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The Bad Batch Premiere - Review & Discussion
48 Plays1 year ago
This week on This is the Wayseekers, we're kicking off our weekly Bad Batch Discussions with Episodes 1-3 "Confined, Paths Unknown and Shadows of Tantiss."
This is the Wayseekers is a Star Wars podcast, with new episodes every other Friday @ 8:00am CT. Join your hosts Austin SWE and Scotty Holiday SW as they navigate their ways through the Star Wars galaxy.
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Transcript
Can connective storytelling enhance Rise of Skywalker?
00:00:00
Speaker
So then I guess my biggest question for you is, do you think that all of this connective storytelling explaining how Palpatine returned in The Rise of Skywalker can actually save that storyline and make Rise of Skywalker better? My first immediate thought is no. That's because I don't love that movie.
Podcast Introduction: 'This is the Way Seekers'
00:00:30
Speaker
Welcome back to This is the Way Seekers, a podcast for Star Wars fans by Star Wars fans. My name's Austin SWE. I'm here with the baddest batch out there, Scotty Holiday. Scotty, how you doing?
00:00:42
Speaker
I love that intro and I am feeling like a bad batch after that. I'm doing great. How are you? I'm doing good. I'm excited to get to these episodes and discuss. We've been waiting. But before we do, new bad batch discussions are releasing every Thursday at 8 a.m. Central time during the entire duration of the show's release. So to make sure you never miss out on an episode from us, make sure to subscribe to us on YouTube or your favorite audio platform so you never miss out. Scotty, what are we discussing?
00:01:12
Speaker
today.
Bad Batch Premiere Episodes Discussion
00:01:13
Speaker
Well, if you didn't know a little known Star Wars animation show called the Bad Batch just released and we're going to discuss the premiere episodes confined paths unknown and shadow of tantis.
00:01:24
Speaker
Yes, yes, I'm super excited. And we've gotten to talk on the podcast in the past with our trailer reaction and kind of our predictions for 2024, what we are expecting from Bad Batch season three. And I honestly think our expectations were set pretty high just based off of what we saw from season two, season three. And I want to ask you, Scotty, just off the bat, do you think these three episodes have met your expectations so far or still waiting to get there?
00:01:52
Speaker
I don't really know what exactly I expected. What I will say, though, is I love the darker tone already, like from the jump and something about that's already setting it up to where I know it's going to be an emotional story. I love a complex emotional story, so I'm excited just off of these first three.
00:02:11
Speaker
Yeah, I 100% agree with you. And honestly, for me, you know, I've talked about in the past, some of my expectations, Crosshair and Omega team up, we got that. Crosshair Redemption story, we got that. You know, I feel like for me, these three episodes already surpassed my expectations. And, you know, for me, my favorite Star Wars is the ones that have me sitting here pumping my fist in the air like, yeah, yeah, let's go.
00:02:35
Speaker
I know you don't really act like that, but me still have masculine energy in me. I do it mentally in my head. I'm like, yes, good for them. Good for her.
Omega's Role and Emotional Journey
00:02:45
Speaker
Right, right. Well, that was me. In episode three, that whole escape and everything, I just was at the edge of my seat. And I mean that literally, I was sitting on the edge of my seat like, yes!
00:02:57
Speaker
Yes, get out, let's go. There's just so many moving pieces within these three episodes that even just these three episodes alone have so much payoff, have so much to celebrate, have so much to be sad over and cry over. So I'm really excited to get into this discussion starting with episode one. Me too. And I really feel like the fact that we've got multiple kind of storylines going on too is going to make it even better.
00:03:22
Speaker
Yeah, 100 percent. You know, always going into these shows whenever they're like two episode premiere, three episode premiere, I'm like, oh, why did they do that? Do they not feel confident enough and just releasing one episode? But I think that after watching these three episodes, it makes so much sense because you get like the crosshair and Omega stuff at the start and kind of, you know,
00:03:43
Speaker
the continuation of that cliffhanger from season two that we've all been waiting for for a year now to know what happens next. And so we got that. Then we also got to keep up with Wrecker and Hunter and how they're dealing with these losses and everything and seeing how they're working to
00:04:03
Speaker
try and find Omega, you know, try and restructure from losing two, three members. If you count Echo, who's away with Rex. So overall, three great episodes. And I'm just like.
00:04:18
Speaker
I can't even imagine where the show is going to go. But yeah, let's get into it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So from the start, episode one, we're introduced to Omega are her daily tasks. You know, we're seeing her help. And one thing that I kind of forgot about going into season three is that Omega is not technically a prisoner. Now, that just means she's not named as a prisoner. Obviously, the way that she has to act is much more of a prisoner, but she's actually technically a worker.
00:04:46
Speaker
here. Is that something that you knew like we weren't going to see her in a cell the whole time going into this? I don't know. But it was peculiar in watching it because things that stood out to me was the fact that unlike the other clones, they refer to her as her chosen name, Omega, not her CT number, which automatically just kind of like ticked it off for me. I'm like, that's a little bit different. And
00:05:10
Speaker
I guess it was kind of weird because she's like, oh, you're not let's say his assistant. And I'm like, oh, so she is still assisting. So she's like half prisoner, half assistant. She doesn't seem happy either way, though, which I don't blame her because I would not be either.
00:05:25
Speaker
Oh, yeah, no, just the worst conditions for her. And compared to like people like Crosshair or the other actual prisoners, it's kind of crazy that her situation is seen as like the better of the two. Yeah. Yeah. And she's like fucked up. And I think we learn and I don't want to get too ahead, but I think we learn at one point from Hemlock and I think it's episode three where he's like maybe some of the freedom that she has. We need to take that away. So I'm like, oh, this is like her with freedom.
00:05:52
Speaker
Yeah, I can imagine like what's worse or without any. Exactly, exactly. And that's why I say she's still a prisoner no matter what. Omega asks Emory at one point in the first episode, like, like, how come I never saw you on Kamino?
00:06:07
Speaker
And Emory's like, oh, well, like I wasn't on Camino. So that just immediately in my head, I'm like, so where the fuck were you? And all these other like female doctors or scientists who also I feel like they're clones as well, because they all kind of look very similar, but we haven't really spoken to any others other than Emory. But I'm curious as to.
Empire's Cloning Plans and Omega's Significance
00:06:31
Speaker
What happened from pre empire with them to post empire? Were they a part of some secret contingency like to be a part of the empire? We don't know.
00:06:42
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. And honestly, I think Emery is going to be one of the most interesting aspects of this upcoming season. Is she loyal to the empire? Does she have some sort of soft spot for clones? You know, we see multiple times like with Omega, it's like, yeah, she's not going to help them escape, but she'll get them back to where they go so that nobody ever knows that they even tried to escape. OK, when we first got the reveal at the end of season two, where she's like, oh, my God, I'm your sister.
00:07:09
Speaker
Mm hmm. I just thought that was a oh, I'm your sister. You need to trust me like just trying to gain her trust. But like the more I see their relationship together, at least in this first episode, I almost do feel like she's trying to gain some kind of kinship or like companionship with Omega, which
00:07:30
Speaker
Yeah, it really plays on to what exactly is Emery's deal like issue there against her will issue just programmed to be here. She clearly has her own autonomy. So I don't think it's not an inhibitor chip situation like with the actual clone troopers. But, you know, we just don't know enough about her. Hopefully we learned some more.
00:07:51
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. And well, I mean, honestly, from how this season's going, I'm sure we're going to get a ton of reveals because in the first five minutes we learn what this whole plan actually is. I mean, we've been able to theorize and such, but Nala say reveals to Omega and therefore reveals to us that what they are trying to do is clone midichlorians, get that M count to be the same as whoever the donor is. So they're clearly trying to.
00:08:18
Speaker
clone stuff. Clone Emperor Palpatine, as you know, leading up to Rise of Skywalker. I have a pet peeve about them using the phrase m-count because this goes back to the whole prequel erasure. Everyone hates the prequels, everyone hates midichlorians, so we're never going to call them midichlorians again. We're just going to start saying m-count, which yes.
00:08:38
Speaker
It makes sense from like a scientific standpoint that they would come up with another thing, but I'm like, y'all really just are going to avoid the word altogether. It's just M count. It was M count and Mando, which I was like, fine. This is years later in the timeline, but I'm like, really? We're calling it M count.
00:08:54
Speaker
No, no, you're you're onto something there because it was the same for me when I was watching. I'm like, oh, there they go using m count. Is this just because they just want to avoid the word midichlorian, which I don't think anybody's complained about in five years. So what are they because for? I was going to say, yeah, they've been avoiding it the whole time. So that's like we're not going to bring it up. We're just going to say m count and people will just be like, oh, science thing. Cool. Right. Right. Whatever.
00:09:19
Speaker
Don't look it up on Wikipedia if you want to stay ignorant. Exactly, exactly. But, you know, this whole thing about trying to clone midichlorians and then Nala say saying we got to get your blood samples out of here, throwing them away for 120 days straight, throwing away 120 samples of her blood.
