admiral Rampart pairs him with someone he respects, Commander Cody, for a mission. The two reunite in front of the war memorial on Coruscant and their conversation leads Crosshair to believe that he’s found a kindred spirit in Cody, another true believer in the mantra “good soldiers follow orders”. He will soon find out how wrong he is.
“The Solitary Clone” is truly an all-time great episode of The Bad Batch. Everyone outdid themselves, from writer Amanda Rose Munoz to director Steward Lee to all the animators, lighting riggers, composers, editors, and sound designers in between. And, of course, Dee Bradley Baker with his performances as Cody and Crosshair (how this man doesn’t win every voice acting award is a mystery to me).
The scene in front of the war memorial highlights this greatness. It’s the kind of scene where the meaning changes on repeat viewings. The first time you watch it, you see it from Crosshair’s point of view, believing about Cody what he wants to believe. However, on repeat viewings, it becomes clear that Crosshair was deluding himself and the seeds for Cody’s eventual choices are sown in this moment. Just brilliant work from all involved.
Cody and Crosshair are sent on a mission to a former Separatist world, where the governor is resisting Imperial control. They are meant to bring the planet under Imperial control by whatever means necessary. To Crosshair, this means killing the Governor, but Cody takes a different tact.
Once the two Clones have fought their way into the Governor’s stronghold, Cody lowers his weapon and removes his helmet.
“It’s an option now,” he says of peace. “Listen, we both lived through one war, let’s not start another. Too many people have died already. We can resolve this without more bloodshed.”
In response to Cody’s plea, the Governor lets go of the Imperial officer she’s been holding at gunpoint, who immediately orders the clones to kill her. Cody resists the order, having given the Governor his word, but Crosshair pulls the trigger and ends the Governor’s life. Because good soldiers follow orders.
As the clones board their shuttle to return to Coruscant, they witness an army of Imperial recruits—not clones—arriving on the planet to subjugate the population. These are the consequences of resisting the Empire, even when you were willing to lay down your arms and look for a better solution.
“You know what makes us different from battle droids?” Cody bitterly asks Crosshair once they’ve made their return journey. “We make our own decisions. Our own choices. And we have to live with them too.”
We learn in the next scene that Cody has gone AWOL. Once again, leaving Crosshair alone in the galaxy.
What sets this episode apart from the rest of the season is just how dark it is, both thematically and visually. The majority of the episode takes place at night or in the shadows, meaning there is very little colour to be found. Some shots, including the final one, are almost entirely black and white.
The near-greyscale nature of the episode makes what little colour there is stand out. The most striking of which is on the Separatist world the Empire takes over. The skies of this planet are dark orange, like those you would see at sunset. An apt metaphor. The sun is setting on the old galaxy, replaced by the long night that is the Empire.
As Yoda once said, “The dark side clouds everything.” In this episode, it’s both figurative and literal. As freedom dies out, so too does colour.
Loyalty Means Everything To The Clones
The lack of colour in “The Solitary Clone” is contrasted nicely with the next episode, “Faster”, which is one of the most colourful in the entire series. The action takes place away from the conflict with the Empire, focusing on a world that seems to be largely free of Imperial influence. This is not to say it doesn’t have its own dangers, the gangsters and crime lords of the underworld are in control, but in a galaxy reeling from war (and bracing for the next one) a place where we can kick back and watch some racing and laugh at goofy droids feels like something of an oasis.
“Faster” follows Omega, Tech, and Wrecker as they work to rescue Cid, their frequent employer, whose past has finally caught up with her when she is taken hostage by a rival gangster. Naturally, they succeed, but before they can leave the planet, Cid’s old rival has some words of warning for them.
“That loyalty is admirable, but with Cid, it doesn’t always go both ways. Watch your backs.”
The message is simple: Don’t trust Cid. And it harkens back to a moment in “Spoils of War” when Cid warned the Bad Batch about the growing influence of the Empire.
“Clearly you’re not paying attention to what’s going on out there,” she tells Hunter, “but I am. It’s only a matter of time before the Empire comes here. And then my little operation is over.”
