Hey! Hallie here!
I just talked about this show when it aired on Star Wars day, but given that episodes for this series will be regularly released on Fridays, they decided to release ANOTHER episode this week to line up with their regular schedule. This episode was satisfying to watch and definitely exciting at parts. Still, there’s no telling whether or not it sets a precedent for what the show will be in the future. With only sixteen episodes, it feels like the series is going for more of a concentrated storyline. But this episode decided to go for a fun, individual storyline that works with the shows themes but doesn’t continue the major plots introduced in episode 1. There’s a lot I can’t say here without talking about spoilers so here’s your warning. SPOILERS ahead!
The Good:
Hunter and Omega: I’m going to pair off some of the characters here because I feel like the relationships between characters is what really made this episode shine. These two are already being set up for a father-daughter relationship. Which isn’t a surprise because the ‘disgruntled dad’ male lead is really popular right now. Star Wars even already has one in the form of Din Djarin, the Mandalorian. In this episode, we see the remaining members of the Bad Batch reunite with Cut, the clone deserter originally seen in ‘Clone Wars’ who deserted the clone army in order to start a relationship with his badass wife Suu and raise their children. Being around these parents and seeing how they interact with their kids allows Hunter to realize how important it is to treat Omega like a kid rather than a soldier. Suu is possibly even more helpful that Cut in her talks with Hunter, urging him to understand that children sometimes get in trouble and that it’s better to protect them from the repercussions than become angry at them for their decisions. Hunter still nearly dumps Omega off on Cut and Suu in a very understandable effort to give her a normal life, but he isn’t angry when Omega returns to him. He accepts that it’s up to her to make her own decisions. Having Hunter admit that he’s still trying to figure out how to act around Omega at the end of the episode promises more development for this relationship in the future. Omega also receives some really kick-ass scenes that reaffirm to Hunter how capable she is. While it’s adorable to watch her learn how to play catch, it’s really cool to see her retrieve the identification codes from Tech and deliver them to Cut, only to run back into danger in order to reunite with Hunter. More questions about her identity and the reason she was created are brought up as well, which will be interesting to see explored in the future.
Tech and Echo:
About halfway through the episode Tech is tasked with creating false identification for Cut and Suu so their family can escape the planet. Tech pretty quickly realizes that he needs to be at the docks, where identification codes are being scanned, in order to create the false identification codes. Echo agrees to accompany him, but everything becomes a bit more chaotic when Tech makes a somewhat split-second decision to get their ship impounded so that it will be taken to the docks. While Hunter’s reaction to seeing their ship flying away is hilarious, especially because Tech and Echo don’t realize Omega is also on board until it’s too late, Echo’s exasperation at the entire situation is even better. We get to see his loathing for breaking rules and taking risks all over again, which we haven’t really seen in a while. Meanwhile, although Tech is extremely intelligent, we also get to see how amusingly one-track-minded he can be. He’s so eager to complete the task given to him that he doesn’t consider the trouble it might get him in. The way he also faces complications to his plan with both a clear head and extreme sarcasm makes me like him even more.
Wrecker:
Wrecker doesn’t get much in this episode, but what he does get is adorable. Apparently he really likes kids, possibly because he’s a bit of a big kid himself. I really enjoy the ‘scary guy is actually cute’ trope and this show is serving a lot of that with Wrecker.
The Bad (Batch):
Cliche Plot Points: This isn’t a major problem, but it’s worth mentioning. At this point I’ve seen every piece of media where a parent/child relationship is being established do the ‘I don’t think I’m a good parental figure so I’m leaving you behind’ bit. It’s getting kind of tired. I’m glad this plot point lasted only for the length of the episode.
Crosshair: Ok, with Crosshair already confirmed as a main character and with the dramatic way the last episode ended, I really expected him to show up here. Instead the episode went for a more disconnected story. Once again, this isn’t a major issue. But I’m confused at this point about what role Crosshair is going to play. I want to see his true personality. We didn’t really get to fully see it in the first episode of the series. While I do think a redemption arc might not be a bad idea, I still think we need to get to know the character a bit better for that to work. I guess we’ll have to see what they do with him moving forward.
That’s it! This episode was MUCH shorter than episode one, which we can probably expect from most of the episodes going forwards, but it was still satisfying. The character growth we saw was great and the emphasis on the mystery around Omega is one of the most intriguing parts of the series so far. There’s still a lot we don’t know about what this series will look like. Is it going to be episodic like ‘Clone Wars’ and ‘The Mandalorian’? Or are they going to use the sixteen episodes for something more connected? What this series has done consistently well between the episodes is the darker theming surrounding the Empire’s takeover. Being able to see how the Empire is oppressing one planet is only the start of the many horrible things these clones are going to come across. This series is probably the best Star Wars content I’ve seen to deal with the rise of the Empire and I will definitely stick around for more.
Don’t do anything fun until I get back!
Hallie
Oreos & Peanut Butter 