The Mid-Season of The Bad Batch’s second season is out on Disney Plus. It included episode 7 “The Clone Conspiracy” and episode 8 “Truth and Consequences”. These were my favorite two episodes of the season (so far). Hopefully, I can keep repeating this phrase in the upcoming weeks.
This review contains spoilers.
Recap of the story so far
Many systems are under the oppression of the Empire. The diplomatic solutions of the former Republic are long gone, everyone is now under Imperial jurisdiction.
The Clone Troopers’ future is uncertain. Many of them are realizing what the Empire has turned into and no longer want to be a part of it. While others still believe that they can be useful to the new government.
Representing those without a voice
We’re finally experiencing what was foreshadowed in previous episodes, the imminent decommission of the remaining Clone Troopers. Admiral Rampart’s Defense Recruitment Bill will make sure that a new army is created to guarantee that the Empire’s interests remain intact. This is the final nail in the coffin for any hopes the clones still had to remain on duty, but there’s someone who’s not willing to give up on them.
Senator Riyo Chuchi is the representative of Pantora, a moon that orbits the Orto Plutonia system. Despite her young age, she’s been a senator since the Clone Wars and is one of the few politicians that are not under Palpatine’s influence.
The Grand Army of the Republic assisted Chuchi and her people on multiple occasions during the conflict with the CIS. Now, she’s standing for those that helped Pantora in their direst moments.
The Clone army is one of the best armies in galactic history, I can only think of a few others that are (arguably) superior to them. Sadly, they’re seen just as disposable weapons that can be replaced whenever it’s necessary. Even some Jedi are guilty of this.
At least now there’s someone willing to speak on their behalf, but I’m afraid it’s too late.
As we’ve seen multiple times, Admiral Rampart doesn’t care how many people must be eliminated if that ensures that his plans can go through. Captain Wilco, Cade, and Slip are just a few names in a list that’s probably longer.
Maybe they’re “just” troopers, but even a high-ranking politician like Senator Chuchi is in danger when interfering with the Empire’s interests. Senators, Imperial Officers, and even members of Palpatine’s inner circle are always being watched. The moment anyone becomes a liability then they are dealt with.
A Clone Assassin?
To be honest, I really thought that the man sent to hunt down Slip was Crosshair. We haven’t seen him in a while and the previous episodes made clear that he’s no longer commanding soldiers. The fact that the assassin used a sniper rifle as his weapon of choice made me ignore any other possibility.
I was very surprised to learn that not only the sniper wasn’t Crosshair, but he wasn’t a standard clone either. This only raises more questions, if it’s the type of Clone Assassin that I’m thinking then something very interesting might happen in upcoming episodes.
Commissioned by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine himself, Clone Assassins were a very special unit trained only to fight and eliminate Jedi. Their incredible speed and mastery of Teräs Käsi, in combination with their two vibro-blades made them a very hard opponent to deal with, especially because they fought as a unit.
After the assault of the Jedi Temple during Order 66, a unit of Clone Assasins was designated to guard the communication center that sent the message urging all Jedi to return to the temple.
I’m pointing this out due to the strangeness of the situation. Even elite units like Clone Force 99 or Clone Commandos have designations. I don’t remember any other clone trooper being untraceable and willingly taking his own life after being captured. One can only imagine the kind of jobs that a soldier like this would do.
Please note that Clone Assasins aren’t part of the current canon. Just because a clone that was an assassin appeared on the show doesn’t mean that it’s this type of special soldier. Maybe I’m overreaching. However, every year more content is being re-introduced into the current canon and there’s always a small chance that we see things of the pre-Disney era return.
Just a pawn
Admiral Rampart has been the Empire’s face for many episodes. He has betrayed, schemed against, and killed many people. The Bad Batch has gone through a lot due to Rampart’s operations. He’s finally going to face punishment for his crimes but the truth is that it changes absolutely nothing for Clone Force 99, the clones, or anyone.
As despicable as Rampart is, he’s just an insignificant cog in the gigantic machine that is the Galactic Empire. Most of his actions were ordered by the people that control everything. Sure, he might have done some things for personal benefit but the actions that really mattered weren’t his decisions.
If there’s something we’ve learned about the Empire is that there’s always someone that’s worse waiting to be assigned. In Andor, the Dedra Meero took over Ferrix. Anyone the Star Wars Rebels would have preferred to face governor Pryce instead of Grand Admiral Thrawn.
The fact that there’s always someone more cruel and obedient is concerning. It might have looked like getting Rampart arrested was a win, but I believe it’s the exact opposite. Who knows what kind of sadistic strategist is going to take his place?
Compromised
Unless somehow they were able to erase the security recordings of the Venator, the Empire will find out that it was Clone Force 99 that retrieved the information. Infiltrating an imperial ship that’s right in the heart of Coruscant and collecting valuable information is something that can be done by very few people.
I’m wondering about who’s going to be the individual that Palpatine tasks with eliminating the rogue clones. There aren’t many capable of pulling that job and the more I think about possible candidates, the more I get worried about the Bad Batch.
Not only that, but if somehow the Empire is able to connect Chuchi to them then it’s game over for her. There won’t be a single soul that can help her escape. And to make things even worse, Senator Burtoni learned that Omega is a clone.
She doesn’t strike me as anyone that could be trusted with a secret of that importance. If money doesn’t make her speak, then painful methods will certainly do.
You can’t beat Palpatine at his own game
Leaders of the galaxy, politicians, military officers, and even the entire Jedi order were manipulated by Palpatine for many years. Sometimes things don’t go as expected but there’s never been a time when the Dark Lord of the Sith didn’t have a contingency plan.
