The Bad Batch Season 2

(Guest post by Ben)

What adult in their right mind watches cartoons? I mean, they’re for kids, right? Obviously, you’ve never watched The Bad Batch, and Season 2 reinforced that sentiment. While it is technically a kid’s show, there is a lot to love as an adult. If you think about it, that’s what Star Wars is at its heart, and it’s what makes The Bad Batch such a fun and engaging experience for any age. But instead of going down that route, however, let’s look at why Bad Batch Season 2 is essentially mandatory viewing. 

As we continue on with this article, keep in mind that there may very well be spoilers for season 2 of The Bad Batch. 

The Bad Batch has some rather heavy emotional moments that bind the characters with the viewers. Wrecker’s bond with Omega is beyond sweet, and Hunter’s fatherly nature toward her is likewise endearing. But it’s more than that; these characters go through a lot, and it’s things we can also relate to. For example, Hunter thinks it’s about time to settle down somewhere safe for Omega to grow up and have a childhood. While we love the adventures, we also want Omega to be happy and care-free. We also loathe Crosshair for his betrayal in season 1, but Omega is incredibly forgiving and I, for one, am forced to agree with her simply by her sheer force of caring.

As heartwarming as those moments are, however, it’s the characters’ sacrifices that really drive the nail home. Tech’s sacrifice for Omega and the others hit deep. I knew what was going to happen—I saw the foreshadowing and felt the moment approach—and I kept thinking to myself: No, don’t do it. Please, don’t do it. 

And then he did it. 

Tech was never my favorite of the Batch, but he still grew on me, and his loss stung deep. Cid’s betrayal, too, caused me some serious emotion. I felt angry, as if she had betrayed me, as well. Which, of course, she had, since I was by then deeply invested in the story and with the heroes. 

Aside from toying with our emotions, Bad Batch season 2 gave us more insight into the post Order 66 era of the Empire. There is some seriously shady stuff going on behind the scenes, and we, as the viewers, are becoming privy to it. We’ve seen recently in The Mandalorian that the Empire had been involved in some…iffy cloning projects. In season two of The Bad Batch, we’re getting more information regarding that iffy stuff. We still don’t know exactly what’s going on, but it can’t be good if Omega is being kidnapped (spoilers) and brought to a super-secret location. Personally, my money is on all this having to do with the creation of Snoke (or what will eventually be Snoke), and if so, The Bad Batch is going to be a massive strength to The Last Jedi and even, possibly, The Rise of Skywalker.

In fact, the next—and final—season of Bad Batch is sure to uncover loads of secrets, Easter eggs, and, most likely, heartbreak. Something tells me Clone Force 99 isn’t going to survive an extended campaign. Tech is gone (spoilers), Crosshair looks to be on the verge of death, and it’s difficult to see a happy ending. Clone Wars ended in heartbreak, and I expect the same with Bad Batch. Part of me hopes that Hunter and the crew settle down on Pabu (the Polynesian-like island) with Omega. She deserves happiness, and she certainly seemed happy there. Without the crew, however, it just won’t be the same. I have a sinking feeling that Wrecker will be the next casualty, as he seems to be the closest to Omega, and it would have the biggest impact. But, only time will tell. Fingers crossed that there won’t be too many tears.

The Star Wars universe is expanding more so than ever with the new TV shows, and The Bad Batch is proving to be a valuable source of information for those in need of all the details. Sure, there are some fluff episodes, but they’re still fun and do provide some valuable character development. Besides, you never know when those “fluff” moments will take a 180 turn and become more meaningful than first expected. I am eager to see The Bad Batch series play out, as it is becoming more and more apparent that Clone Force 99 is heading toward secrets that have been only minimally hinted at. There’s always another secret (Thanks, Kelsier), and I need answers.