Cid’s prediction, combined with Grini’s warning begs the question: if Cid had to choose between the Bad Batch and herself, who would she pick?
We know the Batch would move heaven and Earth to save Cid. Omega, Tech, and Wrecker did just that. But when the chips are down, will Cid do the same? You’d like to think she would, that the influence of the Batch on Cid would lead her to do the right thing and save those who have been loyal to her. But Grini’s warning leaves us wondering.
Anakin Skywalker once said, “Loyalty means everything to the clones.” A strong sense of loyalty is key to the clones’ identities, loyalty to each other and to their allies. It’s part of what made Order 66 so tragic, that such a base instinct for the clones was overridden by their programming. It also means they don’t take it well when they are betrayed.
Cid’s message to Hunter also speaks to what Crosshair just experienced. Any worlds that are free of the Empire won’t remain that way for long. We see in “The Solitary Clone” what that can look like, so any safe havens the Batch finds should be treated as temporary. The Empire casts a long shadow, and soon it will cover everything. From Cid’s parlour to the Riot Racing tracks on Safa Toma, nowhere is safe from the Empire for long.
The Cave You Fear Holds The Treasure You Seek
The fifth episode, “Entombed”, is another treasure hunt. Only this time, the source of the treasure is more ancient. It’s the stuff of legend, pre-dating the Jedi, whose very existence is questioned by the more straight-laced members of the Bad Batch.
Joining the main characters for this adventure is Phee Genoa, the pirate/treasure hunter, who enamours Omega with her stories of swashbuckling and adventure. The admiration Omega holds for Phee becomes clear as she begins mimicking Phee’s actions, clearly wishing to emulate the pirate’s lifestyle. This is something we’ve seen Omega do only once before: with Hunter in the series premiere. Just as she did with Hunter, Omega sees Phee as the sort of person she hopes to one day become.
It’s Omega who pushes the Batch to go along on this adventure, driven by a desire to explore the galaxy the way her new idol does.
While Hunter’s stated goal throughout this season has been to find a safe place for Omega to grow up, this episode asks the question of whether that’s what Omega wants. After all, she has always been game to join the grown-up members of the Bad Batch on their missions. She loves the thrill of adventure and, in this episode, we get a sense of what she might want to do if the Empire was no longer a factor in her life.
Ever since he saved her from Kamino, Hunter’s greatest fear has been losing Omega. He feels a quasi-parental/fraternal obligation to her, to keep her safe. But, as he’s about to learn, the way forward has to involve the downfall of the Empire. If Hunter wants to give Omega the life she wants to live, he has to create a galaxy where she is free to go treasure hunting all she wants.
But Hunter is afraid. Afraid that if he fights back he might lose, not just the fight but Omega herself. And so he’s running from the fight, no matter what Omega or Echo or anyone else tells him. But try as he might, the Empire always catches up.
A Wookiee Homecoming
Many of the themes of the second season came together in the most recent episode, “Tribe”. In the episode, the Bad Batch discovers and helps free the Wookiee Jedi-youngling Gungi, who’s been on the run since Order 66.
Hunter immediately draws the parallels between Gungi and Omega’s lives, the only life they’ve ever known was turned upside down by the Empire. And now they’re lost, looking for a new place in the galaxy. Believing that Gungi will be safe on Kashyyyk, Hunter agrees to take the young Wookie back to his homeworld. In doing so, he believes he’s doing for Gungi what he wants to do for Omega. He’s finding him a place where he can live a normal life.
And when the Bad Batch first arrives on Kashyyyk, it looks like he’s succeeded. The planet appears peaceful and serene, with its lush forests and natural beauty. It seems the Batch has found another colourful oasis in a galaxy of darkness. But once they land and venture deeper into the Kashyyyk forests, they soon learn that the Empire’s shadow has already begun encroaching on the Wookiee world.
The first village they arrive at has been burned to the ground by the Empire’s agents, leading Gungi to drop to his knees in sorrow. But the depths of the horror are still to be revealed. The Batch soon learns that the Empire has allied with the Wookiees’ ancient enemy, the Trandoshans (who like to hunt Wookiees for sport), to torch Kashyyyk’s forests.
