In the latest episode, “Reunion,” the Bad Batch gets cornered by Crosshair and the Empire on the planet Bracca thanks to the scrapper guild alerting them. However, while the Bad Batch tries to get off the junkyard-wide planet, it seems that not everyone on the Imperial side is on the same page.
Warning: Spoilers Ahead
The young and curious clone Omega has been captured, but it is not by who you would expect. If being honest, the entire episode felt like a mixture and melting pot of what makes “Star Wars” truly special. Of course, that being said, fan theories were running rampant in my heart. Still, the thing that makes this series unique is the number of surprises, and needless to say, seeing Cad Bane made me feel a sense of joy that I haven’t experienced since Luke showing up at the end of Mandalorian Season 2.
In addition, to the inclusion of reveals, it’s clear that Dave Filoni found triumphant success with “The Mandalorian “ and “The Bad Batch” replicates similar results. Now that being said, let’s break down what made this episode stand out, and one for the ages.
When you thought The Bad Batch could finally turn the page, it’s clear to misery plaguing these nomads lost in the schism of transition by enduring several problems that seem to wreck their plans for assimilation in a world unknown to them. For example, the Empire, the Kaminoans, and the bounty hunter Cad Bane who is seen donning a stetson hat and a trenchcoat, reminiscent of an 1800s gunslinger.
To note, the Duros bounty hunter Cad Bane was created by George Lucas and Dave Filoni. Bane made his debut on the second season of Clone Wars episode 22, “Hostage Crisis.” During the events of the episode, the bounty hunter was hired by Jabba the Hutt to free Ziro the Hutt, who was imprisoned for taking part in Count Dooku’s plot to kill the former’s son.
One thing to note that made the “Clone Wars” truly methodical and transcend the child-like animation was the presence of war trading and annexing positions of power. I remember Filoni painting the Hutt crime dynasty with a lens of corruption. I mean, at times, Jabba was painted with criminal intent. Which told when specific threads began to arise, they needed to be sewn or dealt with. In the story, Jabba and the Hutts were afraid that Ziro would tell the Republic about their secrets. To note, which is a relatively adult and mature theme, and Bane’s pilot episode did come off with the motive of pushing the envelope of storytelling for animation, furthering cementing the influence and direction of storytelling from Lucas and Filoni.
For example, even though Bane was successful in his mission by holding the members of the Galactic Senate hostage, including Senator Padme Amidala and Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker. After that, Bane had several successful heists, including infiltrating the Jedi Temple on Coruscant to steal a Holocron. Additionally, Bane has been successful at evading Jedi like Anakin, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Quinlan Vos. So it makes sense as to why he was hired to capture Omega and successfully bested Hunter in a gun duel. I noticed the scene was reminiscent of old westerns, from the close up of the revolver and the spurs sound-effect when Bane came off his ship.
In addition to the Batch trying to adjust in a war-torn galaxy, the B-plot consisted of the civil war brewing back on Kamino between the empire and Kamoinoans. I feel this indicates that the Empire and Kaminoans are not entirely on the same page, and it will interesting going forward to see who will emerge the victor.
The episode opens at the Kamino cloning facility. Crosshair reports to Imperial Admiral Rampart that there was a power surge on one of the junked Jedi Cruisers on the planet Bracca. He also notes that Clone Force 99 is there. Lama Su tells Rampart that Clone Force 99 should be taken alive while the Imperial Admiral wants them terminated. One would have to wonder if, deep down, Crosshair feels if it is the right thing to pursue. Will he terminate the fellow clones that he served alongside during the Clone Wars, or will the imperial brain-washing malfunction? Of course, only time will tell before we can get answers.
I also believe that his injury from being burned by the Jedi Cruiser’s thrusters might play a role in this. After all, the Empire sees the Clones as property or expendable. I wonder if this is the turning point of the clones being phased out and removed from the official canon. A dynamic concept that was briefly only touched upon in the expanded universe or “Star Wars: Legends.”
It is here that I feel that the writers have created a conflict or implosion between the Empire and the Kaminoan government. It was clear to notice the seeds of discord had been brewing since the first episode. For example, Admirals Tarkin and Rampart want to do away with Clone Troopers and replace them with conscripted recruits from all over the galaxy. There was a hint of this from the first volume of the Darth Vader comic in which one of the Clones stationed at a Jedi outpost mentions that he is a part of the last batch of clones.
