The second season of The Bad Batch delivers another cocktail of wonderful animation, but admittedly many of these episodes seem a bit tedious to me, like a wandering children’s show with very little at stake. This show has a distinctly darker, more-bleak atmosphere as the Empire arises and enforces a rigid sense of order across the galaxy. The second season introduces a few fairly forgettable new characters like Phee Genoa and Mokko, and many of these episodes are sadly just padded filler. Unfortunately, I started losing interest in the show during the second season but I’m still glad I gave it a whirl in order to better understand the scope of the Star Wars “Filoni-verse.” Several episodes really stand-out in this season for me, like “The Solitary Clone,” “The Clone Conspiracy,” “Truth and Consequences,” “Metamorphosis,” and “The Outpost.”
Episode 1, “Spoils of War”
“You want to really be free? Then pull off this heist.”
The Bad Batch is in the midst of a comical mission on a sunny, ocean planet that goes haywire so they return to Cid’s parlor on Ord Mantell where they meet someone named Phee Genoa. With Phee’s suggestion, Cid sends the Bad Batch off to the planet Serenno to steal some of Count Dooku’s remaining war chest (in spite of Hunter’s reluctance). If they can pull off this heist, The Bad Batch has a chance at true freedom for themselves. They sneak into the palace on Serenno which is surrounded by Imperial troops, and then locate Dooku’s treasure, but this predictably leads to a dramatic conflict as the group tries to steal the cargo while being chased.
Episode 2 “Ruins of War”
“We made the right choice, Omega. I’d do it all again.”
Continuing the narrative arc from the previous episode, The Bad Batch crash-lands in a forested region where they meet a man named Romar Adell, a rogue clone running from the Imperial clones. He discourages The Bad Batch from pursuing the war chest, while Omega still wants to retrieve it. Once again, Omega nearly ruins the entire mission by attempting to steal Dooku’s treasure, but she is rescued by The Bad Batch with the help of Romar. The Bad Batch then flees without the treasure while Romar stays behind in his wooded home. And in the end, Admiral Rampart murders a clone in cold blood for refusing to falsify an official imperial report (Rampart plans to conceal from Tarkin his failure to get clone force 99 in this instance).
Episode 3 “The Solitary Clone”
“I’m a soldier to the Empire.”
Tawni Ames, governor of the former Separatist planet of Desix, rejects incoming imperial jurisdiction over her planet and arrests Governor Grotton. On Coruscant, Crosshair lives an isolated life after his last venture on Kamino. But now, he is sent to Desix to secure the planet’s capital for the Empire and release the captured Imperial Governor Grotton. He is joined by Commander Cody’s clones under the guise of a diplomatic mission. Once rescued, Governor Grotton orders Tawni Ames be executed and publicly displayed in the square. In a shock to Cody who promised peace, Crosshair murders Ames. They ask themselves, “are we making the galaxy better?”
This episode offers a fun throwback to the era of The Clone Wars, and it is important for showing Commander Cody’s defection from the Empire.
Episode 4 “Faster”
“Watch your backs.”
While Hunter and Echo are away on another assignment, Cid takes Omega, Tech and Wrecker to a “riot race” on the planet Safa Toma (reminiscent of the podracing scenes in The Phantom Menace) to visit Cid’s cocky droid racer named TAY-0. Cid and an old nemesis named Millegi strike up a wager –Tay-0 against Jet Venim. But when Jet Venim cheats, Tay-0 loses the race and is wrecked in an accident. Millegi comes to collect his reward but in the next race to save Cid, which is double-or-nothing, Tech takes over the race and tries a new strategy. Naturally, he wins in taking a big risk through a shorter tunnel passage. In the end, Millegi honors his deal but he warns the clones not to place too much trust in Cid. This is a bit of fun filler, but this episode is sure to please fans of the prequels. It features some ominous foreshadowing of things to come.