00:09:41
Speaker
to avoid something is something that's going on. I know it's been theorized in the past that Omega is force sensitive and obviously we get the answer within these three episodes. But I want to ask you, at what point did you start to realize, OK, they are going to reveal that Omega is force sensitive? Was it in this episode or was that kind of in episode three? No, it was episode three because I was still just like, oh, they just like.
00:10:07
Speaker
I just assumed that they were doing blood samples to for testing in general. Like I thought, yeah, when they run her blood, it's going to trip the system. It's going to be like, oh, here's a good person to experiment on. But I didn't think it necessarily had anything to do with like the M count. So and yeah, until the third episode, it didn't even really like.
00:10:29
Speaker
Click on me because I've always kind of hated that theory. Yeah, I'm sure we'll talk about it with the rest of these episodes and probably towards the end here once we get to episode three on how we actually feel about that reveal. But for me, this is when I started to realize, oh, OK, they're they're they're doing it. This is what's happening. Because I mean, we know from like the gungy episode in season two that the hints have always kind of been there. But for me, I was like, well,
00:10:57
Speaker
If they explicitly reveal that this is the scientist's goal here on Mount Tantus, then it has to be what's going on here because otherwise, why would Omega's blood samples matter in this scenario? So I was like, oh shit, here we go. And now it just leads to more questions of like,
00:11:20
Speaker
how who like who is the donor that she has the same m count of you know that is so true because Nala say knew which is why she immediately was like oh they're taking your blood and she literally puts it in the thing that like evaporates it it destroys it completely i just want to know too like nobody noticed
00:11:40
Speaker
They weren't logging Omega sample getting taken and then like it just not getting input into the system. But that's besides the point. I guess this is what happens when you know you're going to have three seasons of a show so you can actually build up to storylines clearly to where they make sense. They didn't even think about the gungy thing. So many people brought that up and they're like.
00:12:00
Speaker
communing with the trees or whatever. Mm hmm. But yeah, that's a really interesting point. I wonder who that sample could have been from, too. I wonder if it could be just like fucking Saifo Diaz or something like bring him back into the story. You have a point that I didn't even think about. I mean, who else could it be? Count Duka?
00:12:22
Speaker
Yeah. And I mean, I don't necessarily think it would be Palpatine. Well, maybe. I mean, Palpatine is who they're trying to clone, but it's like Omega is not no fucking Palpatine clone. She's still a Jango Fett clone. Uh-huh. So it's like, where does this get mixed in? Yeah. Oh, I like that. Yeah. Say food. Yes. That's my guess. Yeah. Yeah. All right. Well, we'll hold on to that and see in the future.
00:12:48
Speaker
But one thing I want to point out here is that Nala Se, I think this might be some of the most interesting stuff we've seen with her in the Bad Batch. I mean, season two, I just rewatched a lot of those episodes in season two. She explicitly tells Hemlock that this whole this whole thing that Palpatine wants about cloning midichlorians is impossible. But clearly she knew all along, if Omega is force sensitive,
00:13:14
Speaker
that it was possible. So is she gonna be like part of this rebellion here, the rebellion vibes we got going on? For me, I just never took the Kaminoans as being part of the rebellion. I always actually felt like I couldn't trust them at all.
00:13:31
Speaker
So it's interesting to kind of see her trying to stop Palpatine's plans here. I mean, I imagine that's what happens. I mean, I would do the same if, you know, I was in her position and she wiped out my livelihood, possibly my family, my race.
00:13:48
Speaker
Uh, so yeah, I'd probably want to do anything. And I don't even want to say it's like an anti hero thing, but just like the enemy of my enemy is my friend. And, you know, I think no one's kind of stuck to themselves anyway. I think it's fucking Dexter Jester that points it out. He's like, oh, they're cloners on Camino and like, right. Oh, yes. But it was interesting seeing her almost be in
00:14:15
Speaker
I mean, we know she cared for Omega, but like she's literally trying to save this girl's life. Yeah. Yeah.
Omega and Crosshair: Escape and Relationship Dynamics
00:14:21
Speaker
It's very interesting. And just the way that they like kind of use Omega and Nala says care for Omega as leverage to kind of keep both of them around. It's an Omega even exploits that in this this episode. She does.
00:14:37
Speaker
So after we see kind of Omega's day-to-day routine here on Mount Tantus, we see her go and talk to Crosshair for presumably the first time where Crosshair is actually conscious, but I don't really know because she's been there for like 21 days at this point. So did you count as well? You counted the tallies? Same tallies. I have that in my notes. Yes, indeed. And I think this is the first time that they actually get to talk and Omega's like, I want to get us out of here. I plan to escape and Crosshair's like,
00:15:07
Speaker
What? Like, you want me to escape with you? It's kind of like, I wouldn't second guess leaving you behind. So I don't know why you want to save me so much, even though I think that he's lying there. But what do you think about their dynamic here? Did you expect Crosshair to, you know, be so nice to Omega and kind of accepting and understanding at this point? Or do you expect him to be a little bit more dismissive?
00:15:33
Speaker
I think it's kind of a similar situation with both of them that, unfortunately, whether they want to work together or not, like they have a connection from working together in the past, because if we think back to season one, wasn't it Crosshair who saved Omega in Camino? Like when we're doing the bombardment and whatnot, they kind of had to go on a mission together. I don't know. One of them saved the other. I haven't watched season one in a very long time, but they had to work together. So they built that relationship. And I think that the way they're acting
00:16:03
Speaker
You know in Mount tantis is because whether or not they want to be friends like technically they're each other's only friend So if anybody's gonna help you it's gonna be this person and something that I noticed Which I was kind of like really like they think they're being sneaky They don't acknowledge each other in the hallway when they guess walk past each other every day. Yeah, and at first I thought it was because Omega didn't
00:16:29
Speaker
You know, she didn't know how to act when she saw crosshair. I assumed it was like the first time, but I guess it's more so no one catches that they know each other or could be speaking, especially not trying to work on an escape plan together. But I'm also like, y'all are both literally worked with the bad batch. So yeah, but I guess it could also be tossed up to the fact that
00:16:54
Speaker
The empire doesn't care about the clones. They don't care to know anything about them. They don't treat them like people. Mm hmm. I think it's Hemlock who points out and towards the end of season two that they are assets. Yeah. By the empire. So maybe it's just that it's just that ignorance of like they do not care. Yeah. But it is smarter for them to like not be like, hey, girl, like in the hallway when they walk past, like, oh, hi, hi, cross here. Have a great day. Like.
00:17:23
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, it definitely makes sense and I like what you're saying here about like how no matter what they don't really have a choice However, I do think that
00:17:32
Speaker
That's kind of the case for more so crosshair than Omega. Omega, I think out of the compassion of her heart, she genuinely wants to save crosshair. And I think that for crosshair, it's not that he doesn't want to escape with Omega or be friends with Omega. It's that he literally does not feel like he deserves her compassion whatsoever. But I also think that that kind of goes back to
00:17:57
Speaker
kind of what Crosshair says at the end of season one about how he feels kind of betrayed by the Bad Batch and the Empire, where the Bad Batch left him as far as he knows and was like, just screw Crosshair, whatever. We don't care about him or what he's dealing with.
00:18:15
Speaker
And that's kind of how Crosshair feels. And then the Empire, obviously, they view him as an asset, like you said. So I really think that with Omega, this is the first time that he is feeling any type of compassion from anybody. And I think that that's really that really gets in his head of life. It breaks that wall he puts up because it's like so pure. Exactly. And just seeing that, wow, despite everything I did, despite everything I've done to
00:18:43
Speaker
Fuck over Omega personally, the Bad Batch personally, within the last few years that he's been working against them, she still cares and still wants to help him and has that compassion for him. And I think that, like I said, I think that really breaks down that wall and is the whole reason that we see Crosshair eventually escape within these three episodes.
00:19:07
Speaker
So, you know me, I'm a sucker for that redemption story. Shout out agent college. Shout out Kylo Ren. So, you know, you know me, I was living for all of this, of course. So once we get back to Omega's cell, she's going nine night. We see that she made a Tuka doll out of the hay that she collected.
00:19:28
Speaker
I know. I saw her putting that together and I knew exactly what it was before they like revealed it on screen. It was like all this poor like she's a she's a child. It's almost like, you know, the Clone Wars episode of the Ahsoka series where it's like it's kind of remembering that this person is literally a child in the environment that they've been put in, which sometimes, you know, we forget about, but like she's she's just a child.
00:19:56
Speaker
Mm hmm. And child labor. And it really shows when she's walking around and she's like a third of everyone's height. And it's like, damn. Yeah, no, the two could always cute. But yeah, after that, we see her kind of go into the window and then they have the transition into the five months later or around five months. We don't really know. I want to ask how long did it take you to realize that there was a time jump and what was the thing that told you there was a time jump? The markings on the wall.
00:20:27
Speaker
That's that's what made me recognize it at first, because at first I wasn't sure. But then I was like, oh, there's a lot more like etchings into the wall of and I tried to count them. I think I got to I want to say it was like one hundred and fifty or so, which I could be totally wrong because we all know math is not my strong suit counting. Not great.
00:20:51
Speaker
But that's kind of I paused it and I tried to count. So that was kind of the first thing. And then, you know, the hair, which I'm a little disappointed in the hair. I'm not going to lie, because I thought it was going to be like a cute shortcut. No, she's got the fucking ponytail in the back. And I'm like, if you just buzzed off the long part and like trimmed it up around her sides and just like how that top piece long, it's actually like really cute.