It only makes sense why the Kaminoans made Omega. She is the key to securing their contract and possibly their one livelihood with Emperor Palpatine and the Empire. It makes sense since the Jango Fett DNA is deteriorating. But this also poses a question: just who is Omega cloned from, and why was she named “Omega?”
I agree with some fans who believe that Omega is somehow Force-sensitive. In one of my reviews, I explained that if Omega is indeed Force-sensitive, I would imagine that this would pique the Emperor’s interest in creating an army of Force-sensitive super-soldiers that would wreak havoc across the galaxy. Such soldiers would rival the Inquisitors since these soldiers would be trained to be lethal. At this point, credits would probably not mean squat to the Emperor, and Nama Su would have the contract with the Empire secured. It is perhaps no wonder why he pulled a card under his sleeve and hired Cad Bane to capture Omega.
Or there is another theory where Omega was made to resist the Empire or Palpatine if things go south. The Kaminoans probably feel Palpatine has played them since he used the Clones to consolidate and preserve his power, only to let them know that he wants to use regular recruits. Initially, it was Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas who was the brainchild of creating the Grand Army of the Republic. The Jedi Master pitched an army for the Galactic Republic to the Jedi Order, but they rejected that idea.
The Jedi Order felt that Sifo-Dyas was too extreme and stripped him of his Jedi Council status. Count Dooku was behind the death of Sifo-Dyas, and that was when Palpatine capitalized on having the Clone Army created with Jango Fett’s DNA. Sifo Dyas was first mentioned to Obi-Wan Kenobi by Lama Su in “Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones.”
The reason behind Sifo-Dyas wanting to create an army was because he foresaw the inevitable conflict. Throughout the years, Palpatine would learn of Sifo-Dyas’ army and decided to use it for his own. This makes me wonder if Omega might have been secretly cloned from Sifo-Dyas. (similar to how Jango wanted to have an unaltered clone of himself who would become Boba Fett) since it was the Jedi who secretly conspired with the Kaminoans to create the Clone Army. Suppose Omega is indeed a Force-Sensitive clone of Sifo-Dyas.
In that case, it also makes sense as to why she does not have an inhibitor chip and that she can pick up learning things so quickly (like her bow and arrow and deducing Cid’s identity). It is here that I feel that the writers want to keep us guessing who Omega really is and, perhaps, who she is cloned from.
Additionally, it was awesome seeing the Jedi Cruiser and its interior. The part where the battery cannons were activated to cause parts of the ship to fall on Crosshair and his Clones was brilliant. Several fans have pointed out that this scene was reminiscent of the battery firing scene in “Star Wars: Episode III – The Revenge of the Sith.” There were also some funny moments when the Batch ran from Crosshair and the Clone Army, including Wrecker throwing a proton torpedo shell at one of the Imperial Special Forces troopers.
But the last part of the episode took a nostalgic, yet melancholy, turn when Cad Bane returned to take on Hunter in a western draw. As Bane and Hunter drew their weapons, the bounty hunter defeated the clone and took Omega. The Batch was able to revive Hunter and escape from the planet Bracca. The lingering effects of Omega’s abduction from Cad Bane could be felt aboard the Bad Barch’s ship as Hunter tells his brothers of what happened—leaving the Batch leader with only clear thoughts by declaring that they need to find Omega.
I felt this scene alone shows that during their short time together, Omega has become family to the Bad Batch, particularly Hunter. I think that the bond between Hunter and Omega is similar to Kanan Jarrus and Ezra Bridger from “Star Wars: Rebels.” Both relationships are almost sibling-like or parental. I noticed the parent trope with Kanan teaching Ezra the ways of the Force and how to be a leader similarity. Now Hunter can teach Omega how to become an effective fighter and trustworthy member of the Bad Batch.
As we await the next episode, what are the Kaminoans going to do with Omega once Bane delivers her to them? Will we find out a little more about Omega’s origin and who she was cloned from? And will Crosshair heed the warnings of Omega and the Batch regarding the inhibitor chips? And if he does, will he secretly get one of the droids to remove the chip from his head and start thinking for himself?
“Star Wars: The Bad Batch ”is available for streaming and new episodes release Fridays on Disney+.
5 stars out of 5