Episode 5 “Entombed”
“Whatever we are standing inside is highly destructive!”
In another filler episode, Wrecker and Omega are hunting in a junk yard together. They retrieve a compressor but they also find a rare compass that could lead to treasure. This leads to a quirky adventure with Phee in search of treasure on “Skara Nal” but this awakens a giant ancient mech. But in the end, all is returned to normal and The Bad Batch heads off n another fantastical adventure with Phee.
Episode 6 “Tribe”
“As this child has found his new home, perhaps one day we all will find a new path.”
The Bad Batch meets with a droid-only criminal cartel known as the Vanguard Axis to deliver “forgeries” created by tech intended to fool the Empire, but during the mission Omega ends up rescuing a Wookiee Jedi youngling named Gungi (or “Gun-jee”). He had attempted to flee after Order 66 but was captured by droids. The Bad Batch attempts to return Gungi to his home planet of Kashyyyk only to find it is being ravaged by Trandoshan mercenaries and Imperial soldiers. The Bad Batch helps the Wookiees in their fight.
Episode 7 “The Clone Conspiracy”
“We’re not bad men, but what we did was wrong.”
In a bar on Coruscant, two Imperials discuss their disillusionment with the Empire after the destruction of Kamino, but one of them is suddenly shot dead in the street. Meanwhile, Admiral Rampart introduces a motion to dispose of the clones and a cover-up is exposed as Rampart falsified his report on Kamino, claiming it was destroyed in a storm. Senator Chuchi looks into the situation, is fed secret information by a clone soldier named “Slip,” and speaks privately with Senator Organa. A conspiracy of clones is growing in rebellion against the Empire. Just as Senator Chuchi is nearly killed in an assassination attempt placed by Rampart, she is rescued by Captain Rex. They capture the murderous clone sent to kill Chuchi but before he can reveal any information, he commits suicide.
Episode 8 “Truth and Consequences”
“Perhaps it is time for a change… we shall usher in a new era heralded by the Imperial stormtrooper!”
The Bad Batch heads to Coruscant to meet up with Captain Rex and Senator Chuchi. They hatch a plot to invade Rampart’s venator ship and retrieve his databank which reveals his wrongdoing, while a vote to discard the clones is pushed in the senate. Chuchi meets with former senator for Kamino, Halle Burtoni, who explains that Admiral Rampart ordered funds diverted from Kamino without senate approval. The command logs from Rampart’s ships are shown before the senate and they clearly demonstrate that Rampart’s own ships caused the destruction of Tipoca City on Kamino. However, the Emperor arrives in the senate and blames the destruction of Kamino on Rampart as well as his clone soldiers. He encourages the senate to, therefore, usher in a new era of the Imperial stormtrooper. The Emperor uses this moment to push forward his agenda. In the end, Echo leaves The Bad Batch to partner with Rex and help the remaining clones, much to Omega’s chagrin.
Episode 9 “The Crossing”
“Even though it might be difficult to understand, we must carry on.”
The Bad Batch is sent to a craggy mining planet that looks a great deal like Geonosis (apparently it is called “Ipsidon”). They have been sent here by Cid in order to extract an explosive “ipsium” mineral inside a mostly depleted mine she recently purchased, but their ship is inexplicably stolen by a mysterious figure. While getting trapped in a stampede and a storm, they become entrapped inside a cave as their ipsium detonates, but this leads them to find an even larger stash of ipsium. They find a way out of the cave and manage to communicate with Cid who rather surprisingly is hesitant to rescue them. At this point, I’m not sure why The Bad Batch would even consider remaining in partnership with Cid since she is so obviously traitorous. The highlight for me in this episode is a notable inclusion of an ominous Western-themed Spanish guitar score by Kevin Kiner.
Episode 10 “Retrieval”
“Mokko always takes care of those who earn.”