00:21:15
Speaker
much better than any hair she's had in this entire show so far. And I'll take the stupid ponytail to the season one hair and then the season two like Lisa Renna looking hair. It's just so I'm a little disappointed, but it's an improvement. I just want to cut that little ponytail off and then we'll be right. What about you, though?
00:21:36
Speaker
I guess for me the only thing I notice because you know I'm not the type of person to notice like aesthetic wise like oh her hair kind of look like this that's your area that's why I'm here yeah exactly for me I was I just to me it looked like she was trying to
00:21:55
Speaker
Either embody Emory or this was like just a even if she wasn't trying to embody her, it was a choice behind the scenes to kind of have their hair be similar. Oh, sure. Sure. Growing into Emory or whatever. And that's I didn't bring this up, but yeah, I initially thought it was like, it was just like Emory's hair, whose hair I hate. Right. Yeah.
00:22:18
Speaker
Yeah, I guess the empire doesn't give too many options to be looking fly for the empire. I mean, I'm surprised they even gave her a hair tie because she had to get that from somewhere. Hopefully it's not some fucking hay from the kennel that she tied around her. Maybe Emery was, you know, looking out for Omega in the few moments that she doesn't. She was like, here's a hair tie like and then.
00:22:38
Speaker
omega don't know how to do her hair and she looked at a bunch of men they clearly weren't doing her hair so maybe emory was like here girl i got you i'll show you how to do this sick ponytail bullshit
00:22:50
Speaker
So I could imagine Hunter being one of those dads that like does the ponytail, takes the vacuum and sucks up the hair and makes a ponytail. I do have a complaint, though. All right. Speaking of Hunter. Uh huh. And I won't get too much into it, but Omega's hair grew. Hunter's hair has been the same length in season one. Who's cutting it? Who got the knife? Well, he does have that one knife, so maybe he's keeping up with it himself.
00:23:16
Speaker
I was just like, really? Omega's hair grew, but nobody else's did. Whatever. Yeah. Yeah. One of those things. Time time only passed for her. But I think what's interesting at this point is that Omega's energy is just drained from being here for so long because, you know, that first time she saw crosshair. Yeah, they didn't interact, but there was that moment of Omega being like, it's crosshair.
00:23:42
Speaker
And then like the second time, well, it's not the second time is 150th time that they walk past each other at this point. She doesn't even look at him and she doesn't have that like childlike curiosity that she did before. It's just being sucked out of her.
00:23:57
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. And it was it was just incredibly difficult to see. And just the fact that like they kind of show to like the editing and such, they have literally the same shots of like the two troopers outside of her door, you know, the people working in a circle and then the blood samples. It's the same thing every single day. And it's just bullshit after bullshit for poor Omega. I know this jobs. It gets to the.
00:24:24
Speaker
And it gets to the point where like she even beats Emory to the door. Yeah. Like where she's already standing up and ready to go with for the typical good morning. And then and then she, you know, eventually stop saying it back, which I'm like, There you go, girl. Take those little victories. Yeah. Ain't no good morning in this stupid ass Mount Tantis, but.
00:24:43
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. And I always already talked about cross hair and no makeup. But one thing I love is that you can kind of assume that it's part of her daily routine to go talk to cross hair because we see her like explaining, you know, all about the hounds and such and whatnot. It's like.
00:24:59
Speaker
Like seeing them kind of like you said they're their only friends or the only thing close to it It's like the only moment of solace that they get is that moment kind of at the end of the day together Mm-hmm exactly exactly and it's sad too because I feel like from Omega and crosshair kind of calls this out part of the reason why she probably talks to crosshair like this is because for her it's kind of her only connection to the bad batch where you know, it's like
00:25:27
Speaker
He's not them. And he points it out that he's not them. But for her, it's the closest thing she has to that. But I also think Omega still sees him as part of the bad batch, part of that family, even though those two were never really part of it at the same time. But she looked up to the bad batch before she even like became a part of it. So there's that like that idealism of like, even though I mean, how many times is she like, you're literally my brother?
00:25:55
Speaker
Mm-hmm. Yeah, he's like leave me alone Yeah, or four crosshair just you know feeling like he has nothing and nobody and that he doesn't deserve anything either It's it's insanely sad and I'm hoping that hoping that you do have a soft spot for crosshair You were so ready. Oh that redemption. Oh absolutely because it's one of those things where it's like I
00:26:19
Speaker
Yeah, he's fucked up and he's done some fucked up things and that shouldn't be excused, but it's what choice does any of these people have? You know, I kind of want to talk about it with episode two as well, just like the means of survival after this empire is put in place. You know, these clones were conditioned and made for a war that no longer exists. And they're starting to find out that it never mattered anyways.
00:26:47
Speaker
Yeah, it's it's rough. I feel really bad for them, especially in just like the few scenes where they see blood samples getting drawn. And one of the clones from the beginning looks rough. Like he kind of looks like Echo, but not pale. Yeah. And I'm like, Echo, don't look good.
00:27:03
Speaker
I mean, I love him, so I'm accustomed to it. But like, think of like Echo and Clone Wars season seven when they first like this poor clone looks so rough and nourished. Yeah, I mean, yeah, they're just treating them as assets and specimens to experiment on. It's sad. I think that's the whole point of this episode, too, is like, look how bad it's got.
00:27:25
Speaker
Yeah, not that we didn't know, but like here we're actually going to show you and especially for this being a Clone Wars sequel series, like growing up with these clones and then seeing how they're just literally tossed to the side. Yeah, it is really rough. And I feel like they do such a good job here in this episode and all these episodes of really showing that, you know, like through through different things like the Tooka doll that Emory takes from Omega, you know,
00:27:52
Speaker
It's like, damn, in that moment, I'm like, yeah, fuck her. Fuck her, I'm not with Emery. But then she surprises me when she brings it back, never threw it away. And that's where I'm like, she's gonna be very, very interesting this season because
00:28:11
Speaker
No matter what, there's a soft spot somewhere in there for Omega for the clones. Mm hmm. I mean, like I said earlier, she is the one who tells Omega she's her sister. Yeah. And you don't really hear. You never heard crosshair calling his other clones like when he was out in the field, his brothers. So there's there's there's something about Emory. We'll just have to wait and see.
00:28:36
Speaker
She's on the poster. So she's clearly gonna be a big part of this season. Yes, hundred percent hundred percent and kind of the last little thread of this episode before we move on to episode two is everything with the hounds with Batcher with Omega taking care of these hounds and It's it's
00:28:55
Speaker
Again, showing the compassion that Omega has, giving her own food to Batcher, you know, aiming at Batcher. I'm pretty sure she named that hound. Yeah, no, she did. She did. Because you know that they didn't because they were referring to her as.
00:29:10
Speaker
whatever, UK one, two, three, four, like it was like some number serial codes. They don't really. It's funny because they kind of mirror each other. It shows how these dogs are treated the same as the clones. You know, they're both seen as expendable if they're not, you know, if they're out of health or whatever, just kill them or wait for them to die. We're not going to use our resources to fix them because they're expendable.
00:29:38
Speaker
I mean, that literally relates to the shuttle that goes down towards the beginning of the episode. Hemlock's just like, no, not worth it. Yeah. Shut off the comms. They're on their own. Like, yeah, this episode's very bleak. But I do love those little moments like with Omega.
00:29:54
Speaker
And Batcher, or like we talked about already, Omega and Crosshair, like, so it gives us that little glimmer of hope. Yes. Yes. And I think her relationship with the hounds is very interesting because as we see and as they call out, Omega's care for Batcher at least, but I honestly think for all of the hounds, she ends up domesticating the hounds.
00:30:17
Speaker
to the point where it's like her dog now and they're like seeing Omega as like the loving owner that's going to come home every day after work. She's a dog mom. Yes. Yes. And it's sad how because of that, they were just like going to kill the hounds because if the hounds can't protect Mount Tantus, then what's the point of having them?
00:30:38
Speaker
And so that was just like you said, very bleak episode, very sad. But ooh, Hemlock, I mean, he's done many things to piss me off with him trying to gaslight Omega into thinking that she got Batcher killed. Like, fuck you, Hemlock, because as Omega calls out and I'm glad she's smart enough to know that was their whole plan anyways. So whether or not she killed the Hound or not by freeing her doesn't really matter. But also we know
00:31:06
Speaker
That Batcher didn't die. So fuck you, Hemlock, for your little gaslighting tendencies here. And that's the moment where Omega kind of uses Nala Se's cooperation as leverage, being like, I know you're not going to hurt me. And Hemlock's like, well, then we'll hurt Crosshair, whatever his number is. He doesn't say Crosshair, obviously. CT56729 or whatever.
00:31:29
Speaker
Well, I thought for a second you knew the number. I was like, Oh, really? Oh, no. Yeah. I just realized this tells you how bad I am. I just realized that they're all CT with numbers because CT stands for clone trooper. This just. Yeah. This just clicked in my head either yesterday or today. So no, I don't know. Nobody's fucking number. Yeah, me either. Me either. Yeah. Overall, episode one.
