Well, that was a rather anticlimactic way to end the first season. Since the first episode of The Bad Batch, it’s been evident that the clones were going to have a tough road ahead of them when it came to parting ways with the Empire, especially after watching their fellow clones turn on the Jedi they’d been fighting alongside for so long. But as things went along, it became even more obvious that Hunter, Tech, Wrecker, Echo, and even Crosshair would come to find their own place in the galaxy, one way or another. With the betrayal of Crosshair, the clones had to go on the run in an attempt to survive and find a means of obtaining what they needed, namely the essentials and a sense of security that’s been in short supply during the course of the season. Omega’s decision to stick with them has been interesting as she’s learned many things from the clones, just as they’ve learned a few things from her. There have been plenty of adventures along the way, and several familiar faces have shown up as the clones have done their best to elude bounty hunters, the Empire, and especially Crosshair.
But as of now, the finale is resting on a very fragile hook as Nala Se has been taken in by the Empire where it’s expected that she will be forced to aid them in whatever scientific venture they might require. As for Omega and the group, they’ve gained one more crew member in AZI, the droid that helped them escape the wreckage of Tipoca City, which was demolished by the Empire. Following right on the heels of the last episode, Vice Admiral Rampart stood upon the bridge of his cruiser, watching dispassionately as the Kaminoan facility succumbed to the overwhelming firepower, sinking quickly beneath the waves with the group inside, desperately seeking a way out.
For a half-hour finale or a continuation of the last episode, this was well done really, since the entire time the fans were no doubt wondering if this would be the episode in which someone would be lost, therefore leaving them to wonder what the next season would bring in terms of the fallout. But as it was seen, and I guess I should have said SPOILERS ahead, the group managed to find a way to stick together so that they could make it to the end of the line, as well as to the end of the season, intact, but not entirely sound. Crosshair is still loyal to an Empire that will throw him away as Hunter and the others have seen, while Omega is still hopeful that he might come around. The thought that Omega is technically older than the Bad Batch is kind of amusing, but one has to remember that she’s an unaltered clone, whereas Hunter and the others were engineered to grow and mature quickly and to be soldiers, meaning that they had to be mentally and physically tough in order to become efficient pieces of the Republic’s war machine as they sought to fight the Separatists.
The fact that Crosshair saves AZI and Omega doesn’t mean that he’s ready to come back to the group, especially since by the time the credits roll he’s been left behind. His decision to stay loyal to the Empire is going to come into play next season no doubt, but for the Bad Batch, it feels as though the galaxy is wide open for them to simply disappear, or do what they need to in order to keep moving forward. It feels likely that they might keep working with Cid since this is a good way to keep busy even if it’s not a good way to keep off the radar. It might even be a great way to keep them working with the Rebellion without making it too obvious that they’re a part of it. There are so many different ways to play the second season that one can imagine that there are going to be plenty of predictions in the making before that time arrives. So far The Bad Batch has delivered another show that a lot of people can appreciate, especially since the characters and their motivations are being highlighted in a very meaningful but brief way with each episode.
It actually makes sense to not create a massive, action-packed finale for The Bad Batch since it doesn’t raise expectations to an untenable level, and it certainly doesn’t get anyone thinking that they’re owed more than they were given. Anyone that does feel this way needs to go back and watch the rest of the season again to figure out that this is a story that’s still building, and doesn’t need to reveal every little thing yet. For now, The Bad Batch is on the right course, and hopefully it stays that way.
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