Omega manages to track The Bad Batch’s stolen ship, the Marauder (using the droid Gonky), to a young thief named Benni Maro who has taken the ship to his owner, a large lumbering creature named Mokko, who plans to strip the ship for parts. Mokko treats his gang of young kids like slaves, awarding food and water rations to only those whom he deems his “top earners.” Benni explains that Mokko took control of this region when the Techno Union abandoned the mines after the war. In order to regain their ship, The Bad Batch hatches a plot to sneak into the ipsium mine where the Marauder is being held and try to fix it up, but Benni predictably betrays The Bad Batch to Mokko until Omega reveals that Mokko has actually been exploiting his workers for ipsium this whole time. The boys all turn on Mokko and he ultimately falls to his death over a vast chasm of ipsium. The episode ends as Benni promises to help Omega if she ever needs a thief in the future.
Episode 11 “Metamorphosis”
“And whatever they were researching just got loose.”
An Imperial Stormtrooper on a lone transport ship is attacked by a mysterious creature in an ominous episode opening. At the same time, Nala Se is being held in prison on Mount Tantiss (which first appeared in Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn Trilogy of novels). Doctor Royce Hemlock arrives in an effort to persuade Nala Se to support the Empire’s cloning projects (is the Emperor planning to clone himself), but Nala Se refuses to join the Empire after they destroyed her civilization. Thus, Dr. Hemlock threatens torture and asks that the other known survivor of Kamino, the prime minister, be brought to Mount Tantiss. Meanwhile, a covert transport ship en route to Mount Tantiss ends up stranded. Cid gives The Bad Batch an assignment to confiscate its cargo, and despite The Bad Batch being frustrated with Cid for not rescuing them in their previous mission when the Marauder was stolen, they decide to complete this one final mission for Cid. When they arrive at the transport ship suspended in space, they are confronted with a ghostly scene –what happened here? They discover a cold laboratory filled with Kaminoan cloning technology and a short-fusing droid who only repeats the words: “danger…danger…danger…” Using a variety of horror movie tropes, this episode features a fearsome creature aboard the transport ship which is revealed to be a young clone of the Zillo Beast which previously appears in The Clone Wars show. When an Imperial strike force suddenly arrives to retrieve the creature and place it inside a giant bacta tank, The Bad Batch flees for their life. However, Tech managed to secure valuable secret data on the Empire’s cloning plans, and he sends it over to Echo and Rex.
In the end, former Kaminoan Prime Minister Lama Su is brought to Mount Tantiss and she informs Dr. Hemlock that the best method of persuasion for Nala Se to join the Empire’s cloning project is to find a particular young girl…
Episode 12 “The Outpost”
“After all the clones have done, all we’ve sacrificed. We were good soldiers, we followed orders. And for what?”
Crosshair is summoned for a new Imperial mission under the command of Lieutenant Nolan to head to the Imperial depot on Barton-4 because high-value cargo held there has been targeted by local insurgents. When they arrive, they meet a small trio of clone survivors led by Mayday –the last holdouts at this remote snowy outpost—and they openly distrust the assumed command of Lieutenant Nolan. Random attacks by raiders have come sporadically along with swooping ice vultures, and the outpost’s machinery and sensors are wearing down. When the raiders attack again, Crosshair follows them out into the ice where he and Mayday discover an underground tunnel (the only two other surviving clones are killed). They find a trail of landmines which leads to a camp and a wild chase to recapture the stolen Imperial cargo. It turns out that the mysterious cargo has simply been shiny new Imperial stormtrooper gear/armor. The clones are bitterly resentful at this fact since their own gear has been worn down and they are regularly disrespected by the Empire.
They escape an avalanche and Crosshair carries an injured Mayday back to the outpost where they find a restocked facility filled with Imperial Stormtroopers. But the ever-calloused and arrogant Lieutenant Nolan refuses to grant medical aid to Mayday so he promptly dies. An exhausted Crosshair then shoots Nolan before collapsing. He briefly wakes up in an Imperial medical facility where Emerie Karr asks him to cooperate in order to survive.