00:31:52
Speaker
I think was a great start to season one or season three and just had me so intrigued for what was next. Overall, what did you think of episode one? I know I really liked it and.
00:32:04
Speaker
It was funny because the whole time I'm like, okay, it's been a really long time. When are we going to find out why it's been such a long time and what literally Hunter and record are
Hunter and Wrecker's Mission and Clone Cadets' Struggles
00:32:14
Speaker
doing? Because like I'm enjoying the episode, but you know, I keep having it go off in my mind. Like what's the bad batch doing? Why haven't they come yet? Why has it been so long? And then we get episode two, which is basically all about them.
00:32:29
Speaker
So I was happy we didn't have to wait. So finally, and I think we touched on this already, but like having the three episode arc where it's like imagine if we just got, you know, episode one and episode three together or just episode one, episode two, it's like they worked really great because not only did we finish the storyline,
00:32:49
Speaker
of, you know, Omega and crosshair. But we also got to catch up with Wrecker and Hunter, which I would have been kind of irritated if we didn't. So I'm glad we got all that.
00:32:59
Speaker
Yeah, 100%, 100%. It makes total sense why these three episodes went together. And I also like the way that they're formatted as well, where it's not like, like realistically, you could have just put episode one and then episode three as episode two. But I feel like it works so much better to spend that episode with Hunter and Wrecker and kind of their mission and how they're dealing with things and then go back to episode three. I feel like it worked so well.
00:33:25
Speaker
That's why I said I love when we've got multiple storylines going on. Yeah. The same, even if it's not in the same episode, but like being able to follow different characters, it makes everything feel more complex and makes the world feel bigger for me, which I really like. And I know a lot of people have complained about the Bad Batch and just Star Wars in general, like, oh, now we're going to go see Harrison Dula on Ryloth and here's Ahsoka. And people complain about the small universe thing, but
00:33:53
Speaker
Yeah. I've been happy with what we've got so far. Yeah. Well, what's interesting now is now that Bad Batch is into three seasons, it's actually able to reference its old storylines instead of referencing like clone storylines. Because we see from the beginning here, we see the Duran's, we see Roland Duran from season one. And actually, I kind of convinced myself that I was just
00:34:17
Speaker
Picturing things, you know, I was like, oh, I've never seen these characters before. But in my mind, I'm like, but he has the missing horn. Is that Roland from season one? Did you know immediately or was that kind of after the fact that you realized?
00:34:32
Speaker
Um, I can't remember if they said his name in the subtitles because as a creator, I always watch with subtitles now because I don't miss anything. I'm a pre pre creator, Scotty. I was like, I fucking hate subtitles. Right. But now I'm like used to them. I don't remember if it said his name, but it definitely said Duran. And I was like, oh, that's the guy from the first season. And can I just say that somehow?
00:34:58
Speaker
His face is more chiseled than it was in season one. I was like, Oh, this man had some work done. He was like, I'm coming back for the third season. Now I got some money. So like I was like chicken plants, chin implant. Come on, girl. Like, yeah. Good for you. And that was a really fun scene, too, because it was like a reference to the to the season one story arc, but it wasn't like a
00:35:25
Speaker
Oh, look, now we're going to meet with Roland Durand and have a little mission with him. It was just more of a remember this guy. Yeah. And then it was they tied the bad batch into it like there was a purpose. But yeah, because it's like if if somebody was just tuning in to season three for the first time, which I don't know why anybody would do that. But they don't have to know about Roland and kind of the history there. All they have to know is that
00:35:52
Speaker
Wrecker and Hunter were acting as some sort of mercenaries for the Duran's. And then I keep looking here because I keep forgetting their fucking name. I remember. Remember what? Their names. Oh, well, lucky you because you know me, I don't remember subtitles, subtitles. I watch with the subtitles, too. But I guess I guess I just.
00:36:16
Speaker
For me, it's one of those things where I hear it, you hear the name and it just like. You know how I am, though. I'm I'm the Lord, bitch. So I'm like, who is that? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So Lady Isa Durand and Roland Durand. Yeah, exactly.
00:36:31
Speaker
But yeah, as I was saying, the audience doesn't have to know who those people are or what that story is. All you have to know is that Wrecker and Hunter are acting as some sort of mercenaries in order to get information about Dr. Hemlock's location and where this base is so they can get Mega back.
00:36:47
Speaker
And interestingly enough, they agree and then give them inaccurate, outdated information. And they gave them the location of a base. Yeah, they just didn't say what the status of the base would be. Exactly, exactly. So that's where they head to the jungle planet. And we see all these vines and such, and then we see the base is covered.
00:37:09
Speaker
in these vines, and it's like, oh shit. Now we as the audience know that that's not where Omega is, but the whole time I could not help but think about the anxiety that Wrecker and Hunter choose to ignore, but the anxiety of was Omega in that base? Is this the base right here? But luckily they don't have to wonder about what's going on for too long because they run into two clone cadets, which is very interesting because one, they changed the design and got new actors for these clones.
00:37:39
Speaker
Yeah. RIP Daniel Logan. Well, surprise, surprise. Daniel Logan is credited voicing Mox, the leader. Really? Yeah.
00:37:50
Speaker
You know, honestly, that makes sense because while I was listening, I was like, I could tell that that person mocks different is different and also trying more than the others to do an impersonation of Daniel Logan. Yeah. And I literally thought to myself, oh, they're making Daniel Logan or maybe Daniel Logan is doing this on purpose, trying to have more of the correct accent. Yes. Because, you know, I just rewatched the bounty episode where Ventress goes on a mission with Boba Fett and his crew.
00:38:20
Speaker
And I don't I think Daniel Logan was voicing, you know, like teenage Boba Fett. But the accent is horrible. It's really, really bad. It does not sound right at all. He's like, you'll get your cut. And I'm like, I'm like, what accent is this? So maybe that's why people didn't pick up on it. I didn't know it was Daniel Logan either. I just looked in the credits.
00:38:42
Speaker
but i feel like it's daniel logan but actually trying to do the correct accent at least the d bradley baker tamera morrison impression accent hundred percent yeah yeah that's that's what i noticed immediately i was like oh like they
00:38:56
Speaker
They're working to make these clones actually feel like clones. So I really like seeing them. And, you know, it's it's interesting seeing the dynamic between the Bad Batch or at least Wrecker and Hunter and regs with, you know, just regular clones, because we know they didn't get along at the start. But now we're seeing like clone cadets kind of take inspiration from the Bad Batch with Wrecker and Hunter, you know, kind of talking about their loyalty. They're there to get Omega.
00:39:26
Speaker
And we know that these poor clones got left behind when this whole vine incident happened. What are they called? Slither vine. I don't like the slither vines. I think they're kind of dumb. Yeah, I mean, to me. Yeah, I kind of like it because it shows shows how how much the empire. I mean, we already know, but it kind of gives more into the fact that the empire is fucked up.
00:39:52
Speaker
They went and made these artificial vines that took over the planet. And when that happened, they just left, fucked over the whole planet. Yeah, no. And that's true. And I think that's the point is just to say that, you know, the empire said, oh, this got out of control. We don't give a shit about this planet's ecosystem that we've now destroyed. So we're just going to dip. But I will say that I did love that, like,
00:40:15
Speaker
And when they get to the base and at least for the first time, and I know lots of people have talked about this, but like reminds you that shot of like Cassian on Qunari looking over like devastation of the mine on his home planet when he was a child. And it gave me very that like it was just all overgrown with the vines. But you could tell that they just cleared out this big space within this forest to put this big ugly metal like manmade place. Yeah.
00:40:44
Speaker
Yeah, it was very interesting, but a good juxtaposition that I feel like we always need with the empire to show how much they don't give a shit about anything. And they literally think the entire galaxy is theirs because it's an empire. Yeah. Yeah. That makes you feel bad for the clones that got left behind by the they say that the other clones left them behind. And that's that's sad. That's that's tragic. But also makes me realize, like,
00:41:10
Speaker
this generation of clones, probably one of the last generations of clones, they don't get to experience that loyalty of the clones that we see in the Clone Wars about how the clones really care for each other. They really care to have a personality and really care about individuality and respecting their given and chosen names rather than the numbers. They don't get to experience that. And so that's just something I was kind of conscious about doing that. I'm like, damn, like,
00:41:39
Speaker
this generation
00:41:54
Speaker
They need to get to a point where they can serve their purpose. And I think it might be Hunter later in the episode who is like, no, you we need to just find our way in the galaxy. We had to do the same. And you guys will do that as well. So that's what we're going to get you off of here. But yeah, they're kind of stuck in that mentality, not only the mentality, but the trauma of it all like being left behind on this planet. I know those slither vines that I feel certain type of way about. I know there were traumatic experiences with that.
00:42:22
Speaker
But it's just sad to think about because they, at the end of the day, they are just kids. Yeah. Yeah. Because think about it too. They may seem like they're teenagers, but mind you, that means that if they're 16 years old, that means that they're eight years old. And so they have eight years of life experience and now here they are on their own. And, you know, it kind of shows. Yeah.