Senator Chuchi is a smart and brave woman but the things she fights for don’t matter in the big scheme. One of Palpatine’s biggest advantages is that only he has the big picture. While some might think that defeating a small part of the Imperial army or stopping a bill from passing are big victories, the Emperor has already thought of multiple ways to work around these setbacks.
Palpatine’s enemies think that they’re the second player in this big game but in reality, almost everyone is just a piece waiting to be played by the galaxy’s ruler. Keeping appearances is very important in the early stages of the Empire, without the senate, control over so many systems would be impossible.
Senators like Chuchi, Bail Organa, and Mon Mothma will become more than just a pain in the butt. But in the end, Palpatine always gets what he wants. One way or another.
Doing more
With the Defense Recruitment Bill officially approved it’s no longer a matter of “if” but “when” the clone troopers are removed from the Imperial ranks. Some might accept retirement without complaining but I’m certain that others will not feel satisfied with this outcome. How could they? War is the one and the only thing that they were created for.
This is a very sad parallel with “real life”. Army veterans are discarded like their lives and years of service meant nothing. Not only that but they have to deal with financial uncertainty, post-traumatic stress disorder, and being dropped into a society that doesn’t care about them.
That’s only referring to the clones that accept to retire. Let’s not forget that soldiers like Commander Cody left the Empire before these events. I’m sure that they’re going to “make amends” for all the things they did as Imperial soldiers.
Echo understands this and so does the rest of Clone Force 99. It’s time for him to go with Rex and help his brothers. It was a touching moment when Omega hugged him, it really shows how Omega cares for his unconventional family.
I’m still disappointed that Echo’s potential as a character wasn’t used to its fullest. In my opinion, his story is one of the best stories a clone trooper has had, and the fact that they didn’t take advantage of that upsets me.
I might be getting ahead of myself, we’re just halfway through the season so there’s a good chance of still having a full arc revolve around him. I just hope we stop getting these episodes that feel like sidequests.
Easter Eggs
I love how everything in Star Wars is connected. I get very excited about every little easter egg and reference and this mid-season was no exception.
Tynnra Pamlo
One of the Senators that defies Palpatine is Tynnra Pamlo. She’s the representative of Taris and appeared for the first time in Rogue One.
Martez Sisters
When Rex and Chuchi capture the assassin they take him to an empty hangar. Rex mentions that it belongs to friends of his. He’s referring to the Martez Sisters, who appeared in Episode 6 “Decommissioned” of the Bad Batch’s first season. The young sisters also met Ahsoka Tano during the last season of the Clone Wars.
Ian McDiarmid
Emperor Palpatine can only be voiced by the man that played him in the original trilogy. If you think Palpatine’s voice sounds just like the original that’s because Ian McDiarmid reprised his role as the galaxy’s ruler.
Star Wars The Bad Batch Season 2 Episodes Reviews
Reviews of each individual episode of Star Wars The Bad Batch Season 2. Each article breaks down a single episode and analyses its story, digs for secrets and easter eggs and explains how the events of the episode and scenes featured in it relate to and reference the rest of the Star Wars franchise!
The Bad Batch Season 2 Premiere Episodes 1 and 2 Review and Breakdown
Review and analysis of The Bad Batch Season 2 Episodes 1 and 2. Find out how much Clone Force 99 has changed and what are their new goals.
The Bad Batch S2 Episode 3 Review and Breakdown
Review of Episode 3 from the second season of The Bad Batch Star Wars Animated TV Show. Breakdown of scenes, events, references and secrets!
The Bad Batch S2 Episode 4 Review and Breakdown: Faster
Episode 4 of Star Wars The Bad Batch Season 2 lacks any planetary-level threats. Instead, it focuses on developing an unexpected character!
The Bad Batch S2 Episode 5 Review and Breakdown: Entombed
The Bad Batch’s S2 Episopde 5, is an enjoyable episode but one that raises many questions about the direction this series is going!
The Bad Batch S2 Episode 6 Review and Breakdown: Tribe
The sixth episode of The Bad Batch’s season 2, Tribe, is out on Disney Plus. This has been my favorite episode of the current season so far!
The Bad Batch S2 Episode 9 Review and Breakdown: The Crossing
After last week’s intense Mid-Season, The Bad Batch Season 2’s ninth episode “The Crossing”, which focuses on Character development!
The Bad Batch S2 Episode 10 Review and Breakdown: Retrieval
In The Bad Batch Season 2 Episode 10 "Retrieval" the team recovers their ship and learns that the Empire is not the only evil in the galaxy!
The Bad Batch S2 Episode 11 Review and Breakdown: Metamorphosis
The Bad Batch Episode 11 of season 2 is surprisingly dark and answers two questions that have haunted Star Wars fans for over ten years!
The Bad Batch S2 Episode 13 Review and Breakdown: Pabu
The Bad Batch S2 Episode 13, Pabu, is the most relaxed so far. Animation can be exceptionally beautiful and this one is a testament to it!
The Bad Batch S2 Episode 14 Review and Breakdown: Tipping Point
The Bad Batch S2 Episode 14 “Tipping Point” shows what Echo has been doing with an Imperial Senator’s help and an update on Chrosshair’s fate.
The Bad Batch S2 Season Finale Review and Breakdown
The Bad Batch Season Finale is out and it left many of us speechless. What started as a standard mission quickly turns into something that will change The Bad Batch forever.
The Bad Batch Season 2 Recap and Review
The Bad Batch has come to an end and there are a lot of things to discuss: What happened, how it made us feel, and what's next for the Bad Batch.
The Bad Batch Season 3 Episodes 10 and 11 Breakdown and Easter Eggs
These two episodes, Identity Crisis and Point Of No Return are the prelude of the final arc of the season. Dr. Emerie Karr learns what's inside the Vault while Omega makes a choice that could change everything, for better or worse. The Bad Batch face their toughest moment, so far.