Episode 13 “Pabu”
“I spent most of my life surrounded by the ocean, but it didn’t feel like this place.”
Phee is caught in a shootout after a game goes awry, so she and The Bad Batch escape and head to her beautiful island “home away from home” called Pabu –a hidden sanctuary of sorts where she stores relics from different cultures. Since The Bad Batch are ignoring Cid, Phee suggests they stay on Pabu with her. However, she notes that Cid can be a powerful ally, but also a fearsome foe. On Pabu they meet Mayor Hazard and his daughter Lyana who grows close with Omega. But suddenly, a tsunami strikes and they rescue citizens in the lower city. In the end, The Bad Batch decides to remain on Pabu for the time being, in order to help lowere Pabu rebuild.
In spite of some beautiful animation, this is another filler episode that recycles a well-trod story arc we have seen many times in this series.
Episode 14 “Tipping Point”
“For soldiers, putting down roots is… an occupational hazard.”
Several rebellious clones are imprisoned and shuffled onto a transport ship leaving Balmorra, however they are rescued by a group of clones led by Echo and Gregor. After being boarded, the Imperials attempt to erase the ship’s data banks, but the clones manage to steal some of the data files and they flee to Coruscant where they are questioned by Senator Chuchi over the imprisonment of the clones. Meanwhile, Crosshair is tortured by Dr. Hemlock on Mount Tantiss in the hopes of revealing information about The Bad Batch but instead he attempts to escape before being recaptured again. But during his escape attempt he managed to send a warning to The Bad Batch that they are being targeted. At the same time, Echo rejoins with The Bad Batch on Pabu, carrying with him the few data scraps taken from the Imperial transport ship. They begin to learn about the Empire’s Advanced Science Division.
Episode 15 “The Summit”
“Good to have you back, Echo. Just like old times.”
As The Bad Batch investigates the Imperial Advanced Science Division’s activities, they trail Dr. Hemlock to a summit hosted by Tarkin on Eriadu. The secret meeting discusses “galactic unification to deter dissent” and the ASD’s plan to harness Kaminoan cloning for an Imperial project of genetic enhancement. While sneaking into the compound where the summit is held, The Bad Batch stumbles upon Saw Gerrera who has also infiltrated the compound on an assassination mission which conflicts with The Bad Batch’s mission. However, they are all discovered and an Imperial security is alerted. Gerrera detonates a string of explosives which disrupts the railcar The Bad Batch need to escape, leaving them stranded in midair over a giant canyon.
Episode 16 “Plan 99”
“We are going to get her back, and we don’t stop searching until we do.”
With The Bad Batch left stranded in a railcar high above a huge valley, Tech makes a death-defying climb to restart the cars, but in the ensuing chaos, he is left dangling from the car which prevents it from moving. In order to kickstart the railcar, Tech tragically follows “Plan 99” and sacrifices himself, severing his line and tumbling deep into valley below. Has Tech truly died? Is there a chance might have survived or ben rescued?
Back in Cid’s parlor, The Bad Batch mourn the loss of Tech but suddenly the Empire arrives on Ord Mantell. It turns out that Cid has betrayed them to the Empire so Hunter order Omega and Azi to escape while the rest are captured by Dr. Hemlock. They refuse to give up Omega while Dr. Hemlock hands over Tech’s broken goggles. Omega is foolishly captured (again) while Echo roams the city trying to rescue his friends. Unfortunately, Omega is taken by Dr. Hemlock to Mount Tantiss and used as a pawn to compel Nala Se to conduct the Emperor’s cloning experiments. Here, Omega spots a badly tortured and incapacitated Crosshair, and she meets her “sister” named Emerie Karr, who is apparently another genetic clone creation of the Kaminoans.
The season ends with the fate of Omega left up in the air as The Bad Batch pledge to find her.