00:42:45
Speaker
Yeah, it kind of shows, too, that the only thing they can really think about is survival, because when record hunter and is it deek or I think it's deek that goes with them and stack and mocks the nice one. Yeah. The one that's not a piece of shit. Yeah. The one that's inspired by the the loyalty of record and hunter. It's kind of crazy to think about that.
00:43:10
Speaker
The other two, Mox and Stack, were going to leave Deke behind exactly what they were saying the other clones did to them. I know. I know. I thought the same thing. I was like, don't I'll take that fucking ship and be shitty. Don't do what was done to you, to other people and continue the cycle. Exactly. But to be fair, from their perspective of just trying to survive and also the fact that
00:43:32
Speaker
there's a 99% chance that those three aren't going to be returning. And then once they realize that they're not going to return, their chance to take the ship and leave is going to be gone. It's like, can you blame these kids for having that mindset? Not really, but it's great that Wrecker and Hunter just
00:43:52
Speaker
doing, you know, going after Omega and showing this loyalty that they have is the kind of inspiration for all three clones in the end to do the same thing and not leave Deke behind and Wrecker and Hunter behind. And I think that that was a really cool little arc
00:44:10
Speaker
for those characters, because in the end, they come with the ship and end up saving the day, throwing the bombs into the to the vines. And so it was another one of those heartfelt moments for me where I'm like, many redemption. Here we go. Like, yeah. Oh, you you ate that shit up. Yeah. Yeah. I love that for you. Mm hmm.
00:44:32
Speaker
Yeah, I love that you're getting it right out the gate. One thing that I I forget, even speaking about it a few seconds ago, and while I was watching the episode, we, the audience knew that record and Hunter were never going to leave those kids there. They're always going to take them in the end. But.
00:44:49
Speaker
The kids did not know that because I'm I'm sure they're weary of all clones, even though the bad bets are like obviously we're different. Yeah. But they still don't know that they're not going to trust these people. And like I said, we know that they're going to they're not going to leave these kids there and just be like, bye. Thanks for your help. But they didn't know. So they didn't have that ease into it like we as the audience did.
00:45:12
Speaker
I do want to talk about the slither vines, though, a little bit more not not to not to shit on them more. But once they once they get inside the base. How did you feel about how they're almost like insectoid like creepy crawly little vine things? Because it was like unsettling for me, but I also thought they kind of looked a little silly.
00:45:40
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know. I guess I didn't really pay attention to that. For me, where my mind kept going is thinking of the different types of animals or creatures, species that they use to actually create these, because there's like parts where I'm like, like when they throw the bombs and I'm like, did they clone a Sarlacc pit or like kind of like with the Zillow beast, how it's like multiple creatures put together.
00:46:06
Speaker
It's like, is that, did they just put different, you know, creatures from Star Wars in there? Is that like a Sarlacc pit? So I guess I wasn't really paying attention to it. Yeah, it did kind of look ridiculous, but to me, have you seen Stranger Things? No, I didn't enjoy season one and stopped. Oh, well there's like the whole upside down and it kind of reminded me of things like that. Yeah, okay. For me, I guess it feels camp, but I definitely understand why
00:46:35
Speaker
why you think that they look so ridiculous. And I don't hate them. I think it's a cool design. I just don't love the execution of it. I almost feel like making them more just viney and not having these little bodies worked better for me than the weird, creepy, crawly ones. I'm glad you mentioned the pulling up or connecting different pieces of Star Wars creatures, because
00:46:57
Speaker
The big one at the end was actually giving me dionoga and specifically thinking of the one at the beginning of Fallen Order on BRCA and the one that the bad batch also faces in on BRCA. It's giving dionoga. So I'm like, is it a slither vine or was it actually a dionoga because it's sitting in a bunch of sludge and trash and shit? Or like you said, were the empire just taking pieces of different creatures and putting them together? So
00:47:27
Speaker
Part of me was like, I hope they confirm whether it's a slither vine or a dianoga or if it's a combination of the two. But I have a feeling that they're not going to. But me, the lore person's like, I need to know because in my head, I'm like, that's a fucking dianoga. That's exactly what it looks like. But maybe it's just a big, massive slither vine. Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Yeah, exactly.
00:47:51
Speaker
But yeah, to backtrack a little bit, one thing I did want to talk about here is Wrecker and Hunter specifically, and how they're dealing with these losses. You know, we see Hunter doing Tech's job, and then we see him looking over at Tech's glasses, and then Omega's took it all. It's like, oh, that felt so sad. But one thing that was really crazy to me was that Hunter, he's been through so much at this point, that Wrecker is the voice of reasoning.
00:48:20
Speaker
where the dynamic switched, where it's like before Wrecker was the one that's like,
00:48:26
Speaker
I was just gonna blow it up. And now it's like hunters being like, no, we can't wait for them. We're going to go and just the two of us, we're going to go attack this base. And it's like, they're lucky that that wasn't Mount Tantus that they were actually headed towards. Yeah, for real. But it's just kind of crazy to see that. Wrecker is the one that's like, no, yeah, we can't we can't be just going for it.
00:48:51
Speaker
I think, well, obviously there's experience. There's the anxiety of the fact that it's been so long and they don't know what has happened to Omega since she was taken. Like for all they know, she could be dead and I'm sure in the back of their mind.
00:49:05
Speaker
And that that intrusive thought pops in. And that's probably the reason why Hunter is so like, we just need to go now. We can't wait any longer. And I like that you mentioned, like Hunter looks at the goggles, he looks at the Tuka doll. And it's it's almost like they the two of them are compensating for their missing members to where it used to be a five man job. And now it's just two.
00:49:29
Speaker
Yeah, they're trying to like compensate for those missing members, but also maybe it's just because of how long they work together that they're, they're pulling pieces from each other because that's how they worked as a team. And now they're not a big team anymore. It's just the two of them.
00:49:44
Speaker
Um, but I, I did love wrecker almost being like the soft one for once in some of those moments when Hunter was ready to go in guns ablaze him. But then we get record. Then he was like, Oh, I'll get the crate of explosives. So like they're still in there and Hunter Hunter still dad. He still takes care of the kids. So yeah, 100 percent. And we see that in this episode. Like we already mentioned that ending there with like the three clones talking to Hunter.
00:50:11
Speaker
I love that, you know, they didn't outright say it, but we know that they're taking them to Pablo. And I'm like, oh, I'm so glad Pablo is still part of this story. Yeah, because I literally thought when they said earlier in the episode, they have somewhere for them to go. I was like, where? Where are they going to go? Because they look like clones. Uh huh. Yeah. Yeah.
00:50:30
Speaker
But now we know, like, there's going to be clones out there in the world that are in the galaxy that just, you know, exist. And hopefully in the future, we'll get to see those characters again and see what they're up to besides being soldiers. Yeah. More cutler-queen endings. Yes. But before we move on to episode three, is there anything else you wanted to mention with this episode?
00:50:54
Speaker
Yes. And I'm glad you asked because, you know, I looked at the credits and that's how I saw Daniel Logan. But Lady Issa Durand, Roland Duran's mom, I recognized her voice. And at first I thought it was Patti LuPone, but I was like, there's no way Patti LuPone is going to be voicing Star Wars character in an animated show. Right. But. By my surprise, it's Angelica Houston.
00:51:18
Speaker
And if you don't know who she is, you'll most likely remember her as Morticia Adams from the 90s Adams family movies. Oh, really? Oh, shit. I do. Oh, no way.
00:51:33
Speaker
Yeah, so Morticia Adams is voicing Lady Isa Durandin. For me, that was just so cool because, you know, it's these big name actors coming in to do this animated Star Wars project. We got it in season two. Oh, what is his name? The guy who voiced the the big racer guy who was against Sid. I want to say it's Eddie something. I can't remember, but I know exactly who you're talking about or like how. And then Wanda Sykes. Yeah, with Wanda Sykes. So.
00:52:01
Speaker
It's validating. Yeah, they get some big names in here. I'm looking here, too. And actually, Angelica also voiced someone in Star Wars Visions. So I guess she's been attached to Star Wars for a while. I like that. I had no idea. I'm glad I brought this up because I was like, Oh, I guess we'll just move on. It's not that exciting, but it's exciting to me. But like, I don't know if it'd be exciting to you.
00:52:27
Speaker
Yeah, no, that's hella cool. I love that this show seems to have like more celebrity cameos than any of the other animated shows. Yeah. All right. So moving on to episode three, the last episode of this little three episode arc, we're back on Mount Tantus.
Mysteries and Revelations on Mount Tantus
00:52:46
Speaker
We start just with another average day for Omega doing the same shit, but we get a glimpse of that mysterious trooper.
00:52:54
Speaker
And I actually didn't realize that that mysterious trooper, I had thought that the first time we saw him was in the trailer. You know, he's in season two. I don't remember if we saw another clone assassin elsewhere in season two. Correct me if I'm wrong, because you watched it more recently than I did. But at least in the latter half of the season, I don't remember seeing another one. But they're a brand new trooper to. Yeah, I guess it's just the empire, because I don't think they were a thing pre-empire.
