The thirteenth episode of the Bad Batch’s second season, Pabu is the most relaxed so far. Animation can be beautiful and this one is a testament to it. It also feels the calm that foreshadows a storm. Things will get very ugly and at this point it’s inevitable. Who knows what Dr. Hemlock has prepared for Omega, Tech, Hunter, and Wrecker.
Recap of the story so far
The Bad Batch’s last mission answered the questions of a mystery that has been around for more than ten years. In the process, we learned that Scorch, the demolitions specialist of Delta Squad follows the orders of Dr. Hemlock, a new antagonist of this series.
Hemlock wants Nala Se to cooperate but after what the Empire did to Kamino she is reluctant. Lama Su, Kamino’s former prime minister informs Hemlock about how Omega is the key to controlling Nala Se.
The next part of this review contains spoilers from The Bad Batch S2 Episode 13.
Freedom
After the Ipsium mining operation, everyone in The Bad Batch felt that they could no longer trust Cid. They were stranded (for a short period) and she didn’t even pretend to care.
Then, she sent them to “recover” whatever they could salvage from a stranded ship. However, this ship was all but ordinary. A Zillo Beast, a deadly and virtually indestructible creature was the cause of the ship’s malfunction.
Hunter, Omega, Wrecker, and Tech escape without any injuries but it was far too close. Now, tired of Cid’s bad intel, unfair split of the profits, and the unreliability of their boss, the Bad Batch have decided to part ways with their former employer.
The small problem is that apparently they never let Cid know that they no longer work for her. I understand why they decided to do it that way but as annoying as Cid can be, she’s not someone you want against you.
Cid has a lot of contacts in the underworld and her ultimate motive is and always will be money. If she’s able to gain enough credits I have no doubt that she’ll reveal everything about former Clone Force 99.
Not everything is about money
Phee Genoa is a skilled and experienced “liberator of ancient wonders”. To be honest I thought that she was just another pirate stealing valuable objects to re-sell them in the black market. I couldn’t be more wrong.
It’s true that she steals and makes business with shady characters like Crowder or Cid, but after arriving in Pabu we learn that it’s more than just making money with these objects. Tech points out that the artifact they just “recovered” has little to no value, then Phee explains that it’s not about the monetary value.
Pabu is home to many refugees that lost their homes to the Empire, Tipca might be one of the most important among the destroyed cities but there are dozens if not hundreds of villages and cities that suffered the same fate.
Phee recovers artifacts from these people’s cultures, some of them might have a religious significance, others could be the last relics of a destroyed civilization and a few might simply have sentimental value. It doesn’t matter why but all of them are important.
The Mandalorian dwells deeper on the importance of items and the sense of identity that they can provide to a group of people. I doubt that any of the artifacts on Pabu are as important as the Darksaber but that’s also relative.
What might be garbage for someone might represent an entire legacy for the right person. Star Wars Rebels explore more about this with Hera Syndulla’s family Kalikori; for a simple Imperial officer it was worthless but Hera and Grand Admiral Thrawn really understood the value it had for Twi’leks.
I’ve gained a lot of respect for Phee and her goal to unite individuals with whatever is left of their civilizations.
Letting Omega have normal experiences
Phee points out something that’s very important, Omega is still a child and she also needs to experience things like playing and socializing with people that are her age. When she met Hera it was obvious that they could get along pretty well but both of their circumstances made it impossible.
Clones never interacted with many people outside of the military. Their entire lives revolved around war and being good soldiers so there are “basic” things that are completely unknown to them.
If Hunter’s intention is that they eventually leave this life behind it’s important that Omega learns some of these things. Of course, that is if they can really leave everything behind. I don’t enjoy being “that guy” but I’m starting to believe that this will never happen.
The Empire wants to capture Omega mainly because of her connection to Nala Se but I’m sure that once they take a look at her DNA their interest is going to increase considerably. Omega is a “perfect” clone like Boba Fett but she’s also enhanced.
With Cloning being so emphasized in recent Star Wars media it gets scary to think that there’s an actual possibility of Omega getting captured. The fact that Palpatine was able to “clone himself” leaves many questions open and really makes me wonder who will have to suffer in order for Darth Sidious to achieve his maximum goal.
Safe haven
Pabu is the closest thing I’ve seen to a paradise in Star Wars. It is a beautiful island full of trees, plants, and flowers with no land predators and apparently, still unknown to the Empire.
This place would be perfect for anyone looking to escape from the Empire or keep a low profile; Jedi, Clone Troopers, or heavy opposers. But this is not possible due to the same aspects that make this island a sanctuary. Bringing in people that the Empire is actively looking for would lead to the inevitable invasion and destruction of Pabu.
At this point, it looks like it’s something inevitable. Now that Omega has been brought up in a discussion to make Lana Se comply it’s only a matter of time before someone tracks them. Unless there are any type of weapons hidden somewhere, this island has no terrain or resources that could be used against armed troopers.
Staying here will only endanger the villagers and this island’s existence. It’s kinda sad that for the first time in months, the Bad Batch finds a place where they could settle but by doing so they would only put a target on everyone that tries to protect them. It doesn’t matter if it’s a group of armed villagers or elder people, the Empire will destroy anyone who stands between them and their prey.
A few troopers might be manageable but I doubt that the Empire sends a force of Stormtroopers. They know that Omega is with members of Clone Force 99, an elite squad that managed to complete even the hardest tasks. Whoever they send, it’s going to be someone that is just as skilled and lethal as them.
The most obvious choice would be either Crosshair or Scorch. The first one is captured and who knows what he’s being subjected to so it’s probably not going to be him. Scorch on the other hand has proven to be extremely loyal to the Empire and many of us know how dangerous he can be.
In the best-case scenario, he’d lead a group of other Clone Commandos. But, if for whatever reason they think that’s not enough, could we witness the return of Delta Squad? This might be a stretch but I no longer consider this to be completely impossible.
Republic Commando is one of my favorite games and I’d really love to see them back on the screen but I’d never want Omega, Hunter, Wrecker, and Tech to be paired against them.
Easter Eggs in The Bad Batch S2E13 “Pabu”
This week’s easter eggs are about one creepy insect that made its debut in the Prequel Trilogy and one of the most famous biblical stories.
Kouhuns
The insect that tries to poison Phee is a Kouhun. Kouhuns were first seen in Attack of the Clones when Zam Wessel uses them in Padme Amidala’s assassination attempt.
Noah’s Ark
The Archium is where Phee storages all the artifacts she “liberates”. I believe that it is a reference to Noah’s ark and its purpose to save as many species as possible, the fact that the sea surge makes everyone get to the higher levels of the village makes it more than evident.
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 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 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.
