Star Wars: The Bad Batch

The Bad Batch finds a young wookie Jedi who is being hunted and unites him with a new family of wookies in the latest episode of the Disney+ Original series “Star Wars: The Bad Batch.” The Bad Batch makes a trade with a race of pirate droids until Omega hears a whimper and learns that they have captured a wookie. After rescuing Gungi and delivering him to other wookies, Trandoshans burn the planet to the ground and now also search for Jedi to claim the bounty in the wake of Order 66.

This is the most interesting episode of the series that doesn’t feature Crosshair. Yes, it’s another side mission for the Bad Batch, but it also provides inspiration for their ultimate mission to help free the remaining clones from the Empire’s clutches. Seeing Gungi’s struggle and the destruction of Kashyyyk, Bad Batch moves closer to helping those who cannot help themselves.

As annoying as Omega’s presence can be, without her there, the Bad Batch is unlikely to intervene. This is an episode that actually justifies Omega’s existence in the group. She’s a character made to relate to children, but it’s easy to see how a bunch of clones on the run from the Empire wouldn’t step in to help others if it would put a bigger target on their backs. But a child like Omega can easily see what needs to be done and doesn’t care about any consequences that may come from it. If Omega is going to stay on the show, we need more stories like this.

This episode also goes a long way in identifying some problems with the Jedi. The “Star Wars” mythos is established in a way where the Jedi are good and the Sith are bad. But, as Obi-Wan himself points out, many of the truths we hold to depend on the points of view we hold. For someone like Gungi who was taken from his home to be trained as a Jedi, that future was stolen from him, what is good or bad? He knows nothing of his home world due to how young he was taken from his family. Both Jedi and Sith have robbed him of his family with their faith. This is one of the few episodes that shows that even the side presented as heroes has major flaws.

I enjoyed this episode of “Star Wars: The Bad Batch” more than most. It’s not my favorite episode of the season or series, but as I said earlier, not having Crosshair is my favorite. This episode is more than filler which is more than I can say for the treasure hunt episode. If we’re going to have more side quest episodes, I hope to see more side quests like this one.

Rating: 4 stars

What did you think of “Star Wars: The Bad Batch?”

Jeremy Brown

Jeremy has been a huge Disney fan since he was little growing up during the Disney Renaissance. One day he hopes to go to all the Disney parks in the world.