00:53:22
Speaker
Yeah, at least not with that black armor. They weren't know that lingering shot. It was like. Pay attention. Pay attention. This guy's important. I like the idea that it's our good friend tech reprogrammed. But I also think it could be like a we're going to make you think it's tech, but it's not right. I mean, I know we talked about that when we did our trailer reaction and discussion about like, is that tech?
00:53:52
Speaker
But that's something that I'm like trying to put together now is like, can it even be tech? Like if that trooper was seen in season two, was he seen before tech died? So you think it's the same one? I don't know. That's what I'm trying to figure out. Like, is it is there still a possibility that that's tech? Because when I theorize that that was tech, I thought that the first time we saw that trooper was in the trailer. I completely forgot that we ever saw him in season two.
00:54:19
Speaker
Yeah, because he he used the little suicide mouth thing that we first saw in Mando. So that kind of goes into the theory that I've had that they're going to start doing some phase zero phase one dark trooper stuff. So could they have, you know, reanimated that clone with technology?
00:54:42
Speaker
right? Yeah, possibly. Or it could just be another clone assassin. But it's kind of been programmed for this really, you know, I keep saying the word mean, it's not mean, but like a really sinister, just personality to where they're just like a they're a killing thing. They don't actually have a personality, or
00:55:08
Speaker
autonomy over like who they are. They have they have a purpose. They don't have a personality. Yeah, which is still really sad. Mm hmm. So I don't know what this guy's deal is, but he clearly is going to show up again. Yeah. Yeah. He's going to be a big part of part of whatever story is going on. But speaking of troopers, we see that there's a ton of troopers there stationed there all of a sudden and Omega's like, what's going on?
00:55:37
Speaker
we find out that good old Emperor Palpatine. Oh, that was a horrible impression. We find out good old Emperor Palpatine is coming to Mount Tantus. And I think it's interesting because there's not many times outside of Return of the Jedi where we actually get to see Palpatine in the flesh, no big holograms to make him look
00:56:00
Speaker
bigger or anything. This is like the first time really in a while that we're seeing him like in person. Exactly. And so we know that whatever is going on is obviously something
00:56:13
Speaker
very important to Palpatine for him to be showing up in person, talking to Dr. Hemlock. For Dr. Hemlock to even have access to Palpatine in the flesh is kind of crazy. I know. I know. I thought the same thing.
00:56:30
Speaker
yeah yeah and obviously we see that Palpatine really trusts Hemlock and uh tells him we'll give you whatever you want because this right here is the key to the success of this empire and making sure there's a future it's never been clearer that all of this is leading towards Rise of Skywalker somehow Palpatine returned
00:56:52
Speaker
And I think that we're not going to get away with talking about these episodes without mentioning that and how somehow Palpatine returned and kind of the lack of explanation in the rise of Skywalker. Oh, that's kind of dictating the future of Star Wars here, because we've seen with the Mandalorian, they're dealing with cloning and they're dealing specifically with the cloning of Emperor Palpatine. And, you know, Greg was a part of that.
00:57:16
Speaker
And then like in the comics, we're seeing Exegol and how Vader was a part of this whole thing and where he fits into it. And then Kenobi, we're seeing like Jedi being preserved after Order 66. Your poor favorite character, Tarzan Ube. Don't remind me. And then obviously the Bad Batch with everything going on on Mount Tantus. And it's like, I want to ask you how you feel about it, because I know I have my thoughts on
00:57:44
Speaker
how this is all kind of affecting Star Wars storytelling. But I want to know what you think. I I feel biased because I did not read any of the extended expanded universe, EU legends. I didn't read any of that. So I'm just taking in what I'm given. I do know some of the story elements from the expanded universe and everybody like so many people want to complain about
00:58:10
Speaker
the whole Mount Tantis Palpatine being a clone, this leading up to the rise of Skywalker. People want to complain about that and say like, oh, they're just trying to fix that movie. But at least what's going on right now at Mount Tantis is pretty similar to what was going on in Legends. So I'm like, if people complain about it and it's just making it relate more to the rise of Skywalker, like they just they're just never going to be happy.
00:58:38
Speaker
Like these people are never going to be satisfied. And for me, I love that we got that project necromancer namedrop in Mando season three. So as I'm watching and I'm taking my notes, I literally wrote down now, let's say mentions an imperial project, but is unable to say the name. Project necromancer, question mark. Look up the project to clone Palpatine.
00:59:01
Speaker
And then we get the name confirmed later in the episode. We go into the vault finally, which I was pissed because they teased it in episode one. And I was like, really? We don't get to know what's in there. But then when we're in there, we don't even get to see what's in the fucking tube. And I know it's going to be bad because even Palpatine name drops at their abominations.
00:59:21
Speaker
before he leaves to Hemlock. And he's like, nobody can know about this because they're going to think they're abominations and they're going to be terrified. And can we even say that it's Palpatine or is this like Darth Sidious coming to Mount Tantis? Like it's some sinister shit. And I would be so scared if I was poor Nala say or one of the poor like clone doctors that had to be there.
00:59:47
Speaker
But going back to your question, I'm cool with it. I like I like connected storytelling that. Enriches the story that's already there. People talk about the Marvelification of Star Wars, and I don't think this is necessarily that same thing. I think this is more just enhancing what's already happened, and that's what I like. I don't love necessarily the connectivity of, say, the Mando verse to kind of compare it.
01:00:15
Speaker
But I do like that the bad batch is now going to make other things that have already happened more enjoyable. Yeah. So and make more sense. So then I guess my biggest question for you is, do you think that all of this connective storytelling explaining how Palpatine returned in the rise of Skywalker can actually save that storyline and make Rise of Skywalker better?
01:00:43
Speaker
My first immediate thought is no. That's because I don't love that movie. Will it make it better for me? Because I'll think, oh, here's this little thing that was planted back then. Yes. Do I think the Bad Batch is going to save the sequel trilogy? No. No. Yeah. But I'm just going to let it be like the black sheep of the trilogy. Yeah. Yeah. And I agree with you. Like the thing is, I think it's kind of a happy accident.
01:01:12
Speaker
There's no saving Rise of Skywalker here. You're not going to ever save the fact that they didn't explain how Palpatine returned in the movie. And all of this that they're doing is all just explaining that to make the sequels make sense. And I have mixed feelings about that, but
01:01:30
Speaker
I think that I'm really enjoying the corner that it's written them into in a lot of these shows. Because for me, like you said about connected storytelling, I, too, really like connected storytelling. And I feel like this is much more natural than what they're trying to do with, like, local Boba Fett and Ahsoka and Mandalorian and such. Now we sound like we hate the Mandoverse.
01:01:56
Speaker
I don't know. I just think that it's really nice that Star Wars, at least right now, kind of has this overarching storyline that it's not like it's taking over every show and the shows that it does take over like the
The Bad Batch's Role in Star Wars' Overarching Narrative
01:02:13
Speaker
Bad Batch. It makes sense because it's a show about clones and about cloning. So it's like it's not like it doesn't fit in there or that they're jamming it in there. So I feel like for me,
01:02:24
Speaker
I say it's a happy accident because, yeah, I really hate Palpatine's return, but it's kind of really enriched this current era of Star Wars storytelling. If I'm just being honest, I don't know. I mean.
01:02:39
Speaker
I feel so bad saying this, but like I'm really enjoying it in the bad match and I really hate it in the rise of Skywalker. But I think that's because it makes sense. We're getting explanations, even if we still have to infer like what's happening. I still think it would have been just as good if they didn't even go the Palpatine clone route.
01:02:59
Speaker
If they still were giving the bad, bad stories or giving it to us now, I think I would still really enjoy it because it's some sinister shit in the way that they're teasing it, but not necessarily showing everything. Mm hmm. It keeps us guessing and it makes it exciting instead of just being like somehow it happened. Yeah. The end. Yeah. 100 percent.
01:03:21
Speaker
So, yeah, I mean, well, we'll probably end up talking about this a lot over the next few years until the whole thing kind of wraps up and we're kind of able to be like, OK, so here's point A, point B, point C of how Palpatine returned. But right now I'm enjoying the journey. Yeah, and it'll make for a great video essay for you. There we go. How Palpatine is structuring the future of Star Wars.
01:03:50
Speaker
But interestingly enough, the issue here isn't exactly that Palpatine is present on Mount Tantus. The issue is that because of that, Nala Se isn't able to do the blood samples as she's been doing the last 150 days.
01:04:06
Speaker
So she's not able to throw away Omega's blood sample. She is so stressed that she was stressing. You could see even with the camera work, whoever directed this episode was doing their thing because somehow you can feel Nala says anxiety through just the camera angle, the way they're kind of zooming in on that one blood sample like.
01:04:28
Speaker
Yeah, the Kaminoans are like so emotionless. But yeah, you could I could feel the anxiety, even though there wasn't a huge change in her tone and her speaking. And she's like, Oh, man, you need to remove the blood sample, which is a two day bitch.
01:04:46
Speaker
faster i know that's like your whole thing is that you're like this soft spoken like but it's like come on if you're so worried that you got to get this information out to omega speak up and speak louder and speak quicker what are you doing it makes us it makes us pay attention to her though yeah because we're like
01:05:04
Speaker
OK. Oh, yeah. What is that? So it makes us pay attention to her, I guess, so it gets the point across. But I was like, she's just pretending to push little buttons on the computer right next to Omega. What is Hemlock thinks? She's just like, hey, Omega, miss you, girl. Like, I'm so excited to take blood samples with you today. Like.
