After last week’s intense Mid-Season, the focus has shifted back to character development with The Bad Batch Season 2’s ninth episode “The Crossing”. While this wasn’t as impactful as other episodes, it focused on the relationship of two characters that are very different from each other.
This review contains spoilers.
Recap of the story so far
A mysterious assassin was sent to silence two troopers and senator Riyo Chiyo who was saved last minute by Captain Rex.
Admiral Rampart was incapable of doing the job he was tasked with, and because of this, he was used as a scapegoat.
In the end, Palpatine still managed to make the senate approve the bill that will remove the clones from the Empire.
Echo wants to do more to help his brothers so he stayed with Captain Rex. Omega wasn’t excited about this.
Catch up with my previous reviews of The Bad Batch Episodes!
Western setup
From the very start of this episode, everything screams “western story”. The music made an amazing job of setting the mood in the first seconds. A canyon in the middle of what appears to be a desert is the perfect place for this kind of story.
The concept of an abandoned settlement makes everything more exciting and mysterious. There are many things that could be the cause for people abandoning a spaceport. Pirates, dangerous environmental conditions, or “inexplicable” events that only a few people in the galaxy could explain.
I’m super intrigued by the mysterious thief that took the Havoc Marauder. I instantly noticed the breather and helmet with feathers, which led me to think that a bird-like sentient species could be responsible for leaving Omega, Hunter, Tech, and Wrecker stranded.
After the second time watching the episode, I realized that this individual is a human so I guess we’ll have to wait until the next episode to find out who’s behind the mask. There must be some sort of village or settlement very near, the thief’s speeder doesn’t appear to be made to travel long distances so if I’m guessing correctly the Bad Batch might be able to recover their ship. But if the plan was to get out of the planet then that might have been the last time we see the Marauder.
I’ve never been a fan of western stories or movies but it was interesting to see how they used the concept in an animated show.
Dealing with loss
Before joining Clone Force 99, Omega didn’t truly understand the meaning of family. She was isolated in a small laboratory and I wouldn’t consider spending time with a droid and her creator as a bonding experience.
Running from the Empire, aiding people in need, and just getting used to each other have completely changed her as a person. For the first time in her life, she has people whom she deeply cares about and that’s the most important thing in the galaxy for Omega.
Echo’s departure might (or might not) be temporary, and even if it was for the best reasons that don’t mean Omega would completely accept it. From Omega’s perspective, she is in fact losing someone very dear to her.
As part of the Grand Army of the Republic, all Clone Troopers lost a brother in battle. Despite how sad or tragic those deaths were, they are soldiers trained to adapt and move on. The issue is that Omega was never trained as a soldier. She can’t simply bury such powerful emotions especially since it’s her first time experiencing them.
After the destruction of Kamino; Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, and Echo are what Omega has left. For the first time in her life, Omega has a real (and odd) family. And now, one of those family members is gone.
Home
On a similar note, I’ve never considered what the Havoc Marauder could mean for the Bad Batch. This ship became their home and has got them through so many difficult moments. The importance of having a home is something that many take for granted.
The Jedi used to have their temples, senators like Mon Mothma or Bail Organa proudly represent their homeworlds and even Darth Vader built his castle on Mustafar. A place to belong or that at least makes you feel safe is something that even Emperor Palpatine needs.
The Havoc Marauder might not be the prettiest or most comfortable ship but it was the closest thing to home, just like the Millenium Falcon has always been Han and Chewie’s home. The Havoc Marauder is not comparable to the Millenium Falcon, but you get my point.
The Bad Batch might not recover their ship, but I think that it’s a good opportunity for Omega to learn a thing or two from her brothers. While it’s true that having a physical space to rest and feel safe is important, that’s now what makes it a home.
There’s a good reason that when I think of the words “home” and “Star Wars” combined the things that come to my mind are Lars and Beru’s moisture farm, Yoda’s hut in Dagobah, or the Millenium Falcon instead of Mon Mothma’s apartment on Coruscant.
It doesn’t matter if it’s an old ship, a palace in Alderaan, or a moisture farm in the middle of Tatooine. The people that live there, the mutual support, and the caring for each other is what makes a place feel like home.
As long as they have each other then there’s always a chance to find a new ship.
Expressing differently
After falling into the streams Tech and Omega have a brief but very sincere conversation. She’s still upset about losing Echo and the Marauder. As we all have seen, Tech is a man who’s guided by logic and analytical thinking. His job requires him to be this way.
Without Tech’s skills with numbers and technology, they would have already perished. He’s not used to showing his emotions in a way that would be considered normal by most people.
Out of all the members of the Bad Batch, I’d say that Omega is the one that’s most in touch with her emotions. As I mentioned before, she wasn’t trained to suppress them, and the fact that she’s close to being a teenager is another thing to consider. These things make Omega and Tech opposite sides of the Pole.
As someone who has experienced difficulty expressing thoughts and feelings, it was a touching moment seeing Tech trying his best to explain why the fact that he doesn’t express himself like Omega doesn’t mean that he’s not experiencing the same things as her.
Understanding that not everyone thinks, expresses, or deals with things the same way is a fundamental part of human interaction and a valuable lesson that I’m sure Omega will never forget.
Enough works for Cid
Now it’s time for a small rant. I’ve never fully trusted Cid, the more I see the more I think she’s going to betray them when the right opportunity presents itself. I might a little biased because I don’t like Trandoshans, but she has shown very little signs of being a trustworthy individual.
Despite being saved multiple times by them she still hesitates to aid her employees when things have gone wrong. Perhaps I’m mistaken and it’s just the nature of her occupation but I really think that Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, and Omega need to become independent before she betrays them to save her skin.
The galaxy might be in a chaotic state but I think it’s just a matter of time before someone takes interest in Clone Force 99. It could be the Empire, a criminal syndicate, or maybe even a senator trying to undermine Palpatine’s efforts. Regardless of who finds them first, they must not depend on Cid (or anyone for that matter) if they want to survive what’s coming.
Easter Eggs in Season 2 Episode 9 “The Crossing”
The majority of this episode happened surrounded by caves and canyons but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t a couple of cool easter eggs.
Monument Valley
Many of the classic Westerns were inspired by this sacred valley located in Utah and Arizona, in the US. Since this episode is very Western-inspired we can appreciate how the landscape is very similar to where the Bad Batch is sent to retrieve the Ipsium.
Mufasa Death Scene
As someone who watched The Lion King hundreds of times, the similarities with the scene when Mufasa went to the canyon to rescue Simba from the wildebeest got me scared. The good thing is that at least Wrecker is better suited to endure this kind of damage.
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 Episodes 7 and 8 Review and Breakdown
The Mid-Season Review of The Bad Batch’s second season includes episode 7 "The Clone Conspiracy" and episode 8 "Truth and Consequences".
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.