But all hope is not lost, as the Bad Batch eventually makes contact with a village of Wookiees who are fighting back. The joint forces of the Bad Batch and the Wookiee resistance, along with a critical assist from the forests of Kashyyyk, are enough to push back the Empires and the Trandoshans…for now.
(The story of what becomes of Kashyyyk under the Empire isn’t a pretty one and one that has already been told in other stories like Jedi: Fallen Order and the novel Aftermath: Life Debt.)
Which brings us back to Hunter lamenting the fact that Omega and Gungi should be able to grow up without war but can’t, and the Wookiee elder musing about a new path being available.
Regardless of the eventual fate of Kashyyyk, the victory of the Bad Batch and Wookiee resistance over the Empire is instructive. It’s the story of people coming together to fight for a better future—with a spiritual assist—to beat those that would spread pain and suffering in the name of order.
Sound familiar?
Dawn of Rebellion
The events of “Tribe” would appear to validate Echo’s argument in the premiere, that they can’t build the galaxy they want to live in without the help of others. The Empire is just too overwhelming to allow anyone the sort of peace Hunter dreams of for Omega and Gungi. But a unified effort, driven by a belief in something bigger than themselves—be it the trees, the Force, or the ideals of democracy and freedom—can push back. It’s what happens in Rogue One and A New Hope, and again in Return of the Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker (and in The Phantom Menace too, for that matter).
Of course, the cloud hanging over The Bad Batch (and any other stories set in this era of Star Wars) is that we know it will be a long time before all that comes together. As we saw in Obi-Wan Kenobi, things are going to get worse before they get better. And the characters who risk it all now may not live to see the fruits of their labours. The fates of Hunter, Omega, Echo, Tech, Wrecker, and Crosshair are unknown. Maybe they’ll live to celebrate the victories at Endor and Jakku. But it’s more likely that all of them won’t.
However, this doesn’t mean that the actions they take now won’t have value. Every act of resistance has value. As the rebel agent Nemik writes in his manifesto in Andor,
“Even the smallest act of insurrection pushes our lines forward (…) And know this, the day will come when all these skirmishes and battles, these moments of defiance will have flooded the banks of the Empire's authority and then there will be one too many. One single thing will break the siege. Remember this. Try.”
The time is coming soon when the Bad Batch will have to choose to take action. Whatever dreams they have for the future or pockets of freedom they may find cannot exist in Palpatine’s galaxy. The darkness is coming for everyone. The Empire’s grip is tightening.
But even if they fail, it was worth doing. It can inspire others. We don’t yet know the full ramifications of Cody’s choice to go AWOL, but you better believe it had an impact on Crosshair. He may have failed to stop the bloodshed on that day, but the little ripple he created may yet become a wave.
A lot was made coming into this season about the new look of the Bad Batch characters. Their armour is more colourful, injecting streaks of orange, blue, yellow, and red into the heavy grey base. While this will undoubtedly move more action figures and Lego sets off the shelves, it primarily serves a story purpose. As the show becomes visually darker, reflecting the Empire’s reign over the galaxy, the free members of the Bad Batch in their colourful armour stand out more. Even in the nighttime scenes or those where the smoke from the burning trees of Kashyyyk fills the frame, we can clearly see the Bad Batch standing up against the darkness.
Crosshair, meanwhile, with his all dark-grey armour, risks becoming lost within the shadow of the Empire’s war machine. Another soldier to be discarded and forgotten when he’s outlasted his usefulness.
The clones painting their armour in different colours and incorporating different designs was a big part of conveying their individuality on The Clone Wars. But now when we see other clones, they have plain white armour. Like the stormtroopers that will eventually replace them, the clones have been stripped of their individuality. The faceless soldiers of a tyrannical regime. Just by injecting a little colour into their lives, the Bad Batch are defying the Empire. Refusing to become the grim face of oppression. Instead, their actions provide hope to all those that can see them in the night.
And rebellions are, after all, built on hope.
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