01:05:22
Speaker
Right. Literally, literally insane. But, you know, it made for a really, really engaging episode because that whole thing makes it so Omega has to escape that day. There's no other choice. There's nothing else that can be done. Yeah. Omega has been trying to come up with this plan and Crosshair has been telling her stop worrying about other things, worry about
01:05:46
Speaker
you escaping and getting out of here. Don't you worry about me. Worry about you escaping and getting out of here. And, you know, it doesn't matter. There is no plan. They got to improvise. But Omega still goes to crosshair because she's not leaving without him. No matter how dire it is, she's not leaving without crosshair.
01:06:06
Speaker
And so, you know, me once again sitting there, oh, oh, my God, like just loving it. You know, it's funny about it, too, is crosshairs like the emperor's here like this is the worst day to escape. And I'm like, I was thinking this is actually the best day to escape because everybody's preoccupied. Yeah. And they all have to line up for him to walk on to the base. And I'm like, this is perfect because since the first episode, I was like, they're going to go out the kennel tunnels.
01:06:35
Speaker
Yeah, that's how they're going to get out. And I wrote it in my notes. I would show you all if I could. But I was like, that's how they're going to get out. Right. And it's just so funny the way he was like, this is the worst day ever. And I was just like, I mean, did you think that it was the worst day ever or did you see it as an opportunity like me?
01:06:55
Speaker
I didn't I didn't I didn't see it as an opportunity but you kind of bring up a great point but like yeah there wasn't really there wasn't really a better day to be doing that because they're distracted so everybody's preoccupied and Hemlock is like so like dad please give me your approval to Palpatine so he's also
01:07:16
Speaker
super all over the place mentally and only hyper focusing on being with Palpatine and Making sure he's showing off like here's my project
Omega's Escape and Future Storylines
01:07:26
Speaker
dad. Are you proud of me? Please say you're proud of me Yeah, and give me a promotion but yeah 100% and this is why I feel like these three episodes really went so well together and
01:07:37
Speaker
because their whole plan of escape is going to the ship that crashed in the very first scene of episode one. And it all ties together and makes you go, oh my God, thank God we saw all of this at once. And so that was really interesting just seeing the like last ditch resort because they couldn't even go there and fly it out. They were just going there in hopes that the comms were working and obviously they weren't working. And so
01:08:05
Speaker
For me, like I'm like, damn, like the stakes are high here. Like, yeah, I didn't think that Omega was going to die in episode three or anything, but it's like the fear of them getting recaptured or this not being the moment they get to escape. It's really there. Like, I don't know. Did you think that they were going to be successful this time around?
01:08:25
Speaker
That's a good question, because I will say, like I said, I expected them to go out the kennels like in my mind, I was like, this is this is how they're going to get out. But when Emery stops them. Yeah. And she like gives them the opportunity to be like, I won't say anything about this.
01:08:41
Speaker
But don't make a stupid decision that's only going to make it worse for you going forward. I was like, oh, shit, are they are they going to leave and follow through or are they going to be like, oh, you know, she caught us. So let's just take take the out that she's giving us to where it'll be like our little secret.
01:08:59
Speaker
And then they're literally like, no. And yeah, just go. And unfortunately, Emory sets off the alarm. They had the the ratios that popped up in the kennel. I was worried that crosshair was going to get out and Omega was going to be stuck. Right. That would have been interesting as fuck.
01:09:17
Speaker
But I would talk about claustrophobia. Yeah. Yeah. I was like, don't let her don't let anybody get stuck in that tunnel. That'll be so scary. Right. Yeah. And and I don't think Crosshair would have made it because he clearly had no plan because he didn't know anything that was going on. And luckily, Omega was there. And even though he kept saying, like, you don't have a plan, she's like, nope, just swing in it. Yeah. But without them working together and then they get to use what is it? Plan 72 or 77, 77, I think it is.
01:09:47
Speaker
Which I couldn't really understand what that plan was, but I'm glad it worked out. I think it was like he distracts them while she steals their ship.
01:09:57
Speaker
Yeah, I don't really know, but it is interesting that they have. I keep forgetting that they have all these like different plans and I don't make us like with them. She memorized them and as you know, she says, oh, tech made me memorize all of them and Crosshair gives that. Of course he did. Like, of course tech made you. Does Crosshair even know that tech is dead?
01:10:20
Speaker
Fuck. I'm sure Omega's told him at some point, but I don't mention it. It would be kind of odd if she hadn't by this point, but it's like I would have liked to see that reaction for sure. Yeah, I would. I don't know what the reaction would be if we'd really get much of reaction, but kind of more of a humanization of crosshair since he's just kind of like.
01:10:44
Speaker
Like, this is like one of those things where it's like that had to affect him kind of being like, damn, like I've spent the last year or two away from the bad batch and those are years I'll never get back and now tech's gone. And so those moments, those final moments I had with tech were my final moments with tech. Yeah, not not trying to make myself cry here.
01:11:12
Speaker
But... Pun intended. But what I love is, like I said, how everything in these episodes kind of ended up coming back. How earlier I mentioned how I was like, fuck Hemlock for trying to gaslight Omega into thinking that she killed Batcher. Well, who comes in and saves Omega in the final moments and the last ditch effort is Batcher. And Batcher was only able to do that and only rescued Omega because she was domesticated and now had love.
01:11:40
Speaker
for Omega. So fuck you, Dr. Hemlock. It worked out in the end. So although I was like, what are you going to do with that hound on the ship? Did the hound come onto the ship? Yes. Really? And Batcher jumped onto the ship and Batcher is with them on the ship. And I'm like, what are you all going to do with Batcher? You're going to ride Batcher around. That's the dog. That's that's their pet.
01:12:05
Speaker
I'm like, fuck donkey. Now we got better. Fuck AZ. Remember your old friend, AZ Omega? You're just replacing him over and over again. And AZ clearly with the bad batch. So I guess he stayed with bitch ass Sid. Mm hmm.
01:12:21
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. And this whole end of the episode is where I'm clapping, going crazy, because then when it's, you know, when Emery runs, Omega's blood sample comes back. Oh, she got midichlorians. She has M's. She has M count. Oh, girl, she got M count. OK, she's serving M count. Yes.
01:12:46
Speaker
But Emery comes rushing in and is like, you can't shoot them down. You can't shoot them down. Omega has M count and, you know, is a viable clone that we transferred force to. You can't kill her. And Emlock agrees and I'm like, oh my God, like this really all came together. Every single piece fell into place by the end of it where it's like, yeah, we left off on a cliffhanger, but I'm satisfied and I'm willing to wait a week.
01:13:16
Speaker
Yeah, because at the end of it all, we've gotten to an endpoint crosshair and Omega shoot off into hyperspace. Yeah. We don't know where they're going, but it gets us excited for next week. Hemlock realizes without Omega, I cannot make this project work. And if I do not make this project work, I don't know what's going to happen to me. Yeah. Yeah. And so now they know that they need her, which, you know, he was
01:13:41
Speaker
pissed. Oh, happy that happy that he like found his answer, but like pissed because he's like that fucking little clone and only brought here. So Nala say would work on this stuff. And then he also probably knew at that point. Nala say knew the whole time. Yeah, exactly. Because like I said, season two, she tells him that Omega's existence basically is impossible. So it's like it kind of shows like, no, you just were hiding Palpatine's plan or trying to
01:14:10
Speaker
avoid Palpatine's plan and, you know, God, just what a fantastic set of three episodes. Overall, I probably think that this was my most enjoyable time with the Bad Batch, because I've talked about before how, you know, season one is a little rocky for me, didn't love it.
Season Three Reception and Future Speculations
01:14:29
Speaker
Season two, kind of the same thing to the point where I kind of fell off of the show before it got really good for season two.
01:14:36
Speaker
And then I kind of watched those episodes now and went into season three and I'm like, fuck. It makes me want to be less judgmental for shows that we know are going to be going on for a while because it's like all those filler episodes, all those moments where it's like, what is this leading to? Does this matter? It's all coming together. And we've seen even from the trailer that it's just going to keep coming together more and more with
01:15:04
Speaker
you know, Cad Bane and Fennec Shand returning and whatnot. So for me, expectations already surpassed, and I genuinely think that this is gonna be the best season of the Bad Batch. And if the story keeps going this way, I might even have to put this season above any season of Star Wars Rebels, which you know is my favorite.
01:15:27
Speaker
Well, I mean, both of us have talked about it before when we did our year of or like our twenty twenty three review that season two, at least for me, was pretty high on the list.
01:15:39
Speaker
And like, I liked it a lot better. I stuck through it, though, for when all the good came that I guess was right where he dropped off. But I almost wonder if this season is so good because we're able to focus on the characters more because text dead echoes gone. No, Sid, no droid sidekick. It's basically just, you know, hunter and wrecker.
