Hey! Hallie here!
I’ve been talking a lot about ‘The Bad Batch’ recently. It’s, in my opinion, one of the most imaginative shows in Star Wars right now with some of the most fascinating storylines I’ve ever seen in the franchise. But if you’ve kept up with my posts on the show, you know that my relationship with it has been a bit rocky. I’ve criticized it for the spotty character development amongst the cast, and most recently, SPOILERS AHEAD, for killing off the character of Tech in the season two finale of the show. Despite my obsession with this show, I had an extremely negative reaction to Tech’s death and I made it very obvious in my review of the season. But Dee Bradley Baker’s take on the situation, which he shared at Star Wars Celebration, has a lot of fans wondering if the initial negative reaction of many fans might be incorrect. Should Tech come back? Or is it best for the character, and for the show, for him to stay dead? I certainly have my opinion, but let’s look at why I feel so strongly about Tech’s potential demise.
The Dee Bradley Baker Argument:
First we should talk about what was said at Star Wars Celebration. While many Tech fans zeroed in on the subtle hint from Michelle Ang, the voice of Omega, that this goodbye to Tech might not be permanent, many other fans turned their focus to Dee Bradley Baker’s statements about mourning Tech. Dee Bradley Baker, when talking about how much he would miss Tech, said that he consoled himself with the fact that Tech went out the way any clone would want to go out. Making an intentional decision to sacrifice himself for his brothers and his family. His last words were even “when have we ever followed orders”, fully cementing that this was a choice he made on his own as opposed to the control the Empire attempted to exert over the clones. A lot of fans found that this observation gave Tech’s death too much purpose for it to make sense to bring him back. But though I do admire Dee Bradley Baker and appreciate his opinion, I don’t believe this gives enough meaning to Tech’s death to justify it. Because the point of the clones is individuality in the face of being viewed as one unit of disposable beings, not for each clone character to end their story as “any clone” would want to. I appreciate that Tech died with the freedom to choose his death and the people he would die for, but I don’t want his death to focus on the clones as a whole. I want his death to focus on closing out his personal character arc. So the real question is, is his death a satisfying conclusion to the character arc Tech was given over the course of the most recent season?
Tech’s Character Arc:
Tech’s character arc for season two touched on a couple of things. First there was his emotional expression. The season opened on Tech having grown closer to Omega as a teacher and older brother. Through his relationship with Omega he frequently found himself at odds with her because of his more logical approach to most problems. This culminated in an argument halfway through the season, where Tech snapped at Omega for frequently bringing up her sadness over Echo’s decision to leave the Batch. In the resulting conversation Omega accused Tech of not caring about Echo’s departure, at which point Tech seemingly alluded to being on the autism spectrum by explaining that he processes emotions differently than everyone else but feels no less than they do. After that we saw Tech’s emotional side take center stage. He started to show support for Omega when the other members of the Batch doubted her, started to pursue a romantic relationship with Phee, and was the main advocate for getting Crosshair back from the Empire. The next thing his character arc explored started in episode one, where Romar Adell spoke to Tech about the people who existed outside of the Separatists during the war and were still thriving despite the rising Empire. It reminded Tech that there was more to life outside of war, leading to Tech discovering a talent in riot racing and a potential home on Pabu. So did his death address any of these storylines or bring them to a satisfying close? I don’t really think so. Despite trying to find a life for himself outside of the war he still died in the war against the Empire, and his decision to sacrifice himself was another case of logic and calculation first and foremost. I unfortunately don’t feel anything in his character arc really came full circle with his demise.
What We’re Losing if Tech Doesn’t Come Back:
This is the main thing I always look at when a character either dies or is written off a show. What did they bring to the show, and is it too costly for the show to lose? Tech, at the time he died in ‘The Bad Batch’, was one of very few fully developed characters. Season two did a lot of work explaining and exploring his character, but didn’t do much work for any of the other characters. As of now, Tech, Omega, and Crosshair are the only main characters that can boast satisfying storylines, whereas Echo was pushed to the side for most of the recent season, and both Hunter and Wrecker haven’t gotten much development since the beginning of the show. Moving past that, Tech also brings representation for the neurodivergent community. Even if you’re a fan who doesn’t believe that Tech’s statements in season two confirm him as on the autism spectrum, you still can’t deny that his mannerisms, responses in conversation, and reactions to unfamiliar situations are clearly inspired by neurodivergent tendencies. So either way, he represents the neurodivergent community and remains the only character in Star Wars who obviously does so. That representation is priceless, especially when the one romantic relationship we were getting in season two involved Tech. That’s not a storyline most neurodivergent characters get. In my opinion, an excellently written character like this who gives a voice to the underrepresented is not something the show can afford to lose.
A popular question Star Wars content creators are being asked right now is “Would you rather Tech stay dead or be tortured by the Empire?” I really don’t like this question. If you’re a Tech fan, your first inclination is never to say you’d rather he be tortured by the Empire. Clearly Tech himself would rather be at peace, and no one’s wishing the character suffering. But the question doesn’t address the real problem with Tech’s death. Because the problem isn’t that I’m not honoring the character’s sacrifice, but that I don’t feel the sacrifice makes sense for the character’s story. Now, this entire post is operating around the idea that Tech is dead. And I’m not sure I totally believe that. Falling deaths are suspicious when we don’t see a body, and Michelle Ang definitely had some interesting things to say during Star Wars Celebration. But I’m definitely afraid we won’t see Tech again and I firmly believe that if we don’t, it will be a giant mistake.
Don’t do anything fun until I get back!
Hallie
Oreos & Peanut Butter 