01:16:02
Speaker
But again, crosshair, I guess you could say Hemlock and Emery, but they've all kind of got their own little story points going on and they're all going to intertwine. But it gives us a chance to not have to like, I don't know, focus on so many people in each scene, which even then, you know, fans were complaining that for tech and echo had nothing to do all of season one. They didn't know anything about them. And then, you know, even echo.
01:16:30
Speaker
He got wrote into the bad batch and then they kind of wrote him out again. But I'm excited because hopefully we'll be seeing Echo and Rex soon. I wonder if X is going to X. I wonder if Rex is going to have like a bigger presence in this season. So it's going to be really interesting, but I agree. I'm biased because we know Ventress is coming. So.
01:16:54
Speaker
Forgot. I forgot. You know, I you know, I haven't forgot. Unfortunately, I'm like, I don't think I had any expectations for this show because I've just been so hyper focused on her return. So I'm just like, I'm loving this because I didn't go into it like we're going to see this happen. We're going to see that happen. And I hope you see this. Now, hopefully she doesn't disappoint. Yeah. That'll be the that'll be rough. But I highly doubt that with the care they've talked about that they've put into her return as well.
01:17:23
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, I'm just glad to see kind of.
01:17:26
Speaker
people starting to realize, like, I've seen a lot of people talking about on Twitter today, like, oh, wow, the bad batch is good now. Like, just, you know, I'm sure it's not easy to write a Star Wars series and then come online after working on it for, what, five years and seeing everybody be like, what is this baby show? Like, you know, so now seeing like the praise. But it's also one of those things where it's like, and I'm guilty of it, too, is like,
01:17:55
Speaker
just wait, just wait. Like, yeah, you obviously want the show to be good from the start, but it's one of those things where now I think that if I go back and watch season one and two, knowing how it all fits into place, I'm going to be like,
01:18:10
Speaker
that that works. Well, this is what happens when you get to write and plan an entire show and get the amount of time that you wanted to tell your story. Yes, 100 percent, 100 percent. I know that these episodes kind of it was kind of contained into an arc. And so there's not much we can predict about what's going to happen in the future. But do you have any kind of predictions for where you think these next few episodes are going to go?
01:18:38
Speaker
Well, I think we're going to go to Pablo. Yeah. To drop off the clone cadets. Maybe when we go to Pablo, we'll see fee. I would really like to get a moment into fees headspace of losing tech because we never got to see that. And if we can't forget when they left, she was like.
01:19:01
Speaker
You better come back. Right. And he did not come back. So, I mean, granted, it's been time since text loss, but I'd like to just kind of either get a moment with her with the goggles. Yeah. Or like, I just want to see like how it affected her because I think that's something important because of how much they built up their relationship in season two.
01:19:23
Speaker
Do you think that, or where do you think it's going with Crosshair Omega and Wrecker and Hunter? When do you think that they're going to actually come together again? Do you think they're going to make us wait a while, maybe for halfway through the season? Or do you think episode four, they might just be like, fuck it, put them back together.
01:19:43
Speaker
So audio listeners while Austin was asking this question I was smiling because my response as I imagine most would guess is that I want it to be an elongated thing and I don't want them to come back together until the end no because I'm really enjoying the storytelling in that build up.
01:20:01
Speaker
If they're just together again, like that'll be kind of like it fizzles out all that tension and the anxiety and uncertainty. I want to see Omega and Crosshair have to work together for a bit. Now that they've worked together to get off of Mount Tantis, what are they going to do from there? What's their dynamic going to be? Because they're going to be on the run and they've never been on the run before. And with Hunter and Wrecker.
01:20:25
Speaker
They still haven't even found Mount Tantus. They don't even know. Wait, they're going to go to Mount Tantus and Omega is no longer there. That's where they're headed is to Mount Tantus. Why did I just put this together? They're going to go. And what if they get captured? And now it's the opposite now. Now Omega and Crosshair got to work together to get them out. It's the Ahsoka show all over again. And I don't know. Don't don't do that to us again. Don't make it Peridia.
01:20:53
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, I mean, I mean, it could be a little more interesting. I mean, like seeing Hemlock kind of interrogate Wrecker and Hunter would be interesting. I mean, kind of saw that in season two, but not enough, in my opinion. Yeah. Well, and like they were already like beaten down at that point. So Hemlock was just like the final punch. Right. Like here's your dead friend's goggles. Yeah. Yeah. Or Wrecker had like
01:21:19
Speaker
neck broken and all that oh my god he looked so ridiculous in that little neck brace and then hunter's got like bandages wrapped around his slutty little waist and right right those poor god i love you but i hope that doesn't happen i don't want that at all
01:21:34
Speaker
Yeah, but who knows? Maybe it could make for a good story. I'm sure we'll go to Pablo and we'll have to catch some fish or there'll be another tsunami or something. They got to help rebuild Lower Pablo. Who knows? Right. Yeah, I think this is something we've talked about in the past and I've seen a lot on social media is the trailer.
01:22:00
Speaker
In that first scene, there's like one shot where you can see crosshairs on the ramp with the rest of the bad batch. But he's wearing his old costume. And so many people speculated that it's a flashback. But I'm almost wondering if because it was so quick that they're back together, is it not a flashback and they're just together again? I mean, do you not subscribe to the theory that it's someone wearing crosshairs, old armor? I mean, maybe, but who?
01:22:30
Speaker
fee maybe. What? I don't know about all that. I mean, I don't remember because I haven't looked into it. I haven't looked into what happened to his old like Clone Force 99 armor because, you know, he did get the new armor with the Empire, so I don't remember what happened to his armor, but I would prefer the idea that it's somebody else in his armor. It doesn't have to be fee. It can be one of the little clone cadets.
01:22:59
Speaker
Um, you know, they grow into that. I don't know. I'm just I don't know. But we do know we see a crash ship, presumably the one that they took at some point in the trailer. And it's not in that it's not in the like Whelan jungle, like the crashed one we see in episode one and three. So, yeah, they're going to crash somewhere. I don't know. Maybe.
01:23:29
Speaker
It's on a it's on a grassy field. It looks very Windows XP background. So that fits in a boo. Maybe maybe. Yeah, I don't know. I guess my thought process is. When you see that your mind is like, well, they're not going to put crosshair in the trailer, so.
01:23:48
Speaker
Obviously, that's not him. But what if they knew that that was going to be people's thought process? And so that is actually him. But nobody's all upset that it was a spoiler or anything because everybody's first thought was, well, that's not him anyways.
01:24:03
Speaker
I don't know. He definitely didn't leave Mount Tantis with any armor, so he would need some armor. Yeah. Yeah. I just want to know why they don't take this to the TK trooper armor ever. What happened? Bring back stealing the armor of your enemies to blend in better in Star Wars. What happened to that?
01:24:21
Speaker
Who knows? Who knows? But before we go, every week when we do this, we're going to tell everyone our standout character for this episode. I think that mine's a little obvious. So do you want to go with yours first? Yes, because I was thinking about it and I didn't want to go with Omega, even though she was great. Then my mind was like, what about Nala say? I mean, but you know who I've decided on who?
01:24:50
Speaker
Emery, Emery, because she surprised me the most this episode. And that's why she was a standout for me because she did a lot of things that I didn't expect between, you know, just being genuinely nice to Omega. I mean, they don't have like a bond or anything, but like she seems like she genuinely just treats her like an actual person. She gives her back the Tuka doll that she that Omega is not supposed to have. She.
01:25:17
Speaker
gives crosshair and Omega the opportunity to just come back and she won't say anything. And just in general, she surprised me. I know a lot of people are like, fuck that bitch. I hate her. But I was like, she's doing things that are making me question like Omega hints out to crosshair like she's a clone, too. She might be on our side.
01:25:37
Speaker
Mm hmm. Yeah. Yeah. She's she's just she's kind of in a gray area right now, which really intrigues me because like I said, that low redemption. So I love I love the grays. Yeah. Now, one thing I'm worried about is that because it seems like a big theme here is redemption. They better not bring Sid back and try to give her a low redemption because I'll know about that one. No, no, she can just do her own thing.
01:26:05
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. For me, my standout character is crosshair. Oh, really? I just think that, you know, it's just it's just really nice to see kind of we saw this journey with like Hunter and Wrecker and Echo of
01:26:25
Speaker
learning to love Omega, learning to be her parent. And we never saw any of these moments from crosshair, except there's just a little glimpse in season two when he's frantically like, they're coming for Omega trying to reach out to the bad batch. So I'm just loving seeing it all come together, all come to fruition, you know, season two really teased it a lot. And then they kind of
01:26:51
Speaker
left crosshair out of, you know, there really was not much crosshair in season two, if we're being honest, even though his moments were great. Yeah. Every time he was there was amazing. Yeah. Yeah. And so now just seeing it all come together, beautiful chef's kiss. God, am I so excited for next week? I've never been so excited for Bad Batch. So hopefully I'm going to be pumping my fist in the air again next week.
01:27:17
Speaker
I'm just excited to have another active Star Wars show that's going to take us until May. I know. I know something that's not eight episodes long. Oh, my God. Yeah. But why don't you send us out of here? Well, to keep up with all of our Bad Batch content going forward, make sure you follow WaySeeker's Pod on social media or wherever you get your podcast so you never miss an episode. Thank you all so much for listening. And may the force be with you